Did The Earth Move For You?

First of all .... where has the year gone? I can't believe we're in to October already, not that you'd know from the glorious weather we've been experiencing of late. And i know I've said it before but yet again i can't believe it's been two weeks since our last blog update again. It would seem that we're currently living our lives by the fortnight instead of on a week by week basis. I guess that's what comes of being busy.

Very little has happened pond wise over the last couple of weeks really. We've had to make some modifications to the pipework which takes the waste water from the filters as originally this was also connected to the drain in the filter house floor. The problem being when you fully opened up any of the waste valves the water backed up and flooded out of the drain in the floor. We've now separated the waste filter pipework from the drain to alleviate this problem.

The additional brick work etc that's required to "finish off" the pond has been put on hold for the immediate future as Gaz (who completed the block work for us and is scheduled to tackle this job) and his partner are expecting their first child anytime now. So as you can expect, he's been rather busy at home preparing for the new arrival. We wish soon to be Mum & Dad all the very best and look forward to seeing them with baby very soon.

In the meantime we've been diverting our attention and energies back to our original plan at the start of the year ... the revamping of the middle garden. Blog followers may remember that the work planned to revamp this area had to be postponed when we decided to rebuild the pond, especially as we needed somewhere to put the masses of earth which we dug out. Well I'm glad to say that with some hard work and determination, plus the help of some family and friends we've finally managed to get rid of the earth. What's more, we've even managed to rotivate the area in readiness for the official work to commence once again.

We didn't stop there though! We utilised the rotivator whilst we had it to go over the area around the pond in order to help us level off this area again in readiness for finishing off, although this would have to be next year. We'll have to re-rake the area a number of times before it's as level as we want it so in the meantime, and especially as the members of the EYKS are coming to see our progress so far next Sunday, we've laid out the landscape fabric and temporarily held it with bricks until we're ready to permanently fix in place.

Are We Nearly There Yet?

I wonder how many times we've been asked this and for that matter, how many times we've actually asked it?

If you're anything like us this standard question especially synonymous with children is normally met with "nearly", "just around the corner" or even "just over the next hill". And the same is true in this context as we're "nearly there" with our pond build.

We've just about finished tinkering with the filter house as well as the filter system. Just a couple more minor tweaks and we'll be done although i'm sure in time they'll be plenty of opportunity for further adjustments and enhancements.

As for the pond itself, again we're "almost there". We've a couple of cosmetic lifts to complete before we'll be willing to class this pond build as being finished, thus closing this chapter of our Koi keeping legacy whilst at the same time opening up yet a new one.

In the meantime a couple of our larger Koi appear to have given their "fins up" to their new aquatic home.

First Fix's First

After the initial fill up and test run of the filter system we identified a number of small drips and a few leaks which would need our attention. Despite our best efforts to create a leak free system by taking care when gluing the pipework etc together, we knew that a few leaks would be inevitable.

The first areas to come under scrutiny were the leaks. These being around both pumps and the bead filter. A change of connector on one of the pumps rectified that leak whilst application of PTFE tape followed by a good tighten up rectified the other pump. The bead filter quickly followed after repositioning a rubber ring on top of the unit that seals the lid, then tightening up the bolts a little more then we'd previously done. We also had to tighten up more the bypass connectors as these were dripping water, which was duly done.

We then set about curing the other drips around the pipework which we completed as and when they were found with some good old "gunk" or tape. We systematically worked our way around the pipework and cured the drips until we couldn't see anymore.

After rectifying the leaks it was time to start the pumps up and get the system running. The switch was flicked and the pump surged into action. For a minute or so everything was working well - water was gushing into the vortex and we had a good flow into the Nexus with levels being maintained in both. However the bead filter seemed to be spluttering a bit. AIR !!! After fixing the rubber seal issue on the bead filter we'd forgotten to purge the air, which was quickly done. Take two!

The pump was switched back on and the levels etc checked in the vortex and Nexus. A quick check of the pond returns outside followed where we noticed that the flow out of the returns seemed to ebb. Back into the filter and we soon identified the issue. The pump was almost sucking the Nexus dry. We valved the flow from the Nexus to the pomp down which made a difference, however it was nearly shut. The pump was obviously too powerful.

On the flip side, we noticed that with the skimmer there didn't seem to be any significant pull whatsoever. The conclusion being that the pump on the skimmer line was too small. We swapped it over and tried our old Aquamax 10,000 and it made a vast improvement straight away.

After a quick phone call, Paul at A19 Koi & Pond Supplies was more than happy to help us out with our little predicament, as he has done throughout our pond build. Armed with two Superfish 12,000 we returned home eager to set the pumps up and get switched on as soon as possible. However first we had to deal with one last leak .......

Yet another week has passed since the last blog update and we've certainly seen some changes in and around the pond. I don't know if there's something in the air (perhaps it's the glue vapours) but we seem to have shifted up a gear and have made considerable progress in the last week as follows :-

First thing to report is ..... the window's in! Gaz who completed the block work for us came round last Thursday evening to give us a hand putting the window in (no it's not Gaz in the picture).The water used to combat the ballooning bottom was drained during the day so it didn't take us long to fit the window once we'd started.

