Saturday, October 4, 2008

How to Create a Koi Fish Pond the Right Way

Did you concider installing a pond for keeping koi fish? Keeping these beautiful koi in home pond is an interesting hobby and it is not as hard as you might think. If you do the right things koi have a long life span sometimes getting up to a metre long. Follow these tips to build your  pond    properly so your decorative koi fish will live and make you happy for a long time.

Make your pond deep

Depth of your garden koi pond is crucial. You pond should be at least 4 feet deep, however it is recommended to provide for your fish six or even 8 feet deep pond. This will ensure that your fish are safe from raccoons, pet kitties and other animals dangerous to fish. Deeper fish pond also helps to maintain water temperature in hottest days

Koi really love a lot of room to swim

Small ponds are no good for koi. Remember, with time koi can grow quite large and they will need a big space. Also there are so many color variations of koi, that later you will probably want to buy additional fish. 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 backyard pond , bigger would be even better.

Use fish pond heater in winter

Unlike tropical fish, koi are resistant cold; however you should never let your pond freeze to the bottom. Installing a proper heater for backyard ponds 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

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 makes sence - not only they add beauty to the overall landscape, 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 a nightmare.

Keep the birds away

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 protect it with a bird net.

Don't poison your fish

When planning your pond keep in mind that you should not use any insecticides or herbicides so they can get into the wate. Even a small amount of common garden poison can destroy your beautiful fish.

Koi fish pond acsessories that you might need

Several accessories are absolutely essential for healthy garden fish pond. Ideally you will have to invest into a water pump, filtration system, pond water aerator and an ultraviolet sterilizer. If the water in your pond is not moving, your fish might get sick and eventually die. Koi pond filtration systems are expensive, so if money is an issue you can make your own homemade filters.

No comments: