Uhmm... PlainBill..... a 1500 gallon koi pond is only big enough to keep
about 4 koi if one follows the generally accepted rule of 1000 gallons for
the first koi and then 100 additional gallons per fish... I know folks with
25,000 gallons and are thinking of going bigger yet. )
Janet in sunny Niagara Falls

--

"PlainBill" wrote in message
...
I'd say that the deciding factor should be desired durability. I have
two concrete koi ponds over 17 years old, and see no reason why they
won't last longer than I will. I see no signs of leakage. Of course,
if you're always redoing designs, that durability might be a
disadvantage.

A competent builder will use rebar to reinforce the concrete, so I
wouldn't be too concerned about earthquakes. A 15,000 gallon pool is
a typical pool, while a 1,500 gallon koi pond would be huge (the
larger the srtucture, the more likely it is to be damaged by an
earthquake). If you suffer a quake strong enough to damage a 1000
gallon pond, that will be the least of your problems!!!

PlainBill

On 30 Aug 2004 23:05:44 -0700, (Michael Capone)
wrote:

Hi Folks,

Been doing a lot of reading lately on the concrete vs. 45-mil liner
issue when setting up a fish pond. I'd like to ask the question in a
slightly different way:

Assume that money is no object (for the moment, at least; I'm sure
I'll come to my senses soon...) Also, assume that I don't have to set
it up myself (I have a competent fish pond installer who can go either
route, and is at this very moment sitting around waiting for me to
make up my mind on which direction to go). Given those two criteria,
I'd like to know, which pond bottom is best in the long run? Since
ease of installation is not a concern, I'd like to hear from people
who have had to live with one or the other for some time. Is
maintenance easier on one or the other? Is one "prettier" than the
other (highly subjective, I know). Does algae grow on concrete and
not come off?

I should mention that I live near San Jose, CA; earthquakes can
happen, although I'm not sure how big a deal this is. I don't get the
extreme temperatures, though (freezing nights are relatively rare,
though it can get up to 100 F on occasion). There are no tree roots
anywhere nearby that I have to worry about.

So, thoughts? Thanks in advance for any input. I've been tearing my
hair out over this crazy issue. Thanks!

Michael

He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from
oppression, for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that
will reach to himself.
-Thomas Paine