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Your second question: I would not recommend the water level being 1/2 inch below the liner. You WILL get leaks... its just a matter of when. Overtime (and with freeze and thaw in certain areas), the ground around the pond will settle, shift and the liner can slowly pull inward. 1/2 inch isn't much room for error, so hope that wind doesn't blow too hard. Typically, when I install ponds, I prefer about 6-12 inches of "extra" liner overhang. This gives you enough to plan for settling and trouble shooting. Third: Not sure what size pond you have or the construction type, but the amount of fish will depend highly on the volume of water you have and the frequency of circulation. I've heard a formula that says 1" of fish for every 20 gallons of water. I'm sure you can push the limits to 10 gallons per inch, but be aware that more fish is worse. Koi and goldfish are carp. Carp are naturally dirty fish. Start with fewer and slowly add a few each year. If you use regular goldfish, in time they will spawn and you'll have more than enough anyway! Forth: Bacteria starter is not for your fish. It starts the ecosystem using bacteria that feed on the amonia, nitrites and nitrates. Goldfish and koi are fairly hardy fish. You can add fish as quickly as 48 hours after install. The key is to make sure the water is flowing constantly for 48 hours. This will allow the chlorines to disipate. THAT and not slowly acclimating the fish to water temp changes is what hurts fish. When adding your fish, feel free to add some rock salt to the water. The salt restores the fishes natural slime coating, which is compromised at stressful times (like being transported). This should help the likelihood of survival. I would not recommend waiting 2 weeks to add fish simply because algae blooms can takeover VERY quickly. Your fish will feed on the algae and keep it under control, so try not to wait more than a week. Adding more plants sooner than later will also help you add fish sooner. Finally: Koi LOVE vegetation. No problem. You can still have plants and Koi without preventative measures and still have a nice, wholesome pond without eaten plant life. The key (again) is NOT to overstock. The more fish, the more competition for food, and naturally Mr. Lillypad looks tastier and tastier! Start with fewer fish and slowly add more year after year. I wouldn't worry if the occassional fish nibbles a plant or 2. Its bound to happen, but following my stocking advice will keep this to a minimum. BEST OF LUCK! Sean |
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