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    Thread: Koi Pond 6400

    1. #1
      red_pdx's Avatar
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      Koi Pond 6400

      It's been a long two years, but we finally completed the dig for the koi pond! I'm purchasing the skimmer and the two bottom drains this week. Any suggestions on equipment or layout would be appreciated! ~8,000 gallons. Will do liner or shotcrete depending on the quote that comes back this week.

      Bottom Drain for Ponds, 4" with Air Diffuser
      Hakko 100LH Air Pump
      Helix Pond Skimmer + Autofill Kit
      Sieve: Not sure on this one yet... Will be sitting above pond level. Any recommendations?
      Performance Pro Artesian 2 ½ HP
      Aqua Ultraviolet UV Clarifiers - Classic Series 160 W
      DIY Shower Filter or open to purchasing: $50

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      Last edited by icu2; 04-06-2021 at 08:30 PM. Reason: helped with picture

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    2. #2
      audioenvy is offline Supporting Member
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      What will you be using to mechanically filter and biologically filter the water?

      I'm only aware of one direct suction sieve on the market right now (Zakki sieve) and they are very nice but I'm not sure on availability of a new one.

      There are gravity fed sieves which work great but you would need a filter pit (recommended anyway).

      My advice would be to not skimp on mechanical filtration OR the amount/type of media you use in your shower filter. FWIW, we spent 40% of the entire cost of our pond build on biofilters/media. You have listed a $50 budget. You would want IMO at least 10 cu ft of high quality media (not lava rock, not matala pads, etc). But that's just my opinion.

    3. #3
      icu2's Avatar
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      I added the picture to this existing thread and removed the other one...

      Looking at the shape I think doing a liner would be very, very hard to get it to
      look good.
      --Steve



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    4. #4
      msegger is offline Senior Member
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      Just to add two more comments: why does the skimmer have to be above the pond level, just curious? Will the pond returns be all on one circuit? If so, place a valve to change the flow to each one. Water will take the easiest path.

    5. #5
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      What would you recommend for biofilter media?

      For the gravity fed sieves, the top of the sieve would have to be at water level correct?

    6. #6
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      Thanks Steve!

    7. #7
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      My quick graphic may not quite show the skimmer quite correctly...

      Thanks for the tip about the returns! I was planning on them to be on the same circuit.

    8. #8
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      Quote Originally Posted by red_pdx View Post
      What would you recommend for biofilter media? for a shower, feather rock might be the cheapest per lb in large quantities, there are other man-made products out there. for a moving bed - k1-3 media

      For the gravity fed sieves, the top of the sieve would have to be at water level correct?
      yes, 1.5in to 2in above pond level, whatever the manufacturer recommends. most sieves will restrict (bottom out) how the low the pond level can go in which will starve your pump. something to think about during a water change.

    9. #9
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      Updated layout.

      Name:  Koi Pond Layout 2021-04-07.jpg
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      Last edited by red_pdx; 04-07-2021 at 03:41 PM.

    10. #10
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      The UltraSieve III has two 4" inputs as I recall and handles 8000 gph. I'm sure there's a clever way to have three lines convert to two--but you can't just merge the two 4" lines directly into one 4" line. I would also recommend 3" or 4" for the skimmer.

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    11. #11
      LoriP is offline Senior Member
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      I added a third inlet to my ultra seive for my skimmer. I would not, however recommended my methodology. I used a uniseal and it was a tee total bear getting the pipe pushed through because of the flexibility of the walls on the seive. If I were to do it again I'd use a bulkhead or threaded fitting.
      Last edited by LoriP; 04-11-2021 at 01:28 PM.

    12. #12
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      Kept digging to get down to 5' depth and we are finally done. Trying to nail down the final filtration layout, but have some questions:
      -I'm using a filtration pit right next to the pond so all equipment will be below pond level. Do I need to have pressurized bio filtration? Does anyone have any recommendations for this or changes to my filtration layout?
      -Do I have too man returns? I'm trying to create a circular flow around the BDs like Steve suggested.
      Name:  Koi Pond Layout 2021-07-15.jpg
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    13. #13
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      The plan in post #12 won't work. The sieve needs to have the pump directly after it. If using a pressure filter
      I'd put it next after the pump and then the UV. Then to the pond returns.

      So you decided not to do the design in post #9? That would be my preference even though it would require the
      shower to be above pond level to gravity return to the pond. No waterfall, just under water returns?
      --Steve



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    14. #14
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      in addition to Steve's comments, the UV will require a specific flow rate in order to be most efficient. Most of the time, the UV needs to be broken out from the main line using wye's / tee's with a ball valve to reduce the flow rate into the UV.

      Also, to be frank, there is not a pressurized biofilter out there that can handle a 8000 gallons regardless of what the manufacture mentions. You will need a multiple tray shower(s) and/or moving beds if you want to keep healthy quality fish.
      Last edited by msegger; 07-16-2021 at 09:58 AM.

    15. #15
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      Sounds like I should go back to the showers to waterfall circuit and reduce my in pond returns...

    16. #16
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      Thank you for those suggestions! Will incorporate...

    17. #17
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      If it's not too late, you might consider eliminating the shallow plant area. I started out with plants in my pond and it turned out to be a mess. Koi were constantly tearing them up and the debris just reduced water clarity. We removed them many years back and I have ZERO regrets. Besides, eliminating the shallow area will make using liner much easier, and will greatly reduce access by predators, like herons. There are lots of threads on the pros and cons of plants. It may be worth your effort to look into this decision a bit more.

    18. #18
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      Since we are doing concrete, our plan is to wall off this area so the koi can't access it, but water will still be able to wash in and out.

    19. #19
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      Quote Originally Posted by red_pdx View Post
      Sounds like I should go back to the showers to waterfall circuit and reduce my in pond returns...
      I didn't see a waterfall circuit and no need to put one if if you don't want to. It's a personal preference and no reason
      you can't go from a shower to only under water returns if you want to... or my shower goes to both. The shower just needs
      a little more height above pond level if it's not dumping directly into a stream/waterfall. But it can be done.
      And the returns as drawn look fine. Just use however many returns you need depending on the size of pipe and how much
      flow is coming from the pump.
      --Steve



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    20. #20
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      Alrighty, updated layout with the shower now shown. Thank you for all the suggestions! Please let me know what you think.

      Name:  Koi Pond Layout 2021-07-19.jpg
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