Koi ponds are a common feature in many home landscapes worldwide. Learn more about what these ponds are, their history, and how to build and maintain a proper home for these beautiful fish.
What Is a Koi pond?
A koi pond is so much more than a simple hole in the ground with fish in it. Koi ponds have a very long history, dating back several centuries in Asia. Today, they are a common feature of many yards and are designed to hold large, ornamental koi.
History of Koi Ponds
Descendants of the Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) or Amur carp (Cyprinus rubrofuscus), koi were kept in Asia as a food source for many centuries. Over many generations, natural color mutations were noted, and those fish were set aside in special ponds. Countless generations of selective breeding later, we have the colorful koi we know today.
Today’s koi have dozens of different varieties or breeds, including the doitsu (Japanese for “German”), a scaleless variety of koi, and the long-fin or butterfly koi, with long flowing fins and ruffled nasal folds. Koi can be very valuable pets, with the most expensive koi ever being sold in 2021 for $1.8 million.
There are koi shows all over the world, and just like shows for cats and dogs, there are strict guidelines that only the best koi can achieve. Many koi in the US are shipped directly from Japan and are held at a higher regard than domestic or US-bred fish.
Common Features of Koi Ponds
Rather than a hole in the ground containing a few fish, koi ponds are practical and elegant homes for fish of all sizes and colorations. For best health, it is recommended to have at least 250 gallons per koi fish, and some large, breeding females may require up to 500 gallons per fish, due to their massive bulk when full of eggs in breeding season.
In addition to the main pond, all koi ponds require an efficient filtration setup. This is a combination of mechanical, biological and other filtration components. These types of filters include:
Mechanical Filtration
These stages remove particulates from your water, which can clog biological filtration if not addressed. This may include a skimmer basket, settling tank, open-cell foam sheets, sieve filter, or drum filter.
Biological Filtration
These components house your beneficial bacteria that run your nitrogen cycle. The most common component in many koi ponds is a pressurized bead filter. These filters contain many small plastic
beads with high surface area for the good nitrifying bacteria to grow on. These filters needs to be backwashed weekly to prevent compaction. Other biological filtration options include gravel, lava rocks, bakki showers, matting, recycled strapping or other porous, non-degrading materials. Be careful not to overclean these components with chlorinated water, hot water, or a pressure washer, as that can remove the beneficial bacteria.
Other Filtration
Most koi ponds should include a UV (ultraviolet) filter. This filter consists of a UV bulb contained within an opaque housing that the pond water is pumped through. This is used to zap algae and other biologic particulates. These UV light bulbs will need to be replaced every year.
How to Build a Koi Pond
Although many homeowners are fully capable of DIY koi pond construction, consulting with a professional builder is always recommended. Planning all your components and layout is critical to achieving a successful koi home. Start by determining how many fish you want and work backwards from there, provided your yard has enough room. Or you can start with your desired koi pond size and choose corresponding components. Koi should never be kept in a fish tank; it is
too small for koi, most of which can top out at 18 to 24 inches in length. Some large females have reached over 40 inches in length!
When selecting filtration, it is best to overestimate your total pond volume and choose components that are slightly larger than your pond. For example, if your pond is 800 gallons, choose a filter with a 1,000- to 1,200-gallon capacity. This will provide you a little wiggle room as your filtration is being
established and if you happen to forget any regular maintenance.
What Types of Fish Live in Koi Ponds
The most traditional occupant of a koi pond is a koi fish (Cyprinus carpio koi). Other good choices for a koi pond is their close cousin, the goldfish (Carassius auratus). It is a myth that koi and goldfish cannot be kept together. Given their phylogenetic relationship, they share all the same bacteria and parasites, and even some viruses, such as Koi Herpes Virus (KHV). Fancy goldfish do not do well in koi ponds, given how much swimming is required, so stick to comet goldfish for ponds. Other koi pond inhabitants may include common catfish, provided they can’t wrap their mouths around any koi, and high fin sharks.
Koi Pond Maintenance
There are daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal (usually twice a year), and yearly tasks that must be performed to maintain your koi pond. Please note: these are general guidelines only. Your pond's tasks may vary depending on your filtration and number of fish.
Daily Tasks
- Remove excess food and debris from skimmer
- Monitor water level and top off if necessary
- Evaluate fish swimming behavior and appetite
- Check water temperature
Weekly Tasks
- 10% water change using backwash operation in filter cleaning, or with a pond vacuum
- Perform water quality testing if new fish or equipment have been added within last 2 months
- Remove dead leaves from any live plants and debris from pond bottom
Monthly Tasks
- Perform water quality testing if no new fish or equipment have been added within last 2 months
- Move substrate around with long rake or pole
- Shake biological filtration media or rinse gently in a container of pond water
Seasonal Tasks
- Pond deep cleaning to remove excess algae and debris
- Check water bill and see if any increases could indicate pond leaks
Yearly Tasks
- Change UV bulb
- Replace liquid-based test kit
When built and maintained properly, koi ponds can be a great home feature. Although not "maintenance-free" pets, advance planning goes a long way in ensuring your koi pond is a success.
