Discuss – There are also bubbling devices that can be placed in koi ponds to provide aeration if installing a waterfall is not practical. Especially in the bottom of the pool, koi pond aeration is a necessity, since this area is farthest from the surface.
We had a large newly created yard and I have a love of flowers so I naturally desired a flower garden. The problem was that the fill that was trucked in to create this yard was all chunks of blacktop and concrete with a light sprinkling of top soil to cover the chunks. There was no digging into the dirt without hitting something solid. We couldn’t even drive in a tent stake.
The town workers were scraping the sides of the roads after a long winter of sanding icy and snowy roads. They had two loads of roadside dirt they wanted to dump that looked like pretty good dirt so I let them dump it in a pile in the back of the yard.
After staring at the pile for some time, I began to see a fish pond and perennial garden in the dirt. My husband and I started working moving the dirt around to form a bowl in the center and grading the dirt away where the flowers would be planted. A flower bed would be wonderful, but with a pond in the center it will be even better.
Discuss – Those who want to have plants on their fish pond should keep in mind that they should place their fish pond in a place where it can be exposed to great amount of sun light.
Because we didn’t know what we were doing, we used a grey plastic tarp for a liner. It worked well for two years. The spring of the third year we replaced it with rubber pond liner which will last many years. We purchased a pump and a filter so we could keep fish.
We had a fairly large pile of limestone rocks left over from an old rock wall. These rocks became the border for our perennial garden. My sister has horses and a nice pile of old horse manure. She graciously brought me a pickup truck load of manure which we mixed in the dirt. There is a recycling plant nearby that makes compost so we got a load of it to help improve the soil.
Another sister was cleaning out her perennial beds in the fall and throwing out a lot of overgrown plants which made great starter plants for me. I filled the back of my truck and brought them home to their new bed. I placed the plants in the ground for the winter. In the spring I divided the plants up and spread them out and had a great start on my flower bed.
Each year since then I add a few plants purchased at flower shows, the grocery store, and nurseries. I’ve also traded many plants with others happy to get different plants than they have. Now, seven years later, I am enjoying seven flower beds created basically the same way with beautiful flowers blooming from April through October.
Discuss – Another consideration is that fact that you will really want to keep your Koi pond close to your home in order to protect it from predatory animals and children that may inadvertently bring harm to your pond, equipment, or fish. This is after all a rather sizeable investment you will want to protect it.
Copyright 2006 Alice Scott
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Alice Scott has been partners with her daughter Michele Redmond in their Medical Billing Business for the past 12 years. They have an informational website that offers help to Medical Providers and individuals with Doctor Bill Issues. They also have a website that offers information on life’s experiences, such as pondless waterfalls, ponds, lawn ornaments, and much more. You can visit their websites at: http://www.solutions-medical-billing.com http://www.askmissyboo.com |
Filed under Koi Pond Building, Koi Pond Do It Yourself by on Apr 12th, 2009. Comment. 
Discuss – This is because you are going to need to take the time to care for koi much like you need to take the time to care for pets. You want to be sure that your koi pond is a very healthy environment so that your Japanese carp will flourish.
A fish garden pond can, and if you take this advice will, be one of the most rewarding elements you can add to your landscape. Aside from being so rewarding, it can be very fun and highly creative if you decide to do-it-yourself. I highly recommend that you read up, because there is a great deal that you must decide before you begin.
There are many different ways to learn how to build a fish garden pond. If you’re doing this yourself it’s no walk in the park. However, having someone else do it for you takes out all the fun and creativity. So don’t let the hard work ahead stop you, because once you complete your fish garden pond it will be something you treasure forever.
First thing is deciding the placement of the garden pond. This is entirely your opinion; some things to consider might be the layout of the land and shade surrounding the pond. How big do you want your garden pond? If you’re putting fish in the pond, especially Koi, you will need to make the pond as big as possible and deep enough that it doesn’t freeze completely. With a deep of only 30 inches or less you should give the fish and plants a constant temperate (required for survival lot of aquatic life) and keep the pond from freezing in the winter. If you cannot regulate the temperature of your water then you should make your pond at least 48 inches deep. With a shallower depth you also promote algae growth. So consider these factors, when picking the location.
Next you will decide the layout of your fish garden pond. This is where you can be highly creative and design whatever shape fits your landscape and your personality. You can use a rope or garden hose to preview the shape. Some things to decide on might be stepping stones or a bridge across your pond and maybe a waterfall on the side or a fountain in the middle. You can get books about fish garden ponds to give you ideas. After deciding what you want it would be best to purchase these things before you start the process, they can be extremely difficult to add later.
