Koi pond’s popularity are on the rise, and the reasons are obvious. Who would
not want living creatures as a part of their garden? However, Koi keeping should
not be taken lightly. Koi, like any other animal, require time and money to
maintain. The majority of first time Koi owners fail because they get the idea
that keeping Koi is easy in some way. Do not let this discourage you though, as
educating yourself will greatly improve your chances of succeeding.
It is important for you to learn all you can BEFORE you begin obtaining the
things you need for Koi keeping. This way, you will not slip up and have to
replace anything that you have already done or bought. Planning ahead will not
only save your money, but it will potentially save your sanity as well.
It is important to learn the information for yourself rather then relying on
other sources. People such as your product dealer and pond builder will have
limited knowledge, but should not be trusted for a reliable source, as they are
selling products, and may be bias. Plus, once you are at home with your Koi,
your product dealer or pond builder may not be available to help you in the
event of a problem.
Your Pond
Before ever buying Koi, you must create a proper habitat for them. This is where
information from your pond builder and supplier will come in handy. However, you
should not rely on the opinions of just one person. It may be a god idea to do
research on your own, before you go to purchase the materials needed for you
pond. Because of it’s popularity, an unlimited supply of resources can be found
on the topic of Koi keeping. Visit your local library, fishery center, or
research online. There are quite a few things needed to sustain a habitable
pond.
When it comes to pond size, the bigger is always better. Koi have a habit of
growing rather fast, so you have to consider pond size at the same time you are
considering how many Koi you are going to put it in.
You filtration system is extremely important. There are 2 types of filtration,
mechanical and biological. mechanical filtration relives the pond of solids such
as dead algae, insects, and Koi wastes. It is important to have enough
filtration to sustain the size of the pond, and the amount and size of your Koi.
Biological filtration causes a nitrogen cycle, which is what removes dissolved
wastes from your pond. Without biological filtration, built up waste will turn
into ammonia and kill your Koi within just a few days.
Another consideration is the water quality. It is sometimes said that having Koi
is literally just a side effect of having the proper water quality. To keep your
Koi alive, you must have the proper knowledge on how to maintain your water
quality.
Buying Koi
There are potentially thousands of different types of Koi, with about 20
different popular versions. Koi are popular because of their beautiful colors
and patterns.
Your pond should be complete before you even look into buying your Koi. The size
and amount of Koi you buy should be highly based on your pond. Be careful,
overstocking will cause problems right away with you pond, potentially killing
many of the Koi you purchase, causing you to loose time and money.
Most fish owners understand that most fish will only grow to the size of their
enclosure. Koi, unlike other fish, will grow until they are the size of their
specific type. You must be able to accommodate the amount of fish you purchase
in the future.