I'm gonna be putting in a pond this year. But gonna use a preformed pond. So too small for koi. I wish one day to have one as nice as yours

Thanks MD! Curious though, why are you using a preformed ? Do you have space restrictions ? The plastic liner (sheets) are actually much cheaper, and you can design to your hearts content. My next door neighbour's pond is one of the larger pre-formed plastic molds and they keep goldfish (comets) outside all winter. That thing is like 18" deep.

I just bought my first house . Don't plan on living here longer than 5 years. Don't wanna invest too much in the yard and then have to leave it when I sell

Plastic liner sheets? Never heard of this. I thought other than the preformed plastic jobs, the only other option was the flexible rubber liner sold by the foot? Enlighten me please, since I've been wanting to dig a hole in my yard for a pond too!

I think he means 45mil EPDM rubber liner. And it's not cheap by any means.

They are cheaper if you buy from places like Burnco. If you buy from garden centres then they are a bit more expensive. My 1000ish gallon pond was roughly $300 worth of liner. And I had a lot left over.

I paid just over $1000 for my liner and underlay. My pond is roughly 1400gal(15' X 9') but deep along with a bog garden to one side and my 30 foot long stream. I got to claim some of it back on the home renovation credit they did a few years ago.

Pond season !
 

With the Victoria day long weekend pond season has officially started! I noticed that my waterfall had sprung a leak so that was one of the first things I tackled this weekend. I wasn't too surprised as my waterfall was of a very cheap plastic to begin. Upgraded to a higher quality waterfall:

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psovy0url4.jpg

Waterfall back up and running!

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psoyuavps6.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...pskcnfelnr.jpg

feeding time! Ya, they're really really hungry!

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psdxilidy8.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psif6tbuqo.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2l0fmlrc.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5lyfxnvg.jpg

As usual, the marsh marigold is the first thing to bloom every year.

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...pssqtcwnss.jpg

Still have a few things to do, like a water change and clear out some string algae and apply a pond clarifier. I got a #ProTip from Dez to try Hydrogen Peroxide, unfortunately it's virtually impossible to find here in Calgary but I did manage to find a powdered version in the form of Sodium Percarbonate. Going to give that a go and see if that helps clarify the water more.

Maybe you could look horizontally? :)

hmm, you may be on to something there. I am vertically challenge after all. Why didn't I think of that !!

Google the Calgary garden show and ponds. There was a guy there talking extensively about hydrogen peroxide and ponds. Sadly I was there for the bees and didn't catch his name.

will do thanks !

Last year my pond turned green after my UV light crapped out, and took a while to find a replacement. But once it was replaced, it cleared right up again.

I turn off the UV light for the winter, and then on again in the spring as the water warms up and I detect a loss of clarity. Right now, mine is still off, but I think I will turn it on very soon now.

Also, have never changed the water in the pond. But of course, living here on the coast with the rain, as a lot to do with that. I have finally had to start adding water now to keep it full,.... last time for that was back last fall.

Ya I find that a UV definitely helps with that suspended algae that greens your water. I try to replace my UV bulb every season. I don't know if that's overkill or not but it definitely helps. The bulbs can be a challenge to source at the beginning of the season.

One thing I love about koi is that there is so much variation and variety in them. I see your fish and have a bit of fish envy, but you probably see mine and feel the same way. In the reef, a yellow tang is a yellow tang, they don't vary too much. But with koi each one of them has different personality. Can't wait to visit you to see your pond and reef one day.

Yup! Actually I have total pond envy :-)

You're right though, there are so many different koi!! It's addictive once you start collecting, but you know your pond can only hold so many. Also, I do find that koi are much more personable than marine fish.

Kien you know how to live life.

humm this is an odd choice in fish food but it looks like it's working for you, I might try to switch to the grilled chicken burger for the reef tank :}

I was just telling my mom about your pond. She would LOVE to do one, but then she sees how much work a reef tank is and said nope, not for her! Not sure what's involved in looking after a pond but it sure looks a lot more relaxing!!!

It's very relaxing and actually quite easy compared to reefing. :-)

Considering how much of a health nut you are Kien, I'm amazed you eat that cr@p McDonalds calls "food".

Who said I was a health nut?!?!

LOL. who?

Breakfast!
 

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psxtbzbnom.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psr7kyqngr.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psu7ivpdjy.jpg

koi!
 

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psca167478.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psbc630439.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6c621dc9.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps137dc510.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3fb94f78.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psa4a7192a.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5749445b.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psf123cfef.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps960301d2.jpg

Great pics of some very beautiful fishies.

thanks! Collecting koi is kinda addicting..

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...pse8be7481.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...pscb90728b.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...psd647eb7e.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps79ca880d.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...pse926382e.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps96d0de22.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...pse5f83cb4.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3bfa71cb.jpg

http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9gjo6q4f.jpg

Man... I'm slaving away here at work... and you get to relax and watch your Koi!!!!! :cry:

That gold one is mighty puuurdy!

What size ranges are your koi?

My smallest are probably 4". My biggest two are about 20". Then everything in between.

Can I be your friend Kien? Seriously though, you have some nice specimens. Do you quarantine your fish before introduction into the pond? I haven't added any fish cause I am so scared of disease. Same reason I don't add corals into my tank anymore.

No I don't QT. I find treating pond fish fairly easy though, as there is no worry about nuking the rest of the pond like in a saltwater tank. There's just fish and plants :-). Plus, doing a 100% water change on a pond is a lot easier too.

Ahhh, I see. Treating 4000 gals is quite different though. 1. It can get expensive to treat. 2. Some of the medication kills all your biological filtration (in my case it's about 10 giant bags of media that fills 4 large Rubbermaid totes). 3. If my prized fish gets sick I don't have anywhere to move it to for treatment without cramping my style (I have to fill an inflatable kiddie pool that is 8' in diameter and would take up my deck/lounging area). Plus water changes daily on that would be too fun. And if I manage to get the fish healthy again, I'd have to put it back in the "disease infested" water again.

Okay ya that would be a royal pain in 4000g!! I only have 1000g. Plus I have a 150g to hold my koi whenever I need to totally drain my pond which actually doesn't take that long at all.

The other thing is, I only buy my koi from one place and they don't generally bring in koi often. They have a lot of 200g holding tanks where they've housed koi all winter long. I tend to stalk them and when they go on sale in the spring that's when I snatch them up! I know that they've been in that holding tank for months. Not too many people buy foot long koi in winter or even early spring :-)

Just bought some 3" Koi from Tanks a lot for 4.49 each. Not high grade or anything but good enough for my pond.

I got some of those a couple of weekends ago too! Great deal on nice Israeli bio-secure koi for sure! I don't collect any "high end" koi myself. I just look for ones I think are pretty from the local fish stores.

What is this store you talk of??

Worth a visit over Pisces?

It's a new fish store that's tucked in the basement of Paws Pet Food on the corner of elbow drive and heritage. They have fresh water tropical fish, a reptile room and some koi tanks and tubs. And lots of dry goods.

I was super impressed at how clean all of his tanks are. Ive never even seen algae, or spots on the glass any time ive been there. I wish he got into saltwater lol