We also finally fit the aerated bottom drain. At this juncture, and after months of planning and building, we finally turned on the tap to begin filling our pond through a flow meter so we'd have an accurate figure at the end of filling of the overall pond volume.

The first job on Friday was to turn the water back on in order to continue filling the pond. We'd turned it off the night before as we wanted to present just in case something happened. After then purchasing more bits & bobs first thing Friday, the rest of the day was spent finalising and titivating the plumbing for the filter system, whilst all the time the water level in the pond slowly increased. We also switched filling position from the main pond to the header pond which when full, would flow into and fill the main pond anyway. At 11.10 pm we'd reached maximum levels in both the header pond and the main pond!

 Saturday morning and we were eager to get out into the garden and take stock of the situation in day light. We weren't disappointed! In our opinion, all the hard work, ups & downs, time and effort we'd put in to reach this point had finally all been worth it! It was now time to open up all the valves and fill the filter system so that we could then have one final top-up and achieve total pond volume. It wasn't long before this was achieved and ...... 19,640 litres or 4,320 gallons !!!

We also started the pumps up on the filter system but unfortunately had a few leaks and drips which form our list of first fixes.

We've still got a chunk of work to complete to finalise the actual pond building stage such as laying the facing bricks and applying the render where it's required, after which we'll then be able to apply the coping stones to finish off the pond and complete our pond build.

When In Doubt - Improvise!

"Improvise" is definitely the buzz word around here at the moment whilst trying to plumb all the filter equipment into the filter house. Everything looked fine on paper and in our heads however in reality it's proving to be a different matter.

The plan initially (and what we've been working to) is for the pipework from the bottom drain to feed into the filter house to the right hand side, then flow from right to left through a vortex, then a Nexus 200, through the pump, then the bead filter, through the UV unit and then back into the pond via two returns. On paper and during planning this seemed absolutely fine with enough room to achieve this. In our heads and on paper that is!

The reality of actually achieving this hit home yesterday after finally locating all the equipment into the filter house for a dry run. Although there's enough room physically, when you start adding in the pipework and valves plus taking into consideration the actual positioning of the inlets and outlets on each piece of equipment, the issues start.

What seemed hours of man handling and re-positioning of filter equipment etc (not to mention the headaches caused by all the thinking) we concluded that the original configuration just wasn't feasible, not if we were to retain and use all the equipment in our original plan, therefore a new schematic was required.

After more man handling and maneuvering we finally arrived at a new configuration which actually worked in the available space and utilising all the equipment still whilst at the same time making it a lot easier to connect the various inlets & outlets. This is achieved basically by swapping the equipment around so that the flow runs from left to right, instead of from the right to the left. Water from the bottom drain still enters the filter house on the right as this can't be moved, but is then sent the full length of the filter house via a 4" pipe.

It then enters the vortex which is situated at the left end of the filter house and proceeds to flow from left to right through the Nexus 200, through the pump and then into the bead filter which is located at the right end of the filter house. From here the flow then starts its journey back, now flowing from right to left through the UV unit and finally to the pond returns.

This system is a lot more convoluted than our original plan but will work nevertheless, it simply means the water has to travel further and around a few more bends than first anticipated.

August (Not April) Showers

To quote Billy Ocean (and to a lesser extent Boyzone) ... "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". If that's true, then we must be as hard as nails by now, especially with the latest ups and downs in the crazy world of koi ......

The first thing on the agenda for this particular post strangely enough concerns the latest weather we've been experiencing. To say we're pretty precipitated off is a complete understatement to say the least. We just about managed to finish off boarding the filter house last weekend when once again the heavens opened, and stayed open! "Downpour", "storm", even "deluge" are all words that simply can't put into context the ferocity and amount of rain we experienced. With the sheer volume of water coming down it was inevitable that it was going to cause us problems and on Monday morning the problems could be clearly viewed. The bottom of the pond was bulging with the amount of water underneath.

A quick check with Matt (GRP Lining Services) confirmed what we'd already diagnosed ... we needed to get water into the pond asap to put pressure on the fibreglass to hopefully dispel the water that was present below. However as the pond window hadn't been fitted yet as we were still waiting for more "gunk" the volume of water that we could put in was restricted. After a full day the water level had reached an inch below the window aperture, therefore approximately half full.

Tuesday morning soon came around and although we'd experienced pretty much the same weather conditions as the previous day, the pond floor appeared to have returned to its normal level. A few days after that and the water in the pond appears to have remained at the same level. Hopefully this means no untoward damage which in turn hopefully means no leaks, which hopefully means we've been very lucky.

So we entered this weekend still feeling a little drained from all the man-fluenza etc that we've been suffering with, but with every intention of getting the filter equipment plumbed in etc. Surely by now though you realise that nothing ever goes according to plan ......

Cold & Damp

They say time flies when you're having fun. If that's the case then we must have been having an absolute thrilling time as i can't believe it's been two weeks since our last Crazy World of Koi blog update!

