Now you can have some fun! The first step to beginning the construction is excavating and preparing the site. I do know that in Australia we have problems with water hyacinth blocking rivers and dams. Step 3 Im leaning towards a nice breed of goldfish so i can have plants to help with balancing the pond, Water Hyacinth sounds like money it actually filters the water as well may want to check it out. You can do this by taking the impact drill again with long a masonry bit and predrilling through the wood and concrete. In order to complete this project, moderate construction skills and knowledge are required but by no means do you have to be an 'expert'. How to Waterproof a Concrete Koi Pond. I too dream of building a pond like you when I have a garden one day. Place rocks to hold the cover down, or drive stakes through the edges to pin it to the ground. Choose a shape for the pond to be based on the dimensions that you have decided. 1500 gallon fish pond water pump But the challenge is that this type of bacteria needs a low oxygen environment. I designed this pond and the layout of our front yard in order to visually connect the house to the street and protect our house from traffic. I used the same color as the slate, but faded it up the walls. 20. I don't know. This will provide a base for you to connect the outside of the form. on Step 13. In terms of water quality, I also monitor nitrates (N03), they are not as toxic as NH3 or NO2, but they do tend to accumulate to stressfull levels for the fish. i. The caps are poured! Step 11: The curved wall had a base and cap of 1/2" plywood and 2"x4"s acting as studs every ten inches or so. It will look nice and still aerate the water for the fish. Once the pond dimensions are established and an outline laid out, dig out the soil for the entire pond. 8 years ago String lines were put up to set the forms for the footers. Final Touches Attach metal lath to the pond box where you want to add the cultured stone WITH SHORT ½" SCREWS !!! 2. You must check that you are staying level with all the forms, as the concrete will be poured to the top of the 2"x6". CONTENTS Introduction Siting Size Depth Bottom drains Filtration Pond construction Heating Routine maintenance Catching fish. Remember to wear latex gloves or your hands will be stained for a few days! Turn on your electric mixer and pour... 3. You might consider adding some gnarly volcanic rock/other very porous nonreactive stones in it loosely (even just gravel). on Introduction. You will get better quality fish in health and they are often cheaper at a breeder. With all the water and plants the pond will become fairly darker anyway but the dye will just give it a little depth of color. Over estimate because of breeding and you will probably want more than you plan on. That's an awesome project. f. Rebar tire gun and wire Step 1: Mark Your Layout. Step 5: We had to do both to get a smooth surface on the wall, grind first and wash second. You shouldn't worry about your fish hiding too much. 7. While the concrete was setting up, the wood forms were removed allowing the concrete to evenly set and keeping the concrete from sticking to the wood. Yowch! How do you keep both the raccoons and the great blue herons from turning your lovely fish into a buffet table? Then add the fish. '''A general rule of thumb is one inch of fish per 10 gallons of water.''' Not sure how to build a pond? Measure the diameter of the pond liner, then mark on the string one half of the diameter. I wanted to install a fountain of some sort, but didn't want a fake waterfall. How are the koi not eating the plants, will they eat anything they can fit in there mouth so big plants are ok???? After you have your lines taped you need repeat the first step of applying the grout on the wall caps. If they were not level it would be seen in the wall cap itself. This simple filtration system has kept our pond clean, clear and healthy. Use any large household sponge (we used a big yellow sponge torn into a few smaller pieces) to apply it to the surface. A concrete koi pond adds interest to the landscape by providing habitat for these colorful fish. Use either rope, a garden hose, or spray paint to make sure that you are happy with the size and location of the pond. on Introduction. The first order of business is location. The basic construction of a concrete fish pond follows that of the liner ponds. HOW TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN A PROPER KOI POND. You can clean the concrete by using a pressure washer and/or concrete grinder. Concrete block laid o The N03 accumulates at the end of the cycle and there are 3 (4) ways to deal with it: 1- plants use it as fertilizer, so put fast growing plants that have their roots in the water (can be in a pot). You can take some of your color mixture to perform any touch ups. 18. You can see the overflow hole in the wall. Where did you hide your filtration? I stood the cinder blocks up on end and then placed the slate on top to hide them. Saved by Paula Cano. In addition to algae scrubbers, there's also beneficial bacteria that will aid in eating up excess ammonia. I recommend buying from a koi farm and not just any pet or garden supply store. 