I love water features!! I would like a tiered traditional fountain like these:

http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=3967

http://www.garden-fountains.com/Detail.bok?no=7702

Your koi look like candy corn :)

This post was edited by tinan on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 1:04

I'm more of a waterfall person with some type of seating near by.

You can have your cake and eat it too, fish and flowers. And whoever said you can 't fit a square peg in a round hole was wrong.;o)

Here is a link that might be useful: [Fountain[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/cold-springs-farm-farmhouse-landscape-philadelphia-phvw-vp~2439739)

I wonder if you could figure out how to make a fountain out of an antique millstone? I think it would fit great with your vibe.

I like pattycakes' (minus the flower on top) best so far. Similar to an antique French center fountain. Fish like/need calm areas in the water, so I would only have water flowing over/out on 2 sides.

Maybe this one?

Here is a link that might be useful: Lamps plus -- fountain

Like arlosmom, I thought immediately of something involving a millstone.

I've tried to imagine a large fountain that also has that country feeling, and it's a challenge.

Most of the ones that seem authentic look more appropriate to a formal country estate. I know you don't want something motif-y like milk jugs or pumps (I wouldn't, either). Recirculating waterfalls have never appealed to me - a waterfall without an external source of flowing water like a brook or stream always seems fraudulent to me, and that's not your style, either.

A large stone pot or jar with water spilling out of it might look nice, but that's also a little early for the era of your property.

Which is why I kept coming back to millstones.

So what's your idea?

mtn, in my humble opinion a koi pond and a fountain don't mix.
Koi are very active, swim on top of the water, and are highly visible from
a distance. They are friendly, trainable and interact well with people.

A fountain will distort the water, thus defeating the purpose of having
a koi pond to enjoy the fish antics...and there are many :)

Our main pond is shaped like an irregular shaped horseshoe, and
has about four small waterfalls and one big waterfall...I say about four,
because the head groundskeeper changes things around all the time.
We usually only run the big waterfall when we have tourists visiting.
Located 18 feet away from the main pond is a seperate biological
pond that is connected to the main pond via underground tubing.

I chose a video that ends with a view from inside the house, to show
how visible the koi are from inside the house ( the pond
starts about 19 feet from the house) ....
I think someone said on your other thread, that you have to be on top of the pond to see the koi; this is incorrect as they are highly visible from everywhere...
Keep in mind, with proper maintenance and filteration, koi will live
many years...our koi are from 1997, the smaller ones are their
offspring. The larger ones are fifteen and sixteen years old and
average in length about 24."

Koi are so fun, we love our koi and often sit on the bench pondside
(in front of the beach) and wonder what we look like to them as they
gaze up at us with their puppy dog eyes -- begging for food. :)
"oh boy, Ma and Pa are here!"

They are also curious as cats...one year I hung a bell on a stick outside
the pond and attached a string to the bell...when they pulled the string,
the bell would ring and I would feed them...they soon caught on. I had to remove the string as it soon started ringing 24/7...

Here is a link that might be useful: max and the pond.

The country/rustic makes me think of a hand pump look fitting in somehow, but that makes the most sense if you build it into the side of the pond rather than the center. I've always those, so it appeals to me.

OK -- none of the photos posted -- why?

Anyway, the link below is to the manufacturer of the fountain we have (much too small for your pond). Look at the rain chain fountain or the center rain or curtain rain fountains. They also have column fountains and many dish and other variations. You could keep the water for the fountain self-contained if you want to keep the water calmer so you can view the koi more clearly. It would porbably help keep the pump filter cleaner too. They don't need to interfere with each other.

Here is a link that might be useful: Al's Garden Art

This post was edited by lascatx on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 10:39

more fun with koi...
a little tourists, trying to only feed his favorite koi "sunny"
whilst the other pups are determined to get a share.

edit again...donno why, but I'm having trouble posting "the little tourist."

here's a another in its place, I'll try the "little tourist" later..

Here is a link that might be useful: pond after the rain

This post was edited by cliff_and_joann on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 10:48

My idea was ... a millstone!