Progress has been hindered somewhat again due to cold and wet weather. I use the term "wet weather" very loosely as we've experienced downpours lately that would have seen Noah rubbing his hands together in anticipation! In fact we perhaps should have been building an Ark instead of a Koi pond?

As for cold, i'm not actually making reference to temperature at all, it's actually been quite warm, in fact extremely "muggy". No, the term cold refers to the fact that we've all been quite ill with a cold (aka man-fluenza). The dreaded bugs knocked the three of us for a six and we're only just beginning to feel human again .... well human with immense headaches, bunged up sinuses and snot!

Despite these set backs we've still managed to make some progress ........... (drum roll)

Keiran's pond is finished (fanfare) !

The home made filtration system (thanks to Wifey) is working a treat and Keiran's original fish have given it the fins up too! And seeing them swimming around through the window is absolutely fintastic, we're really glad we decided to go this route as we're chuffed to bits with the outcome. Can't wait to get the window in the main pond installed, which will hopefully be soon.

As for the main pond, again we've made considerable progression. The framework for the filter house is in place and now ready for boarding. We completed putting the roof on yesterday and have just finished fitting the UPVC filter house window, which looks out of the pond. We'll hopefully finish boarding soon (weather permitting of course) so that we can then move on to plumbing in the filtration system.

Fibreglass - Day 3

Into day 3 of the fibreglassing and the weather was looking considerably better compared to the previous few days. The glassed ponds were looking fine with no further water ingress or drips plus the whole area was looking less damp. So it was on with the top coat.

In no time at all Keiran's pond was completed and Matt from GRP Lining Services moved straight on to the header pond. In fact he almost ran the short distance from one to the other. The inside of the header pond was soon completed with the black top coat which was followed by a well earned cuppa and a quick breather before moving on to the main pond.

Keiran's Pond

Header Pond

The last swig of tea was soon followed by a quick calculation check before the top coat for the main pond was mixed. No sooner was the top coat mixed the whole application process started again, but this time on a much larger scale. The walls were first to be coated before moving on to the floor area. Matt worked his way back towards the window opening before jumping out and finishing off the floor area where he'd just been stood with a roller on a pole. Job done!

Main Pond

Yet another major part of the new pond build process out of the way and although there's still quite a bit of work for us to complete, we definitely feel that with the pond now glassed, the majority of the work on this project is now behind us. What's more, although it's not full of water yet, we actually feel that we now have a pond again!

Fibreglass - Day 2

The amount of rain we'd had the day before really was unbelievable. The site was protected very well by the cover that had been erected, albeit from the odd drip which worked its way through or down. We'd managed to survive a deluge that was for sure, with the only evidence being half full buckets which we'd strategically placed around the area to catch the run offs from the cover in order to prevent that from then running across the ground towards the pond.

After a good look round the previous days work as well as taking stock of the site area, Matt was soon bringing in sheets of glass and tissue in readiness for glassing the main pond as well as Keiran's. By the time the first few sheets of glass had been applied the heavens opened up once again, and more rain descended upon us .... followed by more .... and more .... and more ..... yet more! We thought the previous days rainfall was phenomenal and yet it was nothing compared to what we were now experiencing. The situation was now beginning to cause concern.

Matt had completed glassing half the main pond and was just moving some sheets of glass out of the way when the alarm bell started to ring. The sheets being moved had a damp patch! There was no way it could have come from above as this was directly under the main polycarbonate pond roof so Matt checked the floor immediately. WATER!

The amount of rain we'd had the day before coupled with what was now coming down was clearly penetrating the ground around the site and was subsequently soaking through the walls and under the PU foam. Matt quickly rectified this dilemma whilst more buckets were strategically placed around the edges of the cover where the water was running off the most in order to prevent as much run off water reaching the ground immediately around the pond area. Sweeping brushes and anything else we could get our hands on were positioned to try and channel the water from the cover towards the lowest point where a paddling pool had been placed. Matt continued to work around the problematic area until eventually the water situation was back under control. He then quickly glassed this last area whilst yours truly continued to rush round emptying trugs and buckets, puddles of water with a jug whilst also ensuring the water in the paddling pool was kept to a minimum.

After glassing the main pond it was straight on to Keiran's. This proved quite challenging simply due to its small size. It was now a case of waiting for the fibreglass to cure but with the rain still coming down in droves, Matt decided it would be better to come back and finish off. Plus the weather had been forecast to be more lenient than we were currently experiencing.

Fibreglass - Day 1

Possibly one of, if not THE most anticipated tasks of a new pond build .... the day the pond gets fibreglassed. Although a lot of time, effort and money has been put into the project so far in making the new structure look like a pond, it's not until the fibreglassing has been completed that you actually sit back and think "there's my new pond". And that's before putting the water in!