Discuss – There is no universal guidebook to use when building a Koi pond, be sure to keep in mind however the major differences between a Koi pond and a water garden and know which one you are truly wanting before you make the sizable investment of time, money, and energy. Be sure to consult a professional landscaper with extensive experience specifically with Koi ponds, as he will be aware of dangers that you may not be aware of as well as knowing where the best place to place the pond on your property would be.
All these decisions and you might be thinking you haven’t even done anything yet. It is very important to do these steps in order. A garden pond can cause a lot of problems and can be a very expensive mistake if not planned properly.
With that said, now it’s time to get to work. First you will start digging your hole. Follow your pattern and check your depth. You might want to consider different depths to add a neat effect, and also for plants that need different depths. Next you need to purchase a pond liner. There are many things that you can use for lining the pond and they are a lot cheaper than a standard “garden pond liner.” For example if you purchase a thick enough sheet of painters plastic or double it up it will work just fine. Lay this in the hole and anchor it along the sides with a border of your choosing.
Build An Easy Koi Fish Pond. Easy To Build Backyard Koi Fish Pond With Full Illustrations, eBook(R) & Bonus.
Now you’re ready for water. Make sure everything is exactly how you want it and start to fill it up. Also make sure you’re plastic is anchored well; you might even want to bury the excess for added support. Fill the water to the desired amount and you’re almost there! Now you can decide on how to beautify your ponds edges with rocks, plants, waterfalls, whatever you heart desires. Now that you have the foundation laid you can experiment with the surround landscape for years.
The last thing you will do, and be patient, is add fish. You need to make sure the water has acclimated and is safe for the fish. You can purchase easy to use water tests at local pet stores. Do your research before deciding on which fish to put into your pond. Many fish are only tolerant in certain temperatures and cannot make it year round in a garden pond. Also, different kinds of fish grow to different sizes. So make sure that they are mated with similar sized fish so they don’t become “fish food!” Don’t worry though because there is a wide variety of beautiful fish for your pond. Soon enough you’ll be picking them out and watching them grow while you enjoy the experience of your beautiful fish garden pond.
Discuss – Building a fish pond entails more work than just digging a hole in the ground, and filling it with water. The first thing individuals have to do is use a plastic lining to separate the ground from what to become the fish pond.
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Brad has been an avid fish collector for over 10 years and has recently started experimenting with garden pond fish. He is a self started landscaper and is currently in the process of planning his third personal fish garden pond. If you found these steps helpful and would like more info on building your own beautiful fish garden pond visit http://www.we-review-for-you.com/redirectkoi.html |
Filed under Koi Pond Building, Koi Pond Do It Yourself by on Apr 6th, 2009. Comment.
Discuss – There are also bubbling devices that can be placed in koi ponds to provide aeration if installing a waterfall is not practical. Especially in the bottom of the pool, koi pond aeration is a necessity, since this area is farthest from the surface.
Today’s successful water garden usually is designed as an ecosystem that uses a balance between fish, plants and bacteria keeping the water clear. The type of pond I’m talking about is self-contained (not fed by a spring or stream) and between 100-900 sq ft; a backyard water garden that is easy to maintain and adds value to your lifestyle and property. 20 years ago the typical do-it-yourself water garden was a muck-filled cesspool waiting to happen, while the successful koi pond required deep water and unattractive out of the pond filtering equipment. Thanks to a better understanding of the pond ecosystem and some equipment ideas borrowed from the pool equipment industry, anyone with the ability to dig, make things level, and move rocks and dirt around can create a beautiful living water garden if they use proven equipment and methods.
Discuss – Individuals should make sure that they do not make their fish pond too small. This is a mistake that a lot of beginners make.
Now I will admit that there are other ways that can work; But none of the other pond construction methods have the successful track record I’ve seen with pond installs using this system.
The basic elements for this system are underlayment, liner, rocks and gravel, skimmer, fill valve, pump, plumbing, biological filtration, plants, fish, and bacteria.
Here’s a simplified explanation of how this works as an ecosystem. Fish eat insects and plants and then the fish waste spreads through the system . The skimmer draws water off the top layer of the pond helping with circulation and aeration while trapping floating debris in a net. The pump is situated under the net in the skimmer and pumps up to a bio-filter. The bio-filter is often designed to be incorporated into a waterfall. The water enters the bio filter and rises up through filter media that is colonized by bacteria. The bacteria converts the waste into forms less harmful to the fish and less conducive to excessive algae growth. The waterfall or stream add more aeration that the bacteria and fish need. The plants uptake more of the nitrogen and some oxygenate the water. The rocks and gravel provide more area for bacteria and protect the liner from UV rays.
