Jan 24, 2012

Hard work on the Koi Pond


I spent most of our gorgeous weekend working on and around the pond.....We are so close to finishing it! Well that means it will have water and fish....but it will take a while to really "finish" it...as I need to build decks on two sides, place some sort of capping over the railroad/liner tops and of course I will need plants :) Here are some before and now pics to keep ya up to date....I threw in a few Garden pictures...because...well you know....we always have to remember why we go to such efforts! And what makes it worth it!
things like  ...........The Titmouse that has taken over the flycatchers home.......




On to the work:  


 beginning....I had a vision of a great Pond that would sit here...Deep enough to give my Koi more room, but high enough above ground to work as a bench to both sit with the fish, or watch the Chickens....We are far from there...but I can see it in my mind :) and it's beautiful!



Barrel set up and plumbing

Settling Chamber and static basket
I started with the filters....I went with 55 gallon drums, two in parallel will act as settling chambers coming from a Bottom drain gravity fed, the theory is the large debris will settle in the lower section and with the help of a static media basket remove it before the water goes out to the next set of barrels, which house my Bio media. I made two Strapping barrels, they will house 9000 feet of strapping material each, with a blower manifold for agitation and clean out periodically! I got the plans from a great group of people on a Koi forum...www.koiphen.com...I can not say enough about all the generous support they have given me in my adventure! 
Strapping Barrel- Bio Filter



To check out my Koi Toilet Bottom Drain modification ck out that page! Look for the link....in my pages!

We went with a Hexagon design, for the ease of water circulation. I am so glad we did! Just with the little bit of water we flowed in, it swirls like a perfect vortex!



A great moment as the liner is placed and water finally flows! A year in the waiting !!



What to do with that extra dirt pile? Slope it up and create steps to what will be a small multipurpose deck, covering and hiding the barrel filters and also for relaxing and lounging!


This will be the bench side...once capped, sitting here will allow you to be up and personal with the Koi...the feeding station perhaps, but also a seating area looking towards .....well...I guess where you are sitting right now ;) is the coop... LOL......it will be a nice spot under the mulberry tree to watch the hens scratch around and get out of the summer heat....


I have alot of woodworking ahead of me :)




 I have been studying up on permaculture, I think I will incorporate this practice here around the Mulberry tree on the slope.....That will be a blog of it's own :) 




Something  beautiful to leave you with...Rosa "Love"


So remember to leave me a comment and get out there and  spread some seed...;)       janine

1 comment:

Melina Nelson said...

Koi is greater sensitivity than other fish and expensive too /For its survival best Pond Sealant is a liner which may be used competently. Fish can live to tell the tale only I eco-friendly environment. In homemade ponds, it’s clean to preserve them with it.