DIY pond!
Just thought I'd post up some pics of the pond I made. It took me a month from the first shovel of soil to how it is today! First time I've ever done an inground pond! Sorry if it looks dodgy!! Haha
Digging the pond. Took me f#%king 2 full days to dig it!! Measurements are: 2.4m long x 1.2m wide x 60cm deep (deepest section). Theres also a stepped section which is only 20cm deep.
Liner laid. Filled and testing for leaks:
Nearly finished. The "decking" is made from raw pine pallets which I got from work. Will be painting them a grey slate colour to match the Patio.
Waterfall & filter. The filter is a large black tub which sits behind the waterfall. Water is pumped from the pond using 2 pumps. Will be buying a larger pump to increase waterfall flow.
The shallow end. I'll be adding river pebbles to this section to add abit of contrast to the main pond area.
Inhabitants: 4 baby koi and 4 large goldfish.
Plants: Some duckweed and elephant ear plant in the filter box and a Blue money wort in the shallow area. Will be adding water lillies in the main section.
Well, thats it for now! I'll say it again, its my first attempt so please disregard the dodgy look of the pond!! Haha! 
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
.thumbnail.jpg "Yellowtail king")
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Goldfish koi - what about some decent fish
Like barra and mangrove jack, then you can invite the boys around for an afternoon fishing session and a couple of beers.
Seriously it looks real great, and I'm sure you will spend many a relaxing time around it, water features add that bit of serenity to the surroundings.
sea-kem
Posts: 15008
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Yeah great job Kev, I did
Yeah great job Kev, I did one a while ago starting with a small waterfall that feeds in two ponds on the way through. Gives a nice cool feel in the summer and the frogs love it.
Love the West!
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Thanks guys!
Ronald, I was thinking of putting in some snags and then introduce some bream so I can observe their behaviour! But the goldfish have been with me for a couple of years and deserved an upgrade to their home which in the past, was a kiddie wading pool! Haha!
Andy, to the right of the pond is the patio with an outdoor dining set. Behind that is some empty land next to a lemon tree. I will be doing an aviary which will have a small stream leading into the pond. Native finches will live in the aviary.
Once everything is done, I can kick back, have a beer, watch fish and birds, and think of more things to do around the house and garden! Haha!
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Looks good mate.Get some
Looks good mate.Get some water lillies, filters the pond and gives the fish shelter from birds!!
2 days digging......... should have asked i could have brought the excavator around haha
scuttlebutt
Posts: 452
Date Joined: 24/03/06
What are you using for
What are you using for filter media? Also make sure your pumps can turn over the water volume approx once per hour. Looks good
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Yeah Vinnie, will be adding
Yeah Vinnie, will be adding some water lillies soon!
Scuttle, I'm using large gravel, aquarium filter noodles and sponges for the filter media. My pond is approximately 1300 litres and the pumps are rated at 2000 Lph each which is enough, I hope! I would like a larger pump though, so that there'll be more water circulating down the waterfall.
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Paully
Posts: 3246
Date Joined: 15/08/09
Looks good
Always nice to have if you have room - built a few myself a long time ago....built a bio filter using a wheelie bin...by far the best thing i used for a filter.
jighead
Posts: 725
Date Joined: 03/02/12
Growbed
You could pump the water through a growbed instead of the filter and then you could grow your vege's or whatever in that. A quick google search of aquaponics and you will be all over it. You feed the fish, the fish waste feeds your plants and the plants filter the water. Too easy!
scuttlebutt
Posts: 452
Date Joined: 24/03/06
Good stuff. I've had my pond
Good stuff. I've had my pond going for about 2 years. It's approx. 2500 litres and I've got a Jack and a couple of Jungle Perch in there.
For filtration I use a 44gal plastic drum full of trawler mesh. Just pull the mesh out every 6 months and lightly hose out the dirt.
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Best filter by far. I run
Best filter by far. I run the same exact with some shade cloth and bricks. It does a awesome job mines about 6000+l
Hutch
Posts: 2221
Date Joined: 21/04/13
Looks awesome, I've been
Looks awesome, I've been keen to do something like that for a while now.
