Hi Melissa, it is a spindrifter, yes. Its my preferred bottom drain. They are a bit more expensive than some but the performance is top drawer and I've used one for probably 12 years without a single problem so I'm confident in their reliability to.
Looking forward to your video on how you buildt it like the idea of fibre glass liner l like to know if you cover your pond ever with a net or don't you have a cat problem
Hi John, I have cats on both sides of me but I've never had them cause a problem to the pond or fish. I don't cover mine, even in winter. I have the glass around the sides but that's all.
I’m in the process of building my pond, I’m ready to start the block work at the weekend, I’ll be running the same system as you ie filter pump bottom drain uv etc. I find your videos very helpful great content and well put across, thank you
Hi Dan, sorry, I missed your comment until now some how. Unfortunately I dont, I built it during lockdown and didn't have a youtube channel at the time. I have a could of pictures but they are not great. I hope to make some construction videos soon
Great video oh I wish we had done a bottom drain I know we could add a retro but they are so big , I have the easy pod complete with 18 watt UV I'm pump fed I've been bad not cleaned my pod for 3 weeks all my tests are good but due to some health issues it hasn't got done . But its getting cleaned tomorrow look forward to your next video Thank You Carol
Thanks for the video love the pond and the Tile finish (giving me some ideas on my build) good setup on the over flow will look into this when I’m building mine 👍
Hi I’m now building a pallet pond I’ve just done bottom drain pallets all riddled together and I’ve just seen your pond it’s great I’m thinking of doing a window and yours looks great I was wondering how you made it as I’m try to do the pond on a budget hence the pallets 😂 I’m boarding it out next then fibre glass inside I will start taking pics to see how it goes many thanks Andy
Hi mate, if you are building using timber make sure you use metal straps around the corners as they are the weak points and tend to push apart. The window is 2 pieces of 10mm glass toughened and laminated together to give a final thickness of around 21.5mm. This is the minimum you could use and it would need to be thicker if your pond is bigger than mine. Any local glass merchant will make it for you and it costs around £250 - £300 depending where you are in the country.
Hi mate, I wasn't a fan of windows before, we put this in for our new grandson, but I love it now, I wouldn't be without it. I cant remember the last time I looked over the top of the pond. I've even considered building a 5 or 6 foot deep pond, all out of the ground next time like a sealife tank. It would have a roof on so no heron issues and having a bottom drain at ground level would be so much easier.
Great video, looking to build something very similar to this, i can't see the video you talked about in this one about the construction, have i missed it or didn't you get round to doing it. Many thanks Alan
Hi Alan and thank you very much. No sadly I never did get round to it. I'm in the midst of a divorce now to so its unlikely I'll ever get to it now. Hopefully I will eventually build a new pond somewhere else so I will definitely be making videos on that one. If you have any questions on building this one though just give me a shout. I'm also planning to put together some DIY pond building packages this year. A one off fee with plans, material lists, instructions, tech support etc
@DazzleKoi sorry to hear about your circumstances, thank you for taking the time to reply. Sounds a great idea, so you thinking along the lines of a build pack, a garden room company on you tube do the same thing with build pack and its very popular.
Its a company called oakwood garden rooms. They do a build pack for various sizes of garden rooms, which includes everything down to the screws you need.
Ahh ok, I actually subscribe to them already. Something about watching them build a garden room is fascinating. I haven't seen the build packs though, I'll get on it now, thanks mate 👍
I liked the video. A very clever idea on the trickle out. Are you going to put Jump Guards on the front of your pond? You have them on all the other sides but not the front. The koi could decide to ignore the three sides covered and go over the front! In my opinion you have the bottom drain air pump much to high. I only put my bottom drain air pump on over night. There is mixed opinion whether it helps the bottom drain or hinders it. It was explained to me that when the fishes poo you want it floating down to your bottom drain in one piece. With the air on the bottom drain this cannot happen and it gets flung around the pond, breaking up and making it harder to remove from the water. Keep up the videos I'm looking forward to your next one.
Hi there, thanks for your comment mate 👍👍 At the moment I'm not planning on putting the guards along the front. I've never had them on a pond before and never had a fish jump so I wasn't really going to put any on to be honest but I decided it wouldn't do any harm to put them on the back and sides and I like the look of them. I figure I've reduced any risk by 3/4 and hindered predators in the process. Regarding the air, I want to ensure my water has as much oxygen as it can hold at any given time so I put as much air in as I can. It also disrupts the surface of the pond making it hard for predators to see my fish. It also creates currents to keep the koi exercising and preventing crap from settling. The pond bottom is spotless and I have no issue with fines so it definitely does its job of pushing the muck to the drain in my opinion. I know a lot of people think its too much but for me its a must.
@@DazzleKoi No problem. We all have different ideas and likes and dislikes. Don't forget in Winter that bottom drain air will disrupt the warmer water on the bottom of the pond that the koi will like. Regards. Peter
Another great video abd the right time for me, as im starting this stage from Monday. Im still 100% sure on the waste outlet. Can I hose be connected to that to distribute in the garden or bucket? I don't have a nearby drain. Thanks
Hi Charmaine. To be honest I think you might struggle if you connect a hose to it. I think it would take a long time to flush your filter if it was going through a hose by gravity. I've never tried it though, that's just my thoughts. It may be worth just giving it a go as it should be quite easy to set it up. Again I've never tried it myself but a lot of people say the filter waste water is really good for plants. You could use a bucket but it would need to be a very big bucket. Is it possible to have it go in to a sump type system with a pump in the bottom to pump the water out via a hose? That would be a good option.
I have a small 1000litre fry VAT I’m currently running 3000lph through it. I’m wanting to add a small bakki shower just like the one you have made here following all your guidance. Is it not worth adding a top tray for mechanical filtration such as japenese matting or foams/sponges etc Would that hinder the performance of the shower? It is top tray it would be easy to access and clean the media too? Would love to know your thoughts Thanks for the videos very informative I’ve just subscribed
Hi there, its all about flow with a shower so adding media at the top such as matting will slow the flow down and have a negative impact. The flip side is that the faster the flow, the more the correct ceramic media will consume mechanical waste. You need to spec the shower correctly for your max flow and bang it all over a good ceramic media. I've never cleaned shower media in 26 years 👍👍
Brilliant video, I'm just about to start out on my project, looking for the same set up as yours with a window, I'm very limited on space would you say 7ft x 6ft and 5ft deep would be ok or too small ?
Hi Wayne, I think thats around 1500 gallons (UK) so certainly big enough and deep enough for koi. If you can filter well and stick to around 7 koi they will thrive and you shouldn't have any issues 👍👍
@@DazzleKoi thanks so much for your reply, your videos are my go to now as I'm starting out, I was thinking on the tempest and the easypod auto, would that be far to extreme? Or would the easy pod air be ok?
Hi Wayne, I prefer the eazy pod air in terms of price and obviously less to go wrong. I think the auto's are only pump fed to. I would go for a gravity fed eazy pod air (or a nexus 220 if budget permits) and a tempest. That is a good combination that will work for you as long as you don't over stock. The diy shower is excellent after the tempest to but you need to make sure you build one for the low flows that the tempest requires.
Hi Samuel, the shed is tiny to be honest. I picked it up for £20 as the box was damaged. If I'm honest it could do with being a bit bigger. Everything fits but there isnt much space for storage or anything. I think its around 5 foot x 4 foot or something like that. 8x6 would be better
Hi mate, In the past I ran filters outside uninsulated and never had an issue so I'm not too concerned about the Pod in the shed but I think now you have mentioned it I may pick up a water tank jacket and just wrap it around it . Cant hurt I guess 👍
Hi Max, yes mate, I built it myself, my wife helped with mixing the fibreglass but other than than it was all me. I have worked as builder for a few years in the past but I just taught myself really. There is lots of information on the internet and lots of helpful people in the hobby if you get stuck 👍👍👍
Hi Max, no its not whatit used to be now, the forum scene. Back in the day it was Koiphen, Koichat, Koi Bito etc but now I tend to stick more to facebook groups to be honest. Koiphen is probably the best big forum now and maybe Koiforum UK.
Hi mate, I don't treat the water for chlorine as it gases off in a couple of hours and so it can never build up to a level that would be an issue with such a small trickle. I don't have chloramines in my water supply (they don't gas off) so I don't need to worry about that either. I would always advise checking with your water supplier for chloramines (they must provide you a full report of you request it) and if they are adding them you should use either a filter or a chemical to remove them or they can build up to harmful levels over time.
@@DazzleKoi thanks for the comprehensive supply. I agree if there is no chloramine and it's a trickle then levels will be insignificant. But if it's a bulk water change then I think you definitely need to treat. I use a cheap and cheerful three pod dechlorinator that works well on my set up - the other benefit is the other rubbish the filter takes out. It's quite a shock to see how quickly the particulate filter goes black!
I've never used one to be honest but its certainly something that can only be a good addition. I may look at them in the new year, maybe get hold of 2 or 3 and do a review.
