Keeping you Koi pond clean should be one of your number one priorities. A clean pond could mean the difference between you Koi living a beautiful stress free life, and potentially suffering until they ultimately die. The water in which your Koi live is not only where they eat, sleep, and feed, but it is also where they use the bathroom as well. If you do not properly clean your pond, it is almost as if your Koi are living in the bathroom toilet.
The water in your pond should almost be completely clear. Your pond should contain no floating or suspended debris, and the Koi should appear to be floating in air. If you are unable to see the bottom of your pond, then chances are your pond is not clean enough.
We know that you take great pride in your pond, especially when you were constructing the beautiful landscape around it, and picking out flowers that bloom in beautiful colors and have beautiful smell that are unmatched. However, no matter how beautiful the landscape around the pond is, a pond is not successful unless you can sustain beautiful fish within the water. While ponds are designed to resemble nature, you must remember that your Koi pond is actually just a really large outdoor fish tank, and that it needs to be treated as such.
Unlike natural water systems, fish tanks need a large amount of care. Filtration systems are needed to maintain water quality, and a pump system is needed to keep the water moving.
In nature, Koi would not nearly the amount of food that they do in controlled ponds. It is not unheard of for pond owners to feed many pounds of food to their Koi per week. This produces a larger amount of waste, whether it comes from the digestion process on the Koi's part, or the amount of uneaten food that has settled to the bottom and spoiled. It is important to vacuum the bottom out as much as possible, and make sure all types of drainage systems are clear and in working order.
Another issue is the fact that your pond is indeed, outside. Being outdoors, your fish tank faces problems that a normal indoor fish tank would never have to deal with. Debris can easily find its way into your pond. It is important to skim your pond as much as possible.
No matter if your blame the Koi, yourself, or nature for the pond not being clean, it is important for you to clean it up. The health of your Koi is at stake if you do not. Even if your water quality is clear, a large amount of debris can cause your Koi stress. Stressed fish are more susceptible to disease and viruses.
Preventing Cleanliness Issues
Above cleaning your pond on a regular basis, adding preventative measures can also increase the cleanliness of your pond.
Keeping your pond moving is one way to help keep your water quality up Moving water adds more Oxygen to your water, as well as potentially keep floating debris for collecting in your pond. Moving water can be achieved several ways such as waterfalls, fountains, and pump filtration systems designed to move water.
Another way you can avoid cleanliness issues is by keeping your amount of fish down. Start by buying smaller amounts of fish as spawning will cause you to have babies in the near future. The less fish, the less waste is involved.
1. Remember: asking friends or neighbors for recommendations for building a koi pond is always an option, but they are unlikely to have had occasion to conduct business with a water feature professional. It is a very narrow specialty field.
2. Many liner pond people are not only inexperienced, they are working from job to job on a shoe string budget, which results in the illegal practice of mingling funds, using the deposit from one job to finish up the last etc. What is worse, many liner installers are unlicensed.
This business attracts these types because it takes very little investment to get started (shovel, rake, garden hose and wheelbarrow) while making tons of money from unsuspecting people. Plus, In many cases a building permit is not required to build an 18 inch deep liner pond. If not installed by a licensed professional, a liner pond can end up being your biggest nightmare.
3. Contact the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) or the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) for referrals to professionals in your area.
4. Always interview more than one professional to have a better idea of expected costs and finished product.
5. However, you should never make your choice based on cost alone; rather, consider what you can afford coupled with good references and experience. 6. It is advisable to seek the help of a specialist and ask for references.
7. It is particularly helpful to find a professional who can supply the names of the last four or five customers who have been serviced satisfactorily. Providing a few good references is not usually difficult, especially if the contractor decides to pick and choose the best handful from the past 20 or so jobs. It is quite another matter to divulge the last four or five customers consecutively and to note whether they are satisfied with the work ethic of the contractor.
8. Don't be shy about speaking to these previous customers.
9. Find out whether the work was done on time and came in on budget.
10. Build a rapport with them and ask to visit the project in order to inspect the work first hand!
11. Do the inspection preferably without the contractor so you can ask sensitive questions. Did they finish when they said they would? Did they correct problems without a hassle? Did they respect your property and privacy during the course of the job? Did they honor their bid or ask for more money?
12. Do research on your own. NOTE: ASK FOR COPIES. Contact the State Contractor's Board to insure that they have a contractor's license. Is their Contractors License up to date? Do they have surety bond? (In case the contractor splits with your money, you can collect.) Do they have adequate liability insurance? (In the event there is damage to your or your neighbor's property -- a minimum of $1 million. Do they have current workmen's compensation insurance? (To cover the cost of medical care and loss of wage, if injured on you property) If they are hiring illegal aliens and they get injured, you are ultimately responsible.
13. Check the local Business Bureau for reports from a possible disgruntled client.
14. Check with the local police department. They may have a record of drug abuse and at times split with the funds, only to show up later back in business.
15. Never give them more money than can be accounted for in material and or labor expended on the project.
16. With every check you pay them, ask for a lien release for that amount. Especially, get a final lien release upon completion of the job. If they did not pay a vendor for materials used on your home, without a lien release that vendor can attach your house until you pay it (again!).
17. You should always insist on a written contract with detailed descriptions of the work to be performed.
18. Finally, do not forget to demand a reasonable time schedule and payment plan. This procedure protects both parties against misunderstandings that can arise later.
Both Juliet Sadler & Douglas Hoover are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Douglas Hoover has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family, Koi Fish Pond and Public Speaking. Douglas C. Hoover; CEO of Aquamedia Corp, freelance writer and authordesigner, architect, inventor, engineer and builder of over 1,900 waterfall and ponds in California or the past 26 years. Read my other articles at:. Douglas Hoover's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.