A Koi Pond is Born!
Follow Along from Conception
to Completion as The Pond Doc Builds a State-of-the-Art, Low-Maintenance Doc's
Dream System Koi Pond in His Own Back Yard.
Practical Information
This is the page where I'll record the construction project's quick-view facts. A timeline will let us know, at a glance, how long it took for the project to be completed. We are only able to bring crews in to work on it about two days out of the week because we must get our day-to-day duties done as well. Our deadline to complete the pond and populate it with our "babies" (our koi) will be early October.
This page was last updated 10/10/2006
Winter 2005 - Most all planning done. The Doc and I sat down and drew out what we wanted and discussed what we'd need.
Spring 2006 - Roughly dug the main part of the pond. Got absorbed in daily duties of the store and mail order and had to postpone the project.
August 2, 2006 - A 5-man crew built most of the wall structure of the main pond.
August 3, 2006 - A 4-man crew finished the main pond's walls, capped the walls and dug the first bottom drain trench.
August 8, 2006 - Holes were cut into the walls for the skimmers and jets and the fittings installed. The fountain base was installed. The digging was completed on the trench for the other bottom drain. The lines to the jets and skimmers were installed.
August 9, 2006 - The lines for the other bottom drain were installed and most of the trenches back-filled. The area was cleaned up, the floor was smoothed and the mounds of excess cement on the walls removed.
August 10, 2006 - The hill was cut out and much of the backfill of the walls done with the dirt. Some dirt was moved to the bottom terrace to build a pad on which the equipment will sit. The bottom drains were installed.
August 11, 2006 - The floor was marked and prepared for pouring the cement bottom. The cement bottom was poured and finished.
August 15, 2006 - The pad where the equipment will sit was built up with dirt. Work began on the tier.
August 16, 2006 - The concrete pad was poured. The trenches around the outside of the walls were back-filled and a machine was used to pack down the loose dirt.
August 22, 2006 - Another row of caps was added to the wall to bring the height up and to perfect the leveling. It started to rain and all work came to a halt.
August 23, 2006 - The walls to the tier were almost finished. The drain line was added to the tier. Work began to plaster the interior walls of the pond to prep it for the lining.
August 24, 2006 - A 4-man crew of masons came in to finish the tier walls and began work on the rock facing on the exterior walls of the pond and tier.
August 25, 2006 - The masons returned to continue the rock work. They also began working with the flagstone that will top the walls.
August 26, 2006 - The stonework was completely finished! CIM was painted onto the wall of the tier where the waterfall will go. That wall was completely covered with stacked stone then all the stone walls were capped with flagstone.
September 5, 2006 - Plumbing was run into the interior of the tier. The cement floor of the tier was poured.
September 6, 2006 - The area around the pond was cleared of debris. The pond walls and floor were cleaned.
September 12, 2006 - Intake plumbing to #1 Pump Installed. Filter and UV for #1 System set into place.
September 13, 2006 - Filter and UV for #1 System Installed.
September 16, 2006 - Interior walls to the tier prepped for lining. Coating process began on tier.
September 19, 2006 - Lining (coating) finished on tier. Intake Plumbing to #2 Pump installed. Return lines from #1 system installed. Lions brought in and set aside.
September 20, 2006 - Fountain head installed. Sides of main pond taped off to prepare for spraying of liner. Weir installed and water-proofed. The electrical box was installed.
September 21, 2006 - Plastic taped on to protect rockwork. Sealant painted onto walls and floor of main pond as primer for liner coating. Liner sprayed onto walls. Floor painted with primer once more for added protection. Part went out on compressor and floor to pond was not sprayed.
September 22, 2006 - It rained early. Floor and walls to main pond dried with combination of wet vac, blower heaters and towels. Floor of main pond sprayed. All plastic and tape cut away. Lining process completely finished! Jets Installed. Tier filled with water to test for leaks.
September 23, 2006 - The main pond was filled up to the lowest jet and left overnight for observations of any leaks.
September 24, 2006 - The electrical wire was installed into the electrical box.
September 26, 2006 - Skimmers Installed. Tier Floor Sanded. Filters for System #2 Installed.
September 27, 2006 - System #2 cranked up for a test run! Pond filled completely. Waterproofed top rim of pond.
September 28, 2006 - Main Pond leaks - 2 inches per day = 265 gallons.
September 29, 2006 - Leaking areas found and marked on tier and in main pond. Leaks covered in tier.
October 1, 2006 - Filled volcanoes (where gassing occurred) in main pond with Pond Armor.
October 3, 2006 - Filled more volcanoes in tier - Blue-taped problem areas.
October 4, 2006 - More patching of lining material!
October 5, 2006 - Re-filled tier and pond to check for leaking.
October 9, 2006 - No leaking!!! Conditioned water. Added enzymes. Tested water. Added 8 small to medium koi.
October 10, 2006 - Koi eat for first time. Everything fine! Foaming in main pond occurs. Used Doc's DeFoamer to get rid of it.
The Project Schedule
(click on each step for pictures & details)
Though I tried to place each step in chronological order I am finding that as we progressed I often have to go back and revise what I've already completed. The color codes are as follows: BLACK is "Not Started", GREY is "In Process", PURPLE is "Completed" and RED is "Recently Revised"
Have a question about the construction of our dream pond (or any other question for that matter)? Click HERE!
To get to each section of our project so that you can see pictures and follow along with our progress, simply click on the stage in which you are interested.
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Finishing Up |
Practical Information | |||||
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