DIY Koi pond

Forums: Home Improvement, Diy, Koi, Fish Pond
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So many years ago (about 12) me, my mother, and my father made a koi pond for my mother. now it was all DIY and done pretty cheaply. (problem 1 right?) Well we used a tarp for the base and sides and filter system along with some water lillies. We have switched the tarp out once, which was a task in itself. Now there is so much slim and build up in the pond that the pump is getting clogged and needs to be cleaned every other day or so.

We have decided that its time to clean the pond out and replace the tarp and put in good clean fresh water.

Questions:

1. What is a good cheap alternative to the tarp.
2. What is a good effective way to encase the pump so it does not get clogged with debris but yet is able to pump enough water.
3. would putting sand at the bottom of the pond help as a natural filter or would it just make things worse?

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@Seed,

rubberized roofing material is the way to go, seed. (you can even seam it)

I can send you a link to the pond pump we use. it costs about a benjamin, and comes with a plastic cage that keeps big chunks out.

we then build a case for that with a bucket and some fiber mesh.

I put river rock in the bottom of mine. I think sand would be problematic...

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@Rockhead,

how much is the roofing material? River rock huh? purchased or just gotten from the local creak?

does the river rock cause in tears or gouges?

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@Seed,

60 to 75 cents a square foot for 60 mil.

it's pretty stout...

I put a thick layer of shag carpeting under mine to discourage tree roots.

river rock is river rock. if you have a place to get it for free, you are ahead of me...

(but there are no sharp edges on it to tear or cut the liner)

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@Seed,

I took pictures of mine as I did it, seed.

I will see if I can find that file and e-mail them to you if you like...

unless your address has changed.

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@Rockhead,

awesome that would be great Smile

and no, the email is the same.

is the roofing material pliable? like would it bend well for corners and such?

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@Seed,

it's like a sheet of rubber.

and you can fold it so your bottom can have fish holes and plant nooks.

I will look for the file tonight when I get back to the ranch...

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@Rockhead,

cool deal. I was looking on line and it seems a bit pricey. do you know of a place that sells it relatively cheap?

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@Seed,

go find an industrial roofing company and ask to purchase it cash. they buy it in large quantities...

you might even get some free scraps like I did.

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@Seed,

pounds are often cleaned out in fall, though if you have the biology right you dont have too. I have a filter, screener and waterfall. I use standard pond bacteria, algae block cubes, barley straw extract, and sometimes pond sludge remover (bacteria) though not this year at all cause it does not need it.

get the stuff online as the stores will way overcharge. assuming that you are on-site spend your time trying to perfect the bacteria balance and algae control rather than on mechanical cleaning. one of the biggest mistake people make is to either not control the algae at all or to kill it now and then, because all that dead algae has to sink to the bottom. dead and live algae is what usually clogs the filters.

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DIY Koi pond

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