I'm about to expand my 400 gallon pond to a 1250 gallon. Yea!
Some background: San Francisco location, it never freezes. Leafy,
shady area. Pond is a large "C" shape (I know it's not ideal, but the
pond goes around trees & roots). The "C" is about 1' at it's
narrowest and 3' at it's widest. I've got 3 fish I think are koi (6"
long, with whiskers) and 5 other small goldfish, 2 perpetual tadpoles
and one frog. Also, I've currently got an Oase Aquamax 1000 pumping
into an Oase Filtoclear 800. with no skimmer and no bottom drain.
I'd like to have a skimmer & bottom drain in the new pond.

There is now a small waterfall I'm thinking of transforming into a
water-garden/exposed veggie filter (i.e., 3 levels of shallow pools,
each pool ~2' diameter, each filled with plants). Any opinions on
whether this should work well for water cleansing?

Biggest question: Any tips, suggestions, opinions about joining a new
liner to the old one? Anyone have success doing this, or should I
just spend the $ on a new huge liner? (Don't forget, the "C" shape
makes for a lot of unavoidable bunching-up of liner, whereas is I join
the old to the new, I can avoid alot of the bunching).

Should I keep the old pump/filter set and get another 'small' filter/
pump set (and use both at once), or scrap the old and get one larger
new set?

On Sat, 18 Aug 2007 18:42:46 CST, RG wrote:

I'm about to expand my 400 gallon pond to a 1250 gallon. Yea!

Yea! :-)

Biggest question: Any tips, suggestions, opinions about joining a new
liner to the old one? Anyone have success doing this, or should I
just spend the $ on a new huge liner? (Don't forget, the "C" shape
makes for a lot of unavoidable bunching-up of liner, whereas is I join
the old to the new, I can avoid alot of the bunching).

Don't do it, buy one piece, even if you get it right, it will always be a
source of worry. So far I've yet to hear of a success story that I
remember.

Should I keep the old pump/filter set and get another 'small' filter/
pump set (and use both at once), or scrap the old and get one larger
new set?

Keep the old, but get a new larger one. The old is already cycled...
assuming you're going to some how keep it running during the remodel?
Perhaps on the holding container? ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Should I keep the old pump/filter set and get another 'small' filter/
pump set (and use both at once), or scrap the old and get one larger
new set?

Keep the old, but get a new larger one. The old is already cycled...
assuming you're going to some how keep it running during the remodel?
Perhaps on the holding container? ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds:www.jjspond.us

Well, that's a question too: I've got a clean 55 gallon HDPE drum I
could put the creatures in during the remodel. How long do you think
they would last in there? It would be awfully tight. And the frog
won't be happy without a view...

On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:12:15 CST, RG wrote:

Keep the old, but get a new larger one. The old is already cycled...
assuming you're going to some how keep it running during the remodel?
Perhaps on the holding container? ~ jan

Well, that's a question too: I've got a clean 55 gallon HDPE drum I
could put the creatures in during the remodel. How long do you think
they would last in there? It would be awfully tight. And the frog
won't be happy without a view...

That is pretty tight. Right now is the time to get kiddy pools on
clearance. Be sure and net the top so they don't jump out, use as much of
the water from the pond as you can to fill it. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

In article ,
~ jan wrote:

On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 07:12:15 CST, RG wrote:

Keep the old, but get a new larger one. The old is already cycled...
assuming you're going to some how keep it running during the remodel?
Perhaps on the holding container? ~ jan

Well, that's a question too: I've got a clean 55 gallon HDPE drum I
could put the creatures in during the remodel. How long do you think
they would last in there? It would be awfully tight. And the frog
won't be happy without a view...

That is pretty tight. Right now is the time to get kiddy pools on
clearance. Be sure and net the top so they don't jump out, use as much of
the water from the pond as you can to fill it. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

I used one of those formed plastic whiskey barrel pond liners as my fish
motel. The kiddie pool was too shallow and filled with plants.
Didn't want the bigger fish flipping out in their rambunctiousness since
sides bow out and there is no lip.
I used a small aquarium pump and airstone to keep the water aerated, but
used no filter. Water started to get a teeny bit toxic after about a
week, though, so I was happy to get them back in a pond before too
ammonia.

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

Don't do it, buy one piece, even if you get it right, it will always be a
source of worry. So far I've yet to hear of a success story that I
remember.

We joined the liner used in our falls to the liner for the streams.
No leaks yet.

Jim

On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 23:12:36 CST, Phyllis and Jim
wrote:


Don't do it, buy one piece, even if you get it right, it will always be a
source of worry. So far I've yet to hear of a success story that I
remember.

We joined the liner used in our falls to the liner for the streams.
No leaks yet.

Jim

Joining in streams, not such a problem, but at the bottom of the pond? I'd
worry.

Recently a club owner enlarged her pond, contractor didn't get big enough
liner, seamed it (both pieces brand new) lasted 6 weeks and started
leaking. She had to buy a whole new piece and the contractor had to rip it
out and do over. :-( ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us