Wintertime is almost here, and this will be the very first time that your Koi pond will be exposed to the cold weather. Winter is the downtime for your Koi pond, because during this season, less events will occur compared to the other seasons. To ensure the survival of your fish and Koi pond through the weather, here are important precautions that you need to take for your garden before winter blows its first cool breeze.
First, clean up - Take your time in completely going over your pond (this can take about a weekend). Remove those unwanted bulk material inside and around it as well. Inside the pond, remove all of those materials such as leaves and slits from the bottom of it. If you have flowers or plants that wouldn't survive the cold weather, you should also remove these as well.
Around your outdoor pond, clean up the debris that can be blown to it, because you will not be able to notice the debris until the winter's end (this will then prevent those potentially harmful parasites and bacteria in the future).
Second, stop feeding - Keep in mind that your fish needs to stop feeding during the winter period. Feed them once a day when fall starts and temperatures reach around 55 degrees to 60 degrees. Completely stop the feeding once the temperature hits below the 50-degree mark (even though the temperature will go beyond this mark, you should refrain from feeding your pets).
Most of them take at least 4 days for them to digest food completely when they are in good health and the temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you will forget this important step, you'd end up killing your fish! When your fish open their mouths at you, do not mistake it for hunger, for it's only a learned reflex instead of a sign of hunger. Don't worry about not feeding, because your fish will feed on something else besides the food that you provide them (especially if your pond has a great amount of natural plants). If you won't feed your fish regularly, they will then feed upon these.
Third, check up - Do a seasonal check up on the equipments that you have, from your filtration system to your array of preventable medications. Remember that most of the ponds lie dormant during the winter, you'd be able to less likely find the stuff that you're going to need. Make sure that your emergency kit (including the bags, water testing kits, medications and nets) is always ready and up to date.
Fourth, prepare for the cold - Make a preparation for the cold weather by investing in the items that you’d be needing during the summer time. It is known that the fish can withstand constant temperatures as low as 39 degrees for short periods of time (which include those that fall a little bit lower than 39 degrees Fahrenheit).
If you're going to purchase a heater, do a research first on the size that you'll be needing to heat your pond the right way during the winter. Otherwise, ice will still be able to materialize, causing danger imposed by the amounts of gas in the water, as it is trapped under the ice. In the event of extreme cases, you can also put inside your pond an emergency tank.
Finally, turn off all of your water sources - Your heater will do its work harder in order to maintain the temperature suitable for your fish to live in the cold weather. If you have those add-ons like streams, waterfalls and fountains, you should turn them off during the winter (as they will circulate water and constanly bring new and cold water to your Koi pond). By switching them off, you'll make your pond's standing water the only thing that your heater will be responsible for.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Dec 10th, 2009. Comment. 
As you raise your pet Koi, there's always a need for you to have the important filtration system for your Koi pond. The Koi is known for its sensitivity to the water quality compared to some of the other fishes, so you need to consider when it comes to having a filter in your outdoor pond.
The filter is an equipment that helps in controlling the biological balance within the pond. It removes the waste produced by the Koi. In the wild, the waste that comes from the fish is being removed through the water volume of the area, as well as the current of the water. So, when the fish is placed in your pond which is a controlled environment, they really need to have such a natural function as well. There are two types of filtration systems: the biological and the mechanical. The biological filter depends on the bacteria to break down those toxic wastes such as ammonia (or pH) into nitrates which are less harmful substances (high levels of pH can be very harmful for your Koi). Nitrates are also harmful to the Koi when they come in large amounts.
A good filter for your pond will still be able to work properly without the use of a pump to force the water through to it. As the pond is a big area, the filter's strength isn't able to circulate the water just on its own. The pump is the one that pushes the water and also the one that circulates the water through the pond. Also, add-ons like waterfall and those small fountain can be put in your pond, stirring up water and allowing oxygen from the air to be folded into pond's water (this process is called aeration). Keep in mind that it's very important to have a constant supply of oxygen for the fish.
It’s also necessary to test the water’s chemical make up on a weekly basis, and this can be done in two ways. The first option is to go to your local pet store and bring a sample of your pond's water so that they can test it for you, while the second option is to buy a home testing kit with which you can test the water all by yourself. You should keep the chemical mixture of the water at a normal level for your pets all the time.
Maintenance is always needed for your own Koi garden. It only takes a little bit of time and effort to maintain your pond, and having vital systems in it like the filter is one of the things that pond owners really need to have. Having a very healthy Koi pond and a magnificent Koi garden (plus the elegant and beautiful fish in your pond) really makes it a rewarding hobby every Koi lover out there!
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jun 14th, 2009. Comment.
A good and working filtration system is what you need in order to have a healthy and lively Koi pond. A filtration system promotes the biological balance in your pond. A good filter works well without the use of a pump in order to force water through it.
So what are the types of filters that you can use for your Koi pond? There are two kinds of filtration systems. These are the mechanical and the biological filtration systems. The biological filtration system relies on bacteria in breaking down toxic wastes (ammonia or pH), converting them into nitrates. Nitrates are less harmful substances (they only become harmful to your fish when left untreated at large amounts and high levels).
The mechanical filtration system is the one that cleans the particles (solid wastes from your pets) from the pond’s water, which are being trapped in the filter and cleaned up during the regular maintenance.
Your pond is a big area wherein the strength of the filter isn’t enough to promote the water circulation (keep in mind that your fish requires a continuous supply of oxygen). For this, to increase the strength, you can put add-ons like waterfalls, fountains, etc. These features can promote aeration, a process that agitates the water and in turn giving more oxygen to your pond.
