Once a status symbol for the nobility, today koi are something for every garden pond. However, it must meet certain requirements.
Garden ponds are extremely popular. If you like it a little more extravagant, you can opt for a koi pond. This not only comes into its own in the Japanese garden. If you opt for such a highlight on your property, then you must be aware that this not only has a high price. Very special requirements must also be met. After all, koi are very expensive fish and for that reason alone you should take care to keep them he althy.
The animals grow extremely fast and can be up to 80 centimeters long. They also live to be over 50 years old, so you should be very reassured that you will have to spend a lot of time and money caring for the fish. Once you've decided on the pond, there are a few things you need to consider when creating the koi pond.
Tips for creating a koi pond
» Tip 1 - The ideal location for the koi pond:
First of all, you need to find the right place for the pond. In order to be able to observe the animals as well as possible, a location close to the house is of course ideal. If you have a patio, the area directly in front of it is best. A high-quality technology is also required for the koi pond and you can then accommodate this in the house, which also considerably simplifies maintenance and care.
The fish originally come from Japan, and there it is even the case that part of the pond reaches into the house. This gives the fish a warmer area and you can look after your animals comfortably even in bad weather. Of course, this is associated with enormous costs and the implementation is not easy. It should only be an interesting suggestion if you are planning to build a new house, for example.
Many fear that the pond right next to the house will attract swarms of mosquitoes in summer (reading tip: effective home remedy against mosquitoes). While that is quite possible, they are also eaten by the fish. Due to the proximity to the house, the natural predators of the koi can also be kept at a distancehold because they tend to avoid people. In addition, the building can also cast shadows on the pond, which is particularly important because the koi pond should always have shady and sunny areas.
» Tip 2 - The dimensions of the koi pond:
➥ Minimum volume:
Kois are very big fish. In order to keep them species-appropriate, they also need a corresponding amount of space. The pond must therefore have a certain minimum volume. It is best to calculate the total volume according to the number of fish that you want to put in later. How to do it:
A minimum of 5,000 liters of water is required for a single koi. But since you don't keep koi alone (at least 5 are recommended), the pond must of course be much larger. For each additional fish, the volume increases by 1,000 liters. If you intend to keep 10 animals, then your koi pond should have a volume of at least 15,000 liters. These are the minimum requirements, of course bigger is always better.
➥ Shape/Size/Depth:
An elongated shape is ideal. A size of 6 x 3 meters would be optimal, which corresponds to an area of 18 square meters. If you then add a depth of 150 centimetres, you would have a total volume of 25,000 litres. This means that the pond has a fairly decent capacity for a relatively small area.
The depth should be the same throughout, because you don't need to plan different planting zones for the koi pond. However, a depth of two meters would be desirable. This is the optimum so that the fish can hibernate safely.
➤ Tip 3 - The pond basin for the koi pond:
When implementing the pond basin, the subsoil is particularly important. If this is nice and firm, i.e. it consists of clay or loam, then a pond liner with a thickness of 1 millimeter should be sufficient. It is recommended that you have the foil cut to the required size at the excavated point. This should not have any folds when it is laid out, because not only dirt but also germs can settle there later. That's exactly why you should first cut the film in the corners and then weld them together again.
If the subsoil in your garden is not solid enough, then you have to pour the pond basin out of concrete, otherwise you will not have sufficient stability. Given the size, you can't really do this work yourself. So you have to hire a specialist company to do it. Afterthe pond basin is embedded, it is then also lined with foil.
A pond basin made of glass fiber reinforced plastic, the so-called GRP, is expensive, but the most durable and hard-wearing. The great thing about it: Specialist companies can always model such pools according to the customer's specifications.
» Tip 4 - The right technique for the koi pond:
➥ Filter/pond pump:
Since the koi are very expensive, you have to do everything you can to keep them he althy. Of course, this starts with the quality of the water, which must always be consistent. The basis for this is a high-quality filter. Since the animals pollute the water very badly, the filter should also be powerful. When buying a filter, it is better to choose a larger model, even if a smaller one would be sufficient for the pond volume. Otherwise you might have to upgrade later, and that would be time-consuming and expensive.
The pond pump is always placed at the end of the filter. She can then lead the clean water back into the koi pond. With the help of an emergency generator, your sensitive fish will not be harmed even by a longer power failure.
➥ Surface Suckers/Floor Drains:
A surface suction device (also known as a skimmer) and a few floor drains have proven their worth for koi ponds. These transport the polluted water into a mechanical and then into a biological filter. The biological filter should definitely have ventilation, because this is the only way for the bacteria in it to get enough oxygen to be able to do their job properly.
A little tip:
It's hard to believe, but you keep hearing from koi pond owners that some of the magnificent animals have been stolen from them. It can therefore be worth using a fish finder to keep an eye on your stock. So you can see immediately if one of your animals is missing.