1000 gallon pond and filter

Well like I stated in my introductory thread, I just constructed this pond about 3 weeks ago.

asked about the filter set-up I have, its a Laguna pressure flo 3200 w/ UV-C sterilizer with a Laguna max flo 2000 pump.

Of course you know how it goes, as soon as you build a pond you start re-thinking things. I now am thinking about going to a different filter set-up like a multichambered or aquabead. The one I have now will do for a while but I probably will need to add something more later..............It seems like you can never stop learning when it comes to fish

 

so awesome!! will you put this outside?

 

It is outside. About 3/4 of it is under my patio cover with 1/4 under the sun.

 

Oh man, that's just awesome. Your koi are going to look just stunning in that one.

 

ah ok...it looks great no matter what..wish I had that talent!!

 

HI Welcome to Fishlore.
Very nice koi pond.
Did you construct it yourself or from it a kit?
I looked at your intro. Your tanks are beautiful.

 

Thank you all for your kind words.................To answer your question, no this is not a kit, I constructed it from scatch.

 

Top marks! a lovely koi pond and water feature, now I hope the misses don't see the pic's or guess what I will be doing......

 

Very Cool, . Isn't that the way it goes though, as soon as you get it set, then it is time to make changes.

You have the weather to do it though! I have always wanted Koi, but it just is not for me now.

Looks like you used a "pond liner", have you ever checked out:
?

I got magazines from them for several years. You could build a pond like they design where you live......I would even like one of the waterfalls/ without a pond.....

I just love people like yourself though, that get a good idea and follow through...ALSO someone who knows you can't put koi in a 55 gallon tank! You are a good addition to this forum.

 

Very nice, such talent, will you marry me?
Sorry, my strange sense of humor in play here, besides, my husband wouldn't let me get married again. lol

What a nice peaceful place to relax. Good job.
Oh, and don't forget to post pics when you get it stocked.

 

How many koi do you plan on putting in there and are you going to put in live plants?? Looks great!

 

How many koi do you plan on putting in there and are you going to put in live plants?? Looks great!

I have 6 koi. 1 large about 12 inch. 1 about 6 inch and 4 about 4 inches. Also have 2 small comets and 1 chinese high fin shark about 5 inches long for the algae, not that I have a bad algae problem. Also have put several plants in the pond at the end that is not covered by my patio cover as well as plants in planter boxes on the outside of pond. Here's a couple of pic's I took this last weekend. Thanks for your comments.

Rick

 

Wow Rick! That is beautiful You are one talented guy

 

Why thank you!!

 

It looks great! I've wondered how it turned out.
It must be a peaceful place to relax.

 

It looks great! I've wondered how it turned out.
It must be a peaceful place to relax.

Yeah we love it................... Although when I first put the plants in the pond, I put them in a little bit to low and the first night those little mischievious buggers milled around in the pots all night long. I got up in the morning to pee soup. So I had to re do the arrangement a little higher. They seem to love having the plants in there. My wife says it gives them something to do. She gives those fish a heck of a lot of credit.

 

I have 6 koi. 1 large about 12 inch. 1 about 6 inch and 4 about 4 inches. Also have 2 small comets and 1 chinese high fin shark about 5 inches long for the algae, not that I have a bad algae problem. Also have put several plants in the pond at the end that is not covered by my patio cover as well as plants in planter boxes on the outside of pond. Here's a couple of pic's I took this last weekend. Thanks for your comments.

Rick

OMG I want one sooooooooo bad..course I'm not talented enough to make one...hint hint rick! it looks amazing..! and every time you have company, tell them its a wishing well hehe..then when they leave, collect the money and buy more fish stuff!

 

OMG I want one sooooooooo bad..course I'm not talented enough to make one...hint hint rick! it looks amazing..! and every time you have company, tell them its a wishing well hehe..then when they leave, collect the money and buy more fish stuff!

Thanks for your kind words Shawnie. Excellent idea on the wishing well. Never thought of that one.