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
A growbed behind the filter
A growbed behind the filter box is being planned! Need to decide if I want to go a drip or continous system..
6000L pond??!??? Vinnie, let me practice diving in your pond! I want to dive for "walking whites"! LoL!
Hutch, everyone who has commented are very knowledgable. I'm sure when the time comes, they'll be there to help! The hardest part is the digging! Once the hole is dug, everything else is simply having fun decorating and redecorating the pond! Haha
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Ill post some pictures when i
Ill post some pictures when i get a chance to take some !
scuttlebutt
Posts: 452
Date Joined: 24/03/06
Here's a little underwater clip of my pond at feeding time
http://www.fishandboattube.com.au/media-gallery/516-jack-feeding
Willlo
Posts: 1490
Date Joined: 07/10/11
Wicked,one of my all time
Wicked,one of my all time favourite tunes as well.
Call Sign - BZ785
Haynes Hunter Prowler CC
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
So how savage is the take
No wonder it feels like a freight train has taken your lure when you get a hit.
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Thanks for sharing the
Thanks for sharing the video, Scuttle. Awesome footage!
Vinnie, when you upload the pics of your "lake", it'll make my pond look like a puddle!! Lol
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Baby fish
Went to feed the fish this morning and saw 2 little baby fish swimming around. I had no idea when the goldfish or Koi were breeding, so was very surprised to see the 2 little ones! Haha
Should I leave then there or put then in a fishtank to grow bigger?
Surely would've been more baby fish but most got eaten? The adult fish seems to leave these 2 alone, so maybe they're safe..
I haven't really kept fish in the past, so no idea about raising baby fish! Lol
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
crasny1
Posts: 7003
Date Joined: 16/10/08
I have a 4 level pond
lined with Dam Tough plastic liner. Had a mayor overhaul after returning from Karratha to Bouvard. Cleaned everything out, and started again. Fn Filthy job.
Saved a small number of goldies, and added 3 koi.
Now there is plenty of babies in there, so if the water is good and there is space they will breed.
Problem is most goldfish offspring will revert to their carp like state, ie be just plain browny.
I try and pull these out to leave room for coloured fish, but that's just my preference.
Also added a few jabbies to keep the pools a little cleaner (no hope off escape)
PS: Also full of Motorbike frogs and their tadpoles
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
I think you need to make few
I think you need to make few new breeding ponds !
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
No!
No room for more ponds.
Other parts of the garden are being reserved for tropical fruit trees. Still awaiting my "supplier" to get to me regarding stock and pricing!
Crasny1, the 2 baby fish are quite colourful. One is bright orange, other is whitish with an orange/reddish patch on its head.
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
haha your supplier has been
haha your supplier has been too busy smashing, crays, dhuies and beers haha
crasny1
Posts: 7003
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Cool Mate
haven't bred feral then.
The bigger fish does not appear to eat the smaller ones provided you feed them enough.
Also my ponds have soo many frog eggs and tadies Im sure they prefer them.
I must have 20 ferals to one coloured one in my ponds of the little ones.
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
pelagicyachts
Posts: 1322
Date Joined: 23/02/11
looks great - just a heads
looks great - just a heads up, I had a council pool inspection last year - pool was fine, water feature/pond (outside of pool area) was not as was over 300mm deep and did not have a permanent mesh frame over it - I avoided a fine but they made sure it was fixed (I filled it in with soil and made a garden bed)
cheers
crasny1
Posts: 7003
Date Joined: 16/10/08
yes
Since a couple of mine are over that limit I have mesh over them, but this has caused a surprise issue last year. A snake traversed through the mesh and ate a frog, then went through the mesh again and ate another, and then got totally terminally stuck. Didn't check the pond for a few days during work and the poor snake was well gone by the time I found it.
PS: wasn't a tiger or dugite but some small python.
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Thanks for the advice with
Thanks for the advice with regulations. I have a 2yr old deckie (I mean, Daughter), so safety is paramount. I've installed climb proof pool fencing when the pond was made.
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!