Discuss – This is because you are going to need to take the time to care for koi much like you need to take the time to care for pets. You want to be sure that your koi pond is a very healthy environment so that your Japanese carp will flourish.
You might be tempted to let Mother Nature, tend to your backyard
pond, and who could blame you? After all, she does a pretty good
job of taking care of really big ponds, so why would your
backyard ecosystem pose much of a challenge to her?
Unfortunately, the fact is your backyard pond is only going to
get some cursory attention from Mom; the rest of the work is
going to be left up to you.
In the “real world” chlorinated water doesn’t find its way into
ponds very often. “Big” pond water passes through a great many
natural filtration and oxygenation systems, and the various fish
and flora work together to keep the pond clean and fresh. Our
backyard ponds don’t have quite that much help, so here’s where
you need to step in:
If you are going to keep fish then you absolutely must remove all
traces of chlorine from your pond before your favorite Koi set up
housekeeping. Pond fish cannot live in chlorinated water so don’t
even try. There are many products available to remove chlorine
quickly, or you can opt for the old-fashioned, natural way if you
have the time to spend.
Discuss – Building a fish pond entails more work than just digging a hole in the ground, and filling it with water. The first thing individuals have to do is use a plastic lining to separate the ground from what to become the fish pond.
If you opt for ‘a la natural’ then expect to wait about 8 to 10
days for the chlorine to dissipate. You will need to make sure
that your pump and filter are running and that you have set up an
aerating method such as a waterfall or “splasher” to bring oxygen
into the water. Make sure that the pond is exposed to plenty of
sunlight (the natural enemy of chlorine), and use a chlorine
testing kit to check the water daily.
Me? I just drop some de-chlorinating product into the pond and
check back the next day.
Even if chlorine is totally removed, you still have nitrite and
ammonia to worry about. These two toxic buddies are byproducts of
fish waste and can wreak havoc with your Koi’s health. After a
while Mother Nature will kick in some help by allowing beneficial
bacteria colonies to develop that enjoy eating nitrite and
ammonia for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They won’t be present in
new ponds, however, unless you buy some bacteria starter kits to
kick start the process.
Discuss – Those who want to have plants on their fish pond should keep in mind that they should place their fish pond in a place where it can be exposed to great amount of sun light.
Your garden pond could become overtaxed, ecologically, if you add
too many fish too quickly. Start out adding no more than two per
week so that the newly introduced bacteria do not get overwhelmed
by the waste that will be produced.
Just when you think you’ve got it all under control that ugly
thing called “pH” raises its head. Testing for pH levels is also
very important since neither plants nor fish will survive very
long if the pond’s pH is out of whack. Your pH test kit should
show a reading of between 6.8 and 7.4. You can add the proper
chemicals to raise or lower if as neccessary.
Speaking of test kits, get one that will allow you to test the
pond’s salt levels as well. Unless you’re raising baby Sea bass,
too much salt is not a good thing.
After your pond is fully established, Mother Nature will lend a
bigger hand and you can settle into a routine of testing every
three of four weeks unless something serious, such as flooding,
has occurred in between.
Discuss – Including an assortment of plants inside the fish pond, and planting it around the edges will help manage and absorb the nutrients in the fish pond. Some water plants will also help to control the presence of algae.
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including
MacArthurWatergardens.com
and
href=”http://www.pond-filters-online.com”>Pond-Filters-Online.com. He
also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
‘New Pond Owners Guide’ visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
Filed under Koi Pond Maintenance, Koi Water Pond by on Jan 24th, 2009. Comment. 
One of the most enjoyable sounds we can listen to involves water. Water falls, babbling brooks and of course the ocean waves. Having these sounds in your home or backyard is a very desirable things. Creating a pond or water garden in your backyard is an exciting and highly rewarding hobby. Before you jump on in and start building a pond, it’s a wise person who realizes that some adventures are full of large pitfalls. These pitfalls can even cause great heartache. What to do, what to do?
When we are in troubled waters, many times we turn to our friends and family to help us. We are in a constant search of information looking for recommendations for the best place to eat, tips on where to get the best service for this or that and so on. It’s in our nature to both gain and give advice. When it comes to building a pond or water garden, you can gain a great deal of insider information from a local pond club. You may not know it but there are literally thousands of pond clubs around the world just waiting for new members to come and join in on the fun.
