Beginnings

[DrRob]

Well we have a pond.
 
At the moment it's a 10,000 or so litre hole in the ground, but it's being tweaked slowly into something that should look nice.
 
It also has a stream.
 
it doesn't, as yet, have it's pump or filter, we're looking into the options there (any useful suggestions would be nice) but it should make for a nice thing to stock.
 
In case anyone is wondering, the fence is there to stop the little one getting to the bit where the water is over the level where the rocks in the stream bed drop below the water level.
 



 

 

[fluttermoth]

 
Looks fantastic!
 
#jealous

 

[Chad]

I really like the look. It reminds me of an ancient well. Which is a good thing. It means the pond looks like it's been there forever.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Indeed, looks great.  When are we all invited for a cookout?

 

[ncguppy830]

whats going to be your sttock?

 

[DrRob]

Thanks folks. I like it, so hoped other people would.
 
Stocking wise we're slightly undecided. I'm not really a traditionalist so fish like rudd or tench spring to mind. I'm not sure if it's big enough for tench though. Water is hard as concrete so they'd both like it.

 

[fluttermoth]

You can have some of the goldies from my pond if you like, Rob; damn things won't stop breeding!

I really like the look. It reminds me of an ancient well. Which is a good thing. It means the pond looks like it's been there forever.

Yes! That is what it looks like! In a couple of years, once your planting's grown in, it's going to look like it's been there for centuries

 

[Squid31]

Very nice look indeed

 . If only I could build a pond...

 

[DrRob]

Looking at pumps at the moment. These things seem to be big enough that power consumption becomes more important than initial cost fairly quickly.
 
A sequence 12000S retails at £445! However it only uses 92W at full tilt.
 
A slightly less powerful APS one, the HZS-370 uses 450W for an initial £129.99.
 
Over a year 450W x  24 hours x 365 days = 3942 kWh per year. Wheras the 92W unit only uses 806.
 
At 12.5p /unit, that's a saving of £392 per year in electricity.

 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

As long as the more expensive one holds up, its a no brainer!  If it breaks within a year, not so much.  But it should last at least ONE year.  Go for the more expensive one (I mean the less expensive one).

 

[DrRob]

The more expensive one looks like it's more likely to hold up long term as well. Now I'm just trying to make sure it's actually beefy enough for what I want.
 
Waterfall maths makes my head hurt.

 

[MBOU]

Go halfway get an Aquaforce 15,000 solid pumps with no teeny tiny flimsy bits to break off, plus Hozelock products are one of the most reliable on the market and their customer care is great. I have seen even poorly maintained pumps last 4-5 years minimum never having been cleaned! Just replaced my neighbours 15 year old hozelock pump that had never in its life been cleaned last week
 
RRP is roundabout £249.99 but have seen em as low as £190 I think
 
And stats wise.. its 180w so in the middle there as well
 
PDF of the leaflet:
http/www.hozelock.com/aquatics/pumps/filter-pumps/aquaforce--pumps/aquaforce-15000.html
 
http/www.hozelock.com/aquatics/pumps/filter-pumps/aquaforce--pumps/aquaforce-15000.html
 
Seriously recommend their Revolution filters as well! Great new design of sponge cubes work really well! That said... it is a new design....and it does work really well... and so you pay more for it compared to your bog standard pressure filters... well worth it though for the UV (is double the size of uv lights in other filters of same rating) and the easy backwash and sponge cleaning!
 
http/www.hozelock.com/uploads/pdf/instructions/Aquatics%20Instructions/bioforce/33853-000%20BioRevoInst-Web.pdf
 
I should just go work for Hozelock!!

 

[DrRob]

OK, all advice on pumps ignored (sorry MBOU) when I bought a fishmate 16000 with an aquaone filter for £190 for the pair.
 
The fishmate shorted out every time it was turned on and underwater. So the LFS replaced with with a bermuda pump, which has been working fine since I wired it in today.
 
Thrown in a few plants so far, nothing really all that special, and need a tonne or so of cobbles still for the top of the stream but it's nice to see the water actually moving now the new pump works.

 

[nortonmad213]

really interested in how this progresses. looks really good so far

 

[DrRob]

Right now it has a few plants bedded down for the end of the season and the second pump running (first shorted whenever it saw water, which is a failing in a pond pump).
 
We also have a leak somewhere in the stream, but I'll deal with that in the spring. Pumps are just running the small ponds at the moment, leading into the bigger pond.