Discuss – Pick a design for the fish pond. First individuals would have to decide on the size of the pond they want to build.
Sheesh! Every time I set out to give a simple explanation of a pond ecosystem it still takes 10 sentences. Suffice it to say that all the parts work together to make your pondkeeping easy!
I use the word easy as a relative term. Compared to the work and rebuilding you may experience with other methods this is the easiest way I know. But there is still a good deal of work in pond construction. Obviously you need to dig and shape a hole in the ground and move some heavy items around. A well trained crew with everything needed on-site can install a pond in a day. It may take a few weekends for a homeowner to do the job himself, depending on their ability, time, and conditions.
Some key points:
Size: It’s best to have it at least 6 ft across. Bigger is better. 16 x 11 is a good medium size. Generally people regret not making the pond larger when they are done with their first one.
Location: There is a tendency to put ponds in a place where water already collects in the yard. This isn’t always the best idea. Groundwater running into the pond can create problems. If possible bring it right up near the patio where you can enjoy the fish and flowing water everyday.
Electric and plumbing: Don’t overlook the need for a GFI outlet near the pump and a water source to keep the pond topped off. Most kits for some reason don’t include a fill valve, but it really is important since on a windy day a pond can easily lose an inch of water. Left unattended this can lead to the pump running dry in the skimmer for a long period causing possible damage. The ponds level of course won’t drop below the skimmer opening.
Lets go over the basic steps for installing this type of pond system.
Decide the size of the pond and order a kit with all the necessary components. Layout the shape of the pond with something like a garden hose. Leave it out there for a while, move it, think about where the falls and different plants will be. If you are building a stream do the layout for it too. Level ground isn’t a problem since you will be excavating enough soil to buildup around your waterfall filter. Paint an outline with orange marking spray paint.
Discuss – There is no universal guidebook to use when building a Koi pond, be sure to keep in mind however the major differences between a Koi pond and a water garden and know which one you are truly wanting before you make the sizable investment of time, money, and energy. Be sure to consult a professional landscaper with extensive experience specifically with Koi ponds, as he will be aware of dangers that you may not be aware of as well as knowing where the best place to place the pond on your property would be.
Make arrangements for getting the variety of rock and gravel you will be using.
Position your skimmer and BioFilter. The skimmer should be on the opposite side from the falls or stream to create circulation. Then lay the flexible PVC, or kink-free pipe between the skimmer and waterfall filter. This is so it can be covered during excavation instead of trenching it in.
Establish a firm compacted and level base for the Waterfall filter, perhaps leaning slightly forward, depending on it’s design. If you have help they can be working on digging the pond while you get this right, or vice versa.
Discuss – Outline the edges with rock. One should be careful when selecting the rocks that will line the edges of the pond.
Hook up the plumbing to the filter and backfill around it. It’s a good idea to have someone stand in the filter while it is being backfilled to prevent it from shifting out of position on the base.
Examine any slope of the land and establish where the water level will be; usually a couple inches below grade. Finish digging the pond relative to the water level. A rotating laser level is the ultimate tool for this, though they are expensive to rent. Patiently checking string levels in all directions can get the job done also. Include shelves for marginal plants and keep the sides and shelves level. The deep part of the pond should be around 2 ft or a little less. Any deeper and most towns swimming pool codes kick in with fence requirements. Unless you intend to keep a great number of koi this will be plenty deep for your fish. Planting pockets for water lilies can also be dug now. These pockets create a plantable depression in you liner for later. You can either plant directly in these pockets or hide your planters in them covering with gravel creating a more natural looking pond.
Discuss – Be careful where you dig your fish pond. Where the fish pond is located can determine how much work a person has to put in to maintain a clean fish pond.
Excavate the position for the skimmer so it will be on a firm level base that gets it into correct position relative to the water level. Recheck everything. All the measurements and levels. Make sure the pond is free of sharp objects and unfold the underlayment into it. Start in the deep area pushing the underlayment into all the shelves and pockets. The EPDM rubber liner is then installed in the same way, making sure that it extends far past the waterline (settling will occur) and above the openings on your skimmer, filter, stream etc.
Add rock and gravel. Pre-washing the stones can help with a clean install or you can hose them down in the pond while pumping out the dirty water. Use larger stones at the base of each wall that forms a shelf, building up with smaller ones. Cover flat areas with 1″-2″ gravel
Filed under Koi Pond Building by on Jan 9th, 2009. Comment.