Originally Posted by
MarkL
This might be overkill but I’ve pre-ordered a Zakki Sieve from Deep Water Koi. I intend to order an aerated 3” bottom drain (Koi Toilet I). Here are a couple questions/comments if anyone has a moment!
1) When I receive the BD I’ll see how high I have to raise the 425 gallon round pond to accommodate the drain and its air piping. I’m guessing a frame of 2x10s” on 12” centers, covered with ¾” plywood. The water weight would be about 3400 pounds.
2) I already have a large amount of Featherstone so I may as well make a shower. That may provide enough bio filtration but I’m paranoid of the fines that pass the sieve clogging the Featherstone. That means I may need a sand & gravel or else some filter mats somewhere along the line (like in the top of the shower). Depending on which (or neither?), would you think that I’d want a moving bed filter also, assuming a fairly high fish load?
3) Oh, and if I build a shelf above one edge to hold the shower totes, I was wondering about using 2x4's and pond liner to make it a 3" deep mini pond which could have some floating plants for consumption of nitrates. I would raise the shower totes a couple inches above that plant shelf and have a waterfall into the pond. Would the plants do any actual good?
I guess if I did all that I’d have quite a good system and everything I need to possibly make a permanent indoor pond that would be bigger next year. Thanks for any advice!