Pond info & picture for Akai-San - Koi Forum - Koi-Bito Magazine

Tom C · 12-06-2004

Akai-San asked for a little info on our pond. Here's a little info for you. The pond took 18 months from start to where it is today. I still have just a little more work to do on it.

The pond is 6' 7" deep, and is 21' 11" long. The center of the pond is 7' 10" wide and each outer loop is 10' 3" wide. The pond has two Nexus 300 filters for filtration at this time, and a bead filter on one of the skimmers. We have 4 PerformancePro Artesian water pumps running the pond. Most are throttle back at this time. The pond has 2 bottom drain to it, and they are the ones Sugar Loaf Koi makes with diffusers. Each drain is dished to the drain. Each diffuser is powered by a Airtech 80 lpm air pump. Then I have a Airtech 120 lpm air pump for each of the Nexus units. The Nexus units have 250 liters of media in each one. This should give us enough filtration for an 18,000 gallon pond. The pond has two skimmers and one is hooked up to a Zapp Pure UV-10 for the UV light on the pond. We used a total of 63' of 4" pipe for the two bottom drains and another 386' of 2" pipe for the skimmers and all of the TPR returns.

Like I said the pond is just a little over 9,000 US gallon. We did use a water meter when filling the pond. The reading we got off of it was 9,012 gallon.

The pond was build as a formal type pond. I do like how it turned out. If I was to do anything different I would have maybe added a waterfall with a waterfall bypass right under it. I would have also maybe moved the skimmers to the middle front and back side of the pond. I also maybe would have done one water pump for the two skimmers. I did two pumps, one for each skimmer. If it gets to be to much I can still change this.

I still have some more work to do on the filter house. I need to clean up some of the pipe work and add another bead filter to the other skimmer. I'm also planning on doing some art work on the inside walls of it. We might even add a heater to the pond down the line. This would be only used to stable with temp of the water.

This whole project was made possible with a lot of technical help from Steve Childers, Tom Lansing, and Jim Reilly.

Tom

Koi-Schmid-Linden · 12-06-2004

Hi TomC,

wher are you from?

Is this a typical pondstyle for your region?

Regards Nico

Akai-San · 12-06-2004

Tom,

Thanks for taking the time to share your set-up. Looks awesome! And a lot of equipment to make your life easier when it comes to pond maintenance. I really like the depth you held as well. You must be very proud. I know it took a lot of hard work to finish that pond. I just finished renovating our old house and boy doesn't it wipe you out on the weekends. Almost like having 3 jobs.

Even planning/ designing my pond is not as easy as I thought it would be. Especially when trying to pin down a system that is right for the individuals needs. I still can't decide exactly how I'm going to build fit all the parts together. I have several options, all of which have pros and cons. One of these days, I'll get it all together and break ground. Thanks again.

B.Scott · 12-06-2004

Nico,
One advantage the people in the US have that we in Europe never see is the use of a concrete mixture called Gunnite (is Shotcrete the same thing?) This is a concrete mixture (beton) that is sprayed with a large high pressure hose onto surfaces that are even vertical! You dig a hole, put in the pipe work,add the steel reinforcement and shoot in the concrete. It works very fast. This is all a spin off of the swimming pool industry. Many American home have them unlike those of us in Europe. To make a pond is simply a matter of changing the plumbing. Using gunnite makes it possible to have all sorts of free-forms and curves that would be very difficult to do using blocks and rendering (or expensive at least.
Very versatile stuff

Great looking Pond Tom. You should be very proud!

Koi-Schmid-Linden · 12-06-2004

Very interessting information B.Scott!!! Thanks

In Germany there are mainly two ways of building a pond.

Using foils or building a oblong pool out of beton and coating it with GRP.

When using beton/GRP the pond is usually formed like a oblong, bur only a few have such a styled outer pond wall. The majority doesn't build the pond higher then the level of the garden.

Fiol pond are stlyed more in irregular forms.

Also the garden styling is different. Either there is an "German Garden", with some flowers around the pond, or it's a very attractiv Japanese garden, within a lot of work and money.

I styling like Tom C with palm trees and this kind of flowers i have never seen bevor, but I think palm trees are in California part of the homing plants, isn't it?

