Filters should be function as efficiently as possible at all times. Because it is unlikely that all solid waste will be trapped in settlement, the biological part of a filter system must be well designed to minimize blockage of the media. If a blockage occurs in a filter then it must be cleaned out, and much of the valuable bacterial bed that has built up over, may be, a period of years will be lost in the cleaning process. When the filter is subsequently returned to duty, it will have a greatly reduced capability. Water quality will therefore fall and you must take some form of corrective action to avoid or minimize this potentially dangerous time for the koi. Using open filter media is one way to keep biological filters from blocking. Another way is to direct the flow of water through the media in such a way that they are easy to clean. Modern filter systems incorporate both these ideas to minimize any possible risk of blockage. Flow through the media in all types of filter systems is normally upwards, but where aquatic foam is used in a chamber, the water would normally flow downwards. The foam used in filters is often graded for its void size and stacked to provide for both mechanical and biological action. Void size relates to size of the pores, or holes, within the body of the foam. Make sure you can remove the foam layers easily for cleaning. An advantage of up flow is that in a well designed chamber floor, the settled waste rests at the bottom of the chamber, rather than lying on the surface of the media. From this low position it is easy to flush the waste through the chamber’s own bottom drain to sump. If necessary, back flush the media by isolating the chamber with valves or standpipes. Once isolated, open the bottom drain valve. Much of any accumulated waste lodged in the media will wash down the drain and away to sump with minimum effort. Gently hosing with pond water can help remove any stubborn dirt.

Before installing a water feature you need to ask yourself several important questions first:

What is your budget? How much can you spend on the entire project? You could spend $3,000 on a water feature and find out you still need an additional $1,000-1,500 for plants and amenities, such as a deck, gazebo, walkways, fish or

landscape lighting in the pond, waterfall and lawn. Other possible extras are a biological filter, auto-fill for pond, skimmer, back-flushable bio-filter, and more.

How big is a water feature? If you are building your own, then structurally size is not that big an issue! I would charge the same price for a 3-foot high waterfall as I would for a 5-foot; the same for a 3 by 5-foot pond as a 4 by 6. There is only a $200 difference in cost between the 1,000 and 2,000 square feet of concrete shell surface. Your main concern about size should be space, not cost. How much of your yard can you sacrifice? Even if the space between your house and the property line fence is limited, a water feature can be incorporated.

Small ponds 1½ to 3 feet deep can facilitate a sump pump located within the pond. Even though a sump pump is inexpensive, it consumes much more energy than an above-ground pump. A pond any deeper than 3 feet requires an exterior pump for better accessibility and maintenance, and at a higher cost. But they pay for themselves in a short period of time with the energy savings. Also, larger ponds require greater filtration, more cleaning and maintenance.

The size of the waterfalls will determine the size of the pump needed. The higher the waterfalls, the bigger the pump needed to supply the water and the greater the cost for electricity. Height creates head pressure which requires more energy and is the major factor in operating cost.

How much entertaining will you do? Will you need a deck? If so, how big? You might consider placing a pond next to an existing deck. Many people do just the opposite, they build a pond and then construct a deck beside it. In this case, you can take advantage of an existing deck and construct an open stairway (stair bridge) to

span the pond. This affords unique access to the opposite side.

Will you have adequate room for table and chairs? Do you want a spa? Or a fire pit or barbeque? Enough lawn for games? Where do you spend most of your outdoor leisure time? That is the area for your waterfall! The waterfall will bring you the most enjoyment, therefore it should be located closest to the area where you

plan to spend most of your time out of doors.

Do you want to see or hear the waterfall from indoors? Consider adding an exterior patio or French doors to your house to access your water feature area. Do you wish to have fish and other aquatic creatures? Long term, a properly maintained nitrogen cycle costs less than maintaining a pond that uses chlorine and other chemicals. Fish, plants and proper bacteria are needed for healthy pond and nitrogen cycle. Once properly established, a healthy fish pond is virtually maintenance free.

Are you willing to remove or replace certain trees or bushes to enhance the waterfall and pond? Some trees have very aggressive root systems that can literally move concrete as they grow, causing cracking and upheaval. Certain trees can

contribute a great deal of debris to the water feature that fouls the water and may cause premature failure of the filter system.

What type of rock do you want? A commonly used rock is cobble stone. However, because of the round shapes, water rolls over the surfaces and creates a minimum of sound or visual effect. In contrast, irregular, angular, sharp-edged

granite or similar rock creates turbulent conditions similar to white water as it flowsover the edges. The greater the “white water” the more sound is produced. Also, a side benefit is the aeration of water which benefits fish and discourages the production of algae. However, do not attempt to match the color of rock with the decor of the house, brick and other features of your home. Stay natural – contrast is good!

What about electrical supply for the pump and equipment? In 20 years I have never seen the electrical costs for supplying power to the equipment site exceed $1,200, and the average is less than $400.

What about a water supply for an automatic water leveling system? Water is very accessible in any household and getting it to the water feature site is a minor expense. Simply tap into an outside water faucet.

There are hundreds of questions that arise in the course of a water feature project. It is best that most of these questions are answered prior to commencement of construction, it could save you hundreds of dollars by avoiding mistakes.

Look before you leap and research before you weep. Happy koi, peace and joy.

Some people who already have a garden pond often wonder if the pond that they already have can be turned into fish ponds. The answer to that question is yes. Ponds that you already have in your garden can be converted into a pond where fish can live in them, and there are only a few changes that you need to undertake. There are a number of conditions that you will need to consider when you are thinking of putting fish in an existing pond and these include the size of this pond, the depth, and the other features that are included in it.

Most of the ponds that people incorporate into their gardens when they first create them often come with certain features like fountains, waterfalls, and such. As long as there are no big suction holes or rotating parts where your fish might find get caught and may cause them harm, then these existing ponds can be converted into fish ponds. A garden pond that is made of fiber glass, made of wood, or even made of cement and tiles can all be used for this purpose as long as they are prepped for your fish to live in first.

When you are considering converting your existing garden pond into a fish pond, one of the things you will need to check is the depth of your existing pond. If the pond is small and shallow, then that means you can only have smaller fish types. If your pond is only around three inches deep, you can still have fish in them, usually gold fish. There are a number of many different types of goldfish you can choose to have in your existing fish ponds and these include the more unusual types like the bubble eye, the lion head, and the ranchu goldfish.

If your existing garden pond is somewhat bigger, then you can consider having koi placed in them. There are also a number of koi that you can choose from and these vary in color and size and can be easily placed in any existing pond you have as long as the water is deeper than three inches. You will also need to consider the size of your existing pond before you place any fish in them or convert them to fish ponds. Fish need ample room to move around in, and overcrowding them in a small pond is not healthy for them nor is it attractive to look at as well.

The water of your newly converted fish ponds will need to be conditioned to be able to make it habitable for these little creatures. You will need to add a water conditioner to your pond to get rid of any of the harmful chemicals that may hurt your fish. You will also need to get yourself a biological filter to help keep your pond clean and free from dirt that your fish will produce. You may also need to maintain your pond’s cleanliness by changing 20 percent of its water at least once a week to help keep the water clean and your fish healthy.