Tuesday 19th July was the scheduled start date of our fibreglassing experience which as previously mentioned, was being lovingly applied by GRP Lining Services. After a quick safety brief from Matt (over a cuppa of course), he was soon at work and cracking on with the task at hand. After a thorough look around the main pond, the header pond and Keiran's pond for anything untoward, Matt was soon applying the first of many sheets of PU foam lining. The PU foam is cemented direct to the blockwork so there's no need to render. It presents a great surface with which to apply the GRP (glass reinforced plastic) but also offers thermal properties too - so it's a win win situation, especially if you're going to be heating your pond.

Straight after completing the main pond it was on to the header pond for the PU foam lining treatment, quickly followed by Keiran's pond. It was about the time of lining the header pond that the heavens decided to drop it's full content of water onto Market Weighton. It absolutely chucked it down! It's no wonder that Matt insists that ponds are fully covered with ample over hang. There's no way work could have continued without the cover, in fact what had already been completed would have simply been ruined without it.

Time was just about on our side and so Matt decided to glass the header pond also. He'd pre-cut the sheets of glass to length and so after a quick mix of resin, he was soon rollering and applying the sheets to form the fibreglass finish.

After enduring an absolute torrential downpour for the majority of the afternoon, we'd managed to keep the area clear of water contamination apart from one small white splash mark (caused when water interferes with the curing process and discolours the fibreglass) in the header pond caused by a solitary drip from the cover. Things could easily have been a lot worse.

Under Cover Operation

It would appear that we're now enjoying our typical British summer time weather, so we've been making further progress with our new pond build between torrential downpours. Until that is the under cover operation was initiated.

No it's not some new crack down on the tabloids or anything to do with the police for that matter (although some might say Police Squad is more apt). No simply the fact that we've erected a cover over the pond so that no matter what the heavens throw at us, the glassing of the pond can be completed as scheduled. What's more, not only have we managed to cover over the pond area, but the majority of the area where the pond is sited.

Under Cover Operation

Because the majority of the area is now covered, we've been able to carry on working and titivating around the pond even when it's been absolutely throwing down. We've had to dodge the odd shower when the water's run off the top but apart from that we've managed to stay out of the wet. This has meant that we've been able to make further progress as and when it's suited us, rather then having to wait for dry spells which seem to be few and far between at present. For example we were able to complete the blockwork for the filter house area yesterday despite frequent and heavy showers throughout the day.

The blockwork's been completed by Gaz again, a local builder who was on site first thing again. He's so reliable you really could set your watch by him, and he does a great job at the same time. He's definitely been an asset on this build.

We've also managed to remove the "peaks" from the concrete that forms the pond floor so that it's a lot smoother ready for the application of the fibreglass. This work is scheduled for a week on Tuesday and we're very much looking forward to meeting Matt & Lucy from GRP Lining Services who'll be completing this work for us. In the meantime we'll be continuing with our under cover operation.

Up On The Roof

What's the chance of that happening then - the weather forecasters actually getting it right for once! Yesterday was absolutely GLORIOUS and the perfect conditions for kicking back, chillin' out, striking up the BBQ, enjoying a few beers with family and friends and simply enjoying the sunshine.

Instead we were up and down ladders, sawing, drilling, screwing & fixing and generally leaking incredible amounts of sweat. It was extremely hard going to say the least - not because of the job at hand (fitting the pond roof) but because of the relentless heat and the sun. It was perfect weather .... but not for working in. However with only a few weeks left before fibreglassing d-day we felt that we simply couldn't take the chance of leaving the work until another weekend and potentially not getting the job done due to adverse weather.

And so with blood (a few knee scrapes, splinters and general cuts & bruises), sweat and .... loads more sweat, we worked through the heat of the day ducking behind the bamboo and into the shade whenever and where ever possible, until the job was done!

There's still a multitude of jobs to start & complete never mind finish off, and we've still got the filter house to build along with plumbing in all the equipment, but we definitely feel like the old British Rail ..... "we're getting there"!

So over last two weeks we've made little progress with our pond build due to the weather we've been enjoying. In fact, it seemed that every time we picked up a piece of equipment or tool, even a tape measure or pencil, the heavens would open and the rain would pour down. It was as if whatever was being picked up was the switch, lever or button that instantly opened up some heavenly sluice which resulted in a downpour. So yes, it would appear that we're to blame for all the rain we've been having!

First thing this morning and it didn't seem like today was going to be any different but by 08.00am the rain had stopped and it remained dry for the rest of the day. Making the most of the break in the weather we cracked on and completed a few jobs that we'd been eager to complete as soon as we could. The first of these being the header pond build and the fitting of the skimmer as both needed completing prior to the 19th July (d-day for fibre glassing).

We also wanted to finish off the QT/growing on tank which we managed to achieve today!

We're now keeping our fingers crossed that the weather forecasters have got it right and that conditions stay dry for tomorrow, enabling us to get some more jobs done ... possibly even get the roof completed?

One Small Step - One Giant Leap

So things on the new pond build are progressing nicely although this current weather front is hindering progress a little. We mustn't complain though as we've experienced extremely good weather over the build period so far!

So what have we been up to since the last blog? We've concreted the area for the header pond and levelled off ready for the blockwork. We've also backfilled and levelled the area for the filter house ready for concreting as well as fitting the sump and ground drain. We've also been completing a lot of the backfilling around the pond with concrete.