So it's the same, like planting flowers around the pond in Germany.

B.Scott · 12-06-2004

Here in Holand where I live it's the same story. My pond also uses a rubber liner. Something I have been looking at are polyethelyne prefab ponds. Drop it in a hole, level it, hook up the filter and start filling with water.

As for Gunnite... Growing up in southern California my parents had a swimming pool done in this fashion. From the day the hole was dug to the moment we started swimming was 26 days! Last I checked the pool was still there 31 years later.

B.Scott

Tom C · 12-07-2004

Thanks Everyone,

Nico no most people around here don't have ponds like mine. I would say I have seen very few like my pond. People here like the natural look from what I have seen. I didn't know what I wanted out of a pond. All I knew is I didn't want a pond that leafs and grass goes into when doing the yard work and when the wind blows. I was at a friends house and saw some concrete work he had done and liked it. So that's why it looks this way.

Scott is right the pond is a gunite pond. Here's a few pictures of how they did it.

Then the gunite was sealed with CIM.

With regards to the landscaping that was all my wifes planning. Palm trees are starting to be the look here in Southern California. She liked the look of a few model homes we went to for idea's. Then we did our yard to the look she wanted. I have to say, I like what she went with. All I had to do is plant them, the easy part.

Tom

aquitori · 12-07-2004

Tom C, atleast you built the pond right the first time....Some of us are still living with the too small pond we built in the beginning. Wish you well with your new pond and hobby.....

aquitori · 12-07-2004

Hey Tom C, I might be down SoCal in the coming weeks, was wondering if I could check out your pond....?

Tom C · 12-07-2004

Aquitori your more than welcome to come by anytime I'm here. Where are you coming from. I see your in Northern CA. I'm going to be in Northern CA next weekend.

I wish this was my first pond. This is #3 for me. I think it will also be the last as long as I live here.

Tom

12-06-2004	#1 (permalink)
Tom C Jumbo Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 715	Pond info & picture for Akai-San Akai-San asked for a little info on our pond. Here's a little info for you. The pond took 18 months from start to where it is today. I still have just a little more work to do on it. The pond is 6' 7" deep, and is 21' 11" long. The center of the pond is 7' 10" wide and each outer loop is 10' 3" wide. The pond has two Nexus 300 filters for filtration at this time, and a bead filter on one of the skimmers. We have 4 PerformancePro Artesian water pumps running the pond. Most are throttle back at this time. The pond has 2 bottom drain to it, and they are the ones Sugar Loaf Koi makes with diffusers. Each drain is dished to the drain. Each diffuser is powered by a Airtech 80 lpm air pump. Then I have a Airtech 120 lpm air pump for each of the Nexus units. The Nexus units have 250 liters of media in each one. This should give us enough filtration for an 18,000 gallon pond. The pond has two skimmers and one is hooked up to a Zapp Pure UV-10 for the UV light on the pond. We used a total of 63' of 4" pipe for the two bottom drains and another 386' of 2" pipe for the skimmers and all of the TPR returns. Like I said the pond is just a little over 9,000 US gallon. We did use a water meter when filling the pond. The reading we got off of it was 9,012 gallon. The pond was build as a formal type pond. I do like how it turned out. If I was to do anything different I would have maybe added a waterfall with a waterfall bypass right under it. I would have also maybe moved the skimmers to the middle front and back side of the pond. I also maybe would have done one water pump for the two skimmers. I did two pumps, one for each skimmer. If it gets to be to much I can still change this. I still have some more work to do on the filter house. I need to clean up some of the pipe work and add another bead filter to the other skimmer. I'm also planning on doing some art work on the inside walls of it. We might even add a heater to the pond down the line. This would be only used to stable with temp of the water. This whole project was made possible with a lot of technical help from Steve Childers, Tom Lansing, and Jim Reilly. Tom

12-06-2004	#3 (permalink)
Akai-San Tategoi Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Kanagawa, Tokyo, Japan Posts: 336	Awesome pond... Tom, Thanks for taking the time to share your set-up. Looks awesome! And a lot of equipment to make your life easier when it comes to pond maintenance. I really like the depth you held as well. You must be very proud. I know it took a lot of hard work to finish that pond. I just finished renovating our old house and boy doesn't it wipe you out on the weekends. Almost like having 3 jobs. Even planning/ designing my pond is not as easy as I thought it would be. Especially when trying to pin down a system that is right for the individuals needs. I still can't decide exactly how I'm going to build fit all the parts together. I have several options, all of which have pros and cons. One of these days, I'll get it all together and break ground. Thanks again. __________________ Aloha & Mahalo, *Hawaiian In Japan* http://hawaiinishikigoi.tripod.com/

