Pond Construction
Aerating the pond
The next step in pond building is to consider the most effective way to aerate a koi pond
Chris Neaves wrote a very comprehensive article about the oxygen levels in ponds as well as the oxygen levels that koi need to survive in a pond. The article is called Bursting Bubbles. Some interesting comments made in the article may be repeated throughout this particular subject to support the importance of aeration in koi ponds.
The most important aspect in a healthy koi pond is oxygen and therefore we need to consider ways to increase and maintain a high level of oxygen in the water. Unfortunately, competition for oxygen in the water environment is rife. In practice, the instant that oxygen is diffused into water, all the organisms in the water will start competing for this scarce resource. Oxygen should therefore be encouraged back into the water on a continuous basis.
Last Updated on Monday, 18 April 2011 20:39
Read more...Pump Safety System
This handy safety tip was posted recently on the Koi4u Forum by Neville Boardman. It may save your collection someday!
There is a safety system which you can install in the pipes leading to your pump to avoid it sucking your pond dry. This is especially important when a new installation is done or when one has done some changes. Believe me I have seen pipes coming apart a few times and have heard of people losing entire collections this way. Installing this simple and easy safety system, will at the worst cause the pump to burn the seal but it is cheaper to replace a pump than to replace a whole koi collection
Last Updated on Sunday, 13 February 2011 16:28
Read more...Sand filter cleaning with compressed air
Some Koi-keepers install a sand filter to the system after the main filter, before the water returns to the pond. They consider the sand filter to polish the water and remove a lot of the small particles, which may have passed through the filter. The installation of a sand filter is however not supported by a large contingent of purists for various reasons. As stated previously, the purpose of this article is also not to convince other hobbyists to make use of sand filters in their systems, but to provide enough information for individuals to make an informed decision. If one look at the objections against sand filters it is not only an objection in an attempt to join the league of purists but it is an objection because there are real concerns about the long-term effect on water quality and because it is really no a pleasant task to clean it by hand. Even if cleaned by hand, the final clean filter may not be clean enough for the owner to reap the benefits of a really clean filter and filter sand. The extensive use of Sand filters to clean koi ponds, and the difficulty in the maintenance thereof prompted me to write the article on the use of a Jacuzzi blower to ease the maintenance and increase the effectiveness of sand filters.
Initially we thought that we had a winner until a very “technically inclined” hobbyist came up with a more innovative solution to clean a sand filter. This time however, it was not by means of a blower, but through the use of compressed air. The genius of this method lies in the fact that the compressed air can be released into the sand filter during the normal backwashing process. The effect of the simultaneous use of air and water is much higher than air or water on its own.
Neville Boardman’s experience in the air filtration and engineering industry prompted him to develop this method of cleaning the “love by some and hated by others” common but effective old sand filter. This is how he described the process!
Last Updated on Monday, 23 August 2010 20:59
Read more...Installing a Sand Filter
Some Koi-keepers install a sand filter to the system after the main filter, before the water returns to the pond. They consider the sand filter to polish the water and remove a lot of the small particles, which may have passed through the filter. The installation of a sand filter is however not supported by a large contingent of purists for various reasons. As stated in various articles, the purpose of this article is not to convince other hobbyists to make use of sand filters in their systems, but to provide enough information for individuals to make an informed decision.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 January 2010 23:25
Read more...Concrete Filter Construction
Some time ago, Chris Neaves posed the following question to me: “...how many types of pond filters do you think there are?”
I am sure most people would have given the same answer as I did: “I have no idea how many types of filters one can get. I guess as many as people can invent, so the list can be never ending!”
Wrong. The reply I got from Chris made me feel a bit foolish:
Last Updated on Tuesday, 11 May 2010 09:30
Read more...Venturi
Oxygen is the most important water quality factor for healthy fish. We can provide oxygen through different forms or techniques, via water features or waterfalls, venturi or air pumps.
A venturi is one of the most efficient ways to oxygenate water and to ensure optimum water circulation in a pond. Some experts don't recommend venturis, stating that they can be inefficient devices because it forces the pump to push water through a restrictive venturi tube. This argument is certainly valid if one pump needs to return water to the pond through only this one device. Normally in fair sized ponds there are more than one return, all controlled through valves to regulate the flow needed at every point.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 August 2009 13:45
Read more...Get Permission
When you wish to build a pond on your property, it is always wise to consult the Town Planning/Building Inspectorate of your local Authority. The bylaws regulating to the building of Koi ponds differ between Local Authorities and all the bylaws are also subject to the National Building regulations. It is therefore not possible to cover all possibilities, but normally all the bylaws set the similar requirements. For convenience sake, the Bylaws governing the building of ponds in the uMhlathuze area (Richards Bay/Empangeni), are summarized in the following paragraphs. It is interesting to note that some requirements are set for Koi ponds, some for swimming pools and some for both pools and ponds.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 May 2009 21:08
Read more...Building the walls
If you are building a deep pond, it is assumed that there will be reinforcing rods in the foundation to prevent the base of the wall from “kicking” out from the water pressure.
Last Updated on Sunday, 12 April 2009 18:54
Read more...Rounded Corners
If you have opted for a rectangular pond, it will be necessary to consider the eventual flow of water in the pond. The pond will be a closed system where water will be circulated and it is desirable to avoid dead spots where water will become stagnant, and debris will also accumulate. The solution to this is to ensure rounded corners in the pond. The illustrations below show how the circulation should be and the reason for avoiding 90 degree corners.
Last Updated on Friday, 13 March 2009 13:07
Read more...Rendering/Plastering
Although the brickwork is fairly easy to do yourself if you have the time, most hobbyists agree that plastering or rendering of the walls is one task that they prefer to get done by a professional. There are two methods that you can use for plastering
Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 March 2009 15:19
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