Difference between Koi pond and other fish ponds

Koi fish is originally from Japan but has become a favorite for several people all over the world. It is a kind of fish that is usually domesticated and bred by individuals. The Koi fish is very different from the goldfish that is usually found in several aquariums around the world. First of all, the Koi are much choosier about their environment than the goldfish hence require very close attention. Furthermore, the Koi grow into a very large size. A fully grown up Koi can measure as long as three feet. Anyone will have to agree that that is quite a large fish to be confined to an aquarium. The Koi fish are also very beautiful and very relaxing to watch. That is why everybody that has seen them is hoping to have them at his or her backyard at some point.

Importance of Koi ponds

After being impressed by the Koi fish, the greatest task begins. Creating a fish pond for the Koi is certainly one of the most difficult parts for any lover of these fish. As stated above, the aquarium is too small for the Koi to live in. A Koi pond is without a doubt the best idea. Also, another reason why several people are interested in the Koi pond has to do with aesthetic beauty that it contains. When looking for great landscaping ideas, the Koi pond should definitely be at the very top of your list. Just gazing into the pond is very relaxing and help one unwind after stressful days. It even comes highly commended by physicians for those that are suffering from stress.

Best design for a Koi pond

Before getting that perfect Koi pond in your backyard, one has to go through various steps, the first step being the design phase. In this phase, it is more of brainstorming for ideas. One can simply get a pen and paper and sketch how they would like the pond to look like of use pictures to guide him or her. Another option would be getting a professional give you Koi pond design ideas. However, this might prove to be an expensive venture though it produces the best results.

Building the Koi pond

After getting the perfect idea, the next bit is getting the idea from paper to real-life. Building a pond for Koi fish is not like building a pond for other fish. Others do not have stringent specifications like those of a Koi pond. The Koi fish are very choosy about their environment and any stress factor could retard there growth or even prove fatal for them.  Therefore, the Koi pond design ideas should have factored this. For Koi pond, a specific type of liner is used. This is specified in the guidebook that is available for the starters. When building the pond, follow the natural terrain of the backyard to make it look more natural and more beautiful. The pond should not be less than five feet deep and should have a minimum of 1,500 gallons of water. The pond should be away from direct sunlight as this could easily kill the Koi. When building the walls, one could either use natural or artificial landscaping rocks. Make sure that they are not sharp as this could injure the Koi since they are very adventurous.

Pond’s and pumps’ maintenance (Filtration of Koi Pond)

When constructing the pond, keep in mind the Koi pond maintenance. That is why the pumping system should be carefully thought of and installed. First of all, know the number of pumps that are required. One could use several pumps for various functions. One could be used for aeration of the pond, another for draining the pond and another one for the fountain if any. Be careful where you put the pumps and the size of the pipes leading to the pumps. Considering that most pumps do not have a very long lifespan, it very advisable that the one producing air have a standby replacement. This is very useful when doing the regular maintenance. Also, each of the pumps should be able to be easily isolated without interfering with the entire system. That where valve come in.

Importance of waterfalls

In order maintain the best water quality for the Koi pond, there has to be quality water in the pond throughout. That means the appropriate pH, amount of Nitrates and Chlorine. It is also good to have specific freshwater locations that have been set aside. This is more so for those that will be getting water from providers that have added Chlorine. There is an amount of Chlorine beyond which it becomes fatal for the Koi fish. The beast solution to reduce the amount of Chlorine is aeration of the water. This can be conveniently done through a sprinkler or a waterfall. This will lower Chlorine to manageable levels.

Using skimmers

What about the other toxins? It is very simple. They can be easily filtered off. This is done using two kinds of filters that are installed with the Koi pond. There is a mechanical filter and a biological one. The mechanical one helps get rid of dirt or particles that accumulate in the pond. Incase you are facing trouble with getting foliage that drops on the water, the best solution is a skimmer This is a type of a mechanical filter that physically sucks in the dirt and filters it and the dirt is collected in a basket. On the other hand, the Biological filter gets rid of dirt that the mechanical one cannot. This includes the toxins such as ammonia from the fish excretion. This filter has got nitrifying bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrates that are less harmful to the Koi.

Controlling Algae and other plants

However, accumulation of the nitrates is not good again. Too much of it will cause a bloom in the amount of algae. In as much as the algae and other plants in the pond are a good source of bit Oxygen and food for the Koi, too much of it will have a negative impact to the ecosystem in the pond. That is why the nitrates should be removed as soon as the water starts turning brown. The best way to get rid of it is regular maintenance of the pond. About ten percent of its water should be changed on a weekly basis and replaced with water from the freshwater location.

Heating up of the Koi pond:

As stated earlier on, any change in the Koi’s environment portends great danger for them and even death at times. There are several things that anyone that is rearing the Koi could avoid. One of them is heating up of the pool. The Koi prefer a cool environment and that is why the pond should be under a shade. In case the water heats up, change it quickly and look for a way of avoiding it heating up again.  That is why the Koi pond design ideas should have a shade in mind for the fish.

The number of Koi in a pond should be limited to a certain amount. This will depend on one’s pond size. Remember that the Koi grows with time to a very large size. Therefore, if they are too many, they will get stressed up and will become restless.

As much as algae are one of the best fish foods, it should not be left to accumulate in the pond. When it starts blooming, make sure that the water is changed. However, do not change the entire amount of water in the pond but rather just the right portion as prescribed by an expert.

Koi fish feeding

When it comes to giving food to the Koi, there are some factors that should be considered. For example, if the Biological filters have been replaced during the pond maintenance, the fish should not be fed for some time. This is meant to give bacteria enough time to adjust to the new environment.

Covering the pool

Another great factor that should never be overlooked when putting up the pond is the safety of the Koi in the pond. There are some rodents and birds that are very fond of fish. Once they discover your haven of Koi fish, they are likely to set camp. In order to take care of the rodents, the best option would be getting motion detectors and traps around the pond. Alarms that would scare them off would then go off. The bird are however much more difficult to fend off. The best solution that is usually recommended by most is covering the pond. It should not completely cover the pond though. The best solution that would offer both light and security is using a net to cover the pond.

Keeping Koi in your backyard should be a great plus in the backyard landscaping. It will create a very serene environment that will be both soothing and relaxing.