# My New Concrete Pond Project - Help - Advice needed



## REDSTEVEO (23 Jul 2010)

Hi All,

As part of our garden renovation project I have built a new pond and need some advice please.

Firstly how to calculate the water volume so that I can work out what size filter and pump I am going to need. The dimensions are 3 feet deep by 8 feet 4 inches wide (from left to right) by 4 feet 6 inches from front to back, see pictures below for how it looks. My local Garden Pond shop (Waterworld) on the Wirral have told me that it will hold 2700 litres.

I am not sure if this is correct or not so if someone is able to confirm this or not it would be much appreciated.

Here is a view from the left. The tree in the picture is a fig tree, to the right is an established Laurel bush. Apart from that there are no other trees nearby to drop leaves and stuff into the pond. Because of the position the pond is in it will be virtually in the shade for most of the day because the sun comes up behind the wall at the back and then moves around from left to right settling opposite late in the evening.











The pond is built from breeze blocking with a brick front as you can see. Internally it is being rendered with mortar and plasticiser. Then it will get a couple of coats of G4 Pond sealer and finally a coat of Blagdon pond paint. Will this be enough to hold the water in? Not sure what colour, Green, Blue, Black or Stone colour. Any suggestions welcome.





The top of the wall is going to be finished off with wooden decking as a sort of seating area. On the wall at the back I am mounting a 60 centimetre blade waterfall about three feet up. 





I am looking at filters: a Laguna Pressure Flo 5000 litre with 11 watt UV Filter and a 3500 liter pump, or a Laguna Pressure Flo 8000 litre with a 20 watt UV Filter and a 6000 litre pump.

Alternatively there is the option of an Oase Filterclear 6000 litre and 11 watt UV, or Oase Filterclear 11000 litre with 11 watt UV and a 8000 liter pump.

If anyone can make sense of the above and advise me on what the best option is I would be very grateful.

More pictures to follow as it progresses.

Thanks very much,

Steve.


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## arty (23 Jul 2010)

I think Yours pond will be amazing 

Regards,


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## Ed Seeley (24 Jul 2010)

The plant you think is a fig is actually a _Fatsia japonica_, don't eat the fruit if it ever produces any!

From the dimensions and the shape of your pond I think you're looking at around 2,000 litres, maybe a little bit more.

For the finish you need a very smooth render finish before applying G4.  Use Black G4 for a great finish - don't apply another paint on top as they won't adhere and will peel apart.  Forget other colours, they just don't look right.  The render finish will be the finish you will see when the pond is done and the render provides the waterproofing; all the paint does is seal the lime in the render.  Have you used REIN fibres in the render and a high cement mix?  This gives a bomb-proof render lining and it's what my pond is done with, coated with G4, and it's nearly 12 years old now.

For the filter, what are you planning to keep in here?  Personally I don't like those little pressurised filters.  Pond filters need to do two things - cope with lots of dirt (and that means being dead easy to clean and not having media that blocks up like sponge) and have lots of air to boost biological capacity (impossible to do in any sealed filter).

If you're just having a few goldfish then a pressurised filter will do, but you could do better.  If you're pump-fed makes sure you used a solids handling pump that will pump all the waste up into the filter rather than having a sponge you have to clean every week in front of the pump.  Where are you planning to site the filter?

Personally I'd buy (or build) a static K1 filter as they are brilliant and dead easy to clean.


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## REDSTEVEO (24 Jul 2010)

Hi Ed,

Firstly thanks for the reply. A few questions and answers to your questions.

What are Rein Fibres? What is a static K1 Kit?

I am planning to jut put a few different types of Gold fish in there, Comets and so on. I might buy a few small ghost Koi and that's about it. What do you think would be the maximum number of fish I should put in there, (not all straight away of course) I am planning on planting it up as best I can. I am also going to drill holes in the wall above the pond and insert some roots, bogwood and stuff and then I'm going to try and grow mosses, evergreen vines / ivy and maybe some air plants to naturalise the wall a bit. What do you think?

