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Old 11-17-2006   #7 (permalink)
dick benbow
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: seattle, wa
Posts: 4,527
I think the design shows an emphasis on watergardening...lots of great concepts to please the ears and eyes but from a serious koi keeping pond..
Scott has pretty much explained that position. Not all KB viewers are strictly koi but many that started as watergardners have gravitated over to more serious koi keepers.

If this pond is cement and more permanent then you'll want to seriously reconsider...if liner...for the expense to reconfigure...you may want to proceed...and with a coupla years of experience under your belt realize that
keeping koi is keeping water and Scott made some good points.

keep in mind that shallow turtle resting spots without turtles (after a while they may not fit into your plans) might end up being a place where koi could get involved with predators....also are you aware that frogs, salamanders, turtles etc that might give your body of water additional interest can harbor and carry disease?

My advice is to compromise your initial plans to allow for more serious biofiltration. Daily cleanings of ponds gets old after while. the easier you make it to do chores the more likely you are to do them.water falls and streams need to be on one end to create current and roll waste down a graduated slope to the opposite deep end where waste is removed thru bottom drains. Bottoms need to be designed to expedite wastes into a mechanical trap like a bubble bead or settling sump to waste. Then the water can be run thru a bio filter to repurify, and then back to the waterfall or shallow stream for oxygenation. keep in mind oxygen needs to be high level for fish and filter bacteria. The depth of the pond is also important. Even the most mild climates need atleast 5-6 feet.Many times filters which tend to be built double of the size you think you need (sage) can be skillfully hidden under the floor of an attractive building (pergola) for rest, cover and viewing. Keep in mind any pump around water has to have a GFI (Scott can tell you what it's called in europe) circuit protection for the electrical.....also in japan koi (carp) are loved because of the lore of fables where they fight waterfalls and in suceeding turn into dragons. All fanciful stuff, but in truth koi will come out of the pond and up the stream, making them vulerable to predation. Not a good idea after you have favorites and invested a few years in their care!

and last but not least what you are looking to put into your yard is what most countries call an "attractive nuisance"...which means little kids with no common sense will be drawn to it and may drown leaving you liable.....so you may want to incorporate a 6 foot high fence with locking gate.

I believe the best book you can get on the subject of koi is peter waddington's Koi Kichi...covers the topics relating to koi, filtration, pond construction about as good as you can get. It's not inexpensive, but about half now of what it was when it first came out....good luck...I'm glad you asked...and i hope our very narrow viewpoint ( while learned) will be of help
and you will give it due consideration. All the best.....
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