The Differences Between Proper Koi Ponds And Garden Fish Ponds Explained
Why Proper koi ponds are different from backyard fish ponds
A Koi pond is different from a regular fish pond, containing pond fish and a few small Koi carp. A professional Koi pond is also much more expensive to build and maintain. Breeding and Keeping Koi to professional breeding standards is a very expensive business and necessitates the need for professional pond filtration equipment, not to mention a large pond, usually in excess of 10,000 gallons.
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In this short article I will endeavor to explain the differences between the two ...
The first real distinction to made is the difference between the professional Koi keeper or Koi breeder and the hobbyist fish pond keeper. The hobbyist pond keeper although avid about his pond will in the vast majority of cases not spend as much time caring for the pond inhabitants. Large Koi need a lot of time and attention spending on them. This will probably be a full time occupation ... My apologies if I have offended anyone, that is not my intention.
Large Koi require a lot of extra care and specialist pond filtration equipment to maintain clear, pure pond water. They will consume vast amounts of specially developed Koi food and produce a lot of liquid and solid waste, as a consequence of their healthy appetites. In simple terms keeping and breeding large Koi fish is a full time, high maintenance job.
The following pointers will hopefully explain some of the major differences between a garden fish pond and a professional Koi pond, built especially to keep large Koi ...
Koi Pond Size - Exercise is important if you want your Koi to have the correct shape and form. In order to be able to exercise they need a lot of space in which to swim around. Also bear in mind that there will be several Koi and not just a single individual. Professional Koi ponds are large and deep and often include an integrated mechanism to provide a stream, against which the Koi can swim.
Koi Pond Depth - The average garden pond is between 2ft to 3ft deep. A Koi pond needs to be significantly deeper than this and will normally be between 5ft and 6ft deep. The minimum depth would need to be at least 40 inches.
Koi Pond Filtration – Specialized biological filtration systems are needed. A typical box type filter with bio balls or other low cost biomedia will not cope with the work load. Fluidized bed filters, also known as bead filters or vortex filter systems are needed, in order to quickly break down the build up of high volumes of ammonia and solid waste. These systems alone can cost several thousand dollars.
Koi Ponds And Algae Bloom – The last thing that is needed in a professional Koi pond environment is a large development of green pond water, caused by algae blooms. It is critical to use a correctly specified, high powered UV sterilizer, to destroy the algae bloom and to sanitize the pond water by killing pathogenic micro organisms, including bacteria and viruses. Excess algae interfere with the pond pH; a high pH makes even small quantities of ammonia, potentially lethal. Algae blooms also increase the levels of carbon dioxide and starve the pond of oxygen at night time; worst case scenario you end up with dead pond fish.
Koi Ponds and Water Temperature – Koi are a form of ornamental carp and prefer warmer pond temperatures. In the Northern US states, Canada and Northern Europe many professional Koi keepers use a pond heater to maintain an ambient temperature for these sensitive fancy fish. If you want to encourage maximum growth and prevent stress and death then it is important to be aware of this factor.
Koi Ponds and Pond Pumps – The heart of any fish pond, particularly large Koi ponds is the pond pump. Whilst small submersible pond pumps are ideal for the average garden fish pond they will be no where near powerful enough for a large Koi pond. Ideally the volume of water in a pond needs to be turned over at least every couple of hours. In a large pond with a volume of 10,000 gallons or more this will necessitate the need of a much more powerful pond pump. Out of pond also known as external pond pumps are commonly used by professional Koi keepers. High powered external pond pumps have been designed to handle large volumes of water and high flow rates. These pumps can be quite costly and will consume more electricity than the average in pond pump. Many Koi keepers also have a spare pump as back up just in case a fault arises.
Koi Ponds and Electricity – A pump and biological pond filter need to be working constantly in order to provide a continued supply of oxygen and water to the nitrifying bacteria, responsible for converting toxic ammonia and nitrites into much less harmful nitrate. What would happen if there was an electricity cut, leaving you without power for some time? A backup electricity source would be required, which would need to kick in as soon as the main power supply was interrupted.
Koi Ponds and Koi Fish Food – You will be totally amazed at the number of people who spend a fortune on their pond, pump, filter, UV and other pond keeping equipment and then try to save a few $ by buying inferior Koi food. Koi need proper nutrition, containing the right balance of protein, amino acids, vitamins and color enhancers.
Koi Ponds And Oxygen – In typical Koi ponds there is no such thing as too much oxygen. Large volumes of oxygen is needed and Koi ponds literally bubble. A pond air pump is a great way to ensure maximum oxygen saturation.
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