My First pond

Hello and warm welcome to the Forum.
As to posting photos, please see advice given here:
www.irishfishkeepers.com/cms/component/o...w/catid,27/id,33875/

Before you put in your underlay my suggestion would be to fastidiously check for stones in the soil and remove anything vaguely sharp. You really would be surprised how the soil will 'move' after the liner is set and the weight of the water gets on it - I honestly don't understand how it happens, but truly, it does.

When I built my last pond I covered the hole with 2 - 3" of soft sand, you will be surprise how well, once dampened, it will adhere to the sides too.

I then placed the underlay in place, followed by the liner (don't try this alone even a slight breeze is a real hazard and quite a few curses were directed to the West!!!) then the tap was turned on with the hose directed into the liner.

As it fills you need to tuck in folds and overlaps but you get plenty of time, don't worry.

6x4 is rather on the small size for Koi, but you could get away with a small amount - but be prepared to either build a larger one later, or trade them in for smaller replacements during the passage of time - depending on how attached you become to your fish.

2ft would be deep enough - even though the recommended depth for Koi is 3ft. I once had a small pond, merely 15" deep at the deepest point, with fish in and added a few Koi - once they reached 9-10" I traded them in.
I think that the 3ft minimum is perhaps a legacy from the days we had hard winters and water would freeze, often to a depth of two, or even three feet. But I measured the depth of ice when we had the freeze-up around Christmas and it never reached 3".
I have a friend with a Koi pond which is only 18" deep, although a much larger surface area than yours is intended to be and his fish have really thrived.

Here's an interesting little thread with a note of caution regarding children and water included.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/cms/component/o...d,18/id,69088/#69277

John

Looks good,
Please keep us informed as to how it progresses.
Might it be worth considering some sort of guard rail? - I know, I'm sounding a bit paranoid but children and water does make me shudder.
Also, if one did fall in even with 2ft of depth there is no way of easily getting out with no step, I would suggest a step up off the level of the bottom on the garden side of the pond's inner wall...(hope this is understandable, difficult to put into words).
John

phat1 wrote:

Gerry The Chip wrote:

Great job mate the stone mason done a a really good job also. What fish are you gonna put in it? Gerry

Thanks gerry i think it has turned out well,Couldnt get a mason so the brother and i done it.Fish wise i'm not really sure i would love a few koi as i think they are a lovely fish,after them im not to sure put i would love colourful fish,can you recommend any i should look into? Plus i dont know where to look for them in cork

Send a PM to Gavin (Fishowner) he's in Cork and will be best able to advise you of the best places to shop there, also joemc.

John