06-14-2008, 07:19 AM
Hi,
Actually came back to the topic here because I noticed I've got myself a koi hatch out there and I'm definitely going to be giving some fish away, it looks like. Hard to say how many are going to survive, but at this point they're about an inch long and looks pretty fancy colored. We'll see!
Anyhow, to paint with a big broad brush.
A pond in the wild and a pond made by people often are very different. A pond in the wild is an expression of a natural site that, well, water settles to and sits. Your artificial pond should do the same. If you don't, you're going to have to rely on non-permeable liners and thats where the problem starts. A pond in nature leaks. Yours should too, controllably. If it doesn't, you end up with concentrating toxins as water evaporates, and there you go, pond problems and disease.
There's a lot of ways around all that. It depends mostly on the rainfall in an area, and the more the better, as your water changes out more regular and stays cleaner. Obviously we have all that in spades.
So, understanding the principle dependent on the site different techniques arise. In good sites with a hard lava bottom and a lot of rainfall you need pretty near nothing but a pit and a handful of cheap tarps that more or less cover the bottom. Really, I'm not kidding. In more difficult areas where things may settle, rock and ferrocement may be in order. It MUST reflect the site. If not, you're going to have to compensate with pumps and all that bit.
The key is A)controlled flowthrough in the pond B)adequate shedspace area surrounding the pond to keep it full in all conditions C)ph stability. The rest more or less takes care of itself.
A 3000 gallon tank with a natural profile may be 2 to 3 feet deep, maybe 10 - 12 x 14 - 16. You'll have topography in the bottom so you don't have a strict 8 gallons per cubic foot metric. The edges for bug control should be quite steep so there isn't any shallow water that fish can't get into, as all the bugs will end up there. Even so, the big dragonflies with quickly populate those areas and it will be pretty tough for a bug to hang in there. Taro works really well in the margins and looks great. Water lettuce provides good forage for the goldfish. You need some heavy moss in places so the fish can spawn in that, and you want to try to keep little rocks out as much as possible, as fish choke on them. The biggest problem with planting the pond is all the nurseries use that crappy acetate stuff in their potting soil--I hate that plastic crap--and it gets into a pond and is a impossible mess. There's ways around it, but what a pain.
In terms of costs, I love to build a ponds as it's more or less fun, but I'd have to see the site and see what it needs to give any guess in ideas. At any rate, it isn't real expensive. I think it's important as well to put a deck in the pond, as it's nice to get out on it and enjoy feeding the fish. If the pond is natural with natural banks it will be fragile to some degree and you won't want to really walk there a great deal. Mine has the bridge to the front gate of my house running across it. I had pictures posted of it and I'll try to get those back up.
If you'd like me to take a look, let me know at oarclub@hotmail.com
I am looking for work at the moment and certainly prefer to take on the fun jobs like this. Bugger sheetrock!
Actually came back to the topic here because I noticed I've got myself a koi hatch out there and I'm definitely going to be giving some fish away, it looks like. Hard to say how many are going to survive, but at this point they're about an inch long and looks pretty fancy colored. We'll see!
Anyhow, to paint with a big broad brush.
A pond in the wild and a pond made by people often are very different. A pond in the wild is an expression of a natural site that, well, water settles to and sits. Your artificial pond should do the same. If you don't, you're going to have to rely on non-permeable liners and thats where the problem starts. A pond in nature leaks. Yours should too, controllably. If it doesn't, you end up with concentrating toxins as water evaporates, and there you go, pond problems and disease.
There's a lot of ways around all that. It depends mostly on the rainfall in an area, and the more the better, as your water changes out more regular and stays cleaner. Obviously we have all that in spades.
So, understanding the principle dependent on the site different techniques arise. In good sites with a hard lava bottom and a lot of rainfall you need pretty near nothing but a pit and a handful of cheap tarps that more or less cover the bottom. Really, I'm not kidding. In more difficult areas where things may settle, rock and ferrocement may be in order. It MUST reflect the site. If not, you're going to have to compensate with pumps and all that bit.
The key is A)controlled flowthrough in the pond B)adequate shedspace area surrounding the pond to keep it full in all conditions C)ph stability. The rest more or less takes care of itself.
A 3000 gallon tank with a natural profile may be 2 to 3 feet deep, maybe 10 - 12 x 14 - 16. You'll have topography in the bottom so you don't have a strict 8 gallons per cubic foot metric. The edges for bug control should be quite steep so there isn't any shallow water that fish can't get into, as all the bugs will end up there. Even so, the big dragonflies with quickly populate those areas and it will be pretty tough for a bug to hang in there. Taro works really well in the margins and looks great. Water lettuce provides good forage for the goldfish. You need some heavy moss in places so the fish can spawn in that, and you want to try to keep little rocks out as much as possible, as fish choke on them. The biggest problem with planting the pond is all the nurseries use that crappy acetate stuff in their potting soil--I hate that plastic crap--and it gets into a pond and is a impossible mess. There's ways around it, but what a pain.
In terms of costs, I love to build a ponds as it's more or less fun, but I'd have to see the site and see what it needs to give any guess in ideas. At any rate, it isn't real expensive. I think it's important as well to put a deck in the pond, as it's nice to get out on it and enjoy feeding the fish. If the pond is natural with natural banks it will be fragile to some degree and you won't want to really walk there a great deal. Mine has the bridge to the front gate of my house running across it. I had pictures posted of it and I'll try to get those back up.
If you'd like me to take a look, let me know at oarclub@hotmail.com
I am looking for work at the moment and certainly prefer to take on the fun jobs like this. Bugger sheetrock!