Kudjap or Bust wrote:BM - Just a quiick thought, has normal concrete been used on your pond or has some kind of waterproofing agent added to the mix?

just spoke to my man, and he said no special stuff mixed in the concrete just normal, he built it from blocks/bricks like he was building a wall(swimming pool) in the ground then rendered the sides and tops so it was purfectly square even on the edges, no cracks have appeared after several years, and at the moment what with the weather in Udon he tells me the water is virtually clear and the fish are very colourful and happy at the moment.
He even asked if i wanted a pool in the garden the built same way but tiled.

The waterfall is a good idea - water bubbling down a wall of rocks will aerate the water, helping to keep it clear, and to also help keep the fish from trying to gulp air at the surface on hot days.

One thing I suggest before getting too far into this, Kudjap, is to read up on concrete fish ponds on the web. Concrete is alkaline. I recall reading advice to give such ponds several months and several water changes before putting fish into them. Much like we have to add acid to swimming pool water. But read up on it yourself -you may find a way to speed up the process (such as by using a swimming pool test kit and keeping the PH neutral "manually".

Alge will cause the green color. Add a few ppm of Copper Sulfate and that will be finished. If its really, really green circulate the water before you add the copper sulfate. The dead alge will consume all the oxygen and kill the fish. The copper will do nothing to either fish, people or regular plants.

The brown color is clay from the soil, sediment will generally settle out for time to time. You can remove it by adding alum or aluminum sulfate at 1 or 2 ppm just prior to the filter, but it will just come back again from the soil and fish. Adding plants will clear up the water, some underwater stuff would be good, but the carp (goldfish) will generally eat anything so its difficult to grow stuff under the surface.

Brown water is just like the girls, some brown is better than others.

I worked in water treatment for a while.

Tom

Brown water is just like the girls, some brown is better than others.

Too True Tom, Too True.

Thanks for the tips.

beer monkey wrote: he built it from blocks/bricks like he was building a wall(swimming pool)
He even asked if i wanted a pool in the garden the built same way but tiled.

Would single rendered and tiled brick walls be enough for a swimming pool? I was told by a friend when he visited from the US the walls would need to be double brick with a gap in between them filled with reinforced concrete to put up with the water pressure..... I nearly went ahead and built one that way.....

I am certain its 2 bricks thick as the wall is around 8" on the top edge,would have to investigate further if i let him build a small pool.

I just happened across this ad, and immediately recalled this thread. If the claims for the product are anything like the truth, one or even two of these might be a fabulous addition to a fish pond, depending upon its size.

http://www.bargainoutfitters.com/cb/cb.asp?a=303340&pn=3