A concrete pond is not for a back yard pond.
A concrete pond is the material of choice for a large and deep specialist koi pond. A concrete pond is not the right choice to build a back yard pond or small garden pond.
If you want to grow large koi then there really is no option to a highly engineered complex, probably concrete pond.
Just do not expect to get one of these in a back yard pond of 200 gallons or so even if a concrete pond.
This is a champion koi - photo courtesy of Nigel Caddock, "Nishikigoi International". This magazine is a MUST HAVE if you are seriously interested in building a large concrete pond.
This subject of engineered concrete ponds is beyond the scope of this web site. However this does not mean that koi are unsuitable for back yard ponds. Quite the opposite their colours, grace and beauty make them almost an essential ingredient for a back yard pond of any size and shape. The subject of koi keeping keeps many a great mind occupied for long stretches of time and can involve fortunes of money.
In any case should you ever want to own or grow large koi then make sure your pond depth is at the very least four feet and preferably six feet deep. This allows a more constant temperature environment for one thing.
If you really want a large concrete pond then it is critically important that you employ a skilled pond builder. People who build good swimming pools do not necessarily build a good koi pond where bottom drains, wall design and filter requirements are very important design considerations.
Koi grow large when well fed and cared for in large concrete ponds with state of the art filtration mechanisms, and in an environment where they can exercise by swimming in water which does not usually go below 15 degrees centigrade. Sounds odd doesn't it when I talk of koi swimming for exercise?
For Nigel's web site and beyond you cannot do better than go to http://www.koimag.com . This site really is very special as are the people involved in running it. I saw Nigel recently on a trip to the UK's most important trade gardening show. He was assisting the demonstration of a very modern highly engineered and revolutionery koi pond filter made from stainless steel. What made the filter more interesting to me was the fact it was being made in my home town of Wigan in the UK ... memories of time gone by, lots of time.
Our company won the best new product of the year award in the water gardening section at GLEE 2002 that was held in Birmingham at the NEC. It was a fiberglass water feature that resembled a cave wall.
I have read your book with interest and have found it most interesting. I wish I had read it before constructing my pond Gordon Powell, seaview@scottburgh.co.za
I read your book cover to cover last night ., Excellent, this is just what I was looking for. It is hard to find such a comprehensive collection of information in one place. I have been searching the web for about 4 months. Brett Salavoy, Brett.Salovy@za.didata.com