Koi Fish Ponds

It is often difficult to determine which is more beautiful: the Koi fish or the ponds they inhabit. Luckily, installing a pond is relatively simple and a small amount of maintenance can keep your pond and your Koi looking amazing. 

It is not coincidence that Koi are a popular choice for outdoor ponds.  Beautiful?  Yes, but that is not all they have to offer. Koi are hardy fish who thrive in a wide range of temperatures making them ideal for an outdoor water environment.  They grace ponds all over the world in a large range of climates and live long lives when provided a healthy environment.  Providing that environment can be easy.

There are a few decisions to be made when installing a Koi pond.  The first is the age-old dilemma…do I do it myself?  If you have the budget there are numerous service providers that will help you design your dream pond and will erect it without a bit of dirt getting on your hands.  Wouldn’t it be nice to just come home and see a Koi pond in your yard?  Well, if you’ve ever had any work done around your house you know that is not exactly how it works.  As with any project: ask lots of questions, get references and keep communication going with your contractor or service provider throughout the process.

If you don’t have the budget (or if you just want to get your hands dirty), I think you’ll find building your own pond to be freeing and rewarding.  You have the power of preference and can create the exact environment you are looking for.  So let’s talk about some of the choices you’ll need to make.

Obviously, size and location are a great place to start.  Depending on your setting you may choose a sprawling pond extending across your landscape or a more compact, neat pond.  Either way it is important to keep in mind that Koi can grow into sizeable fish and need sufficient volume and depth.  A minimum of 500 gallons of water should be provided in any Koi pond.  People are known to build a 500 to 2,000 gallon pond and then turn around and build a 10,000 gallon or larger pond.  Why?  They want more Koi.  They get addicted and want one of each variety.

Depth of the pond is also a significant factor in the health and well-being of your Koi.  While 4 feet of depth should provide the necessary protection from the everyday predators such as raccoons and make it easy to stand in should the need arise; 8 feet may be necessary in certain parts of the country.  This is especially true if your region harbors the Great Blue Heron, maybe the most dangerous threat to Koi.  Great Blue Heron can eat over 100 Koi in one sitting and are even more ravenous during May and June when they typically have young mouths to feed as well.  If you do share a region with the Heron you may want to place a bird net over your pond and should consider this when designing its shape.

Once you have determined the needed size of your pond, laying out the shape is the next step.  Each pond will need a liner.  Liners come in a flexible variety or a hard, pre-shaped variety.  The pre-shaped are simple and easy to install but the flexible gives you more freedom of choice.  You may also want to add a water feature such as a fountain or waterfall.  Not only are these beautiful additions they help keep the water moving which will improve water quality; an important factor in the health of your Koi.

The basic needs of a pond will need to be met.  The pump and bio-filter are the two vital components in keeping the water healthy for your Koi.  These do not need to be the most expensive on the market; simply choose something that sufficient for the size of your pond.

Now for the fun part: plants.  Plants are a beautiful addition to any pond.  Unfortunately, as Koi eat many varieties of plants, our choices are somewhat limited.  Lillies are an excellent option for many reasons.  Koi do not eat them.  They do, however, find bugs and larva in their leaves to eat.  Lilies also provide shade.  Koi cannot handle direct sunlight all day and lilies provide the protection they need.

Now that your Koi have sufficient water, water quality and shade, all you need to do is sit back and enjoy your Koi pond.  You’ve given them everything they need; perhaps you should add some exterior landscaping or, even better, a bench for you to relax on.