Fancied a change so dug a pond.

Yes, sounds good!!! the bigger the better.:thumb:

Val

 

Few commercially produced filters would be half the size of the one I made. But at the time, the materials were "cheap as chips."

For the "technically minded," the left-hand tanks were the top tanks, there's two inlets to spreader bars from a shared header tank, plus a connector to the parallel set in case there was a blockage in one side.
There's also an overflow pipe in both top tanks.
I cut the tops on the left-hand side, to make removable "lids" so I could get in the plastic perforated trays on which the open-core foam sits.

The right hand tanks are the bottom ones. The water from the top tanks enters from two tank connectors in the top of each (not yet fitted in the photo, but you can see where I've drilled the holes) and the two tank connectors are the returns to the pool. They are each connected by a "T" connector fitted sideways so there's an open end at the top (to prevent syphoning) to perforated pipes which sit on the bottom of the tanks. The arrangement is to ensure water is spread and collected from all areas of the tanks to avoid "tracking." The bottom set of tanks were sealed by having the lids stuck down with Fernox non-setting sealant. There's also a pipe connected to the underside of each of the two bottom tanks which goes to a drain via a valve, so I can give the filters a good flush out with pond water every few months. Don't even have to get my hands wet!

I remember driving down to Telford to the factory where they made "flowcore" the filter medium popular at the time (cheaper than "hair rollers" which a lot of people used.) They put it in plastic bin bags for me and it filled the whole of my Renault 5 GTS from the back of the front seats to the hatchback.



They take up two thirds of the back wall of my garage.



There's a bypass from the header tank to a UV steriliser.



This may to some seem a bit over the top, but these filters have been chugging away for twenty-four years. They've seen two pump replacements, not surprising as they run 24/7. I've also changed the foam once. They've never leaked and need no other maintenance.

 

WOW!!!!!! Now that's what I call a filter!!!!!!!!!:gnthb: that is brilliant. In my larger fish tanks I have got round it by having 2 x internal + 1 external, again it is over the top but I like it like that!!!

Val

 

kev25v6, it's been just over a year since you started it. How does it look now?

 

I have kept koi for years, and it isn't easy.
The main thing to think of is the welfare of the fish.
Secondly if you are going to build a pond, build the biggest you can, don't skimp on it.
If you don't you will get the bug and it will cost you a lot of money.
I am on my 3rd and last pond, it is 22ft. long 8 ft wide and 6 ft deep.
Try not to use a liner, because spring a leak and you have panic stations, try and do a brick built pond and have it fibre glassed properly by a pond expert, not a car body merchant.
There are two bottom drains under a 6 inch reinforced base , essential for good pond keeping.
Is clear water essential? only if you want to see your fish, that is the only reason.
I have just started to turn my pond green so I can see what effects it has, to be honest I can still see them, but not on the bottom, and they seem healthy and happy enough.
Weekly I flush out the bottom by opening 4 inch valves to let the muck run to the vortex and out to the sewer pipe I have laid under the ground to take waste away.
I have a ballcock to keep the level of the pond up.
All water filling the pond goes through a water purifier, another essential, it keeps the tap water pure, if you saw the state of the filters when I change them you wouldn't drink our tap water unless you boiled it first.
Whilst I am talking about water, remember we are going to all have water meters by 2020, which means every time you do a water change it will cost you money.
Partial water changes should be done on a weekly basis, and a bigger water change once a month to 6 weeks.
Just one point I forgot to mention, the bigger the pond the more soil you have to either spread or get rid of, mine was dug 4 feet down which meant I had 10 large skips that cost me £1000.
If anybody is going to build one, I have a six foot weir type filter complete with valves surplus to requirements, I shall be putting it on Ebay next month some time.
I am open to offers on it, it cost me about £500 and it is made of fibreglass.
It is not a cheap thing to undertake, and you can't skimp.
FA

 

Anybody wanting to laminate glassfibre into a shaped hole can message me if they want any tips.It used to be my trade,I've built dozens.
It's been some years and I've lost contacts with suppliers etc but I can show you how best to tackle it.

 

I will get the camera out one night and get a few pics. Not changed that much, the plants have grown a bit and ive added a few small fish. Im still planning on raising the sides with more sleepers, taking out the small waterfall and rockery behind the pond, when funds allow with a second child just arrived.

 

say no more.