Our original intention was to mix the concrete for the base of the filter house ourselves on Sunday morning however after completing this for the header pond area, we decided that a ready mix option was the better solution. Plus after a scorching start to the day the weather soon turned and by lunchtime it was raining, so in hind sight it was probably the right decision anyway. However it wasn't just the rain the stopped progress ....

After reporting in our blog about the Thrush chicks, quickly followed by their demise, we decided not to report when we discovered another event happening very close by - a Wren nesting. Literally above our heads!

One small step - quickly followed by one giant leap!

 After watching the Wren's fly back and forth for sometime now, running the Husky gauntlet as well as trying to avoid the cement mixer and all of us, it was an absolute joy to see 7 chicks take one small step and one giant leap (again literally) from the nest and into the big wide world. This first step, which was immediately followed by a giant leap to the floor had us all cringing & wincing each time one of the little mites took the plunge, but each and everyone bounced well and was soon scurrying across the gravel and eventually through the fence and into the big wide world beyond for nature to now take care of them. Work stopped not only because we were frightened of stepping on the chicks or running them over as they bounced around, however the main reason for the break was simply to enjoy this natural spectacle which is only normally witnessed via the TV screen. Safe to say ... it made our weekend!

Blocking Marvelous

Saturday morning 08.00am sharp and Gaz was on site readying a mix before we'd even had chance to offer him a cuppa before starting. He already had the days schedule planned out so we were up and at 'em before the big hand on my watch had reached 15 minutes past the hour.With the first mix already being plundered it was time to get the second mix of the day doing somersaults and getting "fluffy" - just how Gaz likes it!

Before long the remainder of the walls were brought up level and all four corners built up to their final heights. The morning was proving to be a bit of a scorcher weather wise - great for sunbathing & BBQ's but definitely not for lumping concrete blocks around as well as aggregates for the mixes. After a good old sausage butty for lunch the remainder of the blocks were laid and by 3pm we'd even managed to clean up ... as well as finish the main pond build itself.

There's still a few jobs to complete for the main pond build itself such as fitting the skimmer and putting the finishing touches to the pond floor. There's also the header pond still to build as well as the filter house and the pond roof, but we definitely feel that a major milestone has been reached.

Sunday morning and after a bit of a sleep in (well for some of us anyway) followed by a lovely cup of coffee and a croissant, it was back out in the garden again for some more titivating. We were soon joined by Grandma & Grandad and so while Grandma kept the "foreman" entertained we set about concreting in the posts which will support the pond roof. We also took the opportunity to back fill a little along the way.

Regular As Block Work

To cut a long story short, Sunday morning came around far too soon following yet another nights restless sleep. You would have thought that we'd have both gone out like a light following the days additional workout, however it would seem that our muscles had other ideas. Although we were both up before the alarm was due to go off, it was quite sometime before the message was received by our arms and legs.

Our appendages kind of sprung into action though when bang on 08.00am, Gaz turned up as promised. Within minutes a mix was on and levels checked with the theodolite as well as the corners being checked with a rather large builders square. With all the levels etc being given the all clear, work soon commenced on the next layer of block work whilst more sand & cement etc was thrown into the mixer in readiness.

Despite a brief rain shower and the threat of a torrential downpour at one point, we made excellent progress throughout the day as well as enjoying a lovely scone for elevenses and a gorgeous sausage butty for ones es! And to top it all off, close of play sees us just over 3 courses short of our goal.

Although block work wasn't on the agenda for Bank Holiday Monday, we had planned to complete a whole host of other tasks in connection with the new pond build such as digging a channel for the water and electric supplies, plus the foundation for the header pond. However normal weather service for a Bank Holiday had resumed and the rain put pay to any plans we had of getting out in the garden and completing any work without getting caked in mud. However we really can't complain about the weather as we've enjoyed more than our fair share of good weather so far ... but it would be nice to just have a little more.

The Shape Of Things To Come

The weekend was upon us yet again which in turn meant the possibility the start of another chapter in our new pond build - the start of the block work! However, before any work could be started there was the small task of getting the materials from the drive to the rear of the property where the hole for the pond currently resided ...

We paced ourselves and after a couple of hours back and forth we'd managed to shift 7 pallets of blocks (308 individuals blocks) which we then stacked around the hole ready for work to commence in the morning. The 12 bags of cement plus the posts which will be used later had already been taken through, so just gone 20.00hrs on Friday we called it a day and retired ready to commence battle in the morning.

