| If a pond has a waterfall to aerate the water, fish will | | | | and nearly self-sufficient. As long as you only stock |
| produce waste that is broken down by nitrifying | | | | the koi pond with small fish such as guppies and |
| bacteria into nitrate nitrogen, and water plants will use | | | | mosquito fish, they will never need to be fed. They can |
| the nitrogen and thrive. In turn, the fish eat the algae | | | | exist solely on food that the pond provides naturally. A |
| and small water insects that live on the rocks and plant | | | | chlorinated pond, on the other hand, requires continuous |
| roots. And those bugs eat other smaller bugs that eat | | | | maintenance. The chlorine dissipates from the water |
| microscopic bugs that eat bad bacteria bugs. This is | | | | as it flows over the falls and turns into chlorine gas. |
| called the nitrogen cycle. A properly balanced pond like | | | | This means that fresh chlorine needs to be added |
| this will pretty much take care of itself... What is a koi | | | | regularly and your backyard will smell like a swimming |
| pond without koi? A pond! Now that is boring... | | | | pool all the time. The chlorine also causes many |
| Many clients who want a waterfall and koi pond do | | | | minerals and suspended particles to precipitate and |
| not want koi fish to take care of. Actually, a pond will | | | | build up on the rocks, causing unsightly white stains in |
| require less attention with fish than without. If a koi | | | | the water's path. When chlorine is not added regularly, |
| pond has a waterfall to aerate the water, koi fish will | | | | leaves and other decaying debris in the pond will |
| produce waste that is broken down by nitrifying | | | | cause algae to grow, turning the pond green. So after |
| bacteria into nitrate nitrogen, and water plants will use | | | | convincing the client to give my suggestion a try, I |
| the nitrogen and thrive. In turn, the koi fish eat the algae | | | | returned a few weeks later to find that they have not |
| and small water insects that live on the rocks and plant | | | | only purchased some large koi fish, but have given |
| roots. And those bugs eat other smaller bugs that eat | | | | them all cute names, like Charlie and Doug. |
| microscopic bugs that eat bad bacteria bugs. This is | | | | If the client wishes to have larger fish such as koi, the |
| called the nitrogen cycle. A properly balanced koi pond | | | | nitrogen cycle will need a little extra help from a |
| like this will pretty much take care of itself. | | | | biological filter and an ultraviolet light. The larger the |
| Koi fish food can get lodged in the plants, rocks and | | | | number and size of the koi fish, the greater the waste |
| vegetation around the perimeter of the koi pond. If the | | | | material produced. This means that some of it must be |
| koi fish cannot find the food, it simply decays, adding | | | | removed from the water. Increased quantities of |
| unnecessary nitrates to the water and resulting in | | | | nitrates and nitrites increase the amount of ammonia |
| more food for algae to grow. To eliminate this problem | | | | and other by-products such as pea soup algae, the |
| I fashioned what I term as a Koi Fish Food Corral | | | | type that turns the water green. A biological filter will |
| made from a 4 to 5 foot piece of 1-1/2 inch flexible | | | | aid in the breakdown of toxic nitrites into less harmful |
| PVC pipe and fastened together with a single 1-1/2 | | | | nitrates, and an ultraviolet light will kill algae spores and |
| inch coupling, creating a circular corral. | | | | disease-causing pathogens as they pass through the |
| This corral keeps the koi food in one place, and | | | | UV light on the way to the filter. So, what else can I |
| prevents it from floating off into rock crevices, plants | | | | say to convince you to get fish? They are fun to |
| or the skimmer. Plus it allows for the proper portioning | | | | watch? They are cute? They come in handy during |
| of koi food. It is easy to tell if you've given the koi fish | | | | times of famine? Got fish? Got turtles? Got tadpoles? |
| too much. If food is still there after a couple of minutes | | | | No? Then, get some! Your pond will be much more |
| and the koi fish seem to have had enough, they have, | | | | appealing and exciting. It is like having the Learning |
| and you should remove the leftovers. Lay it in the sun | | | | Channel or Discovery Channel in your back yard. |
| to dry and feed it to them later. It is easy to collect the | | | | Every day brings a new discovery: baby fish hatching; |
| extra food that the koi fish don't eat by using a small | | | | a dragonfly struggling from its cocoon; a tadpole |
| net. It is better to feed them too little than too much. In | | | | slowly, very slowly, turning into a frog; two crayfish, |
| a case like this, more is not better. | | | | doing what they do to make baby crayfish... now that |
| Sometimes my clients originally expressed a concern | | | | is a discovery! A turtle, shedding its shell... now that is a |
| that koi fish would be a burden or a hassle. They | | | | miracle. If you have kids or grandkids, or neighbor kids, |
| would worry about having to feed them daily, or what | | | | grab some or all of them and make it an adventure. |
| they would do when going on vacation. I would explain | | | | Pile them into the car or bus and go to the local pond |
| that the koi fish are extremely important with regard to | | | | store and gather up a passel of predacious and |
| their contribution to the nitrogen cycle. The nitrogen | | | | peculiar pond creatures. Better yet -- build a koi pond |
| cycle is what makes a koi pond low in maintenance | | | | first and then do it. Happy koi, peace and joy. |