Koi Pond Heater Or Koi Pond
De Icer…Which Should You Use?

 

What should you do when the weather gets colder? Use a koi pond heater or a koi pond de icer? The answer is “it depends”.

As long as your pond is deep enough you can keep your koi outdoors through the winter.

Their metabolism will slow down and you’ll need to switch them to a lower protein food in the fall and then stop feeding them altogether once the temperatures drop below 50 degrees fahrenheit.

At that time they will become very sluggish and hang around at the bottom of tthe pond where the water is warmer.

The reason some people like using a
koi pond heater is because they like to feed their koi through the winter. When the fish are not taking in nutrients and are sluggish their immune systems slow down as well.

Then in the spring when they “come back to life”, other things, like bacteria are coming back to life as well. With their suppressed immune systems your koi are more susceptible to bacterial infections.

Many people prefer being able to feed through the winter to having to treat their fish for a bacterial infection.

If your pond freezes over in winter you will need to make sure to keep an opening in the ice for gases to escape. If gases get trapped beneath the ice you will end up with a pond full of dead koi in the spring!

A de icer will keep a small area open on the surface of your pond, allowing it to “breathe”. You should NEVER open a hole in the ice by breaking it with a hammer or other implement as this will send shock waves through the water that can kill your fish.

If you live in a colder climate you need to decide if you prefer to use a koi pond de icer or a koi pond heater.

Alan Deacon

KoiCareBasics.com

 

Koi filtration is probably the most important mechanical function in your pond! Without a filter you won’t be able to keep your water clean and we all should know by now that the most critical factor in koi health is water quality!

I just put up a new Squidoo lens about the koi pond filter. It provides information on the basics of koi filters, how they work and what they do.

Different aspects of filtering are reviewed and you will find out where you can go to save money on all your koi pond filtration needs!

Don’t neglect to learn all you can about the koi filter that you may already have, or that you will purchase in the future. Your filter determines, to a degree (along with the size of your pond), how many koi your koi fish pond will be able to sustain, how quickly and large your koi will grow and how healthy they will be.

If you want to learn more about the basics of koi and koi pond care head over to my website and grab a copy of the ebook or audio version of Koi Care Basics

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

Koi pond kits are probably a good choice if you are installing your own Koi pond and if you are new to the Koi keeping hobby.

They should include all the necessary components and instructions that you need to successfully install and maintain your pond.

Koi pond kits can be found online and at most home improvement stores. You can install the kit yourself, or you can hire a landscaper to do it for you.

They come with either pre-formed hard plastic shells, or a more flexible plastic that can be moved into the shape of your choice.

Your koi pond kit should include the filtration and aeration systems. If it doesnt it will be necessary to add these systems in order to keep your fish healthy.

Koi pond kits make setting up your own koi pond so much easier. Most of them come with a liner, filtration equipment, tubing, water treatment chemicals and more.

lf you are new to the Koi pond experience, you will want to make sure that your kit also contains thorough instructions. Buying an additional manual on Koi and Koi pond care is a good idea that will help you in the long run.

Be aware that if you want a more permanent pond you will need to install a concrete lined pond at some point. This is a much more involved and expensive process, which explains the popularity and attraction of Koi pond kits!

Which Koi pond liners  are better;  rubber liners or a concrete pond?  Both have advantages and disadvantages.

When a concrete pond is designed and built correctly it can be more permanent. You need to be very careful when designing a concrete pond that you have planned everything properly because once installed it literally is “cast in stone”!

You can form the shape and contours so that they are very smooth and even which is a must to avoid “dead areas” in your Koi pond.

The biggest disadvantage with concrete pond is that because of all the exposed concrete the ph tends to be higher for at least the first three years. There are, however, things that can be done to prevent this.

One way is to let the concrete cure and then coat it with a rubber base paint or epoxy.

A 45 mil rubber liner pond  is not as permanent. Rubber liners also come in a variety of thicknesses, with the thicker liners being more durable but the thinner ones being easier to shape and mold.

This lack of permanence can be a benefit in some situations. If your pond ends up having some design flaws that need changing, or if you need to move or remove the pond, you’ll be glad you’ve chosen a rubber liner.