Cheers Rick

 

It looks great! You are really tallented. I'm sure you guys are really enjoying it. I'm just a bit jealous *wink wink*

 

You are certainly very talented I would have never thought of doing a Koi pond in that way. cheers enjoy you new backyard looks great.

 

Thanks for the kind comments...........Yes we love it and now that it is starting to mature the fish are digging it too. Of course you know how it goes............I walk out into my backyard, look around and start thinking about where I could build a new improved, 3 times the size, with multiple waterfalls, huge filtration setup.......... It really never stops in my mind. I have extreme MTS

Rick

 

That sounds great, 3 times the size with multiple waterfalls.....wow.

 

I just bought a house with a nice backyard you are giving me very expensive ideas and the wife said once we get our own house she can't stop me from getting a salty tank. Fish are gonna put me in so much debt...

 

I just bought a house with a nice backyard you are giving me very expensive ideas and the wife said once we get our own house she can't stop me from getting a salty tank. Fish are gonna put me in so much debt...

I know the Salty thing can be expensive for sure which we are in the process of doing right now but, the koi pond once its built is not. I spent a couple of grand building it and most of that was on the filter and pump and plumbing supplies. We just put regular koi in there with a couple of comets and a chinese high fin shark for the algae. Its really no more than an aquarium now. At this point I'm just looking for stuff to spend money on it seems. Today I went out and bought pond lights for example. I just can't seem to leave it alone but I'm sure you know how that is right???

Rick

 

Hay Rick, have you ever checked out , I got magazines from them for years, they have great ideas on ponds, waterfalls, creeks, and have all the supplies....

I like your ideas....

 

Hay Rick, have you ever checked out , I got magazines from them for years, they have great ideas on ponds, waterfalls, creeks, and have all the supplies....

I like your ideas....

Yep..............I probably have checked every website known to man on koi ponds. I actually get most of my usuful info from a couple of pond forums I belong too.
One is based in The US
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/
and one is based in England

The guy's who moderate and the members pretty much can answer any questions you could ever come up with if you are looking to build.

Rick

 

I live in Canada so I would have to have a deep pond or multiple heaters. I say multiple because my dads pond had one heater and he lost his fish when it broke, he had had the goldfish and shubunkins for seven years. They had even bred together and created a hybrid species. So defiantly a deep pond, but I want a salty tank first Thanks for the links, nice sites lots of good info on ponds.

 

I just bought a house with a nice backyard you are giving me very expensive ideas and the wife said once we get our own house she can't stop me from getting a salty tank. Fish are gonna put me in so much debt...

U guys are making my day. I just walked to a new (to me) pet store today and they had a nice selection of salt water fish. But the most impresive was a big Saltwater tank, with corals. OMG, that thing was amazing. Just the colors on the colors, heck even the color of the water made me feel like I was snorkeling in Hawaii! But I talk to the guy that was working there, he gave me a rough estimate on the money spent on it, and I remembered why I don't have Saltwater . Plus, I'm a begginer.

Yeah, we all want something bigger and different, as soon as we finish instalin' a tank....

I was thinking what to replace my 2 golds that I gave it to my inlaws, since I have a tropical comunity. Angels? Maybe get some male Kribensis to mate with the 2 females that I have ( I know that brings **** to a tank...). SO much to think of.

Hey, nice setup there with the pond. Didn't even know you can go that way (like a tub). There's some craftmanship I tell you in there.

 

HI hockeyref88/Rick,
Such an elegant solution for an above ground container pond. It looks almost like the sides are dovetailed? Is it?
I have a 1200 gal. inground outdoor pond. My Koi eat everything and uproot everything except the pond Iris's. Those little devils ate my beautiful lilies and everything else. I got 4 Koi last year and they're easily a foot long now. I also have many goldfish, one is as large as the Koi.
So I'm thinking some height would be spectacular in and around your pond. I have elephant ear plants around the outside in pots and coleus, gives a very lush tropical feeling in my Ct backyard with the over sized leaves. : ) You might try large golfball or bigger sized rocks to help hold down the plants and discourage their digging in your pond. They can upturn pots as well. Still I love them and their personalities and they are truly very peaceful to watch.