After a restless night due to the aches and pains gained from moving all the blocks, morning came around too soon. It's very difficult to brush your teeth when you've got Popeye arms so after bruising my gums it was time for quick coffee and some toast whilst we waited for Gaz to arrive, a local lad who we employed to lay the block work for us. He arrived at 08.00am on the dot as promised and no sooner was he out of his car he was setting up the equipment that would ensure the block work was built up straight and true. He was quite impressed how level the base was and commented that it would certainly make his job a bit easier. After checking the levels again, confirming our plans and double checking the measurements etc, it was time to crack on with the build. I was going to be his labourer for the day and had already had instructions in mixing the perfect "fluffy" not wet mix. The first batch was soon ready and into the wheel barrow and distributed to the strategically placed boards around the hole and the ingredients for the next mix churning around in the mixer. This was to be the rhythm for the remainder of the day as slowly but surely the block work magically arose from our of the base. By the end of the day considerable progress had been made, especially when you consider that the first couple of hours was spent marking out and checking plans and levels etc.

More blocks were brought through from the drive and positioned in and around the pond (it was now no longer deemed a hole)  in readiness for the next days building which was again due to commence at 08.00am.

All Quiet On The Western Front

The same also applies to the north, the east and as well the south. So what have we been doing since last weeks eye full and pond base concreting?

Well .... for a start we've been amending our build plans yet again! We're quite excited about this new "development" but for now we're going to keep it under wraps. It'll be a bit of a surprise .... so watch this space!

We've also been looking at all the equipment and peripherals we'll be needing for plumbing the vortex, Nexus, Bead Filter, UV and pump etc for the filter system and have just purchased a mountain of pipework, connectors, bends etc form A19 Koi  - thanks for helping us out Paul.

We've also made an attempt to get rid of some of the soil which is currently piled up in the middle garden. My arms currently feel like the way Popeye's look - i'm sure you know what i mean. It's going to take some doing but we certainly needed to make a start in getting the middle garden back to some form of normality so that work can once again commence in landscaping this area.

Back with the new pond build and work on the block work is scheduled to start on this next weekend, so although it's all quiet on the western front at the moment, in the background plans are being finalised, equipment procured and surprises schemed.

We've Reached Base Camp

No we haven't suddenly found ourselves on a mountaineering expedition to climb the north face of Everest, however at the start of a new pond build it does seem that you put in an immense amount of work and effort with nothing significant to show for it - just plans, revamped plans and more plans. Plus a multitude of bits and pieces of equipment you've assembled together but packed away until the moment comes when you'll finally need them. I'm sure those people that venture out to conquer Everest and other monumental peaks must feel the same way, until that is they finally reach Base Camp when suddenly the overwhelming sense of "now we're getting somewhere" finally hits home and the reality of all the planning and getting ready is actually coming to fruition. If that's the case, then last Saturday morning we finally reached Base Camp with our new pond build!

Start of the day

 The ready mix concrete from Sandsfield's at Elvington was due to arrive some time around 10.00am. The team of volunteers (or were they coerced) gathered for 09.30am just in case the came a little earlier than expected. Wifey had already been busy and had lined the wheel barrows up ready for the off and had also placed a large piece of old pond liner on the drive, just in case we ran out of waiting time and the remaining mix would have to be dumped.

Bang on 10.00am and the mix arrived. After re-positioning the truck we were ready and under starters orders. Yours truly jumped into the whole, well i say jumped .... it was more of a fall but with a little style, then eagerly awaited the first barrow full. After a few loads it was a quick change with Richard adopting spreading duties as barrow after barrow full of concrete found its way into the hole (and the eye) whist on occasions the barrow nearly followed ..... yes into the eye as well as the hole!

To say it was fast & furious (there's a film there somewhere - with pimped up wheel barrows) .... anyway it would be an understatement. In fact i've no idea at all how long it actually took to fill the hole or how many barrows it involved .... quite a few looking at the red faces that kept appearing from behind a tipped up wheel barrow as another load of concrete entered the hole & eyes. The whole thing was a bit of a blur until the sense of not being pebble dashed finally got through to the brain and we realised that everyone was stood watching and waiting for the master class of levelling to begin. After being given some excellent advice from the driver whilst he was eating his second bacon butty, we set about the task at hand under the watchful eye of everyone!

After some good solid tamping down we finally made our way out the end of the pond exiting via what's going to eventually be the filter house. The Concreting Crew then got stuck into some well deserved bacon & sausage butties along with a well earned cuppa. By 12.00 midday the pond base was complete & levelled, the bacon & sausage butties annihilated and the Concreting Crew all heading home .... to collapse probably.

Base Camp Reached

 A massive thank you to the members of the East Yorkshire Koi Society that gave up their own time to come and help us complete this part of our new pond build project. Their help was invaluable and resulted in a daunting task made easy through their efforts.

Now for the role of honour:-

• Chrissie - For sweet talking the driver and bribing him with coffee and bacon butties, plus feeding and watering all the other hungry & thirsty faces after all their hard work!

• EYKS Members - Mike, Roger, Richard and Roy (the Concreting Crew) for their sheer hard work in getting the concrete from truck to in hole (and eyes don't forget) in such a small time frame and with very little spillage - simply awesome!

• Grandad - The senior member of the Concreting Crew!

• Keiran (our son) - For helping Chrissie bribe the driver - with his sweets.

• Wifey - For helping out with absolutely everything!