Regarding filtration, its sad really because I have got two really big box filters with UV fitted, and I have got the pumps, an ATOM submersible pump ATM 004 which has a max head of 5.5 metres and will pump around 3,000 litres, and I have got an Eheim submersible series 1262 which pumps around 3400 litres and a head max of 3.6 metres. 

The trouble is I have got no where to situate them without them being in your face and spoiling the appearance of the pond. Apparently the pressurised pumps have an easy self cleaning mechanism which you operate by switching a valve and pumping a handle which cleans the crap out and you keep doing this until the water runs clear then switch the valve back. Also they can be buried in the ground with just the top visible which can be disguised by plants and so on.

Thanks,

Steve.


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## Ed Seeley (24 Jul 2010)

Rein fibres are a concrete reinforcement.  They are plastic fibres you just add to a strong render mix (2 parts soft sand to 1 part concrete) that stop it cracking and make a really strong, waterproof render.  You then just sand it off, blowtorch to finally dry it and burn off any protruding fibres and then paint the G4 over the top.  You really must get the render completely dry before you paint or the paint can peel off the render.

K1 is a filter media.  It's little plastic wheels, only slightly bouyant, that can be used in two different ways.  For biological filtration you bubble air through it and then it tumbles over and over and allows multiple passes against the water as well as not being able to trap any solids.  The air, moving the water, also means that no solids can settle out in the filter chamber so it never really needs cleaning!

The other way to use it is as a static filter bed.  This is set up the same way as the fluidised filter but you turn the air off.  The media then floats together in a static bed at the top and traps all the small particles.  To clean it you isolate the filter (by turning the pump off and closing valves) and then turn the air on.  As the air bubbles through it fluidises the media and releases all the debris.  I have this media on my large koi pond and cleaning it this morning took about 30 minutes and most of that was waiting for the water to be pumped out of the large settlement chamber!  I don't get my hands wet!

If this were going to hold carp of any kind (including ghosties) I would have gravity fed filters (but as you've done the brickwork already you might not like the idea of this!)  The area in front of your laurel could be perfect for a small chamber made from more bricks with a wooden decking cover that would double up as a pondside seat.  Split this into two chambers with a plastic divider (slotted at the top to retain the static K1) with K1 on the first side and the pump sat in the next.  I could do you some drawings if you were even contemplating this idea.

If you don't want to do this then stick to goldfish - not even ghost carp as they make a lot more waste than goldies even though they are tougher than koi.  The pressurised units I've seen on people's ponds work ok at the start but then the foam starts to block more seriously and you have to start taking the whole unit apart to clean it on a weekly basis.  Any filter system that is pump first means that the pump will need cleaning at some point, even if you get a solids handling pump and I would definitely recommend you do!


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## REDSTEVEO (24 Jul 2010)

Thanks again Ed,

Sorry to sound stupid here...but how do you get the water into the static filter chamber if it is not pumped in i.e. Pump first as you put it.

I can definitely see your point about the pump needing cleaning if it is pump first. I am thinking about putting one of my box filters under the laurel bush but it will still have to be pump first to get the water in it.

Do you think the water blade will cause any problems in terms of stirring up crap off the bottom of the pond?

Steve.


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## roadmaster (25 Jul 2010)

I love the pond. Congrats on getting the brick work to fit so nicely in a relatively short radius.


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## Ed Seeley (25 Jul 2010)

REDSTEVEO said:
			
		

> Thanks again Ed,
> 
> Sorry to sound stupid here...but how do you get the water into the static filter chamber if it is not pumped in i.e. Pump first as you put it.
> 
> ...



You have to put a large pipe through the pond wall!  4" is the usual size.  You then put a 4" slide valve on the filter side to close it off when you're cleaning the filter.  As your pump pumps the water out of the filter chamber new water flows in through the large pipe under gravity to keep the two connected bodies of water at the same level, like a syphon.

