Hi Maxine,you made me laugh 
about the "King Kois!!" sound as if you have known a few over the years. If I get stuck on anything I will be phoning you,thanks for the kind offer.Also Flatback thanks also but OK for now.The pond is coming on great,but had to order a load more blocks today as the outer design has changed a bit,with small flight of steps...I bought a large water feature (flat on the back)that looks like old metal, a fibreglass lions head over lower basin that will be on the rear wall behind the pond, and perhaps some Urns either side,so a bit formal ...We can get the water to spout into the pond if we decide,or it can just trickle out of the lions mouth into the basin below and back around again. There is a terrific amount of work left,as the dry stone wall has to be rebuilt after it was taken down temporarily.I may put a wooden panel behind as it backs onto an old pergola covered in 25 yr old clematis,the trunks are more like trees.
I was "invited" to see a Koi pond today,not too far from here,found out by accident really. It was a funny "z" shape - not that big really, but methinks,well and truly overstocked.. There were about 12x 2foot Koi,about 50 x 10 inch Koi,loads and loads of variants of large sized goldfish,and they seemed so overcrowded poor fish,they just seemed to teem over each other with no peace at all. You couldn't see the forest for the trees!!. I hated it, Koi are so graceful they need room,and that is what mine will have,plenty of peace and plenty of room. The babies in the other pond I have have tons of room,it is like a little nursery for Koi.LOL
Anyway,the weather is warming up a little,but the Bubble wrap stays put.The Koi seem to line up under the edge of the Bubble and you can just see their noses peeping out in a row.Like little soldiers in rank.Ha!
