Excellent excellent!! This imo is what new people need to understand coming into the hobby, so many get frightened by the cost and don’t do it, well done guys 👍
Great conversation. I started the koi hobby a few years back and started with a very basic set up. I really felt inferior to other koi keepers who just spent thousands on the best filters ect. I’ve improved my pond and equipment over time with secondhand and homemade products. For me starting with the basics has taught me about how to look after pond water and koi. So it so reassuring to hear this talk from the best in the business that is okay to start with a basic system and do what you can with your budget. Really honest words in this talk.
As a newbie to the hobby I’m enjoying this podcast and I’ll sign up to the magazine as well. I’d like to share my journey so far and a total beginner…..
Great pond talk. Lots of good advice an knolage. Apart from the skimmer. I would never build a pond without a skimmer. Even indoor. Just gives that polished surface. I use mid water outlet that can be pushed down when feeding. Pulled back up once fish have eaten. I think mid water outlet for winter is good option for winter to if needed. Just another opinion.
Ricky I think you have a unique vantage point to suss out what works, given all the years in the trade and the vast number of ponds you are running. I think that (if your days are not busy enough as they are 😂) it would be really interesting if you could test and record the results (growth, water parameters) in ponds similar for size and stocking but with different filtration or feeding, something that us amateur koi keepers would really struggle to do, we can work out what works and what does not in our ponds but can't really tell what stuff works better than another.
That was a good talk I thought there bottom drains went into there filter system but the way they do it makes perfect sense bottom drain to waste every day and mid ish feed to the filter system. Really interesting conversation today keep up the good work👍
Great video. I've started digging my first koi pond recently but since starting it the plans have changed and changed again, thinking oh I need a bottom drain, a skimmer, fiberglass, drum filter etc. The main problem I think is that the koi world in general is quite snobby. I've seen posts on facebook where people basically say if you don't have a viewing window in your pond then you're doing it wrong, or if you don't buy a £5000 drum filter you're killing your fish etc. My parents have a mixed pond running off a near 20 year old pump, a kokney koi 8000 and a UV with no aeration and its got the original stock of koi, commons, goldfish, orfe, rudd and tench that were put in almost 20 years ago.
Thanks for this video. I am looking to build a simple pond soon. 3m x 2.2m x 1.2m. It will be a sleeper build with about 0.5m in the ground. I am interested in the single flow direction method. With a filter bay at one end with a nexus in, should the returns be at that end to minimise pipe runs etc? Where would be the best place for a skimmer? Keep up the great work 👍
I am also interested in how the design of the pond affects koi behaviour. I planned my pond to be a very "placid" environment with vast surface (8x5m) and very gentle turnover (once every 2 hours) and next to no current. The fish are mostly swimming lazily at the surface while with Lee's new pond they seem to be mostly 1'-2' down and below all that surface agitation. I am sure Lee will eek out maximum growth while mine will not, but I suppose we were aiming for different goals
Thank you for doing this video. I am looking to start my first pond this year and it's cleared up a lot of things and ideas I had and where I was going with it to actually where I need to be. Great show show and content.
Good that guys, really like the filter side of chats. Every thing I got on my pond except pumps is home made, easypod, large moving bed , shower( trickle filter ) and it works perfectly. Going forwards I can’t see any reason to change anything. Cheers joe- Ricky👍
Am i wrong do you not need to send the pump away ? my choice but always bought cheap £150-£250 pumps if it breaks go and get a new one, hope you know where i am coming from.
Another and great video,. Interesting on the bottom drain aerator, I turned my off a couple of weeks ago, to be honest watching the koi's "reactions" I think they prefer without , I now have air bar at one end of the pond running along side the pond wall ,seems to be working really well. Not having the aerator on the bottom drain does not seem to adversely affect its operation . I am always for keeping it simple - works just as well if not better than all the "fancy kit" that now is available on the market
I’m looking at going for a long pond with my returns flowing in one direction. My question is where would you position the bottom drain . Still in the centre of pond or towards the far end away from the returns? Cheers
I agree but it’s not the only option. I used PVC liner for years and it was very reliable. If people don’t have the budget they need to know this stuff can do the job.
Would tend to agree with the poster of this comment. There are genuine economies and false economies. In my view the liner isn’t something to scrimp on. PVC liners are thinner and prone to leaks in my experience. Replacing or even patching a tear in the liner of a fully stocked pond is a monumental pain. EPDM or butyl rubber are tougher and worth the extra money.
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These are really good
looking forward to doing more soon!
Excellent excellent!! This imo is what new people need to understand coming into the hobby, so many get frightened by the cost and don’t do it, well done guys 👍
Great conversation. I started the koi hobby a few years back and started with a very basic set up. I really felt inferior to other koi keepers who just spent thousands on the best filters ect. I’ve improved my pond and equipment over time with secondhand and homemade products.
For me starting with the basics has taught me about how to look after pond water and koi. So it so reassuring to hear this talk from the best in the business that is okay to start with a basic system and do what you can with your budget. Really honest words in this talk.