Well, actually, I was leaning toward some sort of very simple low and wide urn. But when I photoshopped it the urn was too small (Campania's Lerida, 33" diameter), and I am having trouble finding someone local-ish for a custom product. It should be stone or concrete ("cast stone").

Then I remembered a local artisan and dropped by. A lot of his stuff was too natural to fit with the existing
stone wall and patio (which I see as having almost an urban brownstone backyard feel). Then he suggested a millstone!

I was immediately sold on the idea for its simplicity, authenticity, and proportion. The artisan can custom make one for me, but i have also found antique ones. There is a dealer in GA who has dozens of them, but at 1500-1700 lbs I don't really want to ship it. Locally I found one 47" by 7", about 2 hrs away. Or i could have this guy make any size I want, with any design on the top (some are very linear, some are more like swirls) I prefer antique but I feel like I owe this guy a royalty for the idea!

I am very heartened that Arlosmom and Bronwynsom have the same suggestion! What made me unsure is whether it would be toooo plain.

Lampsplus, The existing stonework, which I am preserving, is a stone patio and the round stone structure. I think the fountain has to fit with those elements, rather than looking natural?

Patty cakes, Very cool fountain. I could have our masons make it, round. Interesting. I don't know about the flowers though, because my gardener would need to swim to them ,,, But thank you for the idea!

Allison, Yes, we don't want a noisy fountain. The fountains that aerate our natural pond shoot like 20 feet in the air and make a terrible racket. One thing I like about the millstone is that the fountain will be quite low and hence soft and gurgly...

Tinan -- i love candy corn. Isn't that terrible? I will go look at the links.

Forboystoo - We have a naturally occurring waterfall elsewhere on the property. I think the tricky thing is that this space is a tad formal, with the prefectly round stone wall and the Versaille stone patio. So I believe whatever we choose should clearly be man made.

Thanks, all!

Here is a link that might be useful:

This post was edited by mtnrdredux on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 10:54

A millstone in one corner would work, as it wouldn't distort the water
like a big center fountain. (that is what I assumed you had in mind)

Also, small waterfalls can be adjusted to have soft sounding water,
which I favor over the roaring waterfalls. The big waterfall is used
only for tourist attractions. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: little tourist

This post was edited by cliff_and_joann on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 11:15

Here's an example of a millstone I like. The big one standing on edge in the background, with a hole in it.

{{!gwi}}

Cliff and Joann,

Thanks for the links. I can't view them for some reason, but I will look when I get home. I'm so lucky to have your expertise! I knew we wanted a quiet fountain for our own reasons, but of course, yes, you make a good point ... too much movement obscures the fish.

After watching Cliff/Joann's videos, I want a Koi Pond! Beautiful pond, beautiful yard.

How many fish are there?

ML

Cliff and Joanne--- ahhhh!!

Thanks Madd and red...There are about 17 koi.
six are from 1997 and 1998, the rest are their offspring..

These are the two baby Mommas....They both have exact offspring that look identical to them.
.{{gwi:188843}}

This is the beach where we feed them...it's a 4' x 5'
section...it's the only place that has rocks on the bottom...the rest of the pond is bare bottom...
as soon as they hear the back door open in the morning
they come running like little puppies to the beach.
They have excellent hearing.

{{gwi:197962}}

sorry for hijacking your thread m, but I cant stress enough the need for a bottom drain in a koi pond.

{{gwi:225932}}

Hijack away! These pictures i can see, still havent seen the video.

Yes, I have said from my very first post --- bottom drain.
In fact I may put in two.

gorgeous pictures joann!!

Be careful what you ask for m...our pond inspired a
whole new hobby, koi and floral photography. :)

two drains is even better...We also have a skimmer
for trapping leaves in early spring and late fall.
The rest of the season the skimmer is not necessary.

The skimmer is located under this dock. Four boards
are attached together and lift up to get access to the skimmer. It works well.