It seems like your bubbler is very efficient and effective at introducing more oxygen in your pond. What kind of bubbler is it and how can I get one to increase the oxygen for my koi?
Hi Don, it is a Spindrifter bottom drain. They have a rubber dome on the top filled with thousands of tiny cuts and when your air pump inflates the dome the cuts open up and the air bubbles through. It is designed so that when you turn the air off the cuts close back up so that water can't flow back in to the dome and the pipework.
Hi loved the video and what a great job you have done. I was contemplating doing a similar pond, however with high energy prices coming I am concerned about running costs. With your upgrades do you know what your total power consumption is please.thanks Ian
Hi Ian, I don't know to be honest. I have a 10,000 vario pump running a little over half, a 70L EA air pump, and a 55W UV. I don't think it can be very much though.
Hi Daz been watching you videos spot on lots of interesting info thanks but i see your return pump to the pond but were's your pump from your pond to your filter inlet.
Hi Gary, I don't need a pump to take water to the pond as its a gravity fed system. The water in the filter is at the same height as the level in the pond because the two things are connected via the bottom drain. Have a look at this video for a better explanation of how it all works ua-cam.com/video/xM2s6B9AcSI/v-deo.html 👍👍🍻🍻👍👍
Just a tip instead of building 2 skins of block on the front you should of set the block flat for the whole job its alot strong 2 skins isn't really that strong unless you have a 50-100 mm cavity filled with concrete. Still looks a good job
Thanks Adam, yeah I know. It wasn't planned from the outset to have an infinity window so I made no provision for it. Had to just made good retrospectively. All the best mate 🎅🎅👍👍🍻🍻
Hi mate, I use sodium thiosulphate to remove chlorine and chloramine if I need to but I only have chlorine in my supply so I trickle in up to 100% a week and it is fine, it gasses off naturally. Sodium thiosulphate is what they chemical de-chlorinator products are made from. It only costs a few pounds for a bag that will last a long time. You can pick it up from ebay.
@@DazzleKoi hallo !i suspect i have only chlorine in the water suply ,though it's not much. I can't smell it or taste, nor does is show on some yellowish test stuff that i tested with. However, i do use a garden spray hose to fill an ibc 1000 (about 3 hours it takes ) liter tank before put it in my koi pond the next day. I'm paranoic because the water quality it's not crystal clear anymore. It started being cloudy after a heavy rain but 2 weeks later went back clear. Could ne many reasons......I only have 9 small koi in a 40k swimming pond. Could also be the swimming part. I don't even feed my good quality koi food to fish anymore, maybe twice a week. I've had a lot of string algaes, but now after being cloudy outside for a few days not much is still there. I'm going to get someone drill me a quell to abou 60 meter deep. I have a bottom drain of 110 mm and a multi chamber concrete filter with up and down system , and also a french drain tube (24m) under the gravel arround the swimming zone , like that David Pagan Butler guy has, mine si pumped. The fish seem to be active and healty and the NO2 test looks perfect Sorry for my long story here.
Hi hi, that sounds very interesting indeed. It could just be going through the normal process of becoming balanced. In which case consistency in all you do will help to speed things up. Is it a new pond or long established?
Hi Dougie, yes you can top up manually. It has a few drawbacks though. It is less consistent as you are adding a large batch of different water in one go so your parameters are impacted more. Stability is key with koi so its a slight downside. Also, you have to be careful not to forget and leave the hose running if you use a hose to top up. I've seen it many times where people forget and wake up the next morning to a pond full of dead koi sadly. With the trickle in, chlorine doesn't build up to harmful levels as it constantly gases off. Temperature can also swing if your source water is different to your pond water temp. You can definitely do it that wat though mate 👍👍👍
Hello again. Im trying for the same set up: bottom drain spindrifter . At 7.30 you focus on the air pump, what additional equipment did you need to buy to use one pump and switch air routes? I was hoping go di it today and realised something is missing 😔Thanks again
Hi Charmaine, I dont know what connection you have from your bottom drain but I had a 1" pipe coming from the drain with these adaptors on each end www.cotswoldkoi.co.uk/product/spindrifter-1-inch-direct-air-feed-kit/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5vb-BRCRARIsAJBKc6JHYKb-WkN96tMI_tWuntRm_ctYXj8A9Q1J49Rp-HoHSJJv9tgiqS0aAu-MEALw_wcB I then used a piece of silicone hose to connect on to the hose tail on the adaptor and just pushed the plastic air line from the Pod on to this hose. It was a tight fit but I taped it with insulation tape to to make sure. Everything else I needed came with the air pump.
Thank you Collette👍 Yes I leave it on all the time. The bulbs only really last a year so I put a new one in every spring so it is at its most effective when its most needed.
Hi Dazzle! I’m going to start to build my pond soon and it’ll be roughly the same size and similar set up to yours! Thinking about skimmer! I see you don’t have one! Now you’ve had it running a while do you regret not put one in Cheers neil
Hi Neil, no mate, I have no need for a skimmer, I have no trees or plants that can drop leaves in. A skimmer comes with its own issues such as sucking food in, needing another pump and plumbing etc, and something for the koi to injure themselves on so if you don't need one I wouldn't put one in. They can be useful if you want to get some extra water out for another filtration system such as as shower though 👍
Hi Darren, hope you’re well. Great set up you have there. I’m currently building something similar but I am struggling to find a suitable rubber boot for the outlet on the eazypod, I need to take it down from 90mm to my 1.5 inch return pressure pipework. Mind if I ask where you got yours from and what size it is?
Hi mate, sorry for the delay in replying to you, I've been away on holiday. From what I can tell I have 1.5inch pressure pipe coming off my pump inlet with a 2" 'reducer' glued on it. Then the rubber boot is a 4" to 2" reducing boot. You should be able to get one from any koi dealer online or in person if you have one local.
Hi had to subscribe, love the pool just bought the same filter on your recommendation, what sort are the tiles on front of pool? Did you stick them to blocks
Hi mate and welcome along. The tiles are split faced tiles which I applied with an exterior grab adhesive. Make sure you get the exterior one if you go down that route though. I used B&Qs own cheap version (Diall) and its bang on, they are going nowhere. Its a lot easy to fit them with that stuff than exterior tile adhesive and a lot cheaper to. These are the tiles I used 🍻🍻👍🍻🍻 mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-black-split-face-slate-tile-600x150x8-20-maxi/
Evening Darren, Hope you’re well, I’ve just finished my build and am debating on cladding similar to yours. Could you provide details of where you purchased yours from please mate?? All the best Steve
Hi Steve, yes I used these mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-black-split-face-slate-tile-600x150x8-20-maxi/ Service was good from them and the price was the best I could find at the time 🍻🍻
@@DazzleKoi Brilliant, thanks for that pal. I’ve literally just uploaded part 1 of my build, feel free to have a look and fire back any thoughts or comments. Thanks again mate 💪🍻
Great insight into our set up Daz. Just wondering whats your take on pond heating during winter and what temperatures to run? Do koi need a cooler spell etc?
Hi Martyn. I've heated in the past but not now. I do believe koi still need a cold spell as they use temperature along with daylight length etc to time all their seasonal bodily changes. I think its good to kill off the bad bacteria too, like a mains reset. So even when I did heat I let them have a few weeks at ambient in jan/feb. Between 10 and 13 degrees is the temp to avoid. This is when you have problems as their immune system is hardly effective but bad bacteria is still thriving. Its coming up through this range in spring that you get problems. I held around 16 for most of the winter other than the cold spell. To be honest they didnt grow that well in winter even when heated. I think the short days meant they slowed down anyway.
Sounds good. Keep an eye on the cost mate, the first year I heated I was surprised with a massive bill in spring 👍 Smart meters are a good idea if you don't have them.
@@DazzleKoi Thanks Daz, Yes we have a smart meter and I havent noticed any significant increase so far although its gone mild at the moment. on watching it seems the heater is kicking in for about 15 seconds every 2 mins
In the process of building a pond similar to yours . Its going to be 5foot x 9 foot and about a meter deep . Will 6 inch blocks do for the walls ?? I wanted to do 4 inch as space is small but seems abit risky at the height im going . I cant dig down as ground is too hard and a meter seems a good height to lean on lol
Hi mate, 6" solid dense concrete blocks will be fine. Have a think about the height of the walls as 1m is really high and tends to look a bit odd. It will work but its just a bit high to me. If you can get a pick and did down it will look much better, if if you can only get down 18 inches
I fibre glassed from the middle of the top block down and then 6" onto the base and then added the base overlapping that. As you will know its a bit tricky getting it wet enough to go round corners at tight angles but its doable.
@DazzleKoi thanks bud will see if i can go down any and might set a wall out dry to get a feel of it at some different heights. Yea corners are abit of a pain with fibre glass but not so bad if u fit a 2 inch 45° angle bead so its not so tight and a stronger corner too.
Hi just in the planning stage of our pond. Is the base of your pond at ground level or did you go below. I love your pond and the simplicity of your filter system.
