Adding a Koi pond to your garden will not only enhance your garden but will add a wonderful entertainment area to your garden. Koi ponds provide a peaceful environment where you can sit and relax after a hard days work.
Before you decide to build a koi pond, you must research what type of koi pond you would like to construct. There are different ways a koi pond can be constructed, you may construct a pond from concrete and brick, use a pond liner or you can buy a pre moulded fiberglass pond. It is important to remember to make your pond a minimum of 1meter in depth if you would like to keep koi. This depth is important, as koi will jump out of shallow ponds.
Fiberglass ponds are an excellent choice for you DIY enthusiasts, who enjoy a quick installation where your pond can be completed in a week or two. Fiberglass ponds for Koi fish are available in 3 sizes 2500L, 5000L and 10 000L. If you are going to have a Koi pond bigger than 2500L it is recommended that you place a 110mm bottom drain into your pond. This drain will keep the floor of your pond clean and free from fish waste, dirt and leaves that settle on the floor of ponds. The drain will lead to a settlement chamber where the dirt will be trapped and can be flushed out to waste. This is known as mechanical filtration. From the settlement chamber water will be pumped to a biological filter and ultraviolet light.
Pond liners are available is various sizes and are an affordable way to construct a pond. When using liners make sure you have cleared the area where the pond will be positioned. Make sure the area is free from stones and line the floor with river sand before you place the liner down. If you are making a large pond you can buy liner bottom drains that can be connected to a settlement chamber and then biofilter.
Another way ponds can be built is with concrete blocks or bricks and with a plastered finish. A pond can also be constructed like a swimming pool, using steel and gunite. There are 3 reliable methods of waterproofing these are: fiberglass, marble plaster and bitumen based paint -on products.
In concluding the simplest method is to use the pre moulded fibreglass pond as this can be done as a DIY project. Larger and more complicated ponds would need to be done professionally, but will also be a lot more expensive.