Pond leaking, need to move Koi

[emj920]

I have a pond that is around 6 x 5 and around 4.5 feet deep. No idea how many gallons it is.
It has a liner, which I accidentally put a hole in it a few months ago. I attempted to patch it, and it was fine for awhile. Since it's been cold, I don't know why, but now the hole is much bigger. So now the pond is leaking and drains down to around a foot and a half within 2 days.

I want to move the 5 koi, which are between 12-16 inches out of the pond for the winter. I don't feel like dealing with removing the liner, buying a new one and putting it in during the winter.

I was planning on taking the Koi, and putting them in a spare 55 gallon, 2 55 gallon plastic drums, and maybe another 30 gallon drum that I have. I was going to keep them in the garage so they wouldn't freeze, but also so the water wouldn't be too warm so I wouldn't have to feed them.

Do I need filters on all of the containers? I know they metabolism slows down, so I don't know if they need filters. I have spare air pumps from the aquariums I can put on them, but I didn't know about the filters.

Thanks,
Eric

 

[fischfan13]

Eric, I cannot answer the Koi question but I will try to tackle the liner problem.
If you consider trying to save the liner and using the a patch kit, like a tire patch kit, there are two really important steps.

1) Clean the area around the hole. Yeah, this will mean you will have to drain the pond down to hole. Scrub the area around the hole until the scum and slime around the area is completely gone. You want the area perfectly clean....but do not use anything other than a scrub brush.

2) After cleaning the area around the hole it has to be bone dry...you can use a blow dryer to do this.

Good luck with your Koi.

 

[verbal]

You might want to get a stock tank to hold your koi. They sell them at southern states and they give you more surface area than a plastic drum.

I would go with large sponge filters for filtration.

 

[maddog10]

I agree with verbal, sponge filters with air pump would be the easiest and probably cheapest way to go. Might be able to do without the filters, but I worry about going to a smaller volume of water when you house them in the drums. May also be a good idea to use the water from the pond in the tanks/drums.

 

[mab]

Eric

I have two 100g stock tanks I only use during the summer. You are more than welcome to borrow one or both until I need it starting mid-May.

Michael

 

[emj920]

Thanks for all the advice.
I have decided to buy a new line and install it in the next few weeks. I will be cold, but I think I can deal with it.
The liner has been previously patched before, but it didn't hold, which is now why it leaks.
During this, the koi were moved into the 55 gallon drums, which were suppose to be made into filters, but didn't install a retro, or a bottom drain. They were fine in the drums, and had submersible filters in them. They actually laid eggs in the barrels while they were in it. I forgot to cover one of them, and the largest koi jumped out, and I found it on the deck a little after midnight one night. Luckily it was raining, and I was able to put it back in the barrel and revive it. Didn't make that mistake again. I have no idea how long it was on the deck, I'm guessing at least 15, maybe half an hour

So that's my plan, thanks again. I will post how it all goes