Let me show you some pics of my pond to give you an idea, on a slightly different scale though!

First the 4" pipes that feed the water under gravity from my pond. (They're the large ones at the bottom - you would only need a small piece to go through the wall of your pond though, not all this.)




I have a large vortex to remove lots of the waste with my high fish load.  This just lets a lot of the large waste settle out on the bottom of the chamber.  This will happen in your static K1 chamber under the media.




The water then flows into this chamber with a drain in the bottom,




This is what your only chamber would look a bit like (though ideally you would slope the base down to the drain pipe you can see in the bottom).

You need a plastic divider (or drilled pipe) to stop the K1 escaping into other chambers.




Finally a bit of speedfit piping with 1mm holes drilled in it and a cheap air pump off ebay that you turn on to clean the K1 and your job is done!
It'll look like this when running,




I know that all seems a bit complicated but actually it's pretty easy to do.  All you would need is a chamber at the same level as the pond, rendered and watertight like the pond.

Then you would need to drill a large hole through the pond wall (which you might not want to do with that brilliant brickwork).

Finally you need divide the chamber in two with a plastic divider and put a strainer on your 4" pipe to stop the K1 going back into the pond.  Fit your speedfit piping, drop your pump on the far side of the divider and put the K1 in the chamber and let it all start!

If you want you can even site the water pump out of the water to save a bit more space.

The big advantage of this filter is that your pond maintenence will be so easy you will save yourself hours of time each year, but it is more complex to fit at this stage.


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## Ed Seeley (25 Jul 2010)

Forgot to say about the water blade.  You WANT to stir all the waste up so that it will go into the filter and you can remove it!  Waste left in the pond can only be a bad thing, just like it would be in a fish tank.  Fit one if you like the look, and fitting one will be easier with a gravity fed system as your pump can just pump straight up to it!


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## dw1305 (26 Jul 2010)

Hi all,
I don't know much about pond filters etc. but I was admiring the brick work as well, very professional looking.


> The plant you think is a fig is actually a _Fatsia japonica_, don't eat the fruit if it ever produces any!"


 Certainly is _Fatsia_, a really nice evergreen for a dark corner, flowers very late in the year with pom-pom heads of spidery white flowers, any late butterflies, wasps etc love them and in mild years you get black berries about Christmas time. 

Having said that I'd be very keen to keep both it's dead leaves (it's from the the same family as Ivy) and those from the Cherry Laurel (_Prunus laurocerasus_) out of the pond, as both plant leaves are fairly toxic.

cheers Darrel


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## REDSTEVEO (26 Jul 2010)

arty said:
			
		

> I think Yours pond will be amazing
> 
> Regards,



Cheers Arty, I hope so too. Although judging by some of the pictures I have seen on here, a bit on the small side!!  

Who said size doesn't matter?  

Cheers,

Steve.


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## REDSTEVEO (26 Jul 2010)

roadmaster said:
			
		

> I love the pond. Congrats on getting the brick work to fit so nicely in a relatively short radius.



Yeah not bad eh and it only took me three goes at it!! Thanks for the compliment  

Cheers,

Steve.


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## REDSTEVEO (26 Jul 2010)

Ed Seeley said:
			
		

> Forgot to say about the water blade.  You WANT to stir all the waste up so that it will go into the filter and you can remove it!  Waste left in the pond can only be a bad thing, just like it would be in a fish tank.  Fit one if you like the look, and fitting one will be easier with a gravity fed system as your pump can just pump straight up to it!




Wow 8) Ed I'm blown away, You are the man, looks damn impressive, but sadly far too over the top for me, I'm going along the keep it simple route and see how I get on. I did get hold of the Rein Fibres though and will finish it off with Black G4 Pond sealer and forget the Blagdon pond paint (are they the same thing?