3. Electrical conduit was tied to the rebar and set up to run electrical wire for outlets. Rebar was then laid out and tied together with the rebar gun. 10 years ago All you need to build a backyard concrete pond is some advance planning, $600 to $800 in materials, and a little help from 15 or 20 friends. Again, this was done with the impact drill and screw gun as above. Use a plastic liner that is 0.75 mm (0.029 in) to 1.00 mm (0.039 in)... 2. Better safe than sorry. At the risk of sounding hypocritical I've just collected some water hyacinth here in the Philippines. 15. The older pictures show the new terracotta pot while it still has the clay color, the green is actually algae growing on the pot over time as explained in step 14: Build and install the fountain, second paragraph last couple of sentences... Looks great. Ideally, the location should be somewhere where it is visible from the inside of the house and which has adequate sitting room around its edges. So a traditional filter with high oxygenated water flow does not work well. This is false. But don't the fish go out the over flow holes? Masonry screws - tapcon By Tom Burton . During the pour, the footers were poured first then the slab of the pond. How to Fiberglass a Pond. Excavation for the footers was made easier by digging with a small backhoe attachment on a skid loader. Koi. when they grow, they absorb/export the N03. We used 2" x 6" and metal stakes for the forms. This will allow the fish to become slowly acclimated to the water instead of just dumping them into your pond. I think your fountian concept is great because it will oxygenate the water and it a very pleasing feature in the pond. The pond featured below is an above ground pond utilising modern gravity filtration, and is heated. I've read that they oxygenate water too - I'm testing that now. 10 years ago 488. Now you have a wonderful pond that is easy to clean and enjoyable for a lifetime. e. Reciprocating saw or Sawzall We started very simple expecting to add more later, though so far we haven't needed to. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_hyacinth, Reply I wish I had the time and/or money to build landscaping features like that. The most difficult aspect is having access to the concrete forms and knowing how to properly set them up. The goal is for your pond to "step up" as it approaches the sides. Idea: Here is one technique to help physically visualize the pond and walls; take stakes or rebar and place them where the walls will be. o. Pvc handsawMaterials: Luan & masonite bend well and will give a smooth surface for the concrete to sit against during the pour. it gives it character and prevents the fish from jumping out. Why Build a Koi Pond With Concrete? Small Koi Pond. (Our pond is about 2000 gallons). 10 years ago Remove the wall cap forms. Concrete My koi love to eat water hyacinth. If you wait too long the grout will get too hard and you may have to use a paint scraper and chip away where the tape is. It is important to note that even though your water may be clear, it does not mean the quality of water is healthy for your fish. Rubber ponds are cheaper to build and thus may require a patch much sooner than that of a cement pond. How to Make a Concrete Collar for a Koi Pond. I'd look at azolla and duckweed - both would certainly be welcome koi food. on Step 2, 10 years ago The other end of the tubing will obviously be in your pot. Ideally, you want to change the water twice a year (spring and fall). I initially used a laser level to find all the elevations on the property and rework the grading on the front of the property. Here we discuss a more unusaul way of constructing a modern Koi pond in some detail, using as an example, a formal stock pond recently constructed for our own business, but made using a wooden frame. - but that is another project. A koi pond is a purpose built habitat for those lovely fish we call “Living Jewels” and as such, differs from any other garden water feature. When building your concrete garden pond, plan to make it about 2 inches thick. Make sure it has dried out thoroughly before continuing. The walls are poured! on Introduction, 7 years ago l. Level, 6ft and 2ft How to Build a Modern Koi Pond. The rebar was placed on top of rebar chairs (rebar blocks could be used as well) to keep the rods in the center of the concrete pad during the pour. Designed by Jan Hvizdak. This instructable can be taken and applied directly, or the ideas and methods can be used to influence a variation of this design/process of your own. Make sure the tape is pressed on well to prevent leaking. Your first thoughts or ideas usually are not the best. In this video I show you how to install a Koi pond window onto your pond. Everyone I know in our central Ohio area has stories about how their numbers of expensive fish "disappeared"....some without a trace.....(heron) or with minced koi at the edge.(raccoon). As you get more involved in the hobby of koi ponds you can decide what is best for you. It was vital to keep all the forms aligned and to not have gaps in the forms. 