@@DazzleKoi OK. Because I a m limited for space I'm thinking of a blockwork pond 2mx2m with 40cm below ground and 135cm above which would give me a water volume of 7000. Initially my pond will be for my existing goldfish but eventually I would like koi when fu do allow. I was thinking of incorporating a bottom drain to future proof it but for the goldfish just using a pressurised filter as on a budget with this pandemic. I was going to use a rubber liner for now and in a couple of years drain the pond, get it fibreglassed and add an easy pod. Is there an alternative you can suggest please?
Hi Suzy, to be honest that all sounds like a pretty good plan to me. Definitely put a bottom drain in, you will regret it if you dont, it makes a massive difference. At 7000 litres you are at the higher end of a Pod but it will do the job fine. Any bigger and you would need to think about a nexus 220 or similar but the costs start to go up then. 3" bottom drain will supply the Pod but if you go to a nexus you will need 4" and because you are at the bottom of thr range for 4" you would need a means of flushing it. (vid on what size bottom drain to use might be useful to you). The only thing I would maybe consider doing differently is the liner. Its a different bottom drain and quite a waste of money putting the liner in and then throwing it away down the line. I would consider trying to go fiberglass straight from the start if funds allow. Other than that I think you are spot on 👍👍👍
Thanks Harry 👍👍 Yes they are these here mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-maxi-black-split-face-slate-tiles-600x150x8-20/ I fixed them with a no nails type product, just a cheap one but make sure its one suitable for exterior use. I think I used the Dial one from B&Q. There are two types though so as I say make sure you get the exterior one. They wont go anywhere with that stuff on.
@@DazzleKoi Hi Daz, i have got the silver grey version of these. Did you have to angle grind / cut them to make the corners etc? Assuming so but just checking haven’t missed anything obvious as the installation guide isn’t great!
Hi Paul, you can indeed mitre the edges with an angle grinder or a table tile saw but its very time consuming and quite difficult with these as they are slate and tend to just break and de-laminate when you cut them. I prefer to just but them up to each other. This gives a more rustic, natural look which I prefer as well as saving a lot of time and frustration. Its not impossible, but give it a trial run first 👍👍👍
@@DazzleKoi Hi Daz, many thanks for this. Did you still have to cut a few pieces where there is no overlap? Don’t suppose you remember what adhesive and primer you used ? Sorry for the questions going to try and give it a go!
Hi m8 I've just set up a ea eazypod uv automatic how long does it take the k1 to mature and shall I leave the uv switched off to speed it up cheers clayton
Hi mate, its impossible to say as there are so many variables. It can be done in a few weeks or I've seen it take 12 months. You just need to follow the start up procedure (I've made a video on it) and be patient really. Leave the UV on. The bacteria you need will grow inside the filter on surfaces, none of them are free swimming so they wont go through the UV anyway 👍👍👍👍
Hi Gus, the glass is manufactured by a local glass merchant. Its two pieces of 10mm Optiwhite (low iron so no green tinge to it) toughened and laminated together to give a total thickness of around 21.5mm including the PVB interlayer. Any local firm will make one for you and expect to pay around £250 for a window this size. All the best 🎅🎅🍻🎅🎅
Hi Gary, I have the spindrfiter bottom drain and it does run from an air pump. I have the 70 litre EA pump that comes with the Eazy pod air model. The pump is diverted to the Eazy Pod for cleaning and the rest of the time it runs the bottom drain diffuser.
I got mine here but they have gone up a lot since I got them. Not sure if they are still the cheapest place. Great service though. mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-black-split-face-maxi-slate-tiles-600x150x8-20mm/
Hi Nick, its a good question and some companies have produced products that they claim are just for this. in my opinion, the best form of preventative 'medicine' is to keep your water as close to perfect as you can. I don't advise treating at all unless you have an issue that you have identified. If it isn't there, there is no need to treat for it. A bit of extra vigilance at this time of year wouldn't do any harm but other than that, just keep doing what you are doing 👍👍
Hi mate, no I don't. Chlorine is gassed off in a few hours and I have no chloramine in my supply. I trickle in a good 30 - 40% a week at times and I've never had a measurable level of chlorine in my pond. Welcome to the channel 🍻🍻🍻
Hi Paul, no its spot on. Eazy pod flows are to small for a 4" drain, the velocity is very slow so you get settlement in the line which can lead to bacterial issues. Its slightly to much for a 2" but 3" is perfect
Hi buddy I’ve just built a raised sleeper pond and one of my neighbours has said that he will make me a stainless steal frame for a window which is a real bonus .but how do I install do a put the frame to the wood then the rubber liner then the glass,or rubber liner first then frame and then glass thanks and have you a link for the tiles please 👍🏻😀
Hi mate, the tiles I used are these mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-black-split-face-slate-tile-600x150x8-20mm/ Regarding the window, I must confess I have never used a frame so I don't know exactly how they work. If you go with no frame you need to make a recess in the inside of the pond that is the same depth as your window is thick. You can then either seal the window in as normal and seal the liner to the window as in this picture aurello.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/koi_pond_build_3-min-2.png or seal the liner in to the recess and then seal the window on to the liner. Ive always felt that a frame gives an extra surface to seal that you don't have with a frameless install but I know a lot of people do use frames very successfully. I would recommend asking in one of the facebook groups for advice off someone who has done it though to be honest 👍
Another question mate. Have you ever had any predator issues? I've never but i do have gulls in the area as im close to the sea. Ponds 4.5 feet deep do they pose a risk wud u say? Usually covered with a net on a wooden frame but may try this season no net as its an eye saw
Hi mate, I haven't , no. I've seen herons around and we live near a large mere but Never had them bother my fish. I like to think the spindrifter helps with that as the surface is alway really disrupted with the air column so predators can't see in to the water. I did have a friend of mine have all his little goldfish cleaned up by seagulls but I've never heard of them taking koi. i don't cover and never have. Oh actually I do have the shade sail now (took it off at the moment until the snow risk has passed) so that will also help
@@DazzleKoi I'm tempted to try it in spring. My ponds just abit bigger than yours same layout with window etc. I'll leave the air on the portable bottom drain constantly n give it a go 👍 cheers for the response mate
No problem mate. One other thing is , if its herons you are worried about, I know they need a bit of horizontal space to land and take off so if you have walls and fences around your garden it makes it difficult for them. I back on to a sports field so there is a massive high wall behind my pond that probably helps. Also the splash guards I suspect will give them problems but I don't have them along the front.
@@DazzleKoi yeah its quite enclosed cheers n iv got a breeding pair of magpies in the woods behind me that supposably attack big birds like herons 👍 I was more concerned about gulls but i hope my ponds to small to dive bomb like they do in the sea n I will leave the air on constantly to obscure their view. Think I'll risk it when winter covers come off n see how i get on 👍
Hi mate, I don't even know if you can get these filters over in Tokyo. I can come over and build it for you though if you pay my expenses 😁 I went to Tokyo a few years ago, great place. I was working in Chiba at the time 🍻
@@DazzleKoi Oh that's great. You would understand how difficult it is to keep a Nishikigoi in the middle of Tokyo. In fact, I'm planning to move within the next year. Seriously, you'll have to talk to me about it then. よろしくお願いします！！
Hello, I have watched a few of your videos now and watched loads of others on UA-cam. However, yours are some of the best. Curious about your Nexus filter. Does it use two pumps. One from your bottom drain and one to pump it back into the pond or does gravity take the water out. I am going to get one after watching your video but was not shower of the plumbing? Cheers
Hi Jon, thanks for your kind words 🍻 Its an Eazy Pod rather than a Nexus, the smaller of the EA filter range. It just uses the one pump. It is set up gravity fed which means the filter is sat at a height such that the ideal water level in the filter is the same as the water height in the pond. So when the two are connected (via the bottom drain and 3" pipework between them) the water fills the filter. The pump is fitted on the outlet of the Pod and it pumps water back to the pond. As the pump empties the Pod it fills back up from the pond via the drain pipework again thus creating a circulating flow. There is a video on my channel about pump fed versus gravity fed which explains it better and includes some diagrams I made. Have a watch of that if my explanation above isn't helping, its not easy to put in writing 👍
Hi Iain, I used these guys www.fibreglassdirect.co.uk/fibreglass-pond-kit.html?ad_term=&ad_campaign=8422390004&ad_placement=&ad_group=84233493805&ad_device=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvYSEBhDjARIsAJMn0ljPvq1cRY1t5TnHelERUr1t9La4TZWKj95k_xiVx5O6Vz3E7_kNBLwaAqZzEALw_wcB
Hi Daniel, I haven't heard of a pond base cracking but I guess it could happen if you don't get the correct thickness and concrete spec. A lot use rebar or fibers in the mix to give some extra strength but I don't think its necessary for a smaller pond like this one.
Need some advice m8 I've got eazypod uv automatic with a tempest and a shower and my water aint that clear I know u have the same set up and know your stuff any advice please daz cheers clayton
Hi mate, first thing is the confirm that you are actually feeding the waste in to the filter. If you don't have good circulation and water movement then the solids wont ever be fed to your filter so they will never be taken out. What volume is your pond and how many koi do you have? Also, what flow are you running through it all?