Thanks for all your help and advice and putting up the pictures of your amazing pond setup. Look and learn Peeps!!

Cheers,

Steve.


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## REDSTEVEO (26 Jul 2010)

Fairly TOXIC you say!!  

I have noticed lately some of the leaves turning pale yellow and dropping off is this normal for a Fatsia whatsisname?
On a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is it if one of the leaves drops into the pond??  

Cheers,

Steve


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## Ed Seeley (27 Jul 2010)

REDSTEVEO said:
			
		

> Ed Seeley said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thought it might be as I was typing!  IMO though use one of your existing box filters hidden away rather than a pressurised one as they will be easier to access and maintain.  If you do go with the pressurised one then really don't have any carp!  Stick to goldfish and shubunkins!  Keep us updated with pics as you go.


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## dw1305 (27 Jul 2010)

Hi all,


> Fairly TOXIC you say


 I can't find many details for _Fatsia_, but most members of the Arailiaceae are toxic, it is probably similar to Ivy (they are closely related and can be crossed to give the hybrid _x Fatshedera lizie_)). I'd just try and fish the dead leaves out as they fall in, but I wouldn't be too worried if the occasional one fell in and sank without trace. I'd be more worried about the green leaves, berries or cut stems getting into the pond.

Cherry Laurel (_Prunus laurocerasus_) is more of a worry, the leaves and fruit contain  hydrogen cyanide as "prussic acid" and certainly the green leaves are quite a potent toxin. Again I wouldn't worry about the occasional dead leaf, but I would definitely try and keep any cut green wood or green leaves out.

cheers Darrel


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## foxfish (8 Nov 2011)

I would be interested to know how you got on with your filter choice?


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## REDSTEVEO (8 Nov 2011)

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get round to replying to this request.  

I stuck with the Gravity fed filter and added an ClariTech 15.000 litre Pond One Pressure filter with a 13 watt UV. So this combined with the Bioforce 5.000 litre with additional 9 watt UV the pond is doing very well and so are the fish. I have got 4 large Koi and an assortment of goldfish and shubunkins.

Here are some photographs that I took during the Summer this year.

This is the full pond view.





This is the Claritec Pond filter partially hidden.









I had quite a few problems getting my pond plants to grow because the pond is in virtual shade the whole time and with the pond being 1 metre 10 cms deep there was not enough sunlight getting to them. So I raised the pond baskets up by sitting them on brand new black plastic milk crates turned upside down. And... hey presto the plants grew like wildfire and no algae problems whatsoever. 













The gravity fed filter is on the other side of the wall also raised up and hidden by a large plastic compost bin. I had to drill a fair few holes through the wall to get all the pipes through. All the electric cables are hidden and routed to a Power console with a timer for the lights to come on in the evening.

I have just started feeding the fish with Tetra Wheatgerm Floating sticks which I bought from a local Garden centre. £16.99 for 4 kilogram. The fish seem to enjoy the sticks much more than the pellets and seem to have grown bigger in the last few weeks.

Sorry about the reflection in some of these photos  





I am thinking of drilling some holes in the back wall, filling them with soil and planting some ferns and mosses etc to try and soften up the wall, to try and make it slightly more natural.

Any views or suggestions would be welcome. £16.99 A BAG OF FOOD :?


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## REDSTEVEO (4 Nov 2012)

Hi All Pondlife,

This question is primarily, possibly, probably aimed at Clive, but I welcome advice from anyone on this question.

Troi has done this thing with his tank which looks amazing. See link below,

http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=22651

As my pond just has a plain old concrete bottom I wondered if I could apply the same principle as Troi has done on his tank. I want to create a more natural biotope the way things grow in the wild. Maybe a gravel / ash first layer, a couple of large bags of peat mixed with Aquatic soil, some sort of membrane over that to keep it all together, another layer of gravel to stop the fish digging it all up and the planted with reeds, and aquatic grasses etc. This is something I might consider doing in the Spring but only if it is safe.

