Koi are the beautiful Japanese fish that have been around for centuries. They are graceful creatures that live in ponds and other water formations and are highly prized for their size and colors. There are any varieties of Koi and many of these grow up to more than a meter long and live up to several decades.

Some people build their own koi ponds and fountains to suit their preferences while others employ the help of experts in making their koi ponds and fountains. The best thing to do is to study the fish first and their habitats and preferences before embarking on a do it yourself dilemma that can be left hanging or could cost you some money just because of your spur of the moment decision. Koi are sensitive fish that need care and attention so make sure you have the time to do this. Koi ponds and fountains will also need care and attention.

Building Koi Ponds and Fountains

The first thing to do when thinking of building koi ponds and fountains is to look for the right location. You must remember that koi do not like direct sunlight and ponds under direct sunlight also gather more moss. This competes with the koi for oxygen in the water so it is better to have a shady area for the pond or to put water lilies with big leaves floating on the water to ensure shade.

You must also consider a water filter unit and a good aeration unit for the pond. Man made ponds and pools need to be aerated artificially to sustain the fish. Koi ponds and fountains need a good water pump to keep the water moving sufficiently enough to have no stagnant water.

One thing to keep in mind when building Koi ponds and fountains is that Koi can grow rather large and you must give a great margin for their growth especially if you intend to keep them for a long time. Each Koi can grow up to a meter long and live up to more than 50 years.

Regularly check the chlorine of the water in the pond since this is dangerous to fish and so are other chemicals and elements in the water. Koi ponds and fountains are very attractive to fishing birds so it is best to make the pond a little deeper than what wading birds can stand up in. Herons and egrets can eat a lot of koi in one sitting so it is best to safeguard from them.

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Discuss - Generally, it’s best to not have submerged plants in large pots, when also keeping KOI. The ideal KOI pond is much deeper than the average water garden, so the necessity for plants to help with water quality and shade is reduced.

Keep a pond looking great by following certain seasonal, as well as typical guidelines
When it is time for the colder air to take over, pond care will still be necessary if you want to maintain the good condition of your pond. Autumn can bring challenges for pond care.

The first point I need to make about pond care in autumn leaves that fall into the pond will decay if not removed. Perhaps you can skim the surface of your pond to remove them. However, this method of pond care—once fall is really kicking in—may have to be done many times throughout the same day.

One better idea, in my opinion, for keeping falling leaves out of your pond is to purchase a cover for it. Perhaps just a small canvas big enough to cover the water, nothing fancy, you can set it up with stakes or stones.

Discuss - Ensure that you have good mechanical and biological filtration and that your pump will turn the pond water over totally at least twice per day.

Try to keep as much sludge out of the pond during the colder months. There will be slime, decay of water plants and other plant debris, and you will certainly need to perform the proper pond care to keep your pond from becoming an enormous chore when the warm seasons begin.

If you have fish in the water, for great pond care, be sure to feed them less. This is because when the cold approaches the fish will eat less due to a slowing metabolism. Extra fish food in your pond can contribute to the bacterial problems that often develop during the winter. Someone who wants to provide great pond care for his or her pond will want to make sure that, by using good pond care, he or she will keep as few bacterial sources away from the water as he or she possibly can.

Discuss - Also, digging a fish pond on the lowest ground level in the backyard is not the best idea. This is because it will tend to get flooded when you water your lawn.

For your fishes, pond care is very important. You can provide foods for your fish, which contain a protein content of twenty-five to thirty-two percent. A wheat germ based food is good fish pond care. During this time of year the food easily digested.

Pond care spring and autumn food is an excellent choice for you to maintain your pond at this time of year. When you practice the proper pond care, you will definitely be glad you did.

These are only some of the guidelines for pond care. Depending on your individual pond care needs, the advice I have just given may vary. For example: even if you have no fish in your pond, certain pond care is still especially important.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, recreation, education and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles about ponds, waterfalls, and more, please visit Ponds and More. Discuss - Make sure that when constructing a natural pond, that you dig deep enough, so that the pond does not freeze over during winter. Also, consider what types of aquatic life you want to include in the pond before digging.

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Discuss - Including an assortment of plants inside the fish pond, and planting it around the edges will help manage and absorb the nutrients in the fish pond. Some water plants will also help to control the presence of algae.

Koi ponds require a lot of time and maintenance. If you are not ready to invest time into your koi pond, then you should most definitely not invest the money into one. Koi do function as beautiful garden “decorations,” in a sense, but they are really much more like pets than simple garden décor.

This is because you are going to need to take the time to care for koi much like you need to take the time to care for pets. You want to be sure that your koi pond is a very healthy environment so that your Japanese carp will flourish. Also, you want to make sure that your water remain clear so that you can enjoy your koi.

Here are things to consider before building your koi pond:

· The bigger the better. It is best to build a koi pond that is larger than 500 gallons.

· The deeper the better. Make sure that it is at least 2 feet deep, but preferably much deeper (a 6 foot deep koi pond takes up no more room in your yard than a 2 foot deep one!)

· Include at least one bottom drain.

· Be sure that the bottom slopes toward the drain and away from any incoming water (like waterfalls, etc.)

· Make a good shape. To be a proper Japanese koi pond, shape and style of the pond itself is everything. For your own pond, you can simply choose a shape that is most aesthetically pleasing to your own eye (and a shape that fits well in your yard!).

Discuss - However, if you still do want to keep potted plants in your KOI pond, we recommend wrapping netting over the tops of the pots, to keep the fish from digging in the pots. Another thing you can do is to top the pots with 1′ of pea gravel, and then larger river stones or similar over that.

· Vertical walls will increase your pond volume and help protect your koi from predators.

· Have a pond skimmer system. Look for one with a “weir.”

· Use a specialized biological filtration system instead of a mechanical or chemical filtration system.

· Heat it during the winter.

· Keep a good feeding regime.

· Keep a good cleaning regime.

These are just a few things that you must do or must be aware of before creating your own koi pond. If you are still interested in doing so, then go for it!

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on koi ponds, please visit Pond Depot.

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