Why "Proper" koi ponds are different

Koi ponds and koi fish ... first of all be clear what you really mean by koi ponds and their designs. Do you want to have a pond in which you will keep a few koi or do you want a large koi pond for the exclusive use of koi fish? Your answer will make a big difference to your pond and your wallet. In this short article I will concentrate on large exclusive koi ponds and will point out the differences. Then make your own decision. If you really only want a nice garden pond with some koi then follow the info in my other articles about garden or backyard ponds. If you want "proper" koi ponds then seek detailed advice.

Keeping koi fish in large koi ponds is a wonderful and growing hobby enjoyed by many thousands worldwide. It sustains a massive and growing koi fish industry. "Proper" koi ponds are different ....

The first difference is normally more about the pondkeeper than the koi fish ... you need money. To grow koi fish to large size needs space and extra special attention to breeding stock, pond environment factors, and especially water quality. This automatically means the pond investment will be significant. If you intend to buy large koi (expensive) and want to keep them alive and growing you just cannot skimp on your pond investment and the running costs of such a pond environment. Koi ponds and water flow ....

Nigel Caddock built special water jets into his pond to allow his koi fish to swim against a current. This is a good idea in order to build up the shape of any koi fish. Here are some specifics ..

• Koi ponds and size ... like you and me koi fish do better with good exercise. To provide this exercise potential koi ponds need to be large with significant circumference and deep. Modern design make sure that a current is induced into the pond to provide exercise against a stream of water. This improves body shape.
• Koi ponds and depth ... many garden ponds need be no more than about 24 inches deep . Serious koi ponds must be at the very least 40 inches and preferably more like 5 to 6 feet
• Koi ponds and biofilters ... extra special attention MUST be paid to selecting the correct koi pond's filter. A black box with a few sponges and plastic balls or hair curlers will not do the job. Think of vortex or fluidized bed koi pond filters here. The most modern types are efficient bead filters like Aquabead Filters for Koi Ponds and those based on Kaldnes type biomedia
• Koi ponds and UV lights properly sized and maintained .... essential because you cannot run the risk of algae blooms suddenly appearing and creating havoc with the koi pond pH. After all you have made a major investment. At high pH even small amounts of ammonia become deadly especially to sensitive koi. Massive alage blooms remove lots of carbon dioxide from pond water so increasing pH.
• Koi ponds and water temperature ... koi fish are carp and prefer warmer temperatures. In extreme climates this means heating of the koi ponds water to prevent death, and stunted growth. This does have other effects upon the normal life cycle of koi but is preferable.
• Koi ponds and pond pumps ... forget that small submersible koi pond pump. You need lots of flow rate and these rates can only really be obtained from external centrifugal pumps. You MUST have spare pumps installed that kick in if one pump fails. maybe this is most critical factor.
• Koi ponds and back up power .... many koi ponds would have had serious problems during the recent black out that lasted about 2 days. No power means no biofiltration taking place which means rapid deterioration in your koi ponds water quality
• Koi ponds and koi fish food ... you just have to buy the best In my own country I remain amazed to see the massive amounts of money spent on ponds, and fish and the self same people buy the cheapest food they can find. You get what you pay for in this area of koi food selection.
• Koi ponds and oxygen. Many koi ponds literally bubble continuously with air such is the need for large amounts of oxygen for the koi fish and the biofilter's well being.