New Koi Pond - 750+ gallons, best equipment choices? Fish saved from bad home
We bought an investment property where there were 8 koi (3-4″) in a junky tank outside. One died because he jumped out after we transported them to our house. Really got my wife upset.
We want to save them and give them a good home (ours in Tampa, Florida). They are already getting used to us. (Not hand feeding, but coming to us when we approach the holding tank… then swimming away to the far corner when we get “up close and personal” to feed them.)
Our budget is $1000-1200 for purchase and we want to keep the electricity to below $20 a month. Tampa is on 9 cents per kWh We are looking only at good equality equipment that will satisfy all of the following needs: 1. Keep the water VERY clean and extremely well oxygenated and keep our fish as healthy as possible. 2. VERY, VERY quiet… our neighbors will complain otherwise. 3. Easy maintenance. 4. Low amperage.
So, we don’t mind high up front costs if it means our electric bill will be low.
Here is what we are looking at to build the pond. (I will do it myself. I prefer to do it myself because if there is an issue later on, I have the knowledge factor to then fix it myself.)
1. Aqua Ultraviolet’s Ultima II 2. Aqua Ultraviolet’s 15W UV / wiper 3. Sequence pump (4200SEQ12) 4. Skimmer (no clue which one to get) 5. Waterfall (2 feet high) with 6-10″ wier 6. Firestone EPDM 45mil 20′x20′ 7. Underlayment (is there a superior brand? is it worth it?) 8. Is one bottom drain better than another? 9. Submersible fountain pump (small for extra aeration, not so much for ’show’)
So, here are the dimensions: (gallons = 8 x 4 x 4 x 7.48 = 957 Max width: 8′ Max length: 4′ Max depth: 4′ (supposedly good to keep predators away)
Horizontal and vertical distances from bottom drain through filtration to waterfall = 15′
We will also have a few plants (anacharis?) in the pond to help with aeration.
Will also have a 3ft wide bridge across the pond so the fish have a place to hide from predators and the hot Florida sun.
Is the Aqua Ultraviolet with the Sequence pump going to be the best for this situation? Are there other recommendations which would be quieter?
Since the plumbing will be underground, would you recommend going with copper piping instead of nonflexible / standard PVC? (I know how to work with both, I am more concerned about how long the PVC will last with heavy foot traffic.)
Category: AquaticLife