What I don't want to finish up with is a ton of foul smelling anaerobic toxic waste in the bottom of my pond which would be my worst nightmare to remove. So if anyone can put my mind at rest or give any advice please do. 

Do it YES/NO if yes what would you advise.

Many thanks,

Steve


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## martin-green (4 Nov 2012)

Personally I would not do it.

Pete contains nutrients that will feed algae, koi (in particular) have a habit of "digging up stones / soil" Some will say they have plants and their koi don't do it, but most koi at some time will do it, and give it long enough, it will all start to rot. (Since no one cleans out ponds like they do aquariums) 

If you really must have plants, put them in pots, use aquatic soil, and suspend the pots so the tops are just above the water. (So the fish can't dig them)


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## REDSTEVEO (4 Nov 2012)

Hi Martin,

Thanks for that. Still can't get the thought out of my head though. You have seen the pictures of my pond, how would you suggest I suspend the pots with the plants in as you have proposed.

At the moment because the pond is so deep I have used large plastic milk crates to raise the level and sat the pots that I do have with plants in on top of them. They do grow but its a pain taking them in and out to do maintenance and cleaning.

Cheers,

Steve


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## foxfish (4 Nov 2012)

Lots of Koi ponds have vegetable filters as they are called, these are normally extension to the pond IE a small (or large) shallow pond filled with inert gravel where water from the main pond is passed through & back into the main pond. We use inert gravel so the plants feed on the ponds excess nutrients.
In your case you could hang lily baskets from screw fixed just above water level.


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## REDSTEVEO (5 Nov 2012)

Hi I don't think I am going to go down the vegetable filter route. I have thought about screwing plant baskets to the wooden frame around the front and on the back wall but never got around to it.

I still want fill my pond full of soil and plant it but I am worried about ammonia build up any toxic foul smelling gas killing all the fish. Ponds in nature have soil bottoms why can't mine?  

Steve


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## martin-green (6 Nov 2012)

Please do not take the following personally.   



			
				REDSTEVEO said:
			
		

> I still want fill my pond full of soil and plant it but I am worried about ammonia build up any toxic foul smelling gas killing all the fish. Ponds in nature have soil bottoms why can't mine?



Lots of reasons really, but it comes down to the fact that at the end of the day all you have is a "small sealed container" If your pond was huge then over time it would probably build up its own natural ecosystem. 

A fish  /  koi pond is just that, but enjoy it for what it is. For what its worth, I have a dedicated fountain  pool, I would never dream of putting fish or plants in it, I enjoy it for what it is.


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## REDSTEVEO (6 Nov 2012)

No problem Martin, I welcome all feedback as part of the learning process.  

I do enjoy it as it is but I always look for new or better ways of doing things or looking for ways of overcoming problems.

I will revisit this in the spring, especially the eco system which I don't think I have got quite right.

Cheers,

Steve


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## REDSTEVEO (6 Feb 2014)

Hi everyone, just a bit of an update on this post. It has now been three years and seven months since this pond was built. I have still got all the original fish and in general the pond is okay. All the fish have spawned at some stage including the Koi but I don't see many of the fry because they either get eaten or sucked into the two large Oase pumps i have in the pond.

What I still have a problem with is the depth, by problem I mean planting the pond. I have spent a fortune on pond plants every year only to see most of them die off and need replacing the following year. This is because most plants available are not suited to sitting at the depth of the bottom of this pond which is over 1 and half meters deep. I have tried building platforms using milk crates to raise the height but this is still only a temporary fix. I need to find a long term solution. I have thought about emptying the pond and filling it with concrete to raise the bottom level by about a foot and a half, but I don't really want to lose the volume of water I have in there.