@@DazzleKoi my pond is 10,000 litres has 15 koi which r between 50cm and 25cm , I have a 20,000 varipump running at 60% which splits between the pod and the tempest at a ratio of 60/40
Hi mate, I'll be honest, you have a pond there that is way too big for a pod and tempest to handle and a LOT more fish than you really should have in there to. You want to set it up so you have 5500 litres an hour through the pod and 5000 litres an hour through the tempest. Its best to measure this rather than assume based on the vari pumps output. But even if you get them running optimally I'd be surprised if you ever get really clear water. You honestly need at least a nexus 220 on there with the tempest to handle that load.
Hi Kevin, sorry for the late reply. Its a 3" bottom drain as I'm running and eazy pod which only pulls 5500 litres an hour. 4" would be too big and cause settlement at that flow. I cant remember exactly how many blocks I used but its roughly 10 per square meter if you are standing them on edge. So probably around 80 for a single skin and then I doubled up the front where the window is. You can calculate it more accurately with an online calculator though 👍👍🍻👍👍
Hi mate. I have an isolator on the supply at the house end. Like the one on the little test point on the left on the video. I set it by flowing it in to a measuring jug for 1 minute and then multiplying it up. Its set to give me approx. 30% water change per week. Its adjusted with a screwdriver so it isn't easily changed by accident.
Hi David, it is approx. 2.8m x 1.8m and 1m deep. Its on the small side and could do with being a bit deeper but it fit the space I had and is a nice manageable size and cheap to run 👍👍
need help have pond one air pump fitting 18mm I need to adapt to 8mm air pipe any ideas? The pump came with a rubber tube that is about 18mm but can not seem to find a fitting for my large air stone that has a 8mm pipe.
Hello mate, I don't think there is actually an item to do what you require. I have the same problem myself every time. I always end up just finding bits and pieces out of the shed and lashing something up. I've even taking it to a koi dealer before and they weren't able to help me. I think I have various thicknesses of tubing inside each other and insulation tape on mine at the moment.
Hi mate, I always advise leaving everything running. Other than a few pounds there is no benefit to it being off and plenty benefits to it being on, It helps keep the bottom clear. Its good to disturb the surface as well to make it difficult for predators to see your fish. Oxygen is always needed to.
I have my pond for 6 months now and my pH has been dropping everyday. I've been adding Bicarbonate to push up the pH from 6.5 to 8.0. I've been feeding 4-5 times a day because we are in summer now in Australia. I've added small shell as well as change 10% water everyday for my garden. What else can I do to stabilize the pH fluctuation?
Hi mate, bi-carb will add carbonates and increase you KH but it will also increase pH. When are you measuring it? pH will be lower in the morning as no photosynthesis has occurred over night. It will gradually increase throughout the day and peak at dusk. pH from 6.5 - 9 is fine for your koi to live in. Its more important that it is stable than it is to be at any particular point in this range as koi struggle to adjust their bodies to changes in pH. When you start to feed more as the temperature increases your pH will drop also. You can use things like oyster shells etc in your filter to buffer the pH or add regular bi-carb as you are doing. Do you know what your KH reading is? Its important to have a good amount of KH to buffer against drops in pH.
Hi mate, it is part of most test kits. I use the Colombo kit for my water testing and it is included in that. If yours doesn't have it you can buy a separate KH test kit 👍👍
Hi Daniel, its 2 pieces of 10mm toughened glass laminated together to give a total thickness of approx. 21.5mm with the interlayer. This is the minimum and I would recommend going thicker if you are any bigger or deeper 👍🍻👍
Hi Jason, its 2.8m x 1.8m x1m deep. Its less than 1000 gallons and I would say the Pod will handle a bit bigger based on what I've seen. Maybe up to 1400 gallons or so 👍
Sorry, you are right , but I should have said, I did double the nibs at the front that hold the window as they are quite vulnerable spots Rest is single block on its side 👍👍
Hi Brandon, the best water is the stuff that comes out of the tap (minus the chlorine and chloramine of course) so I would say no, you can't change to much, as long as you take out the chlorine etc. I sometimes have my trickle in going at around 100% a week and that's fine 👍👍
Hi there, I would be happy to but I honestly don't know for sure. From memory, the concrete base, block walls, sand and cement render, fibreglass, tiles on the outside and window came to approx. £1200. Bottom drain, all pipework, filters (didnt pay for the tempest), pump, UV was probably very similar, around £1200. I did all the work myself (had an extra pair of hands to lift the window in place and to mix the fibreglass resin) so no labour cost. I would guess £2500 in total would be a good estimate.
Thank you for watching, if you have any questions at all on anything about this pond, or Koi in general, please don't hesitate to ask 🥂🥂🍻🍻🥂🥂
Ahh, a spin drifter. That's how you do that magic!
Hi Melissa, it is a spindrifter, yes. Its my preferred bottom drain. They are a bit more expensive than some but the performance is top drawer and I've used one for probably 12 years without a single problem so I'm confident in their reliability to.
Love the custom overflow pipe 👌
Cheers, its really easy to install to if you have a gravity fed filter. Will work on most filters 👍👍👍
Looking forward to your video on how you buildt it like the idea of fibre glass liner l like to know if you cover your pond ever with a net or don't you have a cat problem
Hi John, I have cats on both sides of me but I've never had them cause a problem to the pond or fish. I don't cover mine, even in winter. I have the glass around the sides but that's all.
Excellent video. My pond build starts on Monday so hope it turns out as good as you’re.
Thanks Philip, good luck, I hope the weather is kind to you 👍
Would love to see you videos Phillip 🥰🥰😀
I’m in the process of building my pond, I’m ready to start the block work at the weekend, I’ll be running the same system as you ie filter pump bottom drain uv etc.
I find your videos very helpful great content and well put across, thank you
Thanks Rex, I really appreciate that. Good luck with the build mate 👍
Great looking pond
Cheers Tim, much appreciated 👍
Agreed mate
Excellent walk through your pond setup. Interesting how your trickle in/out setup works.
Cheers Graham. Yes I'm really happy with it because I can just forget about it and it even tops up for me after filter cleans 👍👍
Very nice pond cheers mate from across the pond KOI TIME USA
Thanks very much 👍
Fantastic video...very helpful and a great set up
Hi Ian, sorry for the delay in replying to you, I've been away on holiday. Thanks very much for your feedback Sir 👍🍻🍻👍
Hi brilliant setup I'm looking to build somthing similar do you have any videos of when you built it would be good to see thanks
Hi Dan, sorry, I missed your comment until now some how.
Unfortunately I dont, I built it during lockdown and didn't have a youtube channel at the time. I have a could of pictures but they are not great. I hope to make some construction videos soon
Great video oh I wish we had done a bottom drain I know we could add a retro but they are so big , I have the easy pod complete with 18 watt UV I'm pump fed I've been bad not cleaned my pod for 3 weeks all my tests are good but due to some health issues it hasn't got done . But its getting cleaned tomorrow look forward to your next video Thank You Carol
Thanks Carol, hope you are Ok now, I'm a bit weird in that I really enjoy cleaning mine. Think I have a bit of OCD.
Hi Daz great setup love the pond and the stone cladding the sun shade brilliant keep up the good work on the video 👍👍
Thanks Peter, will do 👍
I don't know why, but I really like the efficient simplicity of your overflow/trickle out pipework, does the job perfectly up properly👍👌
Thank you sir 👍
Thanks for the video love the pond and the Tile finish (giving me some ideas on my build) good setup on the over flow will look into this when I’m building mine 👍
No problem mate 👍🍻👍🍻👍
@@DazzleKoi yeah it was nice to see your setup
Now I’ve got some idea what I need to do 👍
Lovely job,tiles look really nice 👍
Thank you Richard 👍👍
I agree
Superb pond and a great walk through of your setup 👌
Thanks a lot, really appreciate that 👍👍
Very nice set up👍
Thanks Mike 👍
looks great
Cheers mate 🍻🍻
Hi I’m now building a pallet pond I’ve just done bottom drain pallets all riddled together and I’ve just seen your pond it’s great I’m thinking of doing a window and yours looks great I was wondering how you made it as I’m try to do the pond on a budget hence the pallets 😂 I’m boarding it out next then fibre glass inside I will start taking pics to see how it goes many thanks Andy
Hi mate, if you are building using timber make sure you use metal straps around the corners as they are the weak points and tend to push apart.
The window is 2 pieces of 10mm glass toughened and laminated together to give a final thickness of around 21.5mm. This is the minimum you could use and it would need to be thicker if your pond is bigger than mine. Any local glass merchant will make it for you and it costs around £250 - £300 depending where you are in the country.
Lovely tidy setup 👍
Cheers Dan 🍻
Great looking pond I like it 👍 ingenious overflow system!!!! Keep up the good work 👍👍👍
Thanks Andrew, I'll do my best 👍
Hes got an awesome pond. $$##
Nice set up , 👍 wish I’d put window in mine , but think would be too much hassle now to fit it ,
Hi mate, I wasn't a fan of windows before, we put this in for our new grandson, but I love it now, I wouldn't be without it. I cant remember the last time I looked over the top of the pond.
