Advice on pump & filter for Koi pond (from a beginner)

 


Hi there,

I am new to the pond world (complete beginner so please excuse my
ignorance)
as I recently moved and inherited a 11ft * 11ft * 2ft pond full with
about a
dozen or so Koi carp, largest fish about 16 inches in length. The pump
has
given up and the filter seemed permanently clogged up, even after
cleaning
the internal (pads) every week. I have also noticed that the pond has a
lot
of "silt" in it even though the water is clean, it currently has a UV
box
which now doesn't work as the pump is not working.

I would like to change the setup but don't have a huge amount of money
to do
this, so I'd really appreciate some advice...So my questions are as
follows
(apologies I have a number of queries!)

1. From what I have read the pond is too shallow (is it?) and needs to
be at
least 4 ft in depth for Koi? If this is the case then I presumably
would
have to remove the fish to a temporary setup (holding tank? any ideas
on how
this is done?) dig the pond out deeper and replace with a new liner?
Could I
use my existing pond for this season as is and make the changes
regarding
pond depth when finances allow?

2. Should I get the pond cleared of the silt? How would I do this -
using a
pond vac? Can you hire a pond vac?

3. What would be a good/inexpensive pump & filter combination? I have
looked
on the web and it's a bit of a minefield of information, some people
seem to
advise on a using a Vortex chamber setup or is this only for
professionals?
What filter/pump would work with my existing setup as well as allowing
for
the increase in pond depth at a later date?

4. I found a setup that looked interesting after doing some calcs on my
pond
size, this was using the Hozelock Ecoclear 18000 with a Titan 12000
pump -
is this a good setup? This also looks good as I don't need a gravity
feed
filter so can site this setup away from the pond, but the filters (2
of
them) do look a little small compared to my existing big filter box?

5. Could I also use my existing filter box (3 stage) with the new
Hozelock
Ecoclear 18000 with a Titan 12000 pump system in line for extra
filtering?

6. Any recommendations on suppliers? I found Grovelands Online
(www.grovelands.com) and their prices look great. I am based in
Hampshire.......

Any help would be very much appreciated as I am very keen to ensure my
pond
setup is correct and enjoy the new experience of being a pond owner.

kind regard,
Richard


--
smileygonzo1961