It is necessary for you to keep the chemical mixture of the water at a healthy, normal range for your pets, so it’s important for you to test the chemical content of your pond every week, and this is done by bringing a water sample to your local pet store and have them test it, or if you prefer not to have any hassles in going to the pet store, you can choose to buy a home testing kit to test the water all by yourself.
Take the responsibility, time and effort you need to sustain the health of your pond. Being a rewarding hobby, giving your pond the things it needs (like the filter) wlll able to give you a long-lasting outdoor pond!
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on Jun 10th, 2009. Comment.
After finishing the construction of your Koi garden, you're now on the fun part: you now choose and pick the best flowers and plants that will suit your pond. Choose the ones that are beautiful and those that will provide biological life, as it helps in maintaining your pond by doing what they would do as their natural function.
You should pay close attention to your climate and area, as some plants simply can't survive in certain kinds of conditions. You can always have a consultation with your local Koi dealer in order to gain some ideas as to what plants are suitable for your pond.
Plants that you can use for your garden:
The Water Hyacinths:
Having water hyacinths is advisable if you don't have the time to plant, maintain the foliage of your water garden, or just lazy enough in gardening. Recently, they have become very famous due to their simple nature. Never requiring any soil or planting, you can just simply throw them into the pond. They just need little time to anchor themselves so that they won't float freely all over the pond.
Water hyacinths are both very pretty and functional, as they help fight algae and blanket weeds. The disadvantage of having these plants in your garden and pond is that they'll really spread all over the place, making them very invasive. They can infest up to your neigbor's yard, which could be difficult to get rid of.
The Lotus plants:
The lotus plants can keep with the theme of having tropical fish (like the Koi) in your pond. This plant has a beauty simply unparalleled by the others. The lotus gives your outdoor pond beautiful blooms and fragrant smells. These plants thrive in temperatures rising higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, that is why during the winter there may be a need for you to have a place to store or house them.
A greenhouse that's designed for water plants is truly a great thing to have when it comes to this. The lotus plants will require a large dosage of the sun's light and soil. They should be placed indoors during the colder seasons, and planted in the pond 2 to 3 feet deep during the warmer seasons.
Hidden yet functional plants:
Have those plants that are not necessarily seen in your garden as well. These are the ones that live below the water line, providing important functions to your pond. They can put oxygen back into the water, battle algae, and feed the fish as well. These plants are sold in bundles by your local pet store or fish dealer. Once they're placed in the water, you need not worry about them, because many of them will not need any additional support during the winter. The only downside that these plants have compared to others is that they can't be seen in your garden.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on May 24th, 2009. Comment.
Pond owners like to have a perfect Koi pond, so it should start with the pond itself. The pond should be beautiful to the eye of the spectator, and at the same time is should also sustain your Koi very well. Here are the things that you need to do in order to have a perfect Koi pond.
1st Step: Set Up The Best Environment For Your Outdoor Pond
The pond type, size and placement are very important in the construction of your pond. Talking about the size, remember that the bigger, the better. Your Koi grows long quite fast, so keep in mind the size of your pond and the amount of fish your going to put in the pond.
It's a great idea to hire a professional to build your pond (unless you have enough knowledge in outdoor landscaping, fish keeping and construction). Even though you may think that building the Koi pond yourself may save you a great deal of money, this could not be the case.
You see, if you haven't built your pond properly the from the start, chances are you'll end up spending quite a lot of money on giving remedies to problems that might come up in the future. Also, you might not be able to ensure the survival of your fish with an improper pond setup.
Remember that the pro's will give you what you want all the time. They might give their own input in decision-making, but in the end, your decision will be the one that they're going to follow. Therefore, you shouldn't blame them for the failure of your pond in terms of location, size and others. But just be on guard with those very cheap quotes, as they may cut corners which will cause problems later. Although there will be differences when it comes to quotes, there's really no significant variations between them.
2nd Step: Learn About Keeping The Fish
When it comes to the topic of keeping the fish, it's truly an advantage for you if you have a lot of knowledge regarding the matter. You should learn as much as you can about this kind of hobby before you get on with it. It's quite important to learn the necessary info yourself instead of getting inputs from other sources, such as your pond builder and product dealer (who have limited knowledge, and could be bias as they are selling their products too!). Also, they will not be able to help you when you're going to experience some problems with your fish at home.
3rd Step: Purchase Your Pets
So now you have created your pond and the perfect environment for your fish. What you're going to do next is to buy your pets. Don't buy too much Koi as they will grow very long (around two to three feet), and they will also breed almost every year. Overpopulation will cause serious problems later for your pond and fish.
4th Step: Prevent Those Common Problems You Encounter With Your Pond
In order for you to prevent those pond problems, always make it a point that you put your new fish in quarantine before you put them into your current population. Watch out for those diseases like the KHV, for this will show little symptoms or none at all.
If you quarantine your new fish, it will be of great help in reducing the risk and possibility of exposing your current population to harmful situations. You should do a water testing every week, and this will help you to observe the differences in the test results before your pond will show symptoms of stress (which can save both your fish and your pond).
5th Step: Feed Your Fish
Feeding your fish is one of the best and pleasing things as you have a perfect pond. Consult your dealer or local pet store as to how much food you should be feeding your fish. The feeding patterns varies due to the season and temperature.
Food like veggies, fruit, bread, etc, that you can buy from your local store are great for your pets. You can train your Koi to feed from your hand (but this would take a lot of time and patience). This, coupled with a great pond construction, will provide quite a delightful entertainment for you and your visitors.
Filed under Fish and Aquarium Care by on May 16th, 2009. Comment.
