Do you dream of owning your own Koi pond? Are you ready to get started? Koi pond construction and upkeep is no easy task but this guide will help you. Koi, like any other pets, require time and money to maintain. The majority of first time Koi owners become frustrated because they have the illusion that keeping Koi is easy and completely worry free. Upkeep is not overwhelming though because educating yourself in the beginning will lessen your workload in the future. If you plan right it's not that hard.
It is important for you to learn the basics BEFORE you begin buying the tools you need for your Koi project. Don't learnthe hard way and lose time, money, or your precious Koi friends. People like product vendors or other suppliers will be knowledgeable, but should not be automatically trusted as an unbiased resource. Remember they are selling products first, guidance second. Plus, once you get your Koi, they may not be readily available to help you in the event of a problem or oversight. So you need to perform your own research above all, but here is the good news. Due to a sudden spike in popularity, an unlimited supply of resources and educational materials can now be found on the topic of Koi keeping.
Here's what you do. Visit your local library, pet store and research online on blogs and fan sites.
Start with these basic ideas and facts in mind.
Koi have a habit of growing rather fast, so you have to consider pond size at the same time you are considering how many Koi you are going to put in it. What breeds? How many? What space do I have to work with?
Your filtration system is extremely important. There are 2 basic types of filtration, mechanical and biological.
Mechanical filtration cleans your pond of solid wastes like plant matter, bugs and insects, and other assorted biological wastes. It is important to have enough filtration to sustain the size of the pond, and this will vary depending on the physical dimensions of your pond and amount of Koi and other plants and animals living in it. Without biological filtration, built up waste will turn into ammonia and kill your Koi and everything else.
Now it's time to consider the water quality. Some people will tell you that having healthy Koi is just because you keep the water quality high. While there is more to the equation than just water quality you should keep a close eye on the chemical levels of the habitat. To keep your Koi alive you must understand how to maintain your water quality balance and proper PH levels.
How to Buy Your Koi Fish
An exciting thing about these Koi is the sheer variety of colors, types and markings they have which basically make up the 20 most popular versions. Your pond will come alive with color depending on the variety of fish inside of it.
First things first. Check to make sure your pond is complete and functional before you start buying Koi. Test it with a small number of start fish. The number and the size of Koi you purchase at first should be a fraction of your physical pond's capacity. You can start small and scale big. This will hedge your risk if you make some mistakes. Here's another tip. Many fish owners understand that normally fish will only grow to the size of their enclosure. Koi will continue to grow to the full size regardless of whether the enclosure can support them or not. Be careful to not to overstuff your pond or your Koi will get too big and die.
This should help everyone who is interested in creating a home and owning some these wonderful creatures. Good luck with your first Koi pond construction adventure.
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