To the novice a pond is a pond is a pond. When it comes to Koi ponds, this is a huge mistake. A koi pond is a complex water environment. Because of the nature of Koi fish – large and fast growing – the pond needs to be of adequate size.
There are many things you have to consider when you start a project to build a Koi pond. You have to provide for good water quality and filtration. Koi fish give off a lot of waste that needs to be continually removed from the pond. Good aeration is needed to keep the oxygen level right. There is also a variety of equipment that needs to be installed.
Don’t be short sighted when picking a location. Make sure you can enjoy your Koi pond the way you want to. Check the views from all angles – inside and outside. If you want to use excavation equipment, make sure there is easy access to the property.
Carefully plan the type construction you plan on using. There are basically two ways to go. You can have a liner pond or a concrete block pond. There advantages and disadvantages of both so consider both alternatives carefully. The liner pond is the simplest and least expensive route.
One basic component you’ll need to decide on is the type of filter system to use. There are many choices when it comes to filters but there are really two made categories – pump-fed and gravity-fed. Do some research to find the type of pump best suited for your pond design.
The type of filtration system to be used is a very important design consideration. You have to provide two types of filtration – mechanical and biological. Mechanical filtration breaks down and removes solid waste particles. Biological filtration supplies beneficial bacteria to breakdown pollutants in the water. There are different types of filtration systems to consider. You can choose a single chamber or multi chamber system. The single chamber, as the name implies, is one tank with a combination of filtering media such as aquarock and foam. These really don’t have the capacity for the load of a Koi pond. A multichamber system is the best choice for serious Koi ponds. These consist of between three and eight chambers depending on the size of the pond. The big advantage of these systems is that you can different filter material in each chamber. These are an ideal solution for most Koi ponds.
To keep the water moving through the filtration system, you have to have a pump. Again there are two basic designs available – submersible and external. Again, do some research before you select one. The submersible pumps are the simplest and are usually used either in the pond for a pump-fed system or in the last filter chamber of gravity fed system.
Hopefully you can see why I recommend careful planning before you start building a Koi pond. It is a large project with a lot of details and design decisions that need to be made. Save yourself frustration and money by doing the planning up front.
One of the best things you can add to a garden or your backyard is a fish pond, and having a pond added to your garden ideas will require a bit of planning. There are a number of ideas you can use when you are planning on putting these structures in your backyard, and these ideas can be easily worked on as long as you know what you are getting yourself into. Basic ideas for building and maintaining a pond filled with fishes should include the design of the pool in correlation to the surrounding garden, the type of fish you want to have in it, the size of the structure, and even the design elements that you want to add to it.
When you want to add a pond to your existing garden, you will need to find an ideal spot where you intend to put it. Some of the suggestions you might want to consider include areas where the pond is visible from the house or areas that need the added attraction of a fish pond in it if your yard is way too big. Another thing you will need to consider would be the construction of such an addition to your garden and what kind of materials and designs you should choose. There are many ideas you can use when you decide to put a pond in your garden. Some of the choices people make for the pond include plastic basins, wooden barrel type constructions, concrete pools, and even those ponds that are lined with tiles for easier cleaning.
When planning your pond, you will need to have a diagram and a list of the construction materials. Included in the list of materials are the other elements that you will need to make your little fish haven look good and this includes the plants, rocks, and other decorative pieces you may want it to have in and around it. Your fish pond will need to have a water source that you can easily gain access to. Your fish home would also need to have a place in your yard where leaves will not constantly fall into it and that there is still some shade for it to be protected from direct sunlight during certain times of the day.
When it comes to choosing the fish for your fish pond, you will need to follow certain suggestions that most fish pond experts have on the subject. Most of the people who design and build fish ponds often suggest that koi and goldfish are two of the best kinds of fish to have in your pond. There are many types of goldfish and koi that you can choose from when it comes to putting fish in your little fish pool, and the choices include goldfish breeds such as the oranda, fantails, black moors, and ryukin. When it comes to koi, you will find that they come in many different types that include hi utsuri, kohaku, cha goi, and asagi.
Koi ponds are more than just a hole with water. Koi breeders should bear in mind that Koi, like any other pets need to have an environment that is safe and healthy for them to live. Breeders should learn the basic essential tools they need for making the koi pond conducive for living. The secrets to a successful way of keeping koi fish are proper ventilation, water ponds and the fish itself.
Primarily you need to determine the requirements for building the koi pond. Each pond needs planning for the specification of its features. How big should it be? The pond where koi will live must be big because Koi gets large.
A standard pond for this kind of fish should hold not less than 1000 gallons of water and must be at least 3-5 feet deep. Your decision on the shape and the size of ponds for the koi will basically depend on your preference.
The pond should be built in an ideal location. You may want to have a pond in an area where you could see the fish as often as you want. You should also consider the accessibility of the pond as you will be spending frequent visits on the area to feed the fish. You can also consider building a small pond indoor or outdoor whatever gives you the convenience.
You should however consider that Koi need to be exposed to sunlight for few hours everyday. The best times will be in the morning and in the afternoon. Koi skin can be burnt by direct sunlight at noon so they must be provided with safety abode.
Your outdoor pond should be away from trees to prevent the pond from being damaged by the growing roots as the trees grow. Placing a net above the pond can also provide protection against the falling debris from the trees.
You may find delight of giving your koi both an indoor and outdoor pond but creating one should be properly conceptualized in terms of safety, accessibility and ideal environment.
When building the pond you will be needing pond liners. You can use PVC but a butyl rubber liner is recommended because of its strength. Concrete has the lowest or the cheapest building cost while fiberglass is recommended when you want to have a pond for an indistinct lifetime.
You have to make sure that it would be better to construct a pond with vertical walls for smaller ponds to boost balanced arrangement of water temperature. You should also consider providing protection of your koi from outside predators by creating a higher wall on the pond.
In addition to the mentioned requisites other koi pond equipment that you will need include biological filters, aeration, circulation pump and space wide enough to keep koi from being crowded. These are the things that you have to consider when preparing and designing a pond for koi.
The filter will be the one to purify the water. It will be responsible for cleaning the water from waste products, microorganisms and other poisonous substance that can produce water contamination.
The aerator will supply air to the water and will keep the stagnant water continuously moving. The aerator will be providing the fish with oxygen. The pump on the other hand moves the water through the filter and the aerator. These are basic preparation when conceptualizing the ideal koi pond for your favorite fish.
Randy Tan is a koi breeding expert. For more great information on basic tips on building koi ponds and general koi care, visit http://www.koibreedingtips.com.