 

HI hockeyref88/Rick,
Such an elegant solution for an above ground container pond. It looks almost like the sides are dovetailed? Is it?
I have a 1200 gal. inground outdoor pond. My Koi eat everything and uproot everything except the pond Iris's. Those little devils ate my beautiful lilies and everything else. I got 4 Koi last year and they're easily a foot long now. I also have many goldfish, one is as large as the Koi.
So I'm thinking some height would be spectacular in and around your pond. I have elephant ear plants around the outside in pots and coleus, gives a very lush tropical feeling in my Ct backyard with the over sized leaves. : ) You might try large golfball or bigger sized rocks to help hold down the plants and discourage their digging in your pond. They can upturn pots as well. Still I love them and their personalities and they are truly very peaceful to watch.

HI Jess, I love your idea's about the plants...............I do have a planter at the end of the pond that gets light. However most of the pond is under a patio cover and get very little natural light. I have been planting different things trying to find the right combo. I am always incouraged by any suggestions to make it better. Do elephant plants need a lot of sun? As far as the plants go that are in the pond, I have a shelf the houses the perfectly and the fish never mess with them, so its all good.

Thanks for the comment
Rick

 

Your pond looks great! I love the fountain design thing. I agree with everyone, your koi's will look great with your awesome pond!

 

I had my pond up under the porch for a while and it got NO direct sun. It was on the east side of the house under the overhang. I put house plants around it and as long as I kept them watered, they did fine. They got plenty of indirect light and humidity from evaporation from the pond. Here are some of the plants that I tried:
schefflera
pink polka dot plant
dracaena
small ivy (the house plant varieties)
pothos
and a bunch of others that I don't remember the names of...
The ivy really took over all around the pond. There was enough of it that I cut bunches of it to decorate for my nieces wedding one year. Now that my pond is out where it gets full sun all morning, I have various thyme plants and dichondra planted around it.

 

HI Rick,
You would need some filtered light for the elephant ears. I wish I knew what their Latin name is. But you can find them at most garden shops. Usually you buy the bulb and just plant them in soil. They take a while to come up but its truly tropical by the end of July.
I'll see if I can post some pictures.
Thanks,
Jess

 

Colocasia esculenta aka elephant ear

 

Thanks Gremlin : )

Rick, I found a photo of my pond from last year. Jess

 

WOW Jess that is a lovely pond you got there....................Very nicely done...............

 

Thanks, It was the beginning of my fish keeping. I bought my house 7 years ago with the pond. It was never large enough and deep enough for the fish to survive our winters. So I brought them in and set up a 55 gal. tank. Try keeping large Karp in a 55 gal. tank. I was changing the water constantly and I didn't even have my python then. So when finally I enlarged the pond and depth, increased filtration, added a waterfall and lights. . . I had a very nice 55 gal tank empty and sad looking. Also I missed watching the guys inside. So after quite a bit of research I now have Discus/community tank. Keeps me very busy. But of course I now want 120 gal. tank. Have to save my pennies for that one. I enjoy both. And its not the end of my hobbies. . . I race sailboats too, its all about the water for me. : )
I see you've got an extensive list of tanks including a pond. Do you have any pictures?

 

Wow very nice looking pond....I once thought about making a outdoor goldie tank out of an old clawfoot bath tub...I was going to hook the filter pump up to the drain and have it coming back into the tub threw regular old taps...lol thought it would look cool in a flower bed ...never did follow threw ...think it woulda looked cool tho...lol

 

That actually sounds like a really good idea.......................Just what I need is another idea for fish.

Rick

 

Thank you...why don't you try it out for me...lol then LOTS OF PIXXXXXXX!!!!