Koi Pond Maintenance

KOI POND MAINTENANCE -- Keeping Koi does not just put koi into koi a pond and feed them. But we must aware about koi pond healthty with routine maintenance. Once you have a koi pond in operation it is necessary for you to perform routine maintenance tasks on a regular basis. Koi fish are very sensitive and changes in their ecosystem can lead to poor health or even death. Maintaining your koi pond regularly will help your fish thrive.


Koi pond will need to be maintained to ensure its beauty and quality is continued while providing a safe and healthy environment for your koi. If ever the routine tasks are ignored then eventually this can lead to the malfunction of equipment, clogging of the filters and in the worst case, the complete draining of the water via tears in the pond liner. While you are maintaining the koi pond you should also keep an eye on the koi themselves to ensure they are not developing any serious disease problems. The best time to be able to examine to koi closely is during feeding time.

Step By Step Koi Pond Maintenance

The preparations of koi pond maintenance, you will need to take in the winter season will vary according to your geographical region. In cold climates the preparations will include removing all the organic materials and leaves from the pond. This tasks are simple step koi pond maintenance:

•  Keep the surface of your pond clean by removing debris and leaves, which can disrupt the balance of your pond's ecosystem. Alternatively, place a structure or a net over the pond to catch falling debris. 
•  Check your filter and skimmer, if you have one, every week or two to ensure it is working properly and not clogged. A good filtration system is the best way to maintain a clean environment for your koi. 
• Vacuum the bottom of your pond when there is a buildup of food or other debris. If you remove your koi from your pond for the winter, vacuum the pond before reintroducing your fish. 
• Check your pond's water level once a week. You'll need to add more water to maintain the level as water evaporates. If your pond is losing large amounts of water, however, you probably have a leaky pond liner or filtration system. 
• Monitor your fish. Koi's personalities, as well as their beautiful colors, are what make them so intriguing. If a fish it acting or looks strange, it's probably a sign of poor health. For example, a koi that rubs itself often against the side of the pond could have a bacterial problem. 
• Promote fish health by using an additive of nutrients and minerals .
• Control algae in your pond using an algaecide or a more natural method, like adding barley straw. Adding plants can also help reduce algae, but many owners like to put a barrier between such plants and koi, which will eat and possibly dig up the plants. 
• Remove some fish if you find it difficult to maintain your pond. Fish waste builds up on the bottom of ponds and can make the water toxic for all your fish. Experts recommend one small- or medium-sized koi per 500 gallons of water.

A serious problem that can occur in cold climates is the reduced oxygen concentration during the winter months, which can make difficult conditions for koi to survive in. It could become essential that you maintain some gas exchange while preventing the pond from freezing. There are a few different courses of action you could take to prevent the pond from freezing such as covering the pond with plastic sheeting, hay or another material. 
Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2246565_maintain-koi-pond.html&nbsp http://www.koicare.org/koipondmaintenance.php