Keeping you Koi pond clean should be one of your number one priorities. A clean
pond could mean the difference between you Koi living a beautiful stress free
life, and potentially suffering until they ultimately die. The water in which
your Koi live is not only where they eat, sleep, and feed, but it is also where
they use the bathroom as well. If you do not properly clean your pond, it is
almost as if your Koi are living in the bathroom toilet.
The water in your pond should almost be completely clear. Your pond should
contain no floating or suspended debris, and the Koi should appear to be
floating in air. If you are unable to see the bottom of your pond, then chances
are your pond is not clean enough.
We know that you take great pride in your pond, especially when you were
constructing the beautiful landscape around it, and picking out flowers that
bloom in beautiful colors and have beautiful smell that are unmatched. However,
no matter how beautiful the landscape around the pond is, a pond is not
successful unless you can sustain beautiful fish within the water. While ponds
are designed to resemble nature, you must remember that your Koi pond is
actually just a really large outdoor fish tank, and that it needs to be treated
as such.
Unlike natural water systems, fish tanks need a large amount of care. Filtration
systems are needed to maintain water quality, and a pump system is needed to
keep the water moving.
In nature, Koi would not nearly the amount of food that they do in controlled
ponds. It is not unheard of for pond owners to feed many pounds of food to their
Koi per week. This produces a larger amount of waste, whether it comes from the
digestion process on the Koi’s part, or the amount of uneaten food that has
settled to the bottom and spoiled. It is important to vacuum the bottom out as
much as possible, and make sure all types of drainage systems are clear and in
working order.
Another issue is the fact that your pond is indeed, outside. Being outdoors,
your fish tank faces problems that a normal indoor fish tank would never have to
deal with. Debris can easily find its way into your pond. It is important to
skim your pond as much as possible.
No matter if your blame the Koi, yourself, or nature for the pond not being
clean, it is important for you to clean it up. The health of your Koi is at
stake if you do not. Even if your water quality is clear, a large amount of
debris can cause your Koi stress. Stressed fish are more susceptible to disease
and viruses.
Preventing Cleanliness Issues
Above cleaning your pond on a regular basis, adding preventative measures can
also increase the cleanliness of your pond.
Keeping your pond moving is one way to help keep your water quality up Moving
water adds more Oxygen to your water, as well as potentially keep floating
debris for collecting in your pond. Moving water can be achieved several ways
such as waterfalls, fountains, and pump filtration systems designed to move
water.
Another way you can avoid cleanliness issues is by keeping your amount of fish
down. Start by buying smaller amounts of fish as spawning will cause you to have
babies in the near future. The less fish, the less waste is involved.