12-07-2004	#8 (permalink)
aquitori Daihonmei Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: DA 408 Posts: 7,419	Cool pond.... Tom C, atleast you built the pond right the first time....Some of us are still living with the too small pond we built in the beginning. Wish you well with your new pond and hobby.....

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12-06-2004	#2 (permalink)
Koi-Schmid-Linden Nisai Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 56	Hi TomC, wher are you from? Is this a typical pondstyle for your region? Regards Nico

12-06-2004	#4 (permalink)
B.Scott Jumbo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Holland Posts: 822	Nico, One advantage the people in the US have that we in Europe never see is the use of a concrete mixture called Gunnite (is Shotcrete the same thing?) This is a concrete mixture (beton) that is sprayed with a large high pressure hose onto surfaces that are even vertical! You dig a hole, put in the pipe work,add the steel reinforcement and shoot in the concrete. It works very fast. This is all a spin off of the swimming pool industry. Many American home have them unlike those of us in Europe. To make a pond is simply a matter of changing the plumbing. Using gunnite makes it possible to have all sorts of free-forms and curves that would be very difficult to do using blocks and rendering (or expensive at least. Very versatile stuff Great looking Pond Tom. You should be very proud!

12-06-2004	#5 (permalink)
Koi-Schmid-Linden Nisai Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Germany Posts: 56	Very interessting information B.Scott!!! Thanks In Germany there are mainly two ways of building a pond. Using foils or building a oblong pool out of beton and coating it with GRP. When using beton/GRP the pond is usually formed like a oblong, bur only a few have such a styled outer pond wall. The majority doesn't build the pond higher then the level of the garden. Fiol pond are stlyed more in irregular forms. Also the garden styling is different. Either there is an "German Garden", with some flowers around the pond, or it's a very attractiv Japanese garden, within a lot of work and money. I styling like Tom C with palm trees and this kind of flowers i have never seen bevor, but I think palm trees are in California part of the homing plants, isn't it? So it's the same, like planting flowers around the pond in Germany.

12-06-2004	#6 (permalink)
B.Scott Jumbo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Holland Posts: 822	Here in Holand where I live it's the same story. My pond also uses a rubber liner. Something I have been looking at are polyethelyne prefab ponds. Drop it in a hole, level it, hook up the filter and start filling with water. As for Gunnite... Growing up in southern California my parents had a swimming pool done in this fashion. From the day the hole was dug to the moment we started swimming was 26 days! Last I checked the pool was still there 31 years later. B.Scott

12-07-2004	#7 (permalink)
Tom C Jumbo Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 715	Thanks Everyone, Nico no most people around here don't have ponds like mine. I would say I have seen very few like my pond. People here like the natural look from what I have seen. I didn't know what I wanted out of a pond. All I knew is I didn't want a pond that leafs and grass goes into when doing the yard work and when the wind blows. I was at a friends house and saw some concrete work he had done and liked it. So that's why it looks this way. Scott is right the pond is a gunite pond. Here's a few pictures of how they did it. Then the gunite was sealed with CIM. With regards to the landscaping that was all my wifes planning. Palm trees are starting to be the look here in Southern California. She liked the look of a few model homes we went to for idea's. Then we did our yard to the look she wanted. I have to say, I like what she went with. All I had to do is plant them, the easy part. Tom

12-07-2004	#9 (permalink)
aquitori Daihonmei Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: DA 408 Posts: 7,419	Hey Tom C, I might be down SoCal in the coming weeks, was wondering if I could check out your pond....?

12-07-2004	#10 (permalink)
Tom C Jumbo Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 715	Aquitori your more than welcome to come by anytime I'm here. Where are you coming from. I see your in Northern CA. I'm going to be in Northern CA next weekend. I wish this was my first pond. This is #3 for me. I think it will also be the last as long as I live here. Tom