The Concreting Crew

One Step Closer

After the escapades of suicidal cement mixers, unforgiving glues, JCB GSD's and not forgetting uncooperative bottom drains, it was good to take a little breather for a day or so before embarking on the next episode of the new pond build.

Back to it again last night and after checking the bottom drain to ensure it was level still (it was) and that it was securely encased in concrete (check!) it was time to install the steel mesh which was supported 4" off the base of the pond with a number of bricks. We then added a number of stakes around the area set 20cm above the ground which we can then use to level the 4.2 cubic metres of cement when it's delivered on Saturday.


After the hassle of last Saturday it's good to feel optimistic about the project again and to know that we're one step closer to achieving our goal. We're now just hoping and keeping fingers crossed etc that our luck with the weather that we've experienced so far will hold out for us.

Testing Times

Today really has been a testing time in the Crazy World of Koi.

I started digging out one of the pond corners to square it off at about 09.30. I'd not been digging long before i needed to take a bit of a breather, not just because i'm so unfit but because it was so "muggy". As the morning wore on it became more and more humid and the going was getting tougher. I really don't like this sort of weather and under normal circumstances would be wishing for a thunder storm to clear the air. Today however was different as we'd planned to install the bottom drain, therefore a downpour was the last thing we needed.

Lunchtime arrived ..... and so did the rain! Fortunately it was only a shower and by the time we'd finished our sandwiches & crisps the rain had almost stopped. We'd already glued the majority of pipework in place for the bottom drain along with the air feed pipework which had been given time to go off while we had lunch. Not that it needed this length of time in these conditions. In fact we'd actually struggled to push things in place the glue or cement was going off that fast.

Up to this point things had gone reasonably well for us, apart from the manic assembling due to the glue going off so fast in the "muggy" conditions. However it's quite amazing how a couple of little things can soon turn you into an ogre!

A base for the bottom drain was duly prepared by digging a hole and filled with around 6 inch of concrete. We then positioned the bottom drain in place ready for the next mix to concrete it in place. The mix was looking good and we were just about to transfer it to the barrow when the cement mixer fell over. Concrete spewed everywhere and the mixer convulsed on the floor until i managed to pull the plug form the extension lead. Concrete was quickly picked up and transferred to the barrow whilst the rest that miraculously remained in the mixer was also transferred.

To add insult to injury (although no person was actually injured, the cement mixer was diagnosed terminally ill after a severe fracture and is currently awaiting transport to its final resting place ..... the skip!), the bottom drain then decided that it didn't want to sit level for us and insisted on leaning over towards the side where the air pipe sat. Even after trying to prop the air feed pipe with some bricks, the bottom drain still decided it preferred to lean over. Now we've done a fair bit of concreting in our time, in fact my cement mixes have become the stuff of legends (or nightmares when you're trying to get them back out or broken up) so levelling a bottom drain shouldn't have been too much of a problem.

However it was being as stubborn as a teenager (or a 3 year old if ours is anything to go by) and refused to do as it was told. Reasoning, persuasion, bribery and threats were all tried to no avail, until after numerous attempts to get it to see things our way we finally had a break through. A further mix of cement was called for which was duly mixed by hand (thanks to the suicidal mixer) and placed around the bottom drain to secure it, as well as further down the pipework. A further mix would also be required to secure the pipework at the elbow, however it was decided to complete this another time after the cement around the drain had gone off, so as not to cause upheaval again!

What with the heat & humidity, the suicidal mixer, an un-cooperative bottom drain plus the additional holes that our German Shepherd Dog had decided to add to the build, today really has been one of those days! For the first time at the end of a days work, i saw a mess of a garden instead of a potential Koi pond. However i know that after a nice shower and a bottle (or two) of cider, i'll have a different perspective on things again!

New Levels

We'd been rather busy with one thing and another over the past few days so we decided to partake in a little R&R on Monday ... and what better way to relax than a trip to a Koi dealers.

We arrived at Dock Koi a little past 10.00 and were welcomed with a happy "hello" as usual from Neil & Harry. A quick look round the Koi for sale and it wasn't long before one or two (or three or four) fish started to grab our eye. However timing just isn't right and we had to use all our will power to refrain from purchasing, which was extremely difficult! We here to purchase a specific piece of equipment - an Econobead EB40 along with a by-pass, which was duly bought along with a couple of other items. But did we walk out without buying any fish .... nope! I'd tested the parameters of the quarantine system a number of times previously as i'd anticipated our visit and the distinct possibility that we'd want to purchase a couple of fish. In fact we came home with four little beauties - one for Keiran's pond and the other three to keep in the QT system not only to keep the filter system going but also to see what they turn out like when they get bigger. You never know!

Tuesday morning soon arrived and yet again we were up with the larks (actually i'll correct that as round here there not larks but pigeons) and once again raring to go but too early to do any real work. As a more reasonable time approached we managed to get in touch with Fairfax Plant Hire who we'd hired the digger etc from and they were happy to pick the equipment up later. Uniskip from Hull were also very helpful and would get another skip to us as soon as possible. Until another skip arrived there wasn't much we could with the excavated soil, therefore time to turn our attention to ensuring the base of the hole was level.

