New project, will take a long time

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Yanbbrox

Yanbbrox

Monster hole digger
MFK Member
Oct 17, 2007
5,883
103
120
Nr Mcr uk
I've been around the forums for a while but have wanted to do a monster koi pond for as long as I can remember, I've been reading a lot on this section and encountered a lot of names I've never seen before. The plan is simple in effect, when we moved in 9 years ago I wanted to do the pond of my dreams, due to finances at the time I did do a pond but it never worked out the way I wanted it too, cut too many corners and it failed. I been bit be the bug again and this time I'm not going to cut corners, funds are tight and it will be a long road to reach my dream....

:popcorn: Lots to happen, time will be needed, I will reach my goal:)

Updates soon.....
 
Worked on the pond out line, the digger I wanted is a waste of cash at £100 a day so it's all about digging time, gives me plenty of time to work on the filters, diy of course so for the time being I'll be digging. The pond is going to be 15 foot by 8 foot, approx 10000 litres, the plan is for a bottom drain to filter via liner design, returned via waterfall, formalish look.

Got a plant bed in the way and huge tree to get down first:irked:
 
best of luck.....keep us posted.
 
haynchinook334;1867467; said:
best of luck.....keep us posted.
Click to expand...

Will do, forgot to mention, there is a couple of cm of soil followed by pure clay, the digging will not only take a long time but also will be very hard work:irked:

I'm planning on starting tomorrow but lets see how long it takes until I give in and pay the hire company:nilly:
 
Is the tree that is in the way dead or diseased? If OK, try to work the pond around it and it will help give a little shade in the dog days.
 
Yanbbrox;1867498; said:
Will do, forgot to mention, there is a couple of cm of soil followed by pure clay, the digging will not only take a long time but also will be very hard work:irked:
Click to expand...

better get a pick-axe ready! one good thing about clay is it holds the shape well so you don't have to worry as much about the sides caving in
 
Muske;1869700; said:
Is the tree that is in the way dead or diseased? If OK, try to work the pond around it and it will help give a little shade in the dog days.
Click to expand...

The tree is gone, it was about a third of the way across the garden but about 5 years ago we had a conservatory put up and it was right outside the door, plus the roots would have brought it down if left. Anyway it's down and my arms are killing me;)
 
Just thinking about digging a 15 foot by 8 foot by 5 foot hole through clay is still giving me nightmares, I'm going to start with the waterfall base if the weather holds. I need to clear the old one out and get a concrete base down for it, after that there is only the filter bed to do, only 2 foot through clay:WHOA: and then I can't put it off any longer.

If all goes well I'll get some pictures up soon
 
I admit, not a lot has been done in terms of the digging, this has been caused by my wife insisting that I build a patio up the the pond that isn't there yet first, unfortunately I have to agreed with her. Since the conservatory was built, the decked area that was there before was ripped up for the build and since then has only been replaced with a few planks of deck connecting the door the the remaining deck. I'm hoping to get this done this week so when I'm not working next week I can make a proper start.

I did promise some pictures so here it the rough idea on the filtration:
tub.jpg

This for some reason came over when we moved in 10 years ago, when I first got into the whole fish tank thing I thought it could be used in an emergency and I've never needed to use it so it's going to be part of the filters. I have another one of these round at my folks plus an large old filter with a spray bar over it. The round container is roughly 300 litres times that by two plus the other container at about 400-500 litres and I'm looking at 1100 litres of filtration about 10-15% of the final ponds volume, I would like to make this up to nearer 20-25% but space would then be an issue as would the pond size, also hiding the thing would be even more difficult.

So the plan is:

Bottom drain to first chamber, I'd love to make it a vortex but the bottom of the container is flat and could prove too problematical, jap matting in the first, then a feed to the second chamber with brushes and then a feed on to the spray bar on the third, modded with a second spray bar over standard fine coarse to not so fine coarse media filled with bio balls at the bottom to a return chamber(not yet acquired) housing the pump return with a Y connector that will switch either between the waterfall or a venturi return depending on the time of year.

A easier way to go could be two bottom drains each linking into the 2 spherical containers and then link the returns to the 2 spay bars on the main chamber

I know progress has been slow(not really started) but I'm not expecting this to be anywhere near complete until Sept/Oct. I know fellow mfk'ers enjoy the here is the before and here is the after one shot post like I do;) but any feedback and assistance on the the project/filtration is not only helpful but appreciated
 
Freeskier, great shout on the pick axe works great on the clay.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present a hole:
hole.jpg


Needed some earth to level off the patio area and where better to get it from than the pond dig. The plan is to get to around a 2 metre sq hole down to depth and then work outwards to save on digging;) Down to just over a foot and have hit solid clay so it pick axe all the way down



 
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