DREAM KOI'S NEW 90 TON POND

With the amount of new koi we are now bringing in I decided to build a new pond to add to my indoor 100ton and outdoor 200ton.The two 20 ton quarantine ponds are fine for the short term,but ideally the bigger koi need more space.My indoor pond houses mainly customers' gosanke,but I need another quality pond to grow on non-gosanke.

I am fortunate to have the funds and ample space to be able to build a Japanese style system which has a very big foot print,but is definitely my personal preference.

The first step was to dig,level and mark for the pipes and foundations.

 Next the foundations were dug and the bottom drain pipes laid in place-160mm diameter.The drainage pipes were also put on place-75mm All pipes are thick walled with large radius bends.

All foundations,floor and walls reinforced with 12mm rebar .The 30 mpa 250mm slab was then poured.                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

The block laying then began with each block filled with concrete.

The weir pipes were positioned and the floor shaped.

 

I decided to install 3 mid water returns-also help push debris down to the bottom drains.

 

 

Plastering the walls and putting a good radius in the corners.

 

 

Once the plaster had dried properly,the fibreglass was done.

 

 

Connected up all the drainage outlets from the settlement and biological filters.

 

 

Settlement chamber with 63mm swivel skimmer/overflow,2 x 110mm weirs(with option to insert stand pipes),and 2 x 160mm down/up pipes to the first biological filter.

 

 

The first of 5 identical biological filters.The 2 x 160mm pipes feed under the stainless steel grid and the water then passes up through the bank of Sakai Japanese matting and then back down the 2 x 160mm pipes to the next chamber.

 

 

Fiberglass lined concrete domes covering the bottom drains.

 

 

Start filling the pond with a water meter.

 

 

Decking completed,protein skimmer installed and pumps turned on-100 liters an hour all through submersible pumps only

 

 

Japanese matting installed in biological filters with corrugated fiberglass sheets between each mat for even flow of water.

 

 

UV lights in last biological chamber.

 

 

5000 liter holding tank with submersible pump and spray bar.Fed through a large carbon filter.Connected to the pump chamber of the pond.

 

 

Water returned to pond through 3 surface and 3 mid water returns,plus protein skimmer.

 

 

A hedge planted on the sunny side of the pond for some shade protection.

 

 

A great view from the deck between the indoor and new pond.

 

 

When I get a chance I will run through my indoor pond and filtration system,but now I need to start to pack-leaving for Japan on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAKAI HIROSHIMA SHOW KOI PONDS

"We do not keep koi,we keep water".This is very true and all serious koi keepers are constantly striving to improve their ponds/filtration systems in order to maximise their koi's growth/quality.

Some of the most valuable koi in Japan are kept in this private koi house at Sakai Fish Farm.The majority of the koi kept here are extremely high quality and belong to customers throughout the world-most of them being prepared for major koi shows.

I will try and give you an idea of the pond and filtration system.

The 3 ponds are identical- 14m x 5 m x 1,6m deep

Each pond has 2 by 500mm x 500mm stainless steel grid bottom drains.

The 1st settlement chamber with stand pipe.

Under flow to the 1st biological filter-all Japanese matting.Please note,these mats are only cleaned with water from the pond itself and never removed from their position.By washing the mats before medicating,less medication is required.

Over and under flow to the 2nd biological filter.

At the end of the 2nd filter the water goes down and through 2 large pipes to the 3rd biological filter.

UV down lights in 3rd chamber.

From 3rd chamber the water goes down and up through a large tray of oyster bags for PH buffering.

The final chamber houses the heating unit (23-24 degrees C) and 2 large submersible pumps returning the water to the pond.

You can see the 2x 110mm return pipes in the middle and a top up pipe/valve on the right-automatic feeder in the middle.

Each pond has an "oxygen saturizer"- water get sprayed through a tower of pressurised,pure oxygen and returned to the pond-separate pump.In addition oxygen is pumped through conventional air pumps into uni hose air rings in the pond.

Fish are fed a 50/50 mix of floating/sinking pellets.Colour food will be fed accordingly.

What we don't know is the maintenance routine/amount of water changes done-however we can be sure it is high.