There are different types of backyard ponds depending on the lives in them. We have the conventional pond with aquatic plants and is purely for ornamental purpose and we the pond which has fish in it. However, fish ponds can also vary according to the type of fish dwell in them. The most popular and type is the Koi pond which is also the one that will require most of your labor.
A pond for koi is not easy to build and maintain. It requires a pond hobbyist who is skillful in breeding standards. If you plan to build one, you’re going to need to allot a large area in your garden since Koi need a bigger pond to swim in. Alongside this, you are also going to need to spend some money from the start up to the maintenance itself.
A common pond hobbyist will of course be very enthusiastic that he will give much of his time and effort in maintaining his water feature. Conversely, as time passes by he will realize that he has a lot of more important things to do than just devoting his time to the Koi. A Koi breeder on the other hand has a different approach since he is more focused on the Koi than the aesthetic value of the water system.
A vast Koi pond is healthy and ideal. It also requires superfluous attention when it comes to maintenance and fish health. So if you are still clinging to the idea that small and large fish ponds are the same, here are some pointers to know the difference between a small fish pond and a large Koi pond.
First and foremost, you need a large pond for Koi. They easily get stressed when put in a crowded water system. Keep in mind that Koi always go in groups therefore a large pond will allow them to move around and avoid being stressed which can lead to sickness.
It will be awkward if your Koi pond is large yet shallow. For the Koi to survive in a much longer time, they need a deeper water to swim in. The acceptable pond water depth is 5-6ft deep.
Not like the typical pond filters that are used in basic fish ponds, specialize biological filtration systems are needed. And by systems, it means more than one filtration unit. Fluidized bed filters or vortex filter systems are the ones used in order to effectively break down the rapid upsurge of ammonia and solid waste in the Koi pond.
Pond pumps are also necessary in Koi ponds. But unlike the submersible pumps used in basic pond types, a Koi pond requires a more powerful pump because of its size and depth. That is why external pond pumps are normally used in Koi ponds since they are more powerful and can work even in a 6ft pond with approximately 10 gallons of water in it. Adding a fountain pump will also help make the oxygen circulation in the water to be much easier.
To avoid massive algae blooms in your Koi pond, high powered UV clarifiers are needed. They are responsible for sanitizing the pond water and destroying algae that form blooms.
The other elements like fish food and electricity should always be proportion to the amount of water and fish in the pond.