{{gwi:216855}}

dock from the front
{{gwi:216859}}

All I wanted was a little pond to showcase a few
flowers...The head groundskeeper had other ideas.
Bigger is better..

Koi, schmoi, is that Jon Hamm in your garden!

I can see the photos but cannot get any videos to work also.

and I Love Jon Hamm...

M, Here is another idea for you...Our filters are located
behind the large waterfall.. I have suggested to people
that don't have this option -- to build a dock (bigger than ours) and put the filter system under the dock.
Our system is gravity fed so the filters (three of them)
are ground level.

{{gwi:236678}}

For those who can't see the video...
Click below............
All her great videos are there~

Here is a link that might be useful: clifflovesjoann's channel

oh boy, I posted them from my I-pad...???

This post was edited by cliff_and_joann on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 17:04

Joann,
Now you are just being coy.

Joann~ I know you've been asked this before but I promise
to bookmark it this time....
What camera do you use for your still photos...
Thanks so much
I'll start saving now :)

I don't know if koi ponds are like aquariums, but if so, larger is actually easier to balance and maintain. I would love to have the space for one, so share away That and visiting the zoo will be as close as I get.

The millstone is a very cool idea. You don't see them down here i Texas, but I like!

forboystoo...it's an Olympus 7-40 ultra zoom, 10 times digital
zoom...unfortunately they don't make this camera anymore... :(
I upgraded to the Olympus 760 several years ago and only
used it once cause it wasn't as sharp as this camera. This camera is mint.
I just point and shoot, really I have no photographic skills,
it's all in the camera.

This post was edited by cliff_and_joann on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 19:33

m, I just got it! that's my son and his son...lol...

There are some practical considerations in a fountain that's the water return from the filter.

For example, circulation in the pond. If you are putting a fountain in the center, where do you put the drains for good circulation?

Our pond is roughly L shaped with the drain in one leg of the L and the return over a water fall at the bend in the L. That looked nice but it meant that water in the other leg of the L didn't circulate much and wastes could build up there. We created a small water fall at the other end of the L instead which resolved the problem.

If the fountain is a mill stone in the center of the pond, how do you plan to support the weight? I can picture it settling after placement with bad consequences.

The fountain also helps with aeration. It doesn't have to be very noisy or a big drop to do that. Running the water over a rough surface is supposed to help with aeration.

What about something like a stone trough with at the far side of the pond from the house with a lower edge on the pond side to direct the water into the pond? Or if that's too rustic, I could see a stone urn or a collection of stone urns there.

The drain would usually go in the center. But the important thing is just that it is at the lowest point. We may decide to use multiple drains, too.

Our masons will build a pedestal for the millstone.

The millstone fountain would help with aeration, as it would have a 9" drop or so ...

Lascatx, koi ponds are like big aquariums in that the fish create waste products that need to be removed from the water, usually with biological filtering. Koi are basically carp and are evolved to live in relatively small bodies of water so they tolerate a lot more variation than salt water fish and more cold than tropical fish which makes this easier than many aquariums. Also with aquariums you have to worry about keeping the glass clean to see the pretty fish. Koi are viewed from the top and a little algae growing on the pond sides just provides something for the koi to snack on making the pond a bit easier to maintain.

On the other hand, you usually don't need to worry about a heron or raccoon snacking on your aquarium fish.

Is the mill stone to go in the center of the pond?

Cloud swift,
Yes, that is the plan. That is why we may use multiple drains. We are interviewing to koi pond guys and haven't chosen one yet, so we haven't hammered out those details (and won't buy any fountain until we do)

The pedestal will be 4 to 5' high (assuming that the pond will be 4-5' deep and the bottom of millstone is about level with the water. I think for stability it will need a foundation going several feet into the ground at the bottom of the pond.

Yes, this will be quite an engineering feat. Our gardeners have dug it out to five feet as of the end of the day today.
If we do go with the millstone it will take some thought...

Our masons will build a pedestal for the millstone.

If I'm not mistaken, mortar leaks chemicals into the water that raises the PH. Some is okay, a lot is not.

Yes, that is part of the consideration.