An additional advantage is that rubber Koi pond liners will maintain a more neutral ph.

Rubber liners also provide a softer surface for your Koi.

A disadvantage of rubber Koi pond liners is that even when the liner  is installed properly you will  still  have some minor folds in the liner. Once you fill your pond these folds will barely be visible.

Another challenge with a rubber lined pond is the rock work around the edges.  If you don’t want the liner to show it will be necessary to camouflage it with rock work and plants.

The challenge is that the rock work will need to extend down into the water but the mortar for the rock work won’t stick to the liner.

Even though a rubber liner is less permanent when it is properly installed it can remain leak free for many years.

Taking into account the pros and cons of each will help you to make your own decision about Koi pond liners!

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

When you are deciding about the placement of your Koi pond there are several things to consider.

First, koi ponds do better in a shaded or partially shaded spot than in full sun.

You can place a Koi pond in full sun, but a shadier area will  slow algae growth considerably and helps prevent the water from becoming too hot during the warm summer months.

If you build your pond in a sunny location you might want to consider putting up an arbor or awning to provide your pond with some shade.

Shade also helps with protecting your Koi from predators…it gives them a place to hide. And, believe it or not, Koi can get sunburned so having some shade gives them a place to go to keep out of the direct sunlight!

Leaves from trees near the pond, with the exception of pines, shouldn’t cause problems  if your pond is well designed.  Pine needles can create quite a mess as they can make their way through skimmers and leaf baskets and clog up your pump.

Once you have picked a spot and decided on a shape for your pond you can use a garden hose or rope to outline it’s size and shape.  This will give you some idea of  how the pond will look.

Keep in mind that your new Koi pond will probably be the central feature of your landscaping. Once you have the general outline shape of the pond established you can get a approximate idea of how many gallons it would be by multiplying the average length by the average width by the average depth by 7.5 gallons per cubic foot.

You’ll still have quite a few decisions to make but you’ll have a good starting point!

Happy pond designing!

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

What is healthy Koi water? This is an extremely important question because the water quality in your Koi pond is the most important factor affecting the health of your fish.

You can determine if the quality of your pond water is sufficient for your koi if the following criteria are met:

1) The water in your pond is free of chlorine and other chemicals such as pesticides, heavy metals, organophosphates, etc.

2) There are undetectable levels of ammonia and nitrite in your pond.

3) Water hardness, pH level, and temperature are correct.

4) There are low levels of particulate organic compounds (POC) and dissolved organic compounds (DOC) in your pond and…

5) Your Koi water stays consistent in it’s stability.

If you use tap water in your pond it has probably been treated with chlorine. Chlorine can be fatal to your Koi. One way to make it safe is by “aging” chlorinated water before placing your Koi in it. How long is long enough? Make sure you wait AT LEAST 24 hours before placing your Koi in tap water.

If you use subsequent additions of tap water in your pond make sure that the amount is a small percentage of the total volume of pond water. Also be sure to test for chlorine levels after each addition.

The next deadliest contaminant in your Koi water would be ammonia. You always have to be careful of ammonia because the main source of the ammonia in your pond is your Koi themselves! Fortunately ammonia can be broken down into it’s less harmful components through the process of biological filtration.

Since certain types of beneficial bacteria break down the ammonia, the highest risk for ammonia contamination is in newer ponds. This is due to the fact that they haven’t yet developed large enough colonies to neutralize the ammonia.

Since the danger from ammonia in new ponds is so serious I recommend that you check ammonia levels every day until they stabilize and make frequent Koi water changes, even daily if necessary. Once your ammonia readings stabilize you will be able to relax a bit!

An acceptable level of ammonia in your pond is actually ZERO!

Even very low ammonia levels (<.1mg./liter) are extremely irritating to Koi fish, especially to their gills, and higher levels can lead to skin and gill hyperplasia. In gill hyperplasia the secondary gill lamellae become swollen leading to breathing difficulties. Serious gill disease and death occur when high levels of ammonia contamination are reached.

