The Pond

After nearly 8 years without a Koi pond, we finally got round to digging again in 2011 and our first pond was completed in June 2012. The full story, together with photos, can be found here! The pond ran successfully for 4 years although, during the last few months we had been struggling to keep the water clear.

Right: Pond No. 1

However, in May 2016 disaster struck! Mike was breaking down a box on the patio one day and when he looked up towards the pond something didn't look right. As a peeled back the bamboo screening that was along the front of the pond, he found that the wall had completely split and there was a 4" gap!

In order to investigate further we had to get the Koi out of the pond as quickly as possible. We moved some of the Koi to our neighbour's pond and the rest to Your Koi. All this was done with the help of Allan Leighton and Paul & Joan Rodgers.

Once all the Koi were out Allan, Paul and Josh Langton (our friend who had helped dig out the original pond) came to give a hand to remove the coping stones and pull out the liner and insulation.

Unfortunately, there were several cracks around the pond
and so it was decided to knock everything down to ground level, with the exception of the back wall which had no
cracks in at all.

At this point we had hoped to save the liner to use for the
new pond when it was rebuilt.

And so Paul, Josh and Allan began the demolishing whilst Mike carried the knocked out bricks to a skip which we had on the drive........

We managed to retain the back wall and so Allan began putting markers in the bottom of the pond ready for a concrete base – something which we had omitted on the previous pond.

The skip was finally filled and taken away, just in time for the first delivery of concrete blocks, sand, cement and mesh.....

Mesh for the bottom of the pond and Allan starting the first mix. Fortunately we had our own cement mixer this time which saved a lot of hard work! Once Allan had the mix right, Mike took over as labourer, bringing all the bricks round from the front of the house (with some help from the next door neighbour) and carrying on with the mixing.

The mesh in the bottom of the pond and the concrete base being put in.....

Finished concrete base (approximately 6" thick) with a slope of 6" from the outside edge to the centre where the bottom drain was being inserted. The two planks of wood in the bottom were for Allan to stand on whilst building the new pond.....

A new wall was going to be built inside the existing walls, up to ground level, in order to ensure that the pond was solid. It was at this stage that we realised, of course, the gallonage of the pond would be reduced. Allan, therefore, suggested that if we built one block higher than the original pond this would compensage for the gallonage loss. I readily agreed and, so, building began!.....

Mike and Allan – two very happy builders!!

In addition to the added thickness of the walls, brick ties were also inserted in order to provide extra strength.....

The new inner walls had been built and were now going above ground level so it finally looked as though progress was being made. The photos show the 2nd and 3rd rows completed and, on the right-hand photo, the new outer wall is now starting......

Mike emptying the bottom of the pond of any surplus cement from the brick-laying, and another delivery of blocks, sand, cement and the outer facing bricks for 3 sides of the pond.....

To be continued.....

When this page has been completed there will be an album of the complete building of the pond.

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