I am thinking this year of trying to put an artificial base raised up in a sort of Plenum fashion with filtration underneath it to keep the water circulating. I am thinking plastic milk crates as the base layer, then egg shell crating (plastic) on top of them. Then cover the egg shell crating with a fine plastic mesh from the garden centre. Then a base layer of gravel on top of that followed by a load of aquatic soil. Then completely plant the soil with loads of plants, oxygenating plants, grasses, lilies, and border plants etc. What I want is a more natural look on a permanent basis. This all sounds a bit complicated and I am not sure what it will turn out like or how hard it will be to maintain.

So if anyone out there has got any brilliant simple ideas I can't wait to hear them. Hopefully the pond gurus will be able to help.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Regards,

Steve.


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## LondonDragon (6 Feb 2014)

How about some photos! Love ponds and we don't get many here


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## ghostsword (6 Feb 2014)

Why not some pedestal planters?


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## REDSTEVEO (6 Feb 2014)

Sadly LondonDragon  all my photo's are on page 1 of this post and I have not taken anymore since. Sorry.

I have not heard of pedestal planters before, have you got any pictures of what they look like ghostsword?

Thanks,

Steve


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## Ady34 (10 Feb 2014)

Hi Steve,
are you wanting planters in the centre of the pond? If not you could screw some brackets to the sides and hang planting baskets from them, once grown in you will never see the brackets.....


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## REDSTEVEO (10 Feb 2014)

Hello Ady,

I have thought about this a few times and am still considering that idea along with the planter options. What I am after is a look that looks more natural almost like a wild pond as opposed to a clinical pond if that makes sense.

Cheers,

Steve


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## Ady34 (11 Feb 2014)

I would just get some lily's, there are many varieties that enjoy a range of water depths, that always makes ponds look more natural.  Then add some fixed planters to the side/back wall which you could top with stones/gravel for a more natural look to house some grasses, iris, creepers etc which will soften the lines.
Without major surgery to add shelves in, this is likely your best bet. Personally i wouldnt even consider making the pond shallower or adding ledges as water depth and volume is a good thing in our climate.
You could also add brackets to support underwater beams across the width of the pond and sit planters on that, that way the water area underneath is not compromised or taken up with crates etc.
cheerio
ady.


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## martin-green (11 Feb 2014)

Redsteveo, all I can suggest is you look on the web for pictures of ponds and see what it is that YOU like, since there are no hard and fast rules for "decorating" a pond. (Other than things you should NOT do)

To be honest, I think the "Underwater beams" idea is not really for you, since that would mean all the plants could only be in a strait row, and what would the beams be made of (rhetorical question)


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## Ady34 (13 Feb 2014)

martin-green said:


> and what would the beams be made of


plastic guttering/drain pipe perhaps? .....i know it sounds a bit slap dash, but just throwing some ideas out there to get the thought process going. I used plastic guttering to edge my pond and have some small grasses in them to soften the edges of the otherwise formal pond, you cant even see them now, black guttering in a black pond. You could also add the angle joints to create more elaborate shapes.


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## martin-green (13 Feb 2014)

Its just that you did say 





Ady34 said:


> underwater beams


To me (and most?) that is something like (Which is not a good idea)






But now you mention black plastic drain pipe, I see what you mean, but its going to be strait unless it has a lot of support, and I personally don't like plants in koi ponds, because they can become curios and dig the plants up (try) or eat them, but then its not my pond.


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## darren636 (14 Feb 2014)

My pond has a shallow section, fully soiled and planted with mostly British natives. The goldies and koi wreck it every may, just as it starts looking good. But its a haven for fry , bugs, critters and dragonfly. originally, the pond was just s 6' deep rectangle, but with the addition of a tacked on shallow section , transforms the pond from a pretty sterile big fish zone into a bit of a  wildlife magnet. The big koi can cause plant carnage though. But I am sure it brightens his life. I also use floating islands. Planted with water mint and veronica beccabunga. Water mint is a great hiding place for fish and removes organic waste like no other.


