Mike has
always been interested in keeping fish, and had a small goldfish
pond in his garden. He became interested in keeping koi about
1980, and joined the South Wales Section at the first meeting
and was one of the founder members.
He built a pond in 1982, and as with all ponds built at that
time it did not have bottom drains, and the water was pumped
to the filter and returned to the pond by gravity. This pond
was built by the side of the garage, and when Mike & Shirley
decided to build a new pond this was situated just outside
the windows from the dining room so that they can watch the
fish from inside the house.
The pond was constructed by digging out
the hole and then pouring in a six inch concrete base. When this
had had time to set the bottom drains and the vortex chamber
were then installed, and a second reinforced concrete base was
poured in. All the concrete was mixed with a small machine on
site, and for this Mike had the help of two neighbours.
The walls were then built up using 18" x 9" x 4" concrete blocks laid on their
side so that the wall was 9" thick. The pond is rectangular in shape , and the
corners were built up with bricks so that they could be radiused when the walls
were rendered.
A six inch reinforced
base was then put in for the filters, and the walls were built
up using the same size concrete blocks as were used for the
pond, but this time the blocks were laid so that the thickness
of the wall was 4".
In way of division between the filter bays are the same concrete
walls, but they stop about six inches below the water level.
A fibreglass panel is then installed to form a weir between the
two bays.
The filter material in all the three bays is blue pennant gravel
taken from the original pond, but it is intended to change the
first two bays probably to Flocor. Bottom drains are fitted to
each filter bay, and these are taken to the drains box, and each
one is fitted with a 2" slide valve. The 2" drain from the vortex
chamber is also taken to this position, and the drains box has
a 4" drain which is connected to the main sewer.
The main pump is a Grundfoss UP 40/50,
and this pumps directly from the last filter bay through the
30 watt UV lamp unit, and then to the Airmaster venturi.
Another pump of the same capacity is connected to the power skimmer,
and this returns to the pond via another venturi which is situated
alongside the Airmaster. These are fitted so that the direction
of flow is adjustable.
Photo taken August 1998.
Gallonage
Dimensions
Construction
Shape
Bottom drains
Filter feed
Year completed
Time to complete
4,800.
12.75ft x 9.5ft x 5ft deep.
Concrete block, rendered, & fibreglass.
Rectangular with rounded corners.
Two drains with 4" pipe.
Bottom drains to vortex.
1996
4 months.
Filter
details
Gallonage
Type
Media Bay 1
Media Bay 2
Media Bay 3
Settlement chamber
Aeration
900.
Concrete block, rendered, & fibreglass.
Blue pennant gravel.
Blue pennant gravel.
Blue pennant gravel.
Vortex chamber.
None.
Pump details
Type, make, etc
Pumping capacity
Location
Water return
2 Grundfoss UP 40/50.
1,400 gals/hr.
Chamber after filters.
Venturi. (Airmaster).
Other equipment
Ultra violet lamp
1 x 30 watts.
Power skimmer with 40/50 grundfoss pump with venturi.
UPDATE 2004. This
pond is now 8 years old and updated photos will be available soon.
This website started with a
booklet which I made up originally for the help of those members of the BKKS
- South Wales Section who were intending to start building a koi pond, and as the website has expanded more information and articles from other people have been included. This
is for general guidance only, and we do not take any responsibility for problems
that might occur by following these ideas. It is important
that you check out everything in your area, and check on local laws and rules
that may apply.