As a newbie to the hobby I’m enjoying this podcast and I’ll sign up to the magazine as well. I’d like to share my journey so far and a total beginner…..
good to hear richard.
The earth you dig out becomes your waterfall. Not skipped
Great pond talk. Lots of good advice an knolage. Apart from the skimmer. I would never build a pond without a skimmer. Even indoor. Just gives that polished surface. I use mid water outlet that can be pushed down when feeding. Pulled back up once fish have eaten. I think mid water outlet for winter is good option for winter to if needed. Just another opinion.
Ricky I think you have a unique vantage point to suss out what works, given all the years in the trade and the vast number of ponds you are running. I think that (if your days are not busy enough as they are 😂) it would be really interesting if you could test and record the results (growth, water parameters) in ponds similar for size and stocking but with different filtration or feeding, something that us amateur koi keepers would really struggle to do, we can work out what works and what does not in our ponds but can't really tell what stuff works better than another.
That was a good talk I thought there bottom drains went into there filter system but the way they do it makes perfect sense bottom drain to waste every day and mid ish feed to the filter system.
Really interesting conversation today keep up the good work👍
Really interesting- would love to see some videos of the systems you describe, showing how you’ve built them etc
Best one you've done . And blows a lot of myths out of the water .
Great video. I've started digging my first koi pond recently but since starting it the plans have changed and changed again, thinking oh I need a bottom drain, a skimmer, fiberglass, drum filter etc. The main problem I think is that the koi world in general is quite snobby. I've seen posts on facebook where people basically say if you don't have a viewing window in your pond then you're doing it wrong, or if you don't buy a £5000 drum filter you're killing your fish etc. My parents have a mixed pond running off a near 20 year old pump, a kokney koi 8000 and a UV with no aeration and its got the original stock of koi, commons, goldfish, orfe, rudd and tench that were put in almost 20 years ago.
Thanks for this video. I am looking to build a simple pond soon. 3m x 2.2m x 1.2m.
It will be a sleeper build with about 0.5m in the ground.
I am interested in the single flow direction method.
With a filter bay at one end with a nexus in, should the returns be at that end to minimise pipe runs etc? Where would be the best place for a skimmer?
Keep up the great work 👍
Well done guys , it takes me back to my build 7 years ago and £6,000 spent on a pond and filter set up and you can still get things wrong .
Fascinating conversation guys, busting a few myths. Wished I had listened to it 7 years ago.
Thanks guys, really great talk, just wondered what are your thoughts on the vortex filter as a first mechanical filter? Thanks again 👍👍👍
I am also interested in how the design of the pond affects koi behaviour. I planned my pond to be a very "placid" environment with vast surface (8x5m) and very gentle turnover (once every 2 hours) and next to no current. The fish are mostly swimming lazily at the surface while with Lee's new pond they seem to be mostly 1'-2' down and below all that surface agitation. I am sure Lee will eek out maximum growth while mine will not, but I suppose we were aiming for different goals
Thank you for doing this video. I am looking to start my first pond this year and it's cleared up a lot of things and ideas I had and where I was going with it to actually where I need to be. Great show show and content.
Good that guys, really like the filter side of chats. Every thing I got on my pond except pumps is home made, easypod, large moving bed , shower( trickle filter ) and it works perfectly. Going forwards I can’t see any reason to change anything. Cheers joe- Ricky👍
Am i wrong do you not need to send the pump away ? my choice but always bought cheap £150-£250 pumps if it breaks go and get a new one, hope you know where i am coming from.
Another and great video,. Interesting on the bottom drain aerator, I turned my off a couple of weeks ago, to be honest watching the koi's "reactions" I think they prefer without , I now have air bar at one end of the pond running along side the pond wall ,seems to be working really well. Not having the aerator on the bottom drain does not seem to adversely affect its operation . I am always for keeping it simple - works just as well if not better than all the "fancy kit" that now is available on the market
Cant get much simpler than a 4inch bottom drain straight into a nexus.
2 returns straight to the pond 1 via an uv.
Enjoyed this 1 sir, ESPECIALLY hearing u plopped in to the filter box, on loop alday at work, think the wife's had enoth ov
Enough ov koi, pressed button early lol, cheers Terry,
can you give us a run Down on your ponds on video please
I’m looking at going for a long pond with my returns flowing in one direction. My question is where would you position the bottom drain . Still in the centre of pond or towards the far end away from the returns? Cheers
EPDM liner is much better.
I agree but it’s not the only option. I used PVC liner for years and it was very reliable. If people don’t have the budget they need to know this stuff can do the job.
@@KoiTalkMagazine Some things you can skimp on, a good liner is not one of them. 😄
Would tend to agree with the poster of this comment. There are genuine economies and false economies. In my view the liner isn’t something to scrimp on. PVC liners are thinner and prone to leaks in my experience. Replacing or even patching a tear in the liner of a fully stocked pond is a monumental pain. EPDM or butyl rubber are tougher and worth the extra money.
Like to See pond pictures.
See two guys talking boring...