Best How to Build Your Koi Pond

A koi pond is a major part of keeping koi and must be built with careful consideration of various factors. Remember, the majority of ponds are permanent once they are built. You cannot change your mind about its location or design after one or two weeks of construction work. So bear in mind such things as size requirements and placement when planning to build your koi pond.

Your koi pond is the living habitat for your koi. For it to work properly and actually sustain koi, a number of different things must be considered when you begin planning it. A few simple rules will ensure that you do not end up with an expensive hole in the ground with dead fish.

Firstly, you need to decide whether to get professional services to build your koi pond or do it yourself. There are advantages and disadvantages both ways. If you want to hire a professional pond builder, you will want to find someone with enough experience and who is reliable. In light of that, beware of extremely cheap quotes as these builders may cut corners that could bring problems to you later. While quotes will differ, there should not be a very huge difference between them.

If you choose to try to build your koi pond yourself, you will need a pond kit. Set aside enough time to do the work. A simple design may take you only a few days but if you have other challenges such as an uneven ground, rocky soil, debris or an elaborate design, then building the pond on your own may take you months. Furthermore, you may need to rent or buy specialized equipment to get the job done. So depending on your own personal situation, you need to decide whether it is more practical to hire a professional or do it yourself.

Remember, if your pond is not built properly the first time, you will end up spending a lot of money fixing the problems that arise. Besides that, if your pond is not properly setup, you may not even be able to keep your koi alive.

The types of koi ponds you can build are differentiated according to the materials used to make the pond lining. Basically, the pond lining can be either concrete, fiberglass, rigid plastic or flexible liners. Once again, there are pros and cons to each one and you should base your choice on your budget and the type of soil and ground conditions you have. No matter which type of pond you opt for, you will need to apply for the relevant permit and adhere to all regulations set by your local municipality for setting up a koi pond.

Once your koi pond is constructed, be sure to keep all children and other pets that are not fish out of the pond, as they can cause problems. If your children swim in your pond, not only could they cause a chemical imbalance, but they could also cause major problems such as leaks. Likewise, keep other pets away from your koi pond filtration system and your pond in general. An important thing to do would be to build a fence around your koi pond and equipment such as pumps and filters. It is likely that the law makes this mandatory also.

Finally, remember that maintaining a Koi pond does require some work. Make sure that you have enough time to carry out the everyday needed maintenance and be prepared to handle issues that will arise that require special attention such as koi pond leaks, sick koi etc. If you are going to be away, have someone with enough knowledge to properly maintain you pond be available to help until you return.