As you can see, even in the case of just these two factors of  water quality it is essential that you monitor and maintain your pond so that your fish have healthy Koi water!

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

Today I’m posting a letter that I just sent out to my email
list. The content is important so I wanted to make sure that my blog
readers get it too!

“I thought I’d send along an article I came across the other day.

Hopefully you know that you don’t want to place your Koi pond at the
bottom of a slope. That way if there is any pesticide runoff from a
garden or from your lawn it won’t be directed towards your pond.

Koi are fairly hardy but contaminating their water with pesticides
can kill even the hardiest of Koi.

In fact the three most important components of Koi care are:
1. Water Quality
2. Water Quality and
3. Water Quality

It’s that important.

I hope you find the article interesting and that it drives home the
point. You probably won’t ever run into this extreme (hopefully) but
it won’t hurt to keep this in mind.

Here’s the link to the article:
Pesticides Article
More about water quality next time!

Take Care,
Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

The Koi pond liner is one of the most important pieces of equipment will get for your pond. It’s main purpose is to prevent the pond water from leaking into the surrounding soil.

There are numerous types of liners available. Concrete, fiberglass, rigid plastic and flexible liners are the most common and every pond liner has positive as well as negative features.

Knowledge of the positives and negatives of each will help you determine the best Koi pond liner for your pond.

* Concrete pond liners used to be considered the longest lasting liners. People who were building a permanent Koi pond used concrete to line their ponds. Some of the drawbacks that have been discovered with concrete include the leakage of toxins from the concrete into the pond and the higher price of purchase and installation.

* The fiberglass Koi pond liner is considered one of the best pond liners available. The average lifespan of this type of liner is approximately 50 years. They can be installed easily and they expand for ice without cracking. Their only disadvantage is an unnatural look and the extra care needing to be taken with the landscaping to disguise it.

* Rigid pond liners are considered the cheapest in the category and they have a natural look. They are considered good resistors of sharp roots as well as rocks but their drawback is installation problems. These pond liners can not be installed easily. It is very difficult to dig the right size hole to lay the liner in. But it is a great choice for Koi enthusiasts in warm areas. They are rated highly in terms of controlling leakage.

* Flexible pond liners have a minimum lifespan of 20 years and are believed to have a firm resistance against weathering and cold cracking. They are completely non-toxic and you can get them for a fraction of the cost of concrete pond liners. These pond liners are best for almost every climate. Due to their wonderful flexibility you can install them with great ease. This particular type of Koi pond liner is probably the most often purchased.

Prior to installing a Koi pond liner you must decide upon the location where you want to place the pond. The procedure is to outline the shape and size with chalk and colored string. Following this is excavation of the soil from the marked area.

If the hole is deeper than three feet you will probably require a permit from the municipal department in your town or city.

Finally you will fill the bottom of the hole with sand and salt to bring the bottom level. Now the excavated area is ready to accomodate your carefully chosen Koi pond liner!

What is the optimum Koi pond alkalinity level?

Generally levels of 50-170 are what is recommended although some Koi keepers are keeping their pond levels even higher at around 180. The reason for this is that alkalinity will decrease over time as the good bacteria in your pond consume bicarbonates which slowly decreases alkalinity.

Alkalinity can also be referred to as carbonate hardness or German carbonate hardness. It is the measure of the concentration of the capacity a solution has to neutralize acid without changing pH. It both maintains and controls water pH. Koi pond alkalinity level can be measured in parts per million of calcium carbonate (ppm of CaCO3), milligrams per liter (mg/L), grams per cubic meter or degrees (dKH).

Test kits measure alkalinity as carbonate hardness or dKH and often in degrees of German Hardness (odH).If you want to convert German Hardness to parts per million (ppm) you can simply multiply by 17.

In spite of the fact that that a pH of 7.4 is best for Koi fish it can be a good idea to keep th pH level a little higher. pH levels can crash quite quickly when your alkalinity (KH) begins getting lower than 80 ppm. Since alkalinity is the buffer that helps maintain pH it is important to test it regularly. You may find that it’s better to keep your Koi pond alkalinity level above 100 or 120 pm. It will give you a bit of a buffer zone to help maintain your pH.

