Take time to plan out your new pond and filters, consider all aspects, cost it out in detail, come along to meetings and events and ask questions, discuss your ideas, and take some advice from as many members as possible before you make a final choice.

Ask your fellow members to show you their ponds and filters and let them explain their own reasons why they did it such a way and how best to go about it, if they can help you they will. Ask what the 'best buys' are when you go to purchase equiptment, and be certain to purchase or obtain a suitable type, no matter what it may be.Remember it may seem a good idea to make a big pond, but will you be able to maintain it properly?

Will youmr dream pond become a nightmare? Don't let what should be a great pleasure become a problem. There is absolutely no excuse not to get it right now; your a member of the Celtic Koi Club.

Ponds And Filters

• Safety first, make your pond child and pet proof, remember electric and water do not mix. (unless your an electric eel )

• Make sure that your design compliments the size and shape of your garden, keep the shape simple, use not toxic materials throughout.

• Allow for a minimum surface area of 100 square feet, a minimum depth of 5 ft with an optimun of 6 ft, deeper ponds are harder to maintain, fish are harder to catch.

• What ever you choose as a pond lining, it myst be smooth, with no projections or overhangs to cause damage to your koi.

• When you've done a full costing and allowed for all materials, including landscaping, soil removalvia skips etec, allow a further 20% for unforeseen extras, there are guaranteed to be some!

• Take particular care where you site your pond and filters, make sure that they don't conflict with other domestic services, such as underground drainage, gas mains, electric cables etc. Do make sure that you have access to discharge water to waste.

• Site your pond in an unexposed position, protected from any wind chill factor if possible, where it may receive maximum winter sunshine. Avoid overhanging trees or potentially toxic plants. Make the pond viewable from your house.

• Provide adequate filtration in proportion to your pond size, ensuring correct pumping/flow rates.

• Make sure you include bottom drains in filters as well as your pond, consider airiated bottom drains as well as airiated filter chambers.

• The chioice of an economical and suitable flow-rate pump is very important.

• Get to learn the principals of filtration in all its different guises, biological and mechanical, before you decide on your media, as there is a bewildering variety to choose from on today's market, some with remarkable claims.

• These hints and tip's can only be a starting guide in an expansive subject of pond construction and efficient and effective filtration. Please attend meetings and club events, and keep asking question,s no matter how often until you get an understanding - and hopefully the answers you require.

 

Hints and tips continued.........Buying Fish