Building a koi pond is definitely a worth while investment. They are a great addition to any backyard or garden and they will definitely make your neighbors jealous! I am going to provide some of the basic facts and instructions you should know before you build your koi pond.
First thing is first, your pond must be large. Koi grow quite large so make sure you make your pond as large as you can, the bigger the better! Koi pounds should really be at least 10,000 gallons in volume. The more room your koi fish have the better. Also, think about how many fish you would like the pond to hold. Is your koi pond going to hold approximately 6 fish or 20 fish? Just keep in mind that koi fish grow quite large so remember, build your pond large!
When it comes to depth, one section of the pond should at least be 3 feet deep but just to be on the safe side shoot for 4 to 5 feet. Make sure after digging your hole you measure all the dimensions to make sure that the pond is large and deep enough for the fish. Don’t just guess!
Where you place you pond is extremely important. Make sure when it rains no runoff will flow into the pool. As the chemicals in the runoff can easily poison the fish.
When it comes to how much sunlight your koi pond gets. It is important to remember the plants in/or around your koi pond. If you do not provide the plants with enough light, they could die. But on the other hand, giving your koi fish to much sunlight can also harm them. It is important to research the types of plants and their effect on the positioning of your koi pond.
After you build your hole, line the hole with flexible plastic liner. Some people may choose to use concrete to line the hole but plastic is cheaper and just as effective. So unless you have some serious buck to spend on concrete, just stick with plastic liner. Many restaurants use liner for their koi ponds so don’t feel like you are down-scaling. Plus, plastic liner can last up to 15 years!
Next, make sure you decorate your pond so it is beautiful! Research what types of plants your koi fish will and will not destroy if placed in your pond. Let your neighbors envy your koi pond!
Remember, make sure your koi have some type of shelter in the pond. A ledge or some plants are good ideas! Lilies are great! The koi fish will use them as shelter and not destroy them. Plus, they are a great way to beautify your pond.
Before building your koi pond make sure you research every aspect of your project to prevent mistakes! Remember, the more mistakes you make, the more money and time you will have to put in.
Lastly, good luck and I hope you enjoy your new pond!