There are several ways that you can add alkalinity to your pond. One way to do this is through water changes. This can help introduce new minerals and can also increase alkalinity. However, if you have softer water it’s alkalinity can be less than 80 ppm. You can increase both the pH and KH by adding Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to the water. One third cup of baking soda per 1000 gallons of water will raise the KH level by 25 ppm.

Make sure that you take care not to raise the KH level more than 25 ppm a day. If you do it will cause undue stress to your Koi. An exception to this is if you are losing fish to a pH crash. A pH crash is when the pH level hits 5.5 or lower. In this case you have nothing to lose by adding a bit more baking soda to the water.

Water doesn’t have to have a high pH to have high alkalinity. Alkalinity is related to the dissolved amounts of calcium, magnesium and other compounds in the water. This is why alkalinity tends to be higher in hard water as opposed to soft water.

There are various reasons that Koi pond alkalinity level will decrease over time.

Decreases occur naturally over time due to bacterial action which produces acidic compounds which combine with and decrease alkaline components.

Ponds with fiberglass construction or vinyl liners tend to exhibit a higher decrease in alkalinity over time and might need supplementation to help them maintain proper levels. Alkalinity can be raised by adding calcium carbonate, oyster shells, concrete blocks, egg shells or limestone.

High alkalinity can be prevented by routinely changing out the water if the water you are replenishing with has a lower alkalinity than the pond water.

An established pond usually maintains an equilibrium in it’s pH value if you keep it clean by removing sludge and any organic materials before they have time to decay. Scheduled water change outs (i.e. 10% / week for small ponds, less for larger ponds) can also help maintain proper pH and Koi pond alkalinity level.

You should definitely purchase a test kit and use it on a regular basis!

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

You have your dream home along with a wonderful garden that enhances it’s beauty. But… you want to make your garden even more beautiful! How about the idea of enhancing it with a small Koi pond?

Koi fish are an ornamental variety of domesticated Common Carp or Cyprinus Carpio. Also known as Japanese Carp, these pretty fish are known as symbols of love and friendship. You can find Koi in a multitude of colors, including white, black, red, yellow, blue, cream and silver.

It is an old Japanese tradition to tame these fish in small ponds. Their homes have always been beautiful and wonderfully embellished. In the present the Japanese people widely use a small Koi pond in their home garden to decorate it and maintain a positive energy. Koi  are traditionally known in Japan as a ‘good luck charm.’

In addition to increasing the serenity in your garden, these small ponds add to your reasons for spending time relaxing in and enjoying your garden.

Another bonus of a small Koi pond is that building one is not an overly tough task. You can build it in hours without spending huge amounts of money. To make your job even easier follow these simple guidelines…

First, decide on location, where to place the pond in your garden? Selection of a shady is always a wise decision as shade will help moderate water temperatures and provide some cover for your Koi.  You must also select a place where you can easily keep your pond clean and free from garden wastes. You don’t want chemicals or fertilizers to run into the pond since this would be likely to kill your fish.

You should also make sure that the place you have chosen for your pond has easy access to electricity. Electricity will be required for running your filter and water pump.

Size is another important factor, particularly if you are the one who is going to dig the hole. The size of a pond also varies in accordance with the number of fish, and depending on where you live you will also need to make sure your pond is of adequate depth. If winters get below freezing you will need to make sure that a good portion of your pond is a minimum of three feet deep.

To build the small Koi pond in your garden you will need a liner or preformed tub. After digging the hole, you can put the tub in  and fill the dirt around it. This is the easiest way to prepare a Koi pond. But, if  you are using a liner  you must be cautious. Some rubber liners can be dangerous for fish.

The last, but most important component of your pond is your fish! You can have just Koi fish, or even a mix of gold fish and Koi. It is very enjoyable deciding on which colors and types to select and in just a short time they will become beloved pets!

Now your striking Koi pond is ready. If you would like to make it even more beautiful you could place a small wooden bridge over it. This will offer an arresting look to your garden. You will surely be enchanted by the beauty and tranquility of your small Koi pond!

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com