I've been recently interested in raising a few koi in a pond in my backyard. However, I have no idea what to do. If I were to do everything by myself, how much would everything add up to? And, if it's not too much to ask for, could someone type a list of basic items I will need to start and maintain my pond? Thanks in advance
Digging a Pond
- Thread starter Fishstronomy
- Start date
What kind of soil do you have? Sand, clay, rocky? Is it always wet?
How big of a pond do you want?
What about the shape? Round? Oblong? Square? One pond cascading into a second?
Do you want water features like a stream or waterfall?
How do you want to seal it? Preformed? Liner? Concrete?
Need a lot more info before we could suggest anything.
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How big of a pond do you want?
What about the shape? Round? Oblong? Square? One pond cascading into a second?
Do you want water features like a stream or waterfall?
How do you want to seal it? Preformed? Liner? Concrete?
Need a lot more info before we could suggest anything.
Sent from my SGS4 Active
As a minimum, liner, pump, and filter all appropriately sized for the pond you plan to build. Price depends on dimensions and how fancy you want to get.
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Not sure about the soil, but I think it's rocky, and is wet most of the time.
The size of the pond for me would be the bare minimum to house a few koi/large goldfish
Preferred shape would be in a kidney bean sort of shape
No water features
As for the seal, the cheaper the better
The size of the pond for me would be the bare minimum to house a few koi/large goldfish
Preferred shape would be in a kidney bean sort of shape
No water features
As for the seal, the cheaper the better
Liner is the easiest way to build a pond. The folds can be hidden with rocks. The filter is very important. Over sizing is best. The one of the easiest filter to maintain is made by Savio. They use the plastic straps as media. With a drain valve added to the filter, it will make flushing the filter very easy. It will take only minutes and will never jam up. It is pricey but time is money. Or you can make your own filter if you don't have a budget for it. A pond should be about 36" deep for koi but deeper the better. Out here, raccoon is a major problem and that is the only way they won't go in. The sides should be fairly sheer. Raccoons like to wade not swim. There are other predators such as birds. A hiding cave or structure will help shelter the fishes. The bottom of the pond should have a lower side to it. It allows water and debris to migrate to the lower end. It makes maintaining it easier. If you are dealing with rocky soil, you may need a smaller jack hammer or demolition hammer to dig. You will get out twice as much soil when you are digging. The soil will loosen up and you will get about double the amount of soil out. At least a small waterfall should be built to help with aerating the water otherwise you may need an air pump and air diffuser as part of your filter system. Without it, you may not get enough oxygen in the pond. There are many ways you can build a pond and type of equipment to use. Apply common sense into it and it will make things easier for you in the long such as having the sides of the pond higher so rain don't wash dirt into your pond. Do your research and have fun doing it. Good Luck.
Thanks a lot! However, where does the filter for the pond go- would I have to dig to put piping underground and lead it to my garage? Also, where can I get plastic lining for my pond?
Another thing. If I made my pond 2 meters long, 1 meter wide, and 36 inches deep, would I see a huge spike in my water and electricity bill?
If you can't find liners in a store near you, you can buy it off the internet.
You need to do a bit of research for pond construction on the internet because this is something that can get a bit too complex for a forum thread. Search using Google, its your friend
I dug mine by hand. Plan for more than what you think it will cost. I ended up adding a stream and a 3 foot waterfall during the dig out on a whim. I just looked at pictures online and then visualized it in my backyard and started digging. I am expanding it this spring to be even bigger...my wife doesn't know yet though LOL.