This is the description of Paddy's natural pond.

The pond is approx. 45ft x 55ft and an average depth of approx. 6ft, the deepest area of the pond is a 13ft deep section that covers an area of about 10ft x 12ft. We left it for ten years before stocking it with fish. In this time it had sealed itself , and has an ecology system that is well established.
Two years ago we bought our first seven fish from Stapely Water gardens. They were five 3ins ghost koi for £15, and one 7ins all orange koi and a 6ins gold fish for £10 each.
We didn't get more than that as we wanted to see how they would winter.

The winter passed and then the summer was over and we hadn't seen them once, and we naturally thought they were dead.
Then one evening nearly a year ago I was walking around the pond and my heart stopped. There in front of me was the seven fish. The ghosts were 14ins, not including the tail, and the orange koi was 15ins, but the one that shocked me the most as the gold fish which was 11ins, and as round as a football and a really deep red.

As you can imagine this caused immense enthusiasm, but at the same time frustration as it was too late in the year to start stocking.
This year has been a steep learning curve, but thoroughly enjoyable. We have introduced several more fish this year including 18ins Matsuba, two 7ins platinum's, several goldfish, two 5ins golden orfe, and three 3ins AA grade koi.

I also have a long established 48 x 18 x 18 inch fish tank in the house which has six 3ins AA grade koi which I hope to release at the beginning of May 2001.
I have also been making plans for a 12 - 15,000 gallon pond that will be in the lawn at the back of the house.