What are you pond plans for next year?

[taherrmann4]

I have had my pond since 2005 with waterfall and creek. In 07 I redid the waterfall, 09 redid the other pond and creek and in 10 redid the waterfall again. This year I am thinking about adding a bog. So it really never ends it seems to be an ongoing project... But I have fun with it.

 

[whiskey]

snap.......great mines think alike

 

[CountryEscape]

I'm still trying to figure out how to change what I have, add a pond for all the goldfish, maybe make the waterall taller and longer to the bottom (although I have septic tank to the one side, so it would have to curve around) and add a water wheel either between the two ponds, or on the new pond. Thinking there should be a bridge between the two ponds, with either a dry creek or running creek under it. Lots of ideas rolling around in my head this winter ... good time to do planning. Nothing on paper yet, no good idea has struck me that deserves being written down yet. The waterfall will for sure be re-worked, though, as I want the "pool" at the bottom to be deeper, and the water to fall over flat stones that are more flat, instead of leaning. Ideas ... ideas .... just need time and weather to warm up. But, first, we really should have some winter. LOL

 

[rebelangel_3733]

Thought about finding a different wier for my waterfall...one with a lighted underneith I'm thinking...just not sure where to find one...one of these days will have to start surfing the web I guess.

 

[CountryEscape]

Menards had a neat lighted waterfall, but it was too pricey for me last year. I think it was around $150, and never went down below $100 when on sale, so passed it up. Was pretty cool, though. That would be a great idea! Let us know if you find anything unique.

 

[CometKeith]

Country, I do a lot of shopping at Menards too. I checked out their pond supplies the other day and there was not much there and everything was really dusty. I'm sure it will look better in a few months. I slowly expanded my pond last year and don't know how far I can push it with my wife. I would like to do something else, but have no idea what it would be. I think for you it might be interesting to separate the goldfish. Their behavior in Spring is really fun to watch as long as the females don't get too roughed up. Last year I think I had 5 or 6 males chasing every female.

 

[koiguy1969]

rebelangel...your gonna wanna google 'Sheer Decent ' waterfall weir.... or here ya go....
http://www.ebay.com/...scent+waterfall

 

[koiguy1969]

Actually decided to go the skippy rout. Purchased a 100 gallon and 70 gallon stock tank yesterday. Picked up the PVC and other stuff today!!! So I will be ripping out the back side of the falls to install the skippies within the next 4 weeks

i wouldnt use a large closet flange as they do on the original "skippy"...especially with the new tank design. you will lose too much tank capacity. use a couple 2" shower drains side by side, or better yet a weir. so you can locate it right up to the lip of the stocktank, utilizing much more of its volume capacity. if you havent looked i have a build thread on my version of the "skippy" in the DIY section here. you'll see i incorporated a flush valve on mine as well. for flushing out collected debris and fish waste. when you flush out the filter and replace the water used, your also performing a small water change. which is also helpful in maintaining a healthy pond enviroment. heres a link to my build.:
http://www.gardenpon...y-style-filter/

 

[CountryEscape]

KoiGuy, I have promoted your weirs to several ponders since I got mine, which I still love, and it does a wonderful job when the water is running. Thanks again!

 

[koiguy1969]

thank you too C.E...... I hope to start producing weirs again this spring...i will make the 9" - 10" only...they are plenty big enough to give over 2' of spread off a flat rock. can handle 3000 gph and will fit all the tanks... yeah, everyones been very happy with the weirs as far as i can tell.

 

[sissy]

I tried the adjustments on the diverters on the new pump but to much flow so had to add the 3 way to the four way one and that worked the rest of the water just comes out and right into the pond ,I uess that will just help aerate the water also .The best way I found to protect extention cords is to slice an old hose and tuck the extention cord inside the hose .It just got windy here so guess we are getting the tail end of the storm coming across .Sunny out but very windy .They say the gust could be up to 40 mph .

 

[backtoreality]

Going to put in a bottom drain "after the fact". I always knew I should have installed a bottom drain but took an "experts" advice. Either I'm going to empty the pond (3.4ft deep) roll back the liner and dig the channel for the drains, or perhaps take some 2in Black PVC, drill 1/2 holes along the top/side, capping the ends, joining various pipes into T's, then hooking up another 2500 GPH pump to draw the water thru the drilled holes into 3 - 55 Gal drums with various filter elements and feed back into the pond, thus the decaying material, fish waste etc.. will be taken out as well as drawing down oxygenated water from the surface.. Like a Cathedral, a KOI pond is never truly finish.

 

[sissy]

ou can put in an above ground bottom drain .Just use pvc and the bottom drain and you can move it around .The problem with bottom drains is you have to seal them good and you can also suck up baby fish or if you get snails or have frogs or tadpoles it can suck them up also .There are pro's and con's for bottom drains .I saw a pond at Dana's garden center and they had to even take the brushes they had in the skimmer out because it beat a fish to death when he got caught in there .Fish are nosey and check out every thing and then you find out when it is to late .I found a poor baby fish stuck in my filter that had died ,he had gotten sucked in by the pump while I was away and I did not find him until I came back .

 

[CountryEscape]

I'm glad my skimmer has a solid sponge filter that the water sucks through before the pump. I've rescued Aris the red slider turtle from there many times, as well as goldfish and frogs. Never have had a koi get in there, but then my koi are larger than the goldies. The turtle was a slow learner, LOL, but the goldfish never got in there twice.
My pump that runs the waterfall and fountain was on the bottom, but then put it up about 5" on a rock so that the sludge from the bottom would not constantly clog it up. Instead, I use a net and net out the bottom grudge, as it comes out in a solid matt, all gathers very nicely in a few sections, due to the Pond Perfect I use in the summertime. It helps matt old plant matter, fish waste, etc. together for easier removal. Also, with this product, if I had the pump on the bottom, it would get clogged even faster, as whole matts of gunk would get caught on the screen.

 

[sissy]

They told me that they had lost a few baby fish in the skimmer but that was the first of the bigger fish they had ever lost .I did not really want a skimmer because of the brushes but also felt I did not need one .I have since tied a nylon rope around one of my filters handles and hung it from a metal pipe I have across the pond .I have to change out the other pump next but have not had the time .Thought I might get it done today but it is really windy out .