Pat & April's pond

Summer really was upon us this time, weather and all !!!!
Our next visit was to Pat & April's 4,000 gallon pond on one of the hottest Sunday afternoon's we had had in 2011.
Set in a lovely lawned and planted garden containing acer's,hostas roses and hanging baskets sat Pat & April's pond.

Square in shape and lined with a box welded liner a 4 inch bottom drain feeds a Nexus filter unit as the main filtration for the pond. A skimmer line also ran from the pond via a heating system, TMC 55 watt UV and a E.A eazy pod filter adding to the filtration of the pond all this situated out of sight behind the pond.

With water returning to the pond via one of the many returns, cleverly masked with the use of bamboo. A large pergola covered the pond to protect it from the full sun that the garden enjoyed.

The koi were a real mixture of varieties and sizes with many go sankes but perhaps a fondness shown towards the chagoi and ochiba shining through as there were many good examples of each in the pond.

A large attractive Shusui also cruised around the pond hoovering up the food when offered, it had to be fast mind with the number of chagoi's it was competing with.

Another great visit had by the East Yorkshire Koi Society, thanks to Pat & April for the invite.

It's not all pond visits and fun you know!

Well it is really but this May weekend was taken up with a different kind of fun......

The East Yorkshire Koi Society ground force event.

I have not gone mad it really happened.

Darren & Helen were in the process of rebuilding their pond, they had a hole and were ready for the concrete to create the base to house the bottom drain & for the walls to be built upon.

Darren had mentioned that he was having the concrete delivered and wondered if anybody was available to help...........
"Are you mad I thought?" "Im not barrowing tonnes of concrete on my weekend off" was my initial thought but the promise of bacon & sausage sarnies for brunch was the carrot I and others were swayed by to help.
One after another members of the E.Y.K.S volunterered to help, soon there was more than enough to make it a much easier job.

The Saturday morning arrived and sure enough everybody turned up to help move the concrete including Helens Dad who had the pleasure of moving the first barrow load of concrete and........spilt it!

Overloaded barrow, operator error or a flat tyre on the wheel barrow,
we will never know the reason why but with a helping hand from the others it was all soon cleared up and we were off. I never personally counted, maybe Helen or Darren can let us know but about an hour passed and we were nearly done, two people had been in the hole supervising where the concrete should go whilst levelling the concrete off and the rest of us using one of the many barrows to carry it to the hole.

There was also enough for Keirans new pond too.

All involed really earning and appreciating the bacon and sausage butties.

A really great morning of hard but worthwhile work, showing me what great members the East Yorkshire Koi Society has.

Mike & Rachael's Pond.

The next pond visit was an evening trip to Mike & Rachael's 4,000 gallon pond.
British Summer time certainly didn't let us down either, the weather had been nice all week and then on the night of the visit....it chucked it down!.
But a bit of rain doesnt stop the East Yorkshire Koi Society.

The garden contained many potted bamboo's,acers and hosta's of varying colours and sizes as well as a number of hanging baskets,really managing to make the most of the space available.

As for the pond itself, it is rectangular in shape, block built and lined by fibreglass.

It is filtered via a single 4" aerated bottom drain feeding an Evolution Aqua Nexus 300 filter. The system is powered by a 12,000 Oase Aquamax pump then back through a TMC 55watt UV through a mid water return to the pond. A really simple system but one that works for the pond. He also has two Hi blow air pumps, one for the Nexus and one for the bottom Drain.

The inhabitants of the pond are mainly go-sanke with just a few exceptions including a Chagoi, Ochiba, Asagi and a shiro Uturi.

The fish were bought from Premier Koi and the more recent additions have come from Neil & Harry at Dock Koi.

The pond is covered by 3 sail shades at the minute to help as the pond is in full sun all day but Mike is looking to build a pergola over the pond in 2012.
Another great visit for the E.Y.K.S thanks.