Koi Care Basics Blog

So you thought you didn’t need to worry about winter koi pond algae? Well, think again!

Algae is able to grow both in and under ice. It flourishes until plants begin competing with it for nutrients again in the spring.

Plants use nutrients and compete with algae. They are higher up on the food chain than algae, so they beat them out in the competition.

In my opinion this is possibly THE best reason to have koi pond plants, although there are many other benefits as well.

In fact, it is suggested that plants should cover 70% of the pond’s surface during the growing season.

One way to discourage algae growth in the winter is to have as many plants as you can find that will also grow in the ice. Two of these are pennywort and watercress.

Both fish and tadpoles eat algae. UV lights, algaecides and bentonite are also methods of koi pond algae control. There is no magic bullet.

It may take a combination of all of the above to get your algae under control. UV is expensive and algaecide can upset the balance and even harm or kill your koi.

Both plants and bentonite work with the natural chemistry and ecosystem of your pond.

If you are experiencing bad algae problems one good solution is to go to the grocery store and buy several clumps of watercress (with the roots on), bring it home and throw it in your pond.

And of course pennywort. If you can find it, buy a large bunch and toss it in the pond.

Both watercress and pennywort are readily available, suck up nutrients quickly and help starve both summer and winter koi pond algae!

To create a lush water garden design that enhances your beautiful fish you will want to choose a variety of Koi pond plants so that you have a balanced look and ecosystem. There are several types of plants you can include.

Water Hyacinth is a beautiful and functional Koi pond plant

The first type are SUBMERGED PLANTS like Anacharis and Cabomba. These are planted underwater in the gravel or soil and they will help to oxygenate your pond. They do this by pulling carbon dioxide from the water and releasing oxygen as part of the photosynthesis process.

Another type are the FLOATING PLANTS. Many of these plants provide your garden with lovely flowers. The root systems that drift below the surface actually act like a filtration device, which is why some sanitation plants use Water Hyacinth as part of their purification process. Plants such as the Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce also may serve as camouflage for your pond filter or other pond equipment.

MARGINAL PLANTS like Cattails and Irises do best in the shallow water or wet soil around the edge of your Koi pond. They grow up above the water. Marginal Koi pond plants make an ideal way to transition from pond to the surrounding area in a gradual way.

The final type of pond plants are FLOWERING WATER LILIES. They are the essence of any

Water Lilys provide shade and are a nice addition to any Koi pond.

water garden or Koi pond. They are similar to marginal plants in that their roots grow underwater, while the leaves and flowers emerge above the surface. Lilies will spread across your pond surface. They aid in providing shade and shelter as well as aesthetic appeal.

The following are some of the items that are necessary for planting and tending to your Koi pond plants:

~Planting Baskets These baskets will contain and anchor your plants on submerged shelves. You can also use floating island planters to create one-of-a-kind floating arrangements.

~Aquatic Planting Media boosts the ability of root systems to gain a firm foothold and get well established for the growing season.

~Aquatic Fertilizers are used to promote blooms, lush foliage, and strong roots in aquatic plants.

~Pruning Tools give you the extra reach to trim and sculpt plants for a well-manicured Koi water garden.

The above suggestions include the basics that will give you a good start on planting and maintaining beautiful and healthy Koi pond plants.

For more information about Koi and Koi pond care visit the website at http://www.Koi CareBasics.com

There is no reason that Koi and Koi pond plants can’t co-exist, however many Koi owners are very reluctant to mix the two. The main reason for this is that these fish are voracious eaters and will consume almost anything they can fit into their mouths!

Koi are by nature very curious and each has a unique personality. Koi pond plants might become food, provide entertainment or even be ignored. Unfortunately there is no way to predict how your particular fish will react.

Koi & Pond Plants

In general it works out better to introduce your Koi into a planted pond than to introduce a Koi pond plant into an established Koi pond. Koi are curious fish and will go over to investigate the new addition. Then, if one begins to nibble on the plant they will all nibble on the plant as they learn from each other.

However, if you put a few new Koi into an already planted pond chances are that they’ll probably leave the plants alone. Exploring a new environment and finding new things to do can occupy them, thus providing a bit of protection for the plants.

Koi pond plants that have recently been potted do not have well developed root systems to help hold the soil in the pot and the plant in the soil. If your Koi can find any way to get to the soil they will uproot your plant. Rooting is an instinctive behavior for members of the carp family.

One way to keep them out of the soil is to place rocks on top of the dirt. Of course this only works when the rocks are larger than the Koi’s mouth and it won’t prevent them from pushing the rocks out of the pot.

To prevent that from happening you can plant in a pot that is two or more times deeper than the dirt. If the Koi want to get at the dirt they’ll have to stand on their head which is quite uncomfortable for them. Even so, you still need to place the rocks over the soil.

Another option for protecting roots is to grow your Koi pond plants without soil. You can plant them in plastic net baskets with golf-ball size lava rocks. The fish aren’t interested in the rough textured rock, your plants will get their nutrients from the water and the spaces in the rocks allow bacteria to grow. This method will both help keep the Koi away from the roots and help keep your pond water clear.

Leaves are considered a delicacy by bored or hungry Koi fish. There are a couple of ways to handle this problem. You can make sure your Koi are well fed and offered a variety of foods, including fresh and / or rotate pots in and out of the pond. Pots sitting out of the pond give plants a chance to recover while the pots in the pond are available as a tasty snack! Watercress and water celery are particularly good for this.

Keep the plants that you most want to protect in shallower water and at the edges of your pond to make them harder for your Koi to reach. They aren’t averse to coming up out of the water a little ways to get to a delicious meal!

The addition of fast multiplying duckweed or mosquito fern to the pond offer a nice alternative to your more prized Koi pond plants.

As your Koi get larger you might need to separate your plants from your fish. Often barriers can work well. Most of these include netting with holes just large enough for Koi fry and water currents to pass through. Your success rate with netting can vary as the fish can learn to wiggle over the floating nets. If one does it the others
wil surely follow since Koi are quick learners. However you could get lucky and they may not figure it out.

Koi pond plants

Some Koi enthusiasts build cages from wire around their plants and this can work well as long as you are certain that there are no sharp edges for your fish to get scratched on. Opportunistic diseases can take over if an open sore or scratch is available to fester in.

A last thing to keep in mind is that many Koi ailments are treated with salt and some Koi keepers keep a minimum salt level in their ponds. This is probably okay as long as it is a very low level. A pound of salt per 100 gallons of water will kill all of the submerged plants.

If you have a sick fish and want to medically treat i with salt you will need a higher concentration and should remove it to a seperate tank for treatment purposes.

If you are careful and do some planning you should have very little trouble with Koi pond plants.

To learn more about how to take care of Koi pond plants visit KoiCareBasics.com

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com