I've even considered building a 5 or 6 foot deep pond, all out of the ground next time like a sealife tank. It would have a roof on so no heron issues and having a bottom drain at ground level would be so much easier.
@@DazzleKoi hi , yea one of those things you think about Afterwards, looks good mate , maybe in the future If I do a rebuild , thanks 👍
@@DazzleKoi happy to sub mate 👍
Cheers mate, welcome aboard 🍻🍻🍻
Great vid as always mate
Thanks Mitch 👍👍
Great video, looking to build something very similar to this, i can't see the video you talked about in this one about the construction, have i missed it or didn't you get round to doing it. Many thanks Alan
Hi Alan and thank you very much.
No sadly I never did get round to it. I'm in the midst of a divorce now to so its unlikely I'll ever get to it now.
Hopefully I will eventually build a new pond somewhere else so I will definitely be making videos on that one.
If you have any questions on building this one though just give me a shout.
I'm also planning to put together some DIY pond building packages this year. A one off fee with plans, material lists, instructions, tech support etc
@DazzleKoi sorry to hear about your circumstances, thank you for taking the time to reply. Sounds a great idea, so you thinking along the lines of a build pack, a garden room company on you tube do the same thing with build pack and its very popular.
Hi Alan, yes that's the type of thing I'm looking at. Which company is it that do them for garden rooms? I'd be interested to see how they do it 🍻
Its a company called oakwood garden rooms. They do a build pack for various sizes of garden rooms, which includes everything down to the screws you need.
Ahh ok, I actually subscribe to them already. Something about watching them build a garden room is fascinating. I haven't seen the build packs though, I'll get on it now, thanks mate 👍
great set up and very nice pond
Great video, very interesting and informative
Thanks Nick 🍻
Great video .. thank you so much
Thanks mate 👍
Thank you for sharing your experience. I would love to hear your opinion on using ozone on a koi pond.
Kind regards
Thanks Rikus, I'll add ozone to my list of future videos, watch this space 👍👍
@@DazzleKoi I will really appriciate that. Very little info available on the topic
I liked the video. A very clever idea on the trickle out. Are you going to put Jump Guards on the front of your pond? You have them on all the other sides but not the front. The koi could decide to ignore the three sides covered and go over the front!
In my opinion you have the bottom drain air pump much to high. I only put my bottom drain air pump on over night. There is mixed opinion whether it helps the bottom drain or hinders it. It was explained to me that when the fishes poo you want it floating down to your bottom drain in one piece. With the air on the bottom drain this cannot happen and it gets flung around the pond, breaking up and making it harder to remove from the water.
Keep up the videos I'm looking forward to your next one.
Hi there, thanks for your comment mate 👍👍
At the moment I'm not planning on putting the guards along the front. I've never had them on a pond before and never had a fish jump so I wasn't really going to put any on to be honest but I decided it wouldn't do any harm to put them on the back and sides and I like the look of them. I figure I've reduced any risk by 3/4 and hindered predators in the process.
Regarding the air, I want to ensure my water has as much oxygen as it can hold at any given time so I put as much air in as I can. It also disrupts the surface of the pond making it hard for predators to see my fish. It also creates currents to keep the koi exercising and preventing crap from settling. The pond bottom is spotless and I have no issue with fines so it definitely does its job of pushing the muck to the drain in my opinion. I know a lot of people think its too much but for me its a must.
@@DazzleKoi No problem. We all have different ideas and likes and dislikes. Don't forget in Winter that bottom drain air will disrupt the warmer water on the bottom of the pond that the koi will like. Regards. Peter
Great as usual! Possibly gonna want to fibreglass my own pond next year so will be looking out for that! Cheers!
Thanks mate, I definitely recommend it 👍
Looks good,👋👋👋😷
Thanks Marcelline 👍👍
Another great video abd the right time for me, as im starting this stage from Monday. Im still 100% sure on the waste outlet. Can I hose be connected to that to distribute in the garden or bucket? I don't have a nearby drain. Thanks
Hi Charmaine. To be honest I think you might struggle if you connect a hose to it. I think it would take a long time to flush your filter if it was going through a hose by gravity. I've never tried it though, that's just my thoughts. It may be worth just giving it a go as it should be quite easy to set it up. Again I've never tried it myself but a lot of people say the filter waste water is really good for plants.
You could use a bucket but it would need to be a very big bucket. Is it possible to have it go in to a sump type system with a pump in the bottom to pump the water out via a hose? That would be a good option.
I have a small 1000litre fry VAT I’m currently running 3000lph through it.
I’m wanting to add a small bakki shower just like the one you have made here following all your guidance.
Is it not worth adding a top tray for mechanical filtration such as japenese matting or foams/sponges etc
Would that hinder the performance of the shower?
It is top tray it would be easy to access and clean the media too?
Would love to know your thoughts
Thanks for the videos very informative
I’ve just subscribed
Hi there, its all about flow with a shower so adding media at the top such as matting will slow the flow down and have a negative impact. The flip side is that the faster the flow, the more the correct ceramic media will consume mechanical waste. You need to spec the shower correctly for your max flow and bang it all over a good ceramic media. I've never cleaned shower media in 26 years 👍👍
Brilliant video, I'm just about to start out on my project, looking for the same set up as yours with a window, I'm very limited on space would you say 7ft x 6ft and 5ft deep would be ok or too small ?
Hi Wayne, I think thats around 1500 gallons (UK) so certainly big enough and deep enough for koi. If you can filter well and stick to around 7 koi they will thrive and you shouldn't have any issues 👍👍
@@DazzleKoi thanks so much for your reply, your videos are my go to now as I'm starting out, I was thinking on the tempest and the easypod auto, would that be far to extreme? Or would the easy pod air be ok?
Hi Wayne, I prefer the eazy pod air in terms of price and obviously less to go wrong. I think the auto's are only pump fed to. I would go for a gravity fed eazy pod air (or a nexus 220 if budget permits) and a tempest. That is a good combination that will work for you as long as you don't over stock. The diy shower is excellent after the tempest to but you need to make sure you build one for the low flows that the tempest requires.
Your setup looks amazing! Great job! What is the size of your shed, and are you happy with the size?
Hi Samuel, the shed is tiny to be honest. I picked it up for £20 as the box was damaged. If I'm honest it could do with being a bit bigger. Everything fits but there isnt much space for storage or anything. I think its around 5 foot x 4 foot or something like that. 8x6 would be better
Nice guided tour Darren! Do you insulate your filter in winter? Isn't it very cold in the shed? Liked and subscribed to your channel! ;)
Hi mate, In the past I ran filters outside uninsulated and never had an issue so I'm not too concerned about the Pod in the shed but I think now you have mentioned it I may pick up a water tank jacket and just wrap it around it . Cant hurt I guess 👍
Great video. You built this all yourself? Looks very professional. Where did you learn to do all of this?
I subscribed!
Hi Max, yes mate, I built it myself, my wife helped with mixing the fibreglass but other than than it was all me. I have worked as builder for a few years in the past but I just taught myself really. There is lots of information on the internet and lots of helpful people in the hobby if you get stuck 👍👍👍
@@DazzleKoi Where is your go-to forum for koi enthusiasts? the subreddits r/ponds or r/koi don't seem very large
Hi Max, no its not whatit used to be now, the forum scene. Back in the day it was Koiphen, Koichat, Koi Bito etc but now I tend to stick more to facebook groups to be honest. Koiphen is probably the best big forum now and maybe Koiforum UK.
Nice pond and good overview of your set-up. I may have missed it but what's your practice for dechlorination on the trickle in?
Hi mate, I don't treat the water for chlorine as it gases off in a couple of hours and so it can never build up to a level that would be an issue with such a small trickle. I don't have chloramines in my water supply (they don't gas off) so I don't need to worry about that either.
I would always advise checking with your water supplier for chloramines (they must provide you a full report of you request it) and if they are adding them you should use either a filter or a chemical to remove them or they can build up to harmful levels over time.
@@DazzleKoi thanks for the comprehensive supply. I agree if there is no chloramine and it's a trickle then levels will be insignificant. But if it's a bulk water change then I think you definitely need to treat. I use a cheap and cheerful three pod dechlorinator that works well on my set up - the other benefit is the other rubbish the filter takes out. It's quite a shock to see how quickly the particulate filter goes black!
I've never used one to be honest but its certainly something that can only be a good addition. I may look at them in the new year, maybe get hold of 2 or 3 and do a review.
It seems like your bubbler is very efficient and effective at introducing more oxygen in your pond. What kind of bubbler is it and how can I get one to increase the oxygen for my koi?
Hi Don, it is a Spindrifter bottom drain. They have a rubber dome on the top filled with thousands of tiny cuts and when your air pump inflates the dome the cuts open up and the air bubbles through. It is designed so that when you turn the air off the cuts close back up so that water can't flow back in to the dome and the pipework.
Hi have you done a video of the construction of the pond yet? Start to finish?
