Koi pond small private courtyard
Koi pond in a small private courtyard is so relaxing.
Pond specs:
3000 gallons, 4 1/2 feet deep, 14′ x 14′ in diameter , 3 return jets, 3 inch waterfall supply line, 4 inch spin-drifter bottom drain with air assist, Aladdin, no niche skimmer, Aqua, 160 watt UV clarifier, bubblebead 5, as a prefilter, Aquadyne 16000 bio filter, Artesian Pro 1/2 hp pump, shelf fish hatchery /nursery, under the pond dewatering system, Bluestone flagstone patio and cast rock, man-made Boulder’s and waterfall. Today’s price for this pond with all its bells and whistles is close to $60,000
On your left the top port is a suction line for the skimmer and the lower port is for 1 of 3 return jets push material toward the main drain/bottom drain.
The top left port is return jet #2 to circulate material from the top shelf/fish nursery toward the bottom drain. and the port to the right at the bottom, is return jet #3, to move debris toward the main drain/bottom drain.
The green tank to the right is 1 of 2 biological filters. The manhole is the ponds under liner dewatering system. The vertical 3” white pipe is to supply the waterfall.
if you have any issue of poor drainage on your property and the answer is a under liner dewatering system. an under liner/shell dewatering system will prevent hydrostatic pressure from building up under the pond or pool when the water is drained. you may only have to drain that wateronce in a great while but when it has to be done and it’s rained prior I’ve seen concrete swimming pools float and, if you shell floats you either jackhammer whole thing out or cut the top straight. a under pool dewatering system is an ounce effort for, literally, tons of prevention.
After performing friction flow calculations, we may determine that a 1/2 HP pump can actually deliver more volume of water to your system than a 3/4 HP pump. We know this might seem counterintuitive, but that’s why you hire Aquatic Artisans Inc. to build your pond. In fact, we tested this on this exact project, using the same pump operating at 230 V. Remarkably, wiring it at 230 V not only avoids adding a cent to your electric bill but also provides slightly more water flow compared to wiring at 115 V. It’s true!
Get your cake and eat it too.
Like most people, you may have champagne tastes but a beer wallet, and opportunity has knocked with the gift of beautiful koi fish or aquatic plants and goldfish. You want a properly designed and tastefully finished koi pond, so don’t settle for second best. Consider working on it in stages. The image to the right showcases the ideal setup to keep your fish healthy and safe while you save for the finishing touches over the next year or two.
Whoops! The Pondgod had a better idea, so he bit the bullet to make a positive difference. Another reason to go with Aquatic Artisans Inc. is the minimal lag time for change orders to be implemented. And, because the Pondgod hates paperwork, you might just get away with no upcharge on the change order. (So-called Certified Pond Builders live for that change order to upcharge you.) The pond was fully functional with fish and surrounded by the large, beautiful natural rocks for over 2 years — see the beautiful natural boulders to the left.
Design Changes: The first design change is to have the flagstone patio stones cantilever out over the edge of the pond. The second change involves switching from natural rock boulders to cast rocks. That’s right, it’s all fake rock! Additionally, the foundation needed to be lowered by 8 inches to achieve the desired effect. Here we are cutting off the first row of cinderblocks all the way around
The liner had to be removed, seen here bunched up to the right-hand side. The real rock boulders were removed and koi are in 2-560 gal holding tank with full life support on the patio.
The shell has been adjusted, the liner is reinstalled and the koi thanks are back in the pond.
Ready for the cosmetic phase.
When coloring rock you start with the latest color and work toward the darkest.
We apologize for the oversight in misplacing the pictures of our cast rock placement. This project took a dedicated team of 4 people a full 3 days to complete, with all materials meticulously pre-stocked on-site to ensure efficiency. Here’s a glimpse into how we achieve the vibrant colors of our cast rock formations: we utilized three main colors specifically chosen for this location. Unlike ordinary house paint, we use a high-quality commercial-grade acrylic base stain. This stain, akin to fingernail polish, is designed to provide durability; it doesn’t wash off easily and certainly isn’t cheap, ensuring a lasting, beautiful finish.
NOTE: the plant pockets on the left and right are boulders with the top cut off to keep the fish from picking at the roots yet, still gives the rock theme without looking at an ugly plastic container. and they allow water and nutrients to circulate in and out without leaving habitat for mosquitoes to breed in.