As exciting as the creating a water garden or pond is,it is a very temperamental ecosystem to be sure. Joining a local pond club can help guide you through some of the more difficult challenges that comes with building a pond or water garden. You can skip over a great deal of the very difficult and disheartening frustrations of building a pond by joining a pond lovers club. I’m sure when you think of the beauty of a pond, you’re not dreaming of the green gunkie goop that comes from a poorly designed and maintained pond.
Even if your local area doesn’t offer a pond club within driving distance, you can certainly find an online club to join, as they are plentiful.
Some water garden groups meet in person, others will do their gathering virtually in the online environment. Pond lovers post a variety of questions for a all types of pond problems and experiences.. There are plenty of advantages to either type of gathering. The point is it’s a fine way to get started in your new hobby. What you will find within these types of clubs is the constant flow of helpful information being spread about on a daily basis.
From the very beginning you’ll appreciate your membership as you gain a better incite into pond blessings and problems from other experienced members. There are ponds with fish, ponds without fish, ponds with lots of water lilies and ponds without them. Some people enjoy ponds with just koi and goldfish while others like to have turtles and frogs. There are ponds with and without waterfalls as well as rock and pebble ponds. Oh my goodness, there are big and little, wide and deep, tall and skinny, small and um… cheap? Let’s just safice to say that almost anything goes for the creative minds in pond creations, this window of opportunity is wide open. With that being said, the door to frustration can be just as easy to step into.
Pond lovers are so fond of their creations that many pond clubs offer yearly pond tours. They even charge an admission fee to help cover the costs of maintaining some of the more spectacular creations. Pond tours are advertised on T-shirts and even billboards. People place ads in the newspaper, TV, radio and in garden centers. This is not just a tiny little hobby; it’s a worldwide phenomenon.
The wonderful thing about these pond and garden clubs is the valuable trade of information you can obtain. Pond clubs even offer ways of trading plants and fish as well as bartering for different items or services that you may need from time to time.
If you’re thinking about building a pond, make sure you jump on in and join a koi pond club first. The great thing about these types of clubs is finding people who love the same wonderful things found in ponds as you do.
Filed under Koi Water Pond by on Jan 22nd, 2009. Comment.
Build An Easy Koi Fish Pond. Easy To Build Backyard Koi Fish Pond With Full Illustrations, eBook(R) & Bonus.
The metabolism of koi and goldfish is controlled primarily by
water temperature. As the water cools, pond fish require less
protein in their diet. When koi and goldfish are fed high-protein
food in cool water, the excess protein is excreted as ammonia
from the gills. The microscopic organisms that make up the
biological filter (and consume ammonia) also slow down in cooler
water.
Improper seasonal feeding can lead to a build-up of toxic
ammonia, which stresses fish and reduces their winter
survivability. When the water temperature drops to approximately
65° F, start feeding with Spring & Autumn Pond Food. This type of
fish food is better suited for the dietary requirements of pond
fish in cool water and won’t pollute the water with excess
ammonia. Some water gardeners continue to feed their fish until
they no longer come to the surface. I stop feeding my pond fish
when the water falls below 42° F.
Discuss – Provide adequate shade by having 60 to 70% of the pond’s surface area covered with floating plants or other types of shade.
There is no need to worry about “frozen fish” if a section of the
pond is at least 18 inches deep. Pond fish will seek the deepest
part of the pond and over-winter there until the water warms in
the spring. If your pond is less than 18 inches deep, the fish
may freeze during a harsh winter. Check with your local pond
supplier if you live in an area with harsh winters.
Some water gardeners with shallow ponds attempt to keep their koi
and goldfish in kiddie pools or aquariums set up in a cool
basement or garage. This is not recommended because of the extra
stress involved in netting, transporting, and re-acclimating the
fish to the new environment.
However, if you dont have a choice, and need to bring your fish
inside for the winter, be sure to have an aquarium air pump or
small fountain to provide oxygenation. The fish should be fed
infrequently, if at all, depending on the water temperature. pH,
ammonia and nitrite, which should be monitored weekly and
especially if the fish are fed.
Small water changes (20%) each month will keep the water in good
shape until spring. Koi are “jumpers”-so be sure to cover the
pool with bird netting!
**************************************************
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including
MacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He
also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
‘New Pond Owners Guide’ visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
**************************************************
Filed under Koi Fish by on Jan 21st, 2009. Comment.