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## REDSTEVEO (21 Feb 2014)

Ady34 said:


> I would just get some lily's, there are many varieties that enjoy a range of water depths, that always makes ponds look more natural. Then add some fixed planters to the side/back wall which you could top with stones/gravel for a more natural look to house some grasses, iris, creepers etc which will soften the lines.
> Without major surgery to add shelves in, this is likely your best bet. Personally i wouldnt even consider making the pond shallower or adding ledges as water depth and volume is a good thing in our climate.
> You could also add brackets to support underwater beams across the width of the pond and sit planters on that, that way the water area underneath is not compromised or taken up with crates etc.
> cheerio
> ady.


 
Hello Ady,

Sorry for the delay in replying. You have made some great suggestions, certainly given me some food for thought and I really appreciate your taking the time to reply.

Once I come up with my final plan I will post some pictures up. Do you have the names of the lilies that can grow from deep down?

Thanks,

Steve.


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## REDSTEVEO (21 Feb 2014)

martin-green said:


> Redsteveo, all I can suggest is you look on the web for pictures of ponds and see what it is that YOU like, since there are no hard and fast rules for "decorating" a pond. (Other than things you should NOT do)
> 
> To be honest, I think the "Underwater beams" idea is not really for you, since that would mean all the plants could only be in a strait row, and what would the beams be made of (rhetorical question)


 

I like the pictures of Clives Pond in his article on adding dry ferts to his pond, something about frightening te gardner?

Cheers,

Steve


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## REDSTEVEO (21 Feb 2014)

darren636 said:


> My pond has a shallow section, fully soiled and planted with mostly British natives. The goldies and koi wreck it every may, just as it starts looking good. But its a haven for fry , bugs, critters and dragonfly. originally, the pond was just s 6' deep rectangle, but with the addition of a tacked on shallow section , transforms the pond from a pretty sterile big fish zone into a bit of a wildlife magnet. The big koi can cause plant carnage though. But I am sure it brightens his life. I also use floating islands. Planted with water mint and veronica beccabunga. Water mint is a great hiding place for fish and removes organic waste like no other.


 


Hey what is this about floating islands and what does water mint look like?

Thanks,

Steve


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## REDSTEVEO (21 Feb 2014)

Ady and guys, I have thought about adding ledges at various heights but the thought of drilling holes in the walls of the pond frighten me in case I don't get the water tight seal afterwards. Plus I would have to drain the pond and I have no where to put the fish while I do the work

Steve


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## darren636 (21 Feb 2014)

REDSTEVEO said:


> Hey what is this about floating islands and what does water mint look like?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Steve


 floating islands are a polystyrene planting thing. Covered in fabric, they have a hole in the middle like a plant pot for filling with soil and plants.  Water mint has small leaves with blue/ purple flowers. Its rampant. But great for water quality.


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## martin-green (21 Feb 2014)

Above is the most common floating plant Island, being as it floats they are best if they are anchored to stop them moving around. (They could float under the water return and get sunk)


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## REDSTEVEO (24 Feb 2014)

Thanks Martin, I was looking at something similar to these at the weekend. They were in Wirral Waterworld but they weren't cheap!

On Sunday I emptied the pond and cleaned it out from top to bottom. I could not believe the amount of mud and muck that had built up, it has leaked from the pots no wonder they were all half empty. I saved half the water in huge containers and after I had scrubbed the walls down I filled it back up with fresh water and all the water I had saved. I have bought some planting baskets which I am going to fix to the sides and plant with marginals. Then I just need one big lily for the centre. I will take some photographs when I'm done. The lawn looks a right mess at the moment.

Anyone know which one is the best for planting deep?

Cheers,

Steve.


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## darren636 (25 Feb 2014)

nymphaea alba is great at depth
Tuberosa is my favourite though
Also try aponogeton distachyos- really stunning in spring.


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## REDSTEVEO (25 Feb 2014)

Thanks Darren I will look these up next time I pop up to Wirral Waterworld. What size pot would you suggest for the nymphaea alba? Will it be okay at more than a metre down with not too much sunlight?


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## martin-green (25 Feb 2014)

I can't help but wonder................
A lily may look nice, but as it has to be planted deep, does that not defeat the object of keeping the pool clean and the whole idea of floating / suspended baskets?


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## REDSTEVEO (25 Feb 2014)

You know what you might be right! Easy to clean out with no c£$*p in the way at the bottom, all the plants in floating trays or island and a few fixed to the wall around the side....hmmm watch this space...


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## Ady34 (26 Feb 2014)

REDSTEVEO said:


> Then I just need one big lily for the centre.
> 
> Anyone know which one is the best for planting deep?
> Cheers,
> ...


I really like Lily's, like Darren said N. Alba is a good one for depths up to nearly 2m. I havnt had a lot of experience with varieties tbh but have a search on websites such as puddleplants.co.uk for information on varieties suitability.
Cheerio
Ady


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## zanguli-ya-zamba (26 Feb 2014)

Hi Steve,

how are you ?

is it possible to have a pic of your pond ?

cheers


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## martin-green (26 Feb 2014)

zanguli-ya-zamba said:


> is it possible to have a pic of your pond ?



You can see his pond pictures at the beginning of this thread. (He has yet to take more)


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## REDSTEVEO (26 Feb 2014)

Yes sorry about that, the pictures are at the beginning showing it from when it was first built. When I have finished messing about with it I will take some new photographs.

Cheers,

Steve


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## REDSTEVEO (10 Mar 2014)

Well after a thorough clean out of the pond and a cycled rotation in cleaning all the pump equipment and filters the pond is all set for the summer. I went on eBay and put 'Marginal Plants' into the search category and bought about £30.00 worth of plants which arrived the next day from Fishybiz96. Very good quality and saved a fortune had I bought them from my local place. They were not potted though so there was a few hours work involved. List of plants bought with pictures are below.

Mares Tail



Dwarf Bulrush



Tillea Recurva



Bushy Mini Horsetail



Penny Wort



Dwarf Yellow iris



Myosotis Palustris




For now I have planted them all in different size pots and put them on a large plastic tray which is sat on two upturned milk crates. See pictures below.

I have just taken a load of photos of the plants and the fish coming up for feeding. Here they are.

Main shot of pond



Closer views







The Power Centre



The Water Blade in action



The milk crates and trays The two plastic trays you can see are balanced on top of a milk crate to give you an idea of what it looks like. All the plants at the moment are a few inches under the water which is up to 12 degrees today!





Photos of the fish







I am going to sell the three large Koi Carp either on here or on eBay so look at the pictures and if anyone is interested, collection only I'm afraid, please let me know. There is a blue grey coloured one and the other two are orange and white, all are around 12 inches long from nose to tail.

I know the fish look like they are swimming on a brick wall, its the reflection and my poor photography

The lily and the Mares Tail plants will have to sit deeper but I know the Koi Carp will dig about and make a mess that is why I am selling them. Once the Carp have been sold I will re-arrange the plants.

More photos in a week or two when plants are more developed.

Cheers,

Steve


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## tim (10 Mar 2014)

Looks lovely mate, would love a pond, can't see it happening in a first floor flat though, looking forward to seeing yours develop.


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## REDSTEVEO (11 Mar 2014)

Thanks Tim, you ain't going to be in a first floor floor flat all your life mate, your time will come.

One thing I forgot to mention. The floating island you can see in picture 2 and 3 of the pond pictures above, here is a little tip to anyone thinking of buying them. If you follow the instructions to the letter, they either tip up or sink. They just can't support the weight of soil, plants and gravel. So I had to line the base inside with some more chunks of polystyrene to give it more ballast. Its a pity because then there is less room for soil for the plant. Bit of a catch 22 situation.

Cheers,

Steve


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