al bolger

I have decided to expand my pond and I know what I am about to explain may seem difficult to some to visualise without pictures but I will give it my best shot.

My pond is a kidney shape pond built inside the ground (only 3 feet deep). What I want to do is lay bricks around the side of the pond in a sqaure shape, as if I am building a wall around the kidney shape pond. I will then cement the bricks and line my so called wall around the pond.

Doing this I hope to have the kidney shape pond in the bottom (what I currently have) but build 3 feet of bricks up in order to expand the pond giving it a square shape pond at the top.

Therefore I hope to raise my pond to about 6 feet deep expand it by building a square of bricks around my existing pond, cement, line and then fill with water again. Sounds easy to me in theory but have I got it right? Is this possible or am I better of to start again from scratch. I know in my heart that it should be possible.

Please help experienced koi members your advice will be greatly appreciate. Pics to come.

English

bonio

Hi,

Sounds feasable to me.

Chris

al bolger

yup the pond is 3ft below the ground I want to now build 3ft above.

MARK1

Hi there your project sounds much as the same as the one i am starting I intend using concrete blocks to construct mine I know they are heavier to handle but a damn site cheaper, and with them being cheaper it will allow me to lay them flat so acheiving an 9" wall thickness to take the water pressure against them. The only thing I would suggest is that you make sure you have enough slope from the farthest point to the deepest point to allow good clearing of debris.

p.s. concrete blocks are £43 per 100 at B&Q

bonio

Hi,

I spent a bit of time at university studying civil engineering. For building a pond, you can use 4inch wide concrete block walls for depths 'out of the ground' up to 4 foot and be VERY SAFE.

Say you build a 8 foot deep pond, 4foot in ground, 4 foot high, you can use single block all the way because the bit in the ground is backfilled.

Dont waste money building with blocks on their side, spend it on extra filtration.

Are B & Q really that cheap???

Chris

al bolger

Ok got the ball rolling today in terms of finances but and a big BUT, my only problem seems to be installing a bottom drain. building the wall around the pond is easy (cementing, sealing and lining etc) but installing my bottom drains is causing some confusion. Please please any advice?

How do I install the bottom drain in the existing pond? will I have to cut through the existing pond?

Rob

Hi mate been reading this post. I cant believe people are suggesting only haveing a 4 inch skin of blockwork. I am a bricklayer so I think perhaps I am more than qualified to say that a four inch skin is not man enough. And it would be mad to use thermolite blocks instead of concrete. I would suggest You either lay them flat to form a solid 9 inch wall or face them up with a skin of face bricks round the outside tyeing both 4 inch skins together with wall tyes..
Do it right or regret it later on

Justin

bonio

Not wanting to cause an arguement, but the maths is there, and the experience is there to prove ponds can be built in single 4inch blockwork.

Chris

shkoizone

Hi English

What is your existing pond made from? If it is a preformed pool you will have to either cut through your existing pool to lay a drain pipe and install your bottom drain and then back fill with concrete, or cut a hole in the bottom of it for your bottom drain and then dig up your pool to lay your drain pipe.You could even lay your drain in your pond and backfill with concrete but you would loose about 12" depth doing this so I would not recommend. I have even heard of some people who have just laid the pipe on the bottom of the pond and fitted a bottom drain to the end of it upside down, they tell me that this works fine but I am not sure how good it is.

Hope this helps

John

al bolger

The help/advice has been amazing I really appriciate it. I now it sounds like a simple job just to build a wall around my existing pond that is 4 feet high seal and fill with water but do I need to add a bottom drain? If I don't then I wont that way I can leave the fish in the pond and do the work. (Not easy removing koi that are about 18 inches) when you haven't got another suitable home. But if anyone is in the pond construction business or knows anyone that is willing to take on the job please please contact me asap. I live in the croydon area. I have a few builders coming in this week with quotes etc etc.

But what better place to ask for pond builders than extreme koi. Do we have anyone or know of anyone willing to take on the job?