17. In addition, NO3 is a fertilizer and that is what leads to algae problems. k. Box cutter Concrete Pond: The idea of ... good work dear, you must check your level of PH in water because you use concrete to build your pond, also you need to put a good filtration for your pond as it is outside and your can have comet and koi in your pond. Flexable tubing for pump Pvc pipe Koi are beautiful fish (in the carp family) that can live for many years if properly cared for. This bracing was nailed down into the 2"x4" of the studs to make it one structural unit. Here we discuss Koi pond construction in some detail, using as an example, a formal stock pond recently constructed for our own business. KOI PONDS Step 9: Pouring the Concrete 1. These metal plates are encased in concrete during the pour. Ornaments, That Smell Like Christmas and Will Warm Your Heart. By using the old method of a stake, string and a marker/pencil I extended the curve of the patio to the inside curved wall of the pond. Just one surviving piece can block a river again in a month or so, and you can never get them all! Below are some of my original designs that we didn't build. Wood screws & nails I did a lot of research before designing and building our pond. You don't really need many fish, as we found out they BREED like crazy. Step 10: While sitting on the ledge you are able to sit and look into the pond and entertain your guests. After the concrete is poured and set up, these metal plates are left protruding about 1" on each side of the wall (this is where they were connected to the cotter pin). The more you feed them the more they will grow, these fish eat nonstop. After a day or so we back filled with dirt . I used about 15 cinder blocks and about 15 pieces of brown slate (to match the wall caps). #3 size rebar (.375") was used in the slab. Simply lay a piece of 1/2 plywood down level on the ground and strike the arc. Again, great job, I am really impressed with the concrete work!! Step 4: http://DesignAPond.com Many people are still searching the internet for information on how to build a waterfall or koi pond. If you are constructing your pond on an exisiting concrete surface, skip to Step 4. You will see further in this project how we installed a valve in the bottom of the pond to provide easy clean out, making maintenance fairly painless. You may get a few spots where the tape pulls away at the grout, but in the end it makes it look more natural. It takes weeks/months to re-establish it. 5. Metal forms and ties We have a 2-level pond with a waterfall, and no fish in the upper level, so when the plants in the lower pond get their roots munched, we move them to the upper pond to regrow. I know what I originally thought would be perfect for the front yard and pond would have fallen short of the final design we built. I would think at 1500 gallons per minute the fish would have to be permanently swimming away from the pump inlet. 1500GPM?! As mentioned before this will keep any leaks from occurring where the walls will meet the slab. The only question I have is how secure is  it from being a drowning hazard to small children? This would be more effective in maintaining water quality than 2 complete water changes/year. The overflow is a good idea, but I would put a netting accross it, because the fish do jump out. When it's dry, (usually the next day), pull the tape. My aquaponics setup is very small, and it doesn't take much of a change in fish numbers to either starve the plants, or have too many nutrients - I can use the water hyacinth to clean up nutrients, and harvest more plants when nutrients are low. 4 years ago. Final step: This is a guide to constructing a koi pond for your garden or yard. To knock down any really rough edges after the grout has dried use a rubbing stone trowel to knock down the edges. It was all done in one continuous pour. … Measuring tape Learn how to mix, pour & finish concrete for your koi ponds bond beam. Look up Active Bog Filtration for … This is a big reason most “do it yourself” pond builders choose a liner pond over a concrete pond. I just want to touch on some of the basics of koi and building a pond. document modified on April 14 2012 07:11:06. google_ad_client="ca-pub-3428618286635927";google_ad_slot="9284307781";google_ad_width=336;google_ad_height=280; leave us a message or ask a question regarding this topic! After a few weeks they come out as soon as they see you, hoping to get fed. By speaking to the breeder we gained a lot more knowledge of koi and learned about all the different types and colorings.Myth 2. When you do a complete waterchange,   you also eliminate all the useful bacteria that keeps you eco-cycle going. Step 6: Koi ponds need to be large. Concrete needs a little special care when used to make fish ponds, due to the possibility of lime leaching into your pond water. Platforms at different heights were made for different types of plants. Stone was then back filled to give a solid base for the concrete. Is the pot empty? Well read on because I’m happy to show you how to build a concrete pond … We aim for fall since the water will be good quality for the winter, therefore, putting less stress on the fish during the cold months. Copyright © 2020 FishPonds.Biz . That is awesome! These fish have a long and extremely colorful history in the fish keeping industry!. Step 4. Then we used 2"x6"s to create the outside of the form. Duckweed (Lemna spp.) How to Build a Large Garden Pond With Concrete 1. Rebar are a bit slower, but even tastier. Young Koi are sometimes kept in large aquariums until they outgrow them, at this point they can be moved over to