nishikiboy

Hi Jamie and Leslie, once again " welcome " to extreme koi forum.
OK first things first, Koimaster may be able to help show you how to put your plans on the thread ( make sure address etc not on them 1st, any private details you want to pass on to anyone on here send by pm direct ( private messages top right )
If not already done so, I would recommend you subscribe to monthly magazines " Koi Carp " and " Koi " for a wealth of info and the latest in the Koi world.
Also perhaps join your local BKKS Section ( British Koi Keepers Society )
The British Koi Keepers Society (BKKS) - For everything Koi since 1970 and search your region.
it will give contact details etc.
The advantage of bkks is you will get to see otrher members ponds in your area, and they usually have visits to other areas and koi shows etc.
The most amazing thing about Koi, is how friendly the hobbyists are, and how willing to help they are, at ALL levels.
Also have a look at koivideos.com for very good dvd's some re: pondbuilding
"Varieties of koi " £15.95 exellent to learn about koi and what to look for in a Koi.
Beware of Koi books:
many are out of date re: modern filtration methods, construction, and often refer to treatments which are now banned from sale !
I personally prefer NOT using chemicals,
preferring natural products from Kusuri / Bactapur and good old pond salt,
these are MUCH better for your Koi, and environment too !
Same with Koi food, EA Health, EA Growth, are made of the ingredients a wild carp would eat !
All the rest try to turn them into cannibals ! containing fishmeal as the main protein source ! Koi do NOT eat other fish !!! and they certainly don't climb out of the water to rampage farmer's fields looking for wheat !!!
OK RULE 1 there is NO such thing as a daft question,
we ALL have to learn, it's an ongoing thing,
anyone who says they know it all, is a fool !!!
RULE 2 in everything to do with koi " Size "really does matter !
not least the size of your budget !

Build the biggest and best pond you can afford, including filtration !
The most common pitfalls are: too small a pond ...resulting in building a new one after a couple of years !
and also skimping on filtration, resulting in upgrading even sooner !
IT is cheaper to do it right once, than do it twice !!!
Assuming money no object ! ha ha !
this is the ideal, without going daft.
Pond MINIMUM of 5 feet deep ! the actual water !
filtration fed by aerated bottom drains ( gravity fed best )
Nexus Eazy filter or filters, 1 for each drain run seperately into each nexus.
( Evolution Aqua website has a free technical support online, very helpful )
Construction: dig 2 feet below lowest water level and put down a hardcore base of chippings and stone dust and wacker down ! a foot thick !
This will support the weight of the pond and concrete and walls and water !
soil under a concrete base will eventually wash away and the base WILL CRACK !!!
tHEN REINFORCING STEEL on bottom and interlocking with side steel,
then lay bottom drains and their 4inch pipes with reinforcing steel cage around but not touching interlocked with other steel.
Walls: hollow concrete blocks,
lay first course as a dummy run to check happy with size of pond, and to position steel bars through holes in blocks, make level, then lift up and lay on bed of mortar ( ALL MORTAR AND CONCRETE MUST CONTAIN WATERPROOFER
WHEN BUYING CONCRETE, TELL THEM PLENTY OF WATER PROOFER AND FIBRE IN THE MIX FOR A KOI POND !!! ) ALSO FROST PROOFER this time of year ! BASE must be laid as one so get plenty of help there ! you need to be fit to wheelbarrow and shovel concrete !! .... you will be when you finish !!!
When complete render the inside again with plenty of waterproofer etc.
the top of the walls must be EXACTLY level as water will always be level and show up the fault if not level,
Remember to fit surface skimmer into wall,
and position pipe before backfilling with clean gravel, not soil.
you can even insulate walls with polystyrene sheets before backfilling if you wish.
you need to know height of water table on your land,
if base of pond is going to be near or under, you need land drain pipe at back of wall before backfilling with clean gravel, then a sump and pump,
there must not be standing water under the pond, ever ! or in time it will wash soil away and the concrete base will crack !!!
Then fibreglass pond ( def. best done with an expert !!!! ) tissue coat by far the best !!! in black. ( expensive ! alternatively paint render 3 coats of G4 applied in 1 go, must be still wet when re-coating to bond.)
Filtration: Nexus EAZY simply the best by far !
see EA site mentionned above.
Unless your idea of Utopia is spending hours per week up to your armpits in stinking sludge and pond water, then I strongly advise Nexus, or bead filter,
and they are more efficient too !
Eclipsar ( Chris ) on here sells Nexus cheaper than buying direct off manufacturer ! ( EA protect dealer margins, it's like a cartel ! )
Nosmo on here builds ponds, are you in his area for a quote ?
if not ask him for advice.
DECKING: DEF NOT TANALISED ! IT POISONS KOI !!! use untreated.
Paint underside with G4 and keep above water !!!
I wouldn't have decking for free, next to a koi pond,
prefer indian stone, but cost and personal choice comes into it,
but be wary MOST wood treatments, stain and paint are poison to koi !!!!!!!!!!
Any cement above the water line, eg patio pointing, should be sealed with g4 clear, 3 coats applied when still tacky 1 after another ! to stop lime leaching from cement !
Air pumps ( 1 for nexus, or any media filtration, 1 for aerated bottom drains)
Heater, electric or boiler and heat exchanger.
they will say 1kw per 1,000gallons electric, but it's not enough in very cold weather, see threads on here.
Elecro Titanium Digital thermostat is my choice.
UV sterilizer. UV1 probably best, but Delta etc good too.
NB WATER and ELECTRIC KILL use a qualified electrician,
by law MUST be" part p registered " and issue part p certificate,
in event of a claim 1st thing insurance look at, is part p cert !!!
no certificate / no claim ! if electrical fire / accident.
selling house, the new sellers pack needs part p certificate !
same as gas must be corgi registered.
don't be afraid to check their registration !!!! plenty just pretend and put it on letter head and van !!!!! or business card.

Best pumps in my opinion " Sequence " also " Badu " but badu use twice as much 'leccy !!! these are on for life 24-7 same with air pumps and uv
Cost it out first, dont build a huge pond and find you can't afford to filter properly,
oh and tap water top up filters "purity on tap "best in my opinion, last for 30,000 gallons
Ask your water supplier for a free water report print out to be posted to you
they will ask why ? don't mention koi pond or they may put you on a meter !!!
just say you are thinking of buying a drinking water filter !
Purity on tap will then match the filter most suited to your local water,
they can do it online from postcode too, but printout best.
I'm sure I've missed stuff out, but it's a start.
Fill up pots in concrete blocks with cement with plenty of waterproofer in, 3 courses at a time ( remember steel bars, must be intertwined with base steel )
Do it right, pay once ....... it's cheaper that way !
you have a lifetime to build a koi collection, that cost is spread,
only one chance of providing the best conditions for them.
BEST ADVICE EVER RECEIVED :
" LOOK AFTER THE WATER, THE KOI WILL LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES "

99.9% OF PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED BY WATER PROBLEMS
WE KEEP WATER, NOT KOI !!!!!
Welcome to koi keeping, the best and most addictive hobby in the world !!!
cost wise, probably second only to offshore powerboat racing, or running your own Leah jet !!! LOL !
bUT FOR RELAXATION, and SATISFACTION, 2nd to none !!!!!!!!!!!
Hope this helps a bit
Peter.
ps Dannyboy on here has just started an L shaped pond, has pictures on here too.