Need pond design input....please!

[Jennie in MT]

We have not had a Q tank since building the 4000 gallon pond.  I could set one up in the basement if need be, and have used my office aquarium for wintering and quarantine of small fish in the past.  We are planning on getting several wakin in the next few weeks and have been thinking a lot about quarantine, possibly segregating for spawn, and fry.  I also am hoping to landscape a neglected section of my yard with hostas in a woodland theme.  This seemed like a great opportunity to add another (goldfishes only) pond.

I am thinking of 2 ponds roughly 6'x8' and 3.5' deep.  I have used Greg B's liner optimizer in the past so will have the bevelled corners.  I would like to make the ponds appear joined by covering the middle with a bridge.  Also, would like to beef up the area between the ponds with a block wall and use some 4" PVC and a pipe boot to create a "cappable" pass through from pond to pond.  My thinking is that is creates a pond with larger volume, but provides for capping the pipe to create 2 smaller ponds for fry or Qtank.

Here is my first drawing (and not necessarily a good one).  Any thoughts??

[Kristin F.]

Hi Jennie - you seem to have planned this very thoroughly, your drawing is very good and detailed indeed.
How about filtration? You might have a skimmer under the bridge or maybe 2 skimmers since you are planning on having the ability to keep the ponds separate.
How many fish do you intend to keep in there, and what is the water volume?

You go girl  this is exciting 

[Jennie in MT]

Thanks Kristin!  Yes, it is exciting!

I am planning a skimmer on the front side tucked under the bridge, and one toward the foot of the 2nd pool (on the right).  I am still kicking around in my head how I want to set up the filtration.  Planning on a little pumphouse to hide the machinery, and a little stream as the return to the pond (on the left in this drawing).  Thinking that the 2nd pond will be the independent one that I cap to make a Qtank when needed, and will use a TT for added aeration and biofiltration when using for Q.

[Johns]

Jennie,

You might find some info you can use at my website: Gardenendeavors.com.  Pay special attention to my Gregbickal optimizer calculator, as it may help.

The best advice I can give you:

Number one: Make your ponds at least 4 feet deep in your zone.  Be sure to provide for gas escape through deicers.

Number two:  STRONGLY consider concrete block construction all the way around the ponds, including vertical rebar reinforcement.  I have seen the disaster of side cave-ins in  koi ponds, and, believe me,  you do NOT want to go there.

[Rocmon]

Koiphen.com is a good place to throw around pond design ideas. They may give you a hard time as they can be pretty hung up about koi, but the feedback is good. I like the idea of being able to separate the two ponds. I would think I'd put that pipe between below freezing level, but I don't really know about ice and ponds...

They need to do a pond construction / filtration section on this forum. The build ideas seem few and far between.

[Jennie in MT]

Roc, I was hesitant at posting the question at Koiphen for just that reason.

John, I have been a huge fan of both your site and Greg's since long before my first preform!  I also refer lots of people there as it has so much great information.  And, DIY is very close to my heart.  Heck, I live in Montana, a huge unpopulated place.  I better be able to make what I need, because I sure can't buy it locally!  I DIY-ed my own de-icers and they have worked famously.

The soil here is very hard clay.  I used Greg's idea of the bevelled bottom corners in order to maximize depth with my liner when I built the first pond (4000 gal  42" deep) 4 yrs ago.  It has held up very well and the nearly vertical walls are rock solid still.   I think I will shoot for the same plan with the walls to maximize volume.To stabilize the wall that divides the pools, I am planning to use metal T posts pounded down through the voids in the cinderblocks into the ground.  Then either fill around the posts with gravel or cement. 

I love using gravity flow to maximize my filter capacity and pump flow.  I have a vortex SC sunk in the ground next to the main pond and would like to stay with something like that, as it has been very effective.  Just having trouble imagining how to tie the filter system together.....

[Rocmon]

I would think you would build two mirror image ponds, filtration wise. If the one you have now is working great, do the same for the other one. That doesn't make the water flow much from one to the other but you don't need that to happen. You want to have two complete systems.

If you posted at Koiphen, you could just ask what do you think of this idea, or ask how would you all do this?you may get some great feedback, you may not, you never know... That's where to get the nuts and bolts of how to do it...

[Krista]

Wow! You are doing a great job of the planning! Sounds like a great job! So two fully seperate systems except when you need them seperate. Does that mean 2 fully sperate filtration?  That would be my way to do it partly because the pass through isn't all that huge for transfering water back and forth.  Very cool! Can't wait to see it all done.

[Jennie in MT]

Krista, I am still kicking around ideas for the filtration flow.  I would rather not run 2 pumps if I don't have to.  When I look around the yard, and I see 1 pump in the turtle pond and 2 in the main pond, then I consider the cost of running 2 'more' pumps, it gets painful.  LOL  Maybe I need to take the plunge and get a larger external (more efficient) pump for the main....