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