Hobbyist Koi Ponds
Hobbyist Koi Ponds
Even after all the years I have worked here at Quality Koi Company, I made the same mistake - or thought it out loud, that many hobbyists make. After watching Mat work long hours producing koi and helping so many make beautiful ponds to enjoy their koi, I said to him that I wished while he was at a koi show one weekend I could surprise him with a new pond when he came home. This may sound like a loving thought, but his reaction was not! "Don’t you even think of it!"
No, a koi pond is not something that you can run out the garden center and throw in your yard in one weekend. A hobbyist should take time to plan out the project fully. A hobbyist needs to take in consideration how much space is available, how much maintenance they want to do with the pond through the pond season, how many koi they would like to keep in the pond, proper filtration, function and flow of the pond and of course, budget.
When a pond is well thought out and built correctly, your koi will have a healthy environment to thrive in. Unfortunately, even small mistakes when building a pond can lead to constant problems with the koi and function of the pond.
A few things to keep in mind while researching your pond design.
1. The pond will have enough gallons to allow your koi to grow healthy and not be over stocked. Building a too small of a pond usually leads to having to go back and expanding the pond in the near future.
2. A filtration system that not only handles your koi and pond waste now, but will handle waste load as it increases with the koi's growth.
3. Bottom drains in the pond will pull debris from the bottom of the pond to your filter where it is easily removed from the system. Bottom drains also eliminates the need to empty the pond and remove the koi each spring and fall for cleaning of the pond. When the pond is emptied and cleaned it disturbs the healthy ecosystem that has been established in the pond and has to start over again.
4. Proper flow from drains to filter back to pond will help eliminate dead spots in the pond, where waste and debris can settle in the pond.
5. An Ultra Violet (UV) light will help remove the free floating green algae in the pond, keeping your pond water clear. This light must be sized properly for your gallon and the bulb must be replaced on a regular basis to keep your pond clear.
6. Budget. Don’t short cut on our pond, as you will find it will cost you more in the long run. But, even on a small budget you can a build a nice, functional healthy pond.
Taking your time and planning out your new pond is just as important as the thought you put into buying your new koi!
