A koi pond can be a place of peace and beauty for yourself and your koi fish. It can also add years to your life. Many beginner hobbyists have to go through a few koi ponds before they strike the right balance. Here are few points to making your first effort a lasting one.
Know what you want and how you are going to accomplish it
Doing your homework and research beforehand can save you a lot of time and effort (as well as koi fish and maintenance costs). Don’t hesitate to get help when you need it. Other koi fish enthusiasts who have built their own ponds are a wealth of experience and useful advice. Listen to their list of “dos and don’ts” in preparation of building your koi pond.
Pick the right spot
This is considered one of the most critical points of building your koi pond. Ideally, you’d like to be able to see it from your house, but make sure that potential run off is not an issue.
Look to keep it away from direct sunlight but try to keep it away from leafy trees. As a general rule, this will slow algae growth and lower the high water temperatures during the summer months. Adding water plants can be helpful in this regard.
Shaping up
Before you put a shovel (or shovels if you can get the help) in the dirt, stake it. Step away. Stake it again. Look at it for a few days before you get started.
Creating the pond
When digging, make it at least 4 foot deep. It is a good way to keep hungry terrestrial wildlife (like raccoons) from turning your pond into a buffet table. Before lining the pond, putting down old carpeting, carpet padding or sand is a good way to lessen the chance of puncturing your lining. For your lining use EPDM. It might be more expensive but its warranty makes it worth it. Make sure your lining has an overhang on all edges.
Spend the time getting the filtration system right
This is the heart of the pond, so ensure that it can handle the amount of water and number of fish in your pond. There are different approaches and methods for maintaining good water quality, but spending the time and effort getting it right when building your koi pond is well worth it. It will save you headaches in the long run and is the best way to ensure that your koi survive.
Finishing touches
Add the rocks (if you are so inclined), fill it with water (treat it, too) and add your koi fish. A good idea can be to add mesh koi houses as protection against predators. Decorative plants, rocks and other barriers are also good for protection.
Once you have built your koi pond and are ready to stock your pond with living jewels, Next Day Koi can help you find exactly what they are looking for, bringing you high quality fish at an unbeatable price. Sourced from some of the biggest and best koi farms in the world, we have also leveraged our high volume of shipping through UPS to bring you some of the most competitive Next Day Air shipping rates in the industry.
Contact one of our representatives to see how we can help you stock your pond.