We positioned a number of stakes around the area and used a long piece of wood and spirit level to check the levels. We'd done a better job in the first place than we'd anticipated and we only had to do a little titivating to complete the task. Things really were going well for us. No sign of the new skip yet so on with the next task - checking the positioning of the filter equipment.

Into the hole came the vortex, Nexus 200 lid and Econobead EB40 body so that we could gauge where to position each piece of equipment within the filter house. It was during this process that the stark reality hit us that we'd excavated far too much out of this area. The tape measure, calculator, pen & paper came out and after some careful measurement and more careful contemplation it appears that our impromptu decision to take the filter house area to the same level as the pond base had backfired on us. We were 50cm too deep!

After weighing up the pro's & cons of different suggestions to rectify the problem we agreed that the best solution would be deal with area on a separate basis again, instead of trying to do it all in one go. Therefore to resolve the situation we'd have to install some shuttering to retain the concrete for the pond base. Remove the shuttering once the concrete has set and then build the walls of the pond up. Once we'd reached the correct wall depth between pond and filter house area, we'll then back fill the hole until we attain the right level to then add the concrete base for the filter house.

In the meantime of course we need to install the bottom drain and pipework and it also means the installation of the sump for the filter waste can be carried much easier as there's virtually no soil at the moment to dig it in to. Forever the optimist!

And what of the new arrivals ..... they're feeding and seem to be doing fine!

More Skips Please!

Day 3 of the big big and again it's early morning and we're eager to get started. We'd made fantastic progress the day before with the help of reinforcements resulting in the filter area being completely clear as well as half of the pond. Time for a big push today to see if we can get the pond fully dug ... however we're to put the soil?

With having the micro digger & MDTT for a short period we wanted top concentrate getting the actual excavating finished and worry about getting rid of the soil later. The other contributing factor being that it was Easter weekend and there was no one available to sort another skip out for us at short notice anyway. The excavated soil therefore had to piled up somewhere before we'd be able to move it on. The answer to this quandary being our middle garden.

Digging was postponed a little longer while the Easter Egg hunt for our three year old son (and Grandparents) was conducted and all the chocolate eggs etc had been secured (he was like a mini Indiana Jones) work on excavating the last of the pond could begin.

We made excellent progress and slowly but surely whittled away the remaining soil that was to be excavated for the pond. The digger had to be relocated a number of times so that we could follow the sides of the pond and as we neared the final corner it almost became like a dance - move to the left and jig to the right. The last clump of earth had to be hand dug from the corner as it was impossible to see exactly what was going on when trying to use the digger bucket, but it was simply a case of digging it out and then placing into the digger bucket for removal from the hole. 18.30 hrs on day 3 and the pond excavation was complete!

There's still quite a bit of work today here before moving on to the next stage of the build process as we still need to level the base as best we can. We also need to work out how to get rid of the mountain of earth that we've dumped in to the middle garden - either that or we have extremely large moles in this area?

I think we'll be having to make a couple of calls first thing Tuesday morning - one to Uniskip to see if we can have another skip urgently and another to Fairfax Plant Hire to see if they can pick the digger and MDTT as late on as possible! In the meantime, after all the hectic work we've completed over the past few days i think a well earned rest is called for on Monday. Perhaps even a trip out to .... yes you've guessed it, a Koi dealer.

Reinforcements

Saturday morning and once again we were up bright and early ... too early really to start any excavation work or attempted fixing of the micro digger's limp. It was therefore time for a coffee and a search for an operators handbook for the micro digger via Google. We soon found a number of forum posts on the subject as well as an online copy of the handbook. The two sources confirmed what we thought. We had to release a grease nipple, remove the grease, push the idler back, put the track back on, replace the grease nipple and then pump grease back in forcing the idler back out thus taking up the slack in the track. Sounded very simple and we could follow the instructions .... but could we undo the grease nipple .... nope!

At this point reinforcements arrived in the shape of some very good friends and members of the East Yorkshire Koi Society. Time for a quick coffee and an explanation of our predicament. As the technical solution was proving to be as non productive as our first attempt, we decided to give the brute force and ignorance with a bit of technical ability a go. After some more groaning like a cave man - bingo! The tread popped back on and we were in business again.

Having excavated an arch in the soil that Dorothy & Toto would have been proud of, time now had to spent filling in parts of the earth rainbow so that other areas of the site could once again be excavated by digger instead of by hand. This proved to be a very wise move which probably saved us time in the long run however there was one particular area which simply couldn't be reached unless we put back in a considerable amount of earth. This wasn't going to halt progress though and with spade tightly gripped between his teeth, part of our reinforcement duo jumped into the hole and quickly set about it like Manic Minor - the old Spectrum game! OK a bit of an exaggeration there then, he fell more than jumped, but the rest of it is true!

In all honesty it was very, very hard going with the spade especially in the sweltering heat we're experiencing and Roy was an absolute saviour down in the hole, clearing the area that could no longer be reached with the digger as well as straightening the sides and levelling the floor. We really can't thank him enough for all is help.