Building Koi Fish Pond - 7 Tips for Success

Are you thinking of building a koi fish pond? Keeping these magnificent fish in

your garden can be great fun and it is not as difficult as you might think. With

the right care koi can live for decades and some can become almost a meter long.

Follow these tips to plan your pond properly so your koi will live long and happy

life.

1 Depth is important

Depth of your pond is crucial. The minimum recommended depth is 4 feet, however

it is much better to give your fish six or even 8 feet deep pond. This will

ensure that your koi are protected from raccoons, cats and other animals who

love a fish dinner. Deeper fish pond also helps to keep water cool in hot summer

days

2 Make your pond as large as you can

Small ponds are not suitable for koi. Remember, with time koi can grow quite

large and they will need a lot of room. Also there are so many color variations

of koi, that with time you will probably want to add more fish to your pond.

So it is better to create a large pond from the start than rebuild it later.

About ten thousand gallons is a good size for a koi pond, bigger would be even

better.

3 Use fish pond heater in colder months

Unlike tropical fish, koi don't suffer much from cold; however you should never

let your pond freeze completely. Installing a proper pond heater will always

keep an opening in the ice. Also keep in mind, that koi only grow when the water

is warm, so with a heater your fish will grow faster

4 Plan some shade for your koi

When selecting a spot for your pond, make sure it is out of direct sunlight.

Also keeping water plants like water lilies in your pond are a good idea - not

only they add beauty to the overall design, but they also provide shade for

the fish. However, you should avoid building your koi pond under trees. Cleaning

a fish pond of fallen leaves is no fun.

5 Plan to install a bird net

There are many birds of prey that would love to steal your koi. Don't give

them the opportunity; plan your pond location so it is possible to cover it

with a net.

6 Keep insecticides away from your pond

When landscaping your pond keep in mind that you should not use any insecticides

or herbicides near the water. Even a small amount of common garden poison can

kill your beautiful fish.

7 Get proper equipment for your pond

Several accessories are absolutely essential for a healthy koi pond. Ideally

you will have to invest into a water pump, filtration system, water aerator

and an ultraviolet sterilizer. If the water in your pond is still, your fish

might get sick and eventually die. Koi pond filtration systems are expensive,

so as an alternative you can make your own homemade filters.

There is much more to building a koi fish pond . Visit Koi Fish Ponds for more information about installing and maintaining koi ponds.