a garden pond.. Using a skill saw this was cut out of the sheet of plywood and became a template. Just wondering. The block was sandwiched in between the forms and screwed through them to keep it in place. Wood & masonite Begin Your Concrete Pond With a Level Site. Perhaps the koi would eat them? You can see half of the rubber gasket is protruding from the concrete slab. Because digging a koi pond can be … h. Square, one large and small Building a concrete fish pond can seem a large project to undertake, especially for those of us that have no qualifications in building etc. Using a skill saw this was cut out of the sheet of plywood and became a template. How to Build a Wooden Koi Pond. I have built my own concrete fish pond and once the project was underway, I quickly realized that it was not as difficult as I first believed that it would be. Both these type of bacteria require oxygenated water to operate. The pond featured below is an above ground pond utilising modern gravity filtration, and is heated. I measured how big I wanted my slate to be and taped off grout lines with 1/8" heavy duty masking tape (fiber tape). Cinder blocks & 2' x2' slate pavers If done well this should not need to be reapplied for quite a few years since the pond is not going to get any foot traffic. Much of the tough work is done! 11. Step 2: The 4 main water quality tests you should do regularly (especially before putting fish in your pond and again a day or two after the fish are in the pond) are PH, KH, Ammonia and Nitrite. g. Cordless drills Place a stake in the center of where you would like to build your pond. 8. So we will pour concrete and finish it to look like slate instead. I have had numerous aquariums in the past and now have a small 50 gallon pond on my balcony with a few comet goldfish. The footer frames were set up with 2"x6", 2"x10" and layered masonite for the curve. Mix in the color of your choosing. I have a couple of questions regarding the concrete for my base. on Step 15, Looks great im jealous but there seems to be too much direct sunlight which might attribute to the algae bloom. Koi are expensive.' This pot also has lots of surface area inside and on the exterior because it is ridged. There are a ton of water treatment options, filtering and pumping systems one can buy. Good luck! Good luck and enjoy! (I agree with the caution that water hyacinth can be a nasty invasive, but can't survive cold winters - it regularly gets down to -20C here (Ottawa, Canada), and water hyacinths seem to get killed by even a light touch of frost.). Step By Step Instructions For Building A Concrete Fish Pond In Your Garden. Railway Sleepers, Barrels, Telegraph Poles, New, Used. This was still about 4" below finished grade because we are going to put in a concrete pad (about 2") and pavers on top of that (about 2"). How to build a raised pond with railway sleepers. 8 years ago The filter also needs to be located in an easy to access/clean location. on Introduction. Rocks & water plants Rubber seal - long rubber strips Reply Hammer & rubber mallet Here is a general list of tools and materials used in the construction of the pond.Tools: 4. Pvc conduit 7 years ago The filtering options you select will litteraly determine how much time you will need to spend maintaining, so I'm very curious what you have selected for that. As you will discover water quality is key in keeping koi healthy.Myth 1. Screws are placed about every 8 to 10 inches. I probably won't have more than a square metre of water hyacinths at any one time. Styrofoam block & blue foam strips Building a concrete fish pond can seem a large project to undertake, especially for those of us that have no qualifications in building etc. Some plants need to be at different depths in the water. I've retired here, and it's all over the place. That was where the foam block was, shown in picture #3 in the previous step. It would be great if after a year or two, you updated your instructables with what you would have done differently (if anything) with the hindsight of experience. INTRODUCTION. a. Digging tools; spades, flat shovel, tamper (a backhoe would be nice too!) Water hyacinth are definitely beautiful, especially when they bloom. Before setting up the forms (which are laid to the side in the photo below) a chalk string line was struck. Mark the perimeter of your pond with spray paint, marking chalk or a similar marking material. Simply lay a piece of 1/2 plywood down level on the ground and strike the arc. In my pond design considerations, aesthetically hiding a large filtration unit ranks high on the priority list. 1,500 gal/min would typically require a 10" pipe. We used a 1500 gallon per minute water pump. The rebar was banged in using a rubber mallet and a wood block. I had the drain open at this point to allow the water to escape. We expanded our living space outside and are able to enjoy the pond year round. Same pot. Line the pond with heavy-gauge polythene sheet. as long as you have healthy water quality and feed them they will grow to any size. (4)- If all of the above is not done and there is a bit of sun, this is where the ugly algae bloom comes in to consume the N03. m. String line This would be when the toxic NH3 and NO2 will spike until the tank is cycled and the bacteria equilibrium is re-established.