Hi Matt, sorry I haven't got to it yet. I've got a couple of shower ones to do and then I'll turn my attentions to that one 👍🍻👍
@@DazzleKoi starting to plan my build so look forward to this video as will be same size and filtration, thanks
Nice one mate, I'll get on it but if you need to know anything about mine before then just give me a shout 👍
Hi loved the video and what a great job you have done. I was contemplating doing a similar pond, however with high energy prices coming I am concerned about running costs. With your upgrades do you know what your total power consumption is please.thanks Ian
Hi Ian, I don't know to be honest. I have a 10,000 vario pump running a little over half, a 70L EA air pump, and a 55W UV. I don't think it can be very much though.
Hi Daz been watching you videos spot on lots of interesting info thanks but i see your return pump to the pond but were's your pump from your pond to your filter inlet.
Hi Gary, I don't need a pump to take water to the pond as its a gravity fed system. The water in the filter is at the same height as the level in the pond because the two things are connected via the bottom drain. Have a look at this video for a better explanation of how it all works ua-cam.com/video/xM2s6B9AcSI/v-deo.html 👍👍🍻🍻👍👍
@@DazzleKoi Thanks it's easy now you have explained .
No problem mate 👍👍👍
Just a tip instead of building 2 skins of block on the front you should of set the block flat for the whole job its alot strong 2 skins isn't really that strong unless you have a 50-100 mm cavity filled with concrete. Still looks a good job
Thanks Adam, yeah I know. It wasn't planned from the outset to have an infinity window so I made no provision for it. Had to just made good retrospectively.
All the best mate 🎅🎅👍👍🍻🍻
Daz adding to my last message I'm thinking maybe I need to clean the pod and tempest daily or add a cetus sieve in before the pod 🤔
I wouldn't waste money on a sieve, I would swap the pod for a nexus 220 if I where you mate.
7:02 how do you remove the chlorine from the water if there is any ?
Hi mate, I use sodium thiosulphate to remove chlorine and chloramine if I need to but I only have chlorine in my supply so I trickle in up to 100% a week and it is fine, it gasses off naturally. Sodium thiosulphate is what they chemical de-chlorinator products are made from. It only costs a few pounds for a bag that will last a long time. You can pick it up from ebay.
@@DazzleKoi hallo !i suspect i have only chlorine in the water suply ,though it's not much. I can't smell it or taste, nor does is show on some yellowish test stuff that i tested with. However, i do use a garden spray hose to fill an ibc 1000 (about 3 hours it takes ) liter tank before put it in my koi pond the next day.
I'm paranoic because the water quality it's not crystal clear anymore. It started being cloudy after a heavy rain but 2 weeks later went back clear. Could ne many reasons......I only have 9 small koi in a 40k swimming pond. Could also be the swimming part. I don't even feed my good quality koi food to fish anymore, maybe twice a week. I've had a lot of string algaes, but now after being cloudy outside for a few days not much is still there. I'm going to get someone drill me a quell to abou 60 meter deep.
I have a bottom drain of 110 mm and a multi chamber concrete filter with up and down system , and also a french drain tube (24m) under the gravel arround the swimming zone , like that David Pagan Butler guy has, mine si pumped.
The fish seem to be active and healty and the NO2 test looks perfect
Sorry for my long story here.
Hi hi, that sounds very interesting indeed. It could just be going through the normal process of becoming balanced. In which case consistency in all you do will help to speed things up. Is it a new pond or long established?
I’ve set up, quick question, rather than plumping in water for a trickle, could not my just add water by hand when need be?
Hi Dougie, yes you can top up manually. It has a few drawbacks though. It is less consistent as you are adding a large batch of different water in one go so your parameters are impacted more. Stability is key with koi so its a slight downside.
Also, you have to be careful not to forget and leave the hose running if you use a hose to top up. I've seen it many times where people forget and wake up the next morning to a pond full of dead koi sadly. With the trickle in, chlorine doesn't build up to harmful levels as it constantly gases off.
Temperature can also swing if your source water is different to your pond water temp.
You can definitely do it that wat though mate 👍👍👍
Hello again. Im trying for the same set up: bottom drain spindrifter . At 7.30 you focus on the air pump, what additional equipment did you need to buy to use one pump and switch air routes? I was hoping go di it today and realised something is missing 😔Thanks again
Hi Charmaine, I dont know what connection you have from your bottom drain but I had a 1" pipe coming from the drain with these adaptors on each end www.cotswoldkoi.co.uk/product/spindrifter-1-inch-direct-air-feed-kit/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA5vb-BRCRARIsAJBKc6JHYKb-WkN96tMI_tWuntRm_ctYXj8A9Q1J49Rp-HoHSJJv9tgiqS0aAu-MEALw_wcB
I then used a piece of silicone hose to connect on to the hose tail on the adaptor and just pushed the plastic air line from the Pod on to this hose. It was a tight fit but I taped it with insulation tape to to make sure.
Everything else I needed came with the air pump.
Enjoyed videos lovely pound do u leave ur uv on all winter?? Thanks in advance
Thank you Collette👍
Yes I leave it on all the time. The bulbs only really last a year so I put a new one in every spring so it is at its most effective when its most needed.
Hi Dazzle! I’m going to start to build my pond soon and it’ll be roughly the same size and similar set up to yours!
Thinking about skimmer! I see you don’t have one! Now you’ve had it running a while do you regret not put one in
Cheers neil
Hi Neil, no mate, I have no need for a skimmer, I have no trees or plants that can drop leaves in. A skimmer comes with its own issues such as sucking food in, needing another pump and plumbing etc, and something for the koi to injure themselves on so if you don't need one I wouldn't put one in.
They can be useful if you want to get some extra water out for another filtration system such as as shower though 👍
Hi Darren, hope you’re well. Great set up you have there. I’m currently building something similar but I am struggling to find a suitable rubber boot for the outlet on the eazypod, I need to take it down from 90mm to my 1.5 inch return pressure pipework. Mind if I ask where you got yours from and what size it is?
Hi mate, sorry for the delay in replying to you, I've been away on holiday. From what I can tell I have 1.5inch pressure pipe coming off my pump inlet with a 2" 'reducer' glued on it. Then the rubber boot is a 4" to 2" reducing boot. You should be able to get one from any koi dealer online or in person if you have one local.
@@DazzleKoi No problem. Thank you very much for taking the time to reply. Great channel by the way. Take care 👍
Thanks mate, I appreciate that, you to 🍻🍻
Hi had to subscribe, love the pool just bought the same filter on your recommendation, what sort are the tiles on front of pool? Did you stick them to blocks
Hi mate and welcome along. The tiles are split faced tiles which I applied with an exterior grab adhesive. Make sure you get the exterior one if you go down that route though. I used B&Qs own cheap version (Diall) and its bang on, they are going nowhere. Its a lot easy to fit them with that stuff than exterior tile adhesive and a lot cheaper to.
These are the tiles I used 🍻🍻👍🍻🍻
mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-black-split-face-slate-tile-600x150x8-20-maxi/
Thank you so much love your channel, I'm new and love your advice
Evening Darren,
Hope you’re well, I’ve just finished my build and am debating on cladding similar to yours.
Could you provide details of where you purchased yours from please mate??
All the best
Steve
Hi Steve, yes I used these mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-black-split-face-slate-tile-600x150x8-20-maxi/
Service was good from them and the price was the best I could find at the time 🍻🍻
@@DazzleKoi
Brilliant, thanks for that pal.
I’ve literally just uploaded part 1 of my build, feel free to have a look and fire back any thoughts or comments.
Thanks again mate 💪🍻
Your welcome, I'll have a look now mate 👍👍
Great insight into our set up Daz. Just wondering whats your take on pond heating during winter and what temperatures to run? Do koi need a cooler spell etc?
Hi Martyn. I've heated in the past but not now. I do believe koi still need a cold spell as they use temperature along with daylight length etc to time all their seasonal bodily changes. I think its good to kill off the bad bacteria too, like a mains reset.
So even when I did heat I let them have a few weeks at ambient in jan/feb.
Between 10 and 13 degrees is the temp to avoid. This is when you have problems as their immune system is hardly effective but bad bacteria is still thriving. Its coming up through this range in spring that you get problems.
I held around 16 for most of the winter other than the cold spell. To be honest they didnt grow that well in winter even when heated. I think the short days meant they slowed down anyway.
@@DazzleKoi Cheers for that Daz, First time this year I have heated. currently running at 18 degrees. pond is covered so will see how it goes.
Sounds good. Keep an eye on the cost mate, the first year I heated I was surprised with a massive bill in spring 👍 Smart meters are a good idea if you don't have them.
