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

 

With fall well under way, and winter fast approaching, I figured it was a good time for a reminder about when and how much koi fish food you should feed.

In the fall when water temperatures fall to 50-60 degrees, you should change your feeding schedule to once every 1-2 days.

A low protein food should be fed. Many companies make special foods for spring and fall, when you are switching from feeding to not feeding.

When the temperatures drop to below 50 degrees you need to stop feeding the fish altogether.

In the colder temperatures the metabolism of your fish slows down and food cannot be properly digested. It can take up to 3-4 days for your koi to fully digest their food.

Don’t be fooled on warm days when your fish may become active and “beg” for food. Stay strong and do not feed!

If your koi really do need a little food, they will find enough growing in the pond. The algae that is still coating the pond liner more than enough. You don’t want to literally kill your koi with kindness!

Koi fish food definitely needs to be fed according to temperature. In many parts of the country, temperature coincides with the season, which is why you hear that koi need to be fed according to season!

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com

The key to feeding Koi properly is that feeding Koi depends on the season. Actually, to be more specific, feeding Koi depends on the water temperature.

If you are feeding Koi in heated ponds then they can have a regular, year-round diet. Koi kept in heated ponds do not have to adjust to changes in water temperature.

Feeding Koi properly during the summer months encourages growth, helps in tissue maintenance and repair as well as helping lay down fat deposits and providing nutients that the fish can store for use during the winter months.

When water temperatures are between 64-68 degrees Fahrenheit (18-20 degrees Celcius) feeding Koi should incorporate a high protein diet that will promote growth. Conversely, feeding Koi in cooler temperatures involves less protein as it becomes more difficult to digest then. Instead it is excreted into the water, which not only makes feeding Koi more protein a bad feeding plan, but also pollutes the pond water.

You need to assess feeding Koi in the cooler months of fall and spring when Koi appetites are subdued. During this time feeding Koi should involve a change from a high protein feed to a wheat germ based diet that is easier to digest in the cooler temperatures.

Feeding Koi at temperatures below 46-50 degrees Fahrenheit should stop altogether. In these twater temperatures Koi won’t feed at all and will rely on the nutrients that it’s already stored to get it through the winter.

When the weather begins to warm up again and your fish begin seeking out food you can start feeding Koi the wheat germ based diet again. Then begin feeding Koi by gradually mixing in the higher protein summer food as the water warms up.

Amounts for feeding Koi depend on their age and body temperature. Feeding Koi fry is different from feeding Koi adults. When water temperature is around 68 degrees Fahrenheit Koi up to 1 year old eat 5-10% of their body weight, Koi between 1 and 3 years of age consume 5% of their body weight daily and adult Koi (3 years and older) consume 2% of their body weight daily.

A good rule of thumb for feeding Koi is to offer as much food as they will eat within 2-3 minutes at each feeding. When feeding Koi you will notice a big surge of activity at the beginning of each meal, then as they start to get full they will eat more slowly. This is the point at which you should stop feeding Koi.

As far as the frequency of feeding Koi take note that at temperatures of around 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celcius) feeding Koi should be planned for 2-3 times per day. Feeding Koi in colder temperatures (50-59 degrees Fahrenheit or 10-15 degrees Celcius) is only required once per day.

As you can see, it is extremely important to note seasons and temperatures when feeding Koi!

If you are looking for an exceptional Koi food enter “Hikari Koi food” in the search box when you follow this link for feeding Koi!

Alan Deacon
You can learn much more at my site…
KoiCareBasics.com

Helpful tips for Spring And Summer Koi Pond Care

It is important that you have a checklist for spring and summer Koi pond care. The helpful tips in this article will ensure that you don’t forget any of the more important Koi pond care components.

Now that spring is here it’s time to begin your Koi pond care program. If you don’t already have a Koi pond care checklist in place you’ll find the important Koi pond care basics in the following paragraphs.

The exact same Koi pond care regime won’t apply to every single Koi pond, however there are many Koi pond care basics that must be adhered to.

As your pond begins to warm in the spring and you see it coming back to life it is time to implement an effective Koi pond care program. This will get your pond going in the right direction for the rest of the year.

The first step in your Koi pond care program is to un-winterize your pond. Anything you did to get your pond ready for freezing weather should be undone when the threat of freezing has passed.

Next on the list for your Koi pond care is to make sure you don’t forget about your Koi! As soon as the water reaches a constant temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit you need to begin feeding your fish. Make sure you feed a cold weather food until the water temperature reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit when as part of your Koi pond care routine you can move them on to a higher protein summer food.

If your pond has accumulated leaves and other debris over the winter the next step in your Koi pond care plan is to remove anything in your pond that might decompose and leave behind waste products that are toxic to your fish. There are both skimming and bottom scooping types of nets that will assist you in this aspect of Koi pond care. There are also other water treatment products available to help accelerate the natural decomposition of any leftover debris.

Another possibility in your Koi pond care program is the use of a vacuum to remove debris from the bottom of the pond. If there are an excessive amount of leaves and sludge then proper Koi pond care may require that you do a complete pond cleaning. This type of Koi pond care should only be done if absolutely necessary since it will mess up the balance of your pond and interfere with your algae control.

Proper Koi pond care includes keeping your filter clean. If you use a skimmer or pre-filter as part of your Koi pond care then you will need to clean those more frequently, possibly as often as once a week. However it will cut down on the frequency of your regular filter cleanings.

If you use a biological filter as part of your Koi pond care then make sure you do NOT over-clean it, and avoid chlorinated water. Koi pond care that includes over-cleaning these types of filters can destroy the helpful bacteria that has colonized on the media in the filter.

Another very important Koi pond care tip is to make sure you do what you can to maximize aeration of your pond. Warm water holds less oxygen. I strongly suggest your Koi pond care include an additional air pump and that it is running all the time.

By following the above tips you should be well on your way to good warm weather Koi pond care.

Alan Deacon
KoiCareBasics.com