Cant believe I want to do this, but the bug has bitten badly and when I'd built my pond I thought I had a nice size, but since finding this forum I realise I have a "splash" pond and so therefore want bigger.

Now where I currently built my pond I managed only a 4.2x1.6m pond thats 1.4m deep, I have been thinking now and have thought that around the corner from my pond I have another 5 meters to that wall and want to bring it out by about 2 meters which will effectivly move my pond size from 7500lts to about 24000lts.

Want to build the extension bit first, then break down the one side of my existing pond and join it all up..

Now my question is, is this safe to do, what should I bear in mind, just want to do this the safest way that will not create a future problem, was thinking if breaking down the one side, they chipping off all the plaster and then just replaster everything together. The only difference I want to do this time is build up the extension with bricks where I will then plaster over the entire pond.

Advice pls!!

Here's a pic of the area I want to do, pic is the only one I have and is about 6 years old......but should give you an idea of what I want to do.
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Currently
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My only fear is joining concrete floors..

Why not build the new pond separately ... then you have a QT Facility too.

No, I really want it to be one big pond that all my fish have a nice big swimming area.........if it can only be seperate then I would rather not build it at all

thanks for the replies btw

Cliff,

Colyn's idea is the best. To modify an existing pond always cause problems.

Trust me!

What if I dont break the entire wall down, and instead just break it half way down, sort of like a meter down and just have that part flow into the extension where the fish then have access to both ponds and where the exntension floor etc can be seperate from the current floor, then all I have to worry about is the wall under the join btween the 2 ponds????

I'm sure that would work......or not???

I would also do it separate but with a link between the two that can be shut off if and when needed for quarantine or a hospital facility. You can install two 110 mm pipes between the two. Most of the fish will be able to swim through. When you want to quarantine, you just put two 110 ends in the holes, and separate the two ponds within minutes. When you are finish with the quarantine procedure, you just take the ends out again.

mmmm, nice idea Paul, will maybe just break the wall down about 800mm and build plastic rails into the sides and build a custom door that can be glided into the rails to seperate the 2 ponds when QT is need and then remove the sliding door when I want both ponds accessible at the same time.....I'm pretty sure that by joining the 2 ponds this way and not trying to join floors and side walls up and by just joining a middle section up like this I should encounter problems, will sort of be just an underwater bridge area about 800mm below the water surface.

Sounds to me like killing 2 birds with 1 stone.

Oh.....and Pieter......Bobby......Marius.......and anyone else who has a big pond......I partly blame you for all of this change I want to initiate now!!

A sliding door would cost a lot of money and how will you prevent the water from coming through. Much easier to just make two 110 mm holes. The 110 mm end will be water tight. Also referred to as 110 mm socket plug:

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QT aside, I would like to have the 2 ponds appear as 1 bigger pond.....wouldn't want a wall seperating the 2, so if I were to break down the wall abit and plaster this into the new extension do you foresee any structural difficulties that I would encounter??

Thanks Marius

That tree was remove 6 years ago.......the pic is very old but the only one I could find showing the area.

Luckily for me I have a 700lt pond which I could use as a QT facility already, so dont really have the need for a QT.

My wife told me on the weekend that she gets great satisfaction from seeing what joy my current pond gives me.........aint I a lucky guy!!!!

Cliff,

welcome to the “I Should have” gang.........................( That is “ I should have built a big pond from the start”)

My advice to new comers, if you want to build a 20 000lt pond, double up and build a 40 000lt pond. If you don’t use this formula, your pond will cost you much more pretty soon later.

You could always use the existing pond for smaller fish to grow-on in, and the new BIG pond for the big Koi.

In any case, if you like to deal with problems, by all means, extent your existing pond and become a member of the “ I should have listened.....................” crowd.

fok!!!!

Will rather leave that one as is then and build a bigger pond elsewhere then......just the front of my yard is the only place to access for dirt removal etc.........I will come up with a plan......if you dont see me on the forum after december then you know I did the modification and it was a big gemors.

anyways.....thanks again

i know what you want it must look like one pond but have the option of 2 so why not use both ideas pauls and yours have the pons wall between the 2 about 300 to 400 mm below the water line so the pond when full looks big and fish can swim from one to the othere but also have a few holes 110 down for water flow then when you want to QT just drop water level and plug 110 holes easy, now all i need to work out is were im going to build my bigger pond.

I have had months of trouble rebuilding my existing pond, only to make it 1m deeper, bit I'm glad I did it. I was able to go deeper and could extend the old wall by building deeper and used a double side wall. I am not sure what will happen with your foundation, but I would think that basically building a second dam next to your one, with a good connection, as the others suggested, would work.

Alternatively, why not remove the soil next to the area you want to build, break the existing part of the wall of your koi pond, throw a new concrete foundation for the whole pond and build the sides- two walls in the new area and one wall on the inner side of the existing pond. Fill the gap with concrete.

Remember, I'm part of the club: "As jy nie wil hoor nie, moet jy voel". Same as you

Quote :

In any case, if you like to deal with problems, by all means, extent your existing pond and become a member of the “ I should have listened.....................” crowd.

ya, thats pretty much the idea I'm going with Angry and Albie......I'll only modify the existing back wall on my existing pond and build the new area seperately and then join the 2 with a top shelf and some 110mm pipes in the wall below it, will then have 1 bottom drain in each side aswell......

If done properly and I dont try and match up 2 different bases etc etc then I'm sure I'll get it right.

Yes Cliff some very interesting ideas, personally I do not think looks or aesthetics by joining 2 ponds is going to add Koi keeping value. Two total separate ponds believe me will add value and give future Koi keeping options. I am always trying to find ways to accommodate Koi to prevent overstocking and to QT bigger KOI, my 1000lt QT can only handle small koi. I do not have many Koi and some of my Koi is already in a mud dam only due to no space at home.