@@DazzleKoi Thanks Daz, Yes we have a smart meter and I havent noticed any significant increase so far although its gone mild at the moment. on watching it seems the heater is kicking in for about 15 seconds every 2 mins
In the process of building a pond similar to yours . Its going to be 5foot x 9 foot and about a meter deep . Will 6 inch blocks do for the walls ?? I wanted to do 4 inch as space is small but seems abit risky at the height im going . I cant dig down as ground is too hard and a meter seems a good height to lean on lol
And did u fibreglass over the top and down the front or just upto the top?? I do fibreglass roofs so wont be a problem doing it myself. 😅
Hi mate, 6" solid dense concrete blocks will be fine. Have a think about the height of the walls as 1m is really high and tends to look a bit odd. It will work but its just a bit high to me. If you can get a pick and did down it will look much better, if if you can only get down 18 inches
I fibre glassed from the middle of the top block down and then 6" onto the base and then added the base overlapping that. As you will know its a bit tricky getting it wet enough to go round corners at tight angles but its doable.
@DazzleKoi thanks bud will see if i can go down any and might set a wall out dry to get a feel of it at some different heights. Yea corners are abit of a pain with fibre glass but not so bad if u fit a 2 inch 45° angle bead so its not so tight and a stronger corner too.
How are you getting on bud?
Hi just in the planning stage of our pond. Is the base of your pond at ground level or did you go below. I love your pond and the simplicity of your filter system.
Hi Suzy, My base is below ground but not by much. I think I went down about 2ft and then poured a concrete base of approx. 5 or 6" thick 👍
@@DazzleKoi OK. Because I a m limited for space I'm thinking of a blockwork pond 2mx2m with 40cm below ground and 135cm above which would give me a water volume of 7000. Initially my pond will be for my existing goldfish but eventually I would like koi when fu do allow. I was thinking of incorporating a bottom drain to future proof it but for the goldfish just using a pressurised filter as on a budget with this pandemic. I was going to use a rubber liner for now and in a couple of years drain the pond, get it fibreglassed and add an easy pod. Is there an alternative you can suggest please?
Hi Suzy, to be honest that all sounds like a pretty good plan to me.
Definitely put a bottom drain in, you will regret it if you dont, it makes a massive difference. At 7000 litres you are at the higher end of a Pod but it will do the job fine. Any bigger and you would need to think about a nexus 220 or similar but the costs start to go up then.
3" bottom drain will supply the Pod but if you go to a nexus you will need 4" and because you are at the bottom of thr range for 4" you would need a means of flushing it. (vid on what size bottom drain to use might be useful to you).
The only thing I would maybe consider doing differently is the liner. Its a different bottom drain and quite a waste of money putting the liner in and then throwing it away down the line. I would consider trying to go fiberglass straight from the start if funds allow.
Other than that I think you are spot on 👍👍👍
Hi Daz
Another great video
Can I ask where you got your tiles for your pond from they look great how are they fixed on
Regards
Harry
Thanks Harry 👍👍
Yes they are these here mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-maxi-black-split-face-slate-tiles-600x150x8-20/
I fixed them with a no nails type product, just a cheap one but make sure its one suitable for exterior use. I think I used the Dial one from B&Q. There are two types though so as I say make sure you get the exterior one. They wont go anywhere with that stuff on.
I think his pond is just lovely
@@DazzleKoi Hi Daz, i have got the silver grey version of these. Did you have to angle grind / cut them to make the corners etc? Assuming so but just checking haven’t missed anything obvious as the installation guide isn’t great!
Hi Paul, you can indeed mitre the edges with an angle grinder or a table tile saw but its very time consuming and quite difficult with these as they are slate and tend to just break and de-laminate when you cut them. I prefer to just but them up to each other. This gives a more rustic, natural look which I prefer as well as saving a lot of time and frustration. Its not impossible, but give it a trial run first 👍👍👍
@@DazzleKoi Hi Daz, many thanks for this. Did you still have to cut a few pieces where there is no overlap? Don’t suppose you remember what adhesive and primer you used ? Sorry for the questions going to try and give it a go!
Hi m8 I've just set up a ea eazypod uv automatic how long does it take the k1 to mature and shall I leave the uv switched off to speed it up cheers clayton
Hi mate, its impossible to say as there are so many variables. It can be done in a few weeks or I've seen it take 12 months. You just need to follow the start up procedure (I've made a video on it) and be patient really.
Leave the UV on. The bacteria you need will grow inside the filter on surfaces, none of them are free swimming so they wont go through the UV anyway 👍👍👍👍
what kind of window glass is that ? and where did you get it? Appreciate the pointer so i can get similar glass.
Hi Gus, the glass is manufactured by a local glass merchant. Its two pieces of 10mm Optiwhite (low iron so no green tinge to it) toughened and laminated together to give a total thickness of around 21.5mm including the PVB interlayer. Any local firm will make one for you and expect to pay around £250 for a window this size.
All the best 🎅🎅🍻🎅🎅
hi mate where did you get your fibre glass from was it kit form thanks paul
Hi Paul, yes I got a kit with everything you need. It came from here www.fibreglassdirect.co.uk/fibreglass-pond-kit.html
Hi Daz how do you get the deffuser effect from you bottom drain with out a air pump.
Hi Gary, I have the spindrfiter bottom drain and it does run from an air pump. I have the 70 litre EA pump that comes with the Eazy pod air model. The pump is diverted to the Eazy Pod for cleaning and the rest of the time it runs the bottom drain diffuser.
Thank's daz
Where did you get the maxi split face tiles from please mate?
I got mine here but they have gone up a lot since I got them. Not sure if they are still the cheapest place. Great service though. mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-black-split-face-maxi-slate-tiles-600x150x8-20mm/
Can i ask is there a preventative medication that should be added to the pond , winter or spring to be used as a general treatment/pick me up ?
Hi Nick, its a good question and some companies have produced products that they claim are just for this. in my opinion, the best form of preventative 'medicine' is to keep your water as close to perfect as you can. I don't advise treating at all unless you have an issue that you have identified. If it isn't there, there is no need to treat for it. A bit of extra vigilance at this time of year wouldn't do any harm but other than that, just keep doing what you are doing 👍👍
Thankyou, i will do just that
Hi new sub. Do you use a dechlorinator on your trickle in?
Hi mate, no I don't. Chlorine is gassed off in a few hours and I have no chloramine in my supply. I trickle in a good 30 - 40% a week at times and I've never had a measurable level of chlorine in my pond.
Welcome to the channel 🍻🍻🍻
@@DazzleKoi Thank for replying.
I see your running a 3" pipe/ drain . Have you had any issues with it ?
Hi Paul, no its spot on. Eazy pod flows are to small for a 4" drain, the velocity is very slow so you get settlement in the line which can lead to bacterial issues. Its slightly to much for a 2" but 3" is perfect
Hi buddy I’ve just built a raised sleeper pond and one of my neighbours has said that he will make me a stainless steal frame for a window which is a real bonus .but how do I install do a put the frame to the wood then the rubber liner then the glass,or rubber liner first then frame and then glass thanks and have you a link for the tiles please 👍🏻😀
Hi mate, the tiles I used are these mrs-stone-store.com/natural-stone-tiles/mo101/eco-black-split-face-slate-tile-600x150x8-20mm/
Regarding the window, I must confess I have never used a frame so I don't know exactly how they work. If you go with no frame you need to make a recess in the inside of the pond that is the same depth as your window is thick. You can then either seal the window in as normal and seal the liner to the window as in this picture aurello.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/koi_pond_build_3-min-2.png or seal the liner in to the recess and then seal the window on to the liner. Ive always felt that a frame gives an extra surface to seal that you don't have with a frameless install but I know a lot of people do use frames very successfully.
I would recommend asking in one of the facebook groups for advice off someone who has done it though to be honest 👍
@@DazzleKoi thanks for the help appreciate it cheers 👍🏻
@@DazzleKoi afternoon Darren how hard was it to cut the tiles and what did you cut with cheers
Hi mate, they are natural slate so really easy to cut. I have a small battery angle grinder with any disc on and it goes through them easily 👍
@@DazzleKoi cheers darren
Another question mate. Have you ever had any predator issues? I've never but i do have gulls in the area as im close to the sea. Ponds 4.5 feet deep do they pose a risk wud u say? Usually covered with a net on a wooden frame but may try this season no net as its an eye saw
Hi mate, I haven't , no. I've seen herons around and we live near a large mere but Never had them bother my fish. I like to think the spindrifter helps with that as the surface is alway really disrupted with the air column so predators can't see in to the water.
I did have a friend of mine have all his little goldfish cleaned up by seagulls but I've never heard of them taking koi. i don't cover and never have. Oh actually I do have the shade sail now (took it off at the moment until the snow risk has passed) so that will also help
@@DazzleKoi I'm tempted to try it in spring. My ponds just abit bigger than yours same layout with window etc. I'll leave the air on the portable bottom drain constantly n give it a go 👍 cheers for the response mate
No problem mate. One other thing is , if its herons you are worried about, I know they need a bit of horizontal space to land and take off so if you have walls and fences around your garden it makes it difficult for them. I back on to a sports field so there is a massive high wall behind my pond that probably helps. Also the splash guards I suspect will give them problems but I don't have them along the front.
@@DazzleKoi yeah its quite enclosed cheers n iv got a breeding pair of magpies in the woods behind me that supposably attack big birds like herons 👍 I was more concerned about gulls but i hope my ponds to small to dive bomb like they do in the sea n I will leave the air on constantly to obscure their view. Think I'll risk it when winter covers come off n see how i get on 👍
Hi Daz!! I want to buy all these things and make a pond. I'm serious... in Tokyo.
Hi mate, I don't even know if you can get these filters over in Tokyo. I can come over and build it for you though if you pay my expenses 😁
I went to Tokyo a few years ago, great place. I was working in Chiba at the time 🍻
@@DazzleKoi Oh that's great. You would understand how difficult it is to keep a Nishikigoi in the middle of Tokyo. In fact, I'm planning to move within the next year. Seriously, you'll have to talk to me about it then. よろしくお願いします！！
Hello, I have watched a few of your videos now and watched loads of others on UA-cam. However, yours are some of the best. Curious about your Nexus filter. Does it use two pumps. One from your bottom drain and one to pump it back into the pond or does gravity take the water out. I am going to get one after watching your video but was not shower of the plumbing? Cheers
Hi Jon, thanks for your kind words 🍻
Its an Eazy Pod rather than a Nexus, the smaller of the EA filter range. It just uses the one pump. It is set up gravity fed which means the filter is sat at a height such that the ideal water level in the filter is the same as the water height in the pond. So when the two are connected (via the bottom drain and 3" pipework between them) the water fills the filter. The pump is fitted on the outlet of the Pod and it pumps water back to the pond. As the pump empties the Pod it fills back up from the pond via the drain pipework again thus creating a circulating flow.
There is a video on my channel about pump fed versus gravity fed which explains it better and includes some diagrams I made. Have a watch of that if my explanation above isn't helping, its not easy to put in writing 👍
Where abouts did you get the fibreglass kit from pal?
Hi Iain, I used these guys www.fibreglassdirect.co.uk/fibreglass-pond-kit.html?ad_term=&ad_campaign=8422390004&ad_placement=&ad_group=84233493805&ad_device=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvYSEBhDjARIsAJMn0ljPvq1cRY1t5TnHelERUr1t9La4TZWKj95k_xiVx5O6Vz3E7_kNBLwaAqZzEALw_wcB
What happens if the concrete base moves/breaks? We have a shed in our garden on a base which has cracked
Hi Daniel, I haven't heard of a pond base cracking but I guess it could happen if you don't get the correct thickness and concrete spec. A lot use rebar or fibers in the mix to give some extra strength but I don't think its necessary for a smaller pond like this one.
Need some advice m8 I've got eazypod uv automatic with a tempest and a shower and my water aint that clear I know u have the same set up and know your stuff any advice please daz cheers clayton
Hi mate, first thing is the confirm that you are actually feeding the waste in to the filter. If you don't have good circulation and water movement then the solids wont ever be fed to your filter so they will never be taken out.
What volume is your pond and how many koi do you have?
Also, what flow are you running through it all?
@@DazzleKoi my pond is 10,000 litres has 15 koi which r between 50cm and 25cm , I have a 20,000 varipump running at 60% which splits between the pod and the tempest at a ratio of 60/40
Hi mate, I'll be honest, you have a pond there that is way too big for a pod and tempest to handle and a LOT more fish than you really should have in there to.
You want to set it up so you have 5500 litres an hour through the pod and 5000 litres an hour through the tempest. Its best to measure this rather than assume based on the vari pumps output.
But even if you get them running optimally I'd be surprised if you ever get really clear water.
You honestly need at least a nexus 220 on there with the tempest to handle that load.
Hi dad will a 3in drain be ok for a pond that will be 9 by 4 foot please
Hi Ian, the drain size needs to be matched to the filter really. Do you know what filter you are going to use on it yet?
for this size pond how much blocks would I need to get and is that 4 inch bottom drain too 3 inch
Hi Kevin, sorry for the late reply. Its a 3" bottom drain as I'm running and eazy pod which only pulls 5500 litres an hour. 4" would be too big and cause settlement at that flow.
I cant remember exactly how many blocks I used but its roughly 10 per square meter if you are standing them on edge. So probably around 80 for a single skin and then I doubled up the front where the window is. You can calculate it more accurately with an online calculator though 👍👍🍻👍👍
@@DazzleKoi ok thanks
I really like your system for overflow. Nice and neat. How do your control and measure your trickle-in?
Hi mate. I have an isolator on the supply at the house end. Like the one on the little test point on the left on the video. I set it by flowing it in to a measuring jug for 1 minute and then multiplying it up. Its set to give me approx. 30% water change per week. Its adjusted with a screwdriver so it isn't easily changed by accident.
How long is your pond and how wide?
Hi David, it is approx. 2.8m x 1.8m and 1m deep. Its on the small side and could do with being a bit deeper but it fit the space I had and is a nice manageable size and cheap to run 👍👍
@@DazzleKoi its a nice size and for sure your koi will enjoy it for a couple years, kinda jealous
Cheers mate 🍻🍻
need help have pond one air pump fitting 18mm I need to adapt to 8mm air pipe any ideas? The pump came with a rubber tube that is about 18mm but can not seem to find a fitting for my large air stone that has a 8mm pipe.
Hello mate, I don't think there is actually an item to do what you require. I have the same problem myself every time. I always end up just finding bits and pieces out of the shed and lashing something up. I've even taking it to a koi dealer before and they weren't able to help me. I think I have various thicknesses of tubing inside each other and insulation tape on mine at the moment.
@@DazzleKoi hi I managed to find what was needed kockney koi do an adapter fits perfectly not expensive either
I have a nexus with air, can I turn my air off on bottom drain for winter
Hi mate, I always advise leaving everything running. Other than a few pounds there is no benefit to it being off and plenty benefits to it being on, It helps keep the bottom clear. Its good to disturb the surface as well to make it difficult for predators to see your fish. Oxygen is always needed to.
Nexus are nice but a bit pricey. I built my own filter costs me $200 usd
I have my pond for 6 months now and my pH has been dropping everyday. I've been adding Bicarbonate to push up the pH from 6.5 to 8.0. I've been feeding 4-5 times a day because we are in summer now in Australia. I've added small shell as well as change 10% water everyday for my garden. What else can I do to stabilize the pH fluctuation?
Hi mate, bi-carb will add carbonates and increase you KH but it will also increase pH. When are you measuring it? pH will be lower in the morning as no photosynthesis has occurred over night. It will gradually increase throughout the day and peak at dusk. pH from 6.5 - 9 is fine for your koi to live in. Its more important that it is stable than it is to be at any particular point in this range as koi struggle to adjust their bodies to changes in pH.
When you start to feed more as the temperature increases your pH will drop also.
You can use things like oyster shells etc in your filter to buffer the pH or add regular bi-carb as you are doing.
Do you know what your KH reading is? Its important to have a good amount of KH to buffer against drops in pH.
@@DazzleKoi How do I measure the level of KH?
Hi mate, it is part of most test kits. I use the Colombo kit for my water testing and it is included in that. If yours doesn't have it you can buy a separate KH test kit 👍👍
Hi sir, may I know what’s the thickness of your glass ?
Hi Daniel, its 2 pieces of 10mm toughened glass laminated together to give a total thickness of approx. 21.5mm with the interlayer. This is the minimum and I would recommend going thicker if you are any bigger or deeper 👍🍻👍
What are the dimensions of the pond, i'm looking at building a pond that the eazypod can handle within range
Hi Jason, its 2.8m x 1.8m x1m deep. Its less than 1000 gallons and I would say the Pod will handle a bit bigger based on what I've seen. Maybe up to 1400 gallons or so 👍
Was the blocks you used 100mm or 140mm?
Hi Steve, standard 100mm blocks. 7N dense concrete
@@DazzleKoi ok brilliant goes to show you need to over engineer the build process 👌👌
Sorry, you are right , but I should have said, I did double the nibs at the front that hold the window as they are quite vulnerable spots Rest is single block on its side 👍👍
Hi can you change to much water in a koi pond ?
Hi Brandon, the best water is the stuff that comes out of the tap (minus the chlorine and chloramine of course) so I would say no, you can't change to much, as long as you take out the chlorine etc. I sometimes have my trickle in going at around 100% a week and that's fine 👍👍
how big is the window
Hi Keven, it is approx. 1500 x 750mm and I used Pilkington Optiwhite, low iron glass to maximise the transmission
@@DazzleKoi thanks
Are you willing to share approximate cost? 10k? 50k?
Hi there, I would be happy to but I honestly don't know for sure. From memory, the concrete base, block walls, sand and cement render, fibreglass, tiles on the outside and window came to approx. £1200. Bottom drain, all pipework, filters (didnt pay for the tempest), pump, UV was probably very similar, around £1200.
I did all the work myself (had an extra pair of hands to lift the window in place and to mix the fibreglass resin) so no labour cost.
I would guess £2500 in total would be a good estimate.
@@DazzleKoi not bad thank you
It is Koi and I got it from Amazon and it was £23 ,75 for the book
I don't have that one, I'll look it up 👍
Filter at 5:19 thanks me later