I have seen a number of posts about 100-250+ gallons per fish, and more if fish are large/breeding and less if fish are small, but really isn't it more about the filter quality and size than the pond size? How many fish does everyone really have in their ponds?
As long as you only feed them what the filter can handle, then you are also likely ok. I have seen a large number of fish in a small space thrive and a few fish in a large space die. It takes a combo of things to actually keep happy fish and ponds. I really like the post by addy www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/help-in-choosing-a-big-enough-filter-for-the-fish-you-have-waste-produced-fish-length.30399/ but want to find some more on the specifics of others, understanding that might not work for everyone.
I am curious how people handle the volume of koi to bog to feeding and if there is another post on this some examples of what has worked for people in the past. I prefer the rule of 100 gallons per pound of fish rule and then only feed to the filter capacity, but if you are feed less than 10 times a week, that is likely not enough, 3-5 times a day seems more healthy IMO. At 100 gallons per pound, unless your filter/bog is oversized or limit feeding, your pond will be at its limit.
My experiences, are bit on the crowded and higher maintenance side, but generally worked for me as I am always finding a new fish and trying to find a spot for it. We have had 3 primary ponds.
Pond 1: 600 gallons, full sun, shallow and had an average of 10 koi, often more, but mostly small (6-8 inches) with maybe one or two 10-12 inch koi. The entire pond was a basically of a bog with gravel on the bottom, 3 or 4 lily pads and a 15 inch round waterfall with plants and bio balls. We added water plants (lettuce and hyacinth) to cover at least 50% of the pond during the summer (would go to 75%-100% and we would cut it back to 50%). To keep the fish and pond happy I had to clean the filter every 2 weeks and feed them about 20 times per week, 1-5 times a day. So about 6 pounds of fish in a 600 gallon tank, maybe one fish died every year or two. Would often go a month between cleanings, but you could tell after a month. Had this pond for over 20 years, my first.
(I did have fish die from predators and chlorine, but not counting that for this purpose)
Pond 2: 3,500 gallons, at least half shade had an average of 15 koi, mostly 12 inch, but 2 24 inch and a couple in the middle. Mixture of bog, 4-5 lilies plus water based plants. About 10% to 20% of the surface of the pond covered with plants and another 15-20 SF of bog space along with a bead filter, cleaned the filters about 1 per month. About 30-40 pounds of fish by my estimate, one fish dead every 2 to 3 years. Fed about twice a day on average. This pond lasted about 20 years before selling. Cleanout system for this pond was not ideal as the pond often struggled to be clear, but tests were usually good, I needed a better maintenance process on this pond.
Pond 3: 2,000 gallons, 7 koi about 15-16 inch each, less than 5% water based plants (floating), more shade than sun and until recently just a 4 SF plastic bog (but very mature) and a bead filter. Needed cleaned every other week, but rarely was. Fed the fish 1-3 times a day or 15 times a week. So about 20 pounds of fish, but I just increased the bog to 24 SF, that plus some floating plants I hope will allow me to keep a clean pond as these fish grow beyond 20 pounds as I wait another year for my future pond (planning to test going to 25 pounds of fish - but the bog+pond are 2,500 gallons so maybe still in my rule). This pond is only 4 years old. but only one fish has died. Clean out is easy with the bead filter, but not easy enough to always do on a schedule.
Future pond: I still have plans to build our dream pond to support all our fish as they outgrow our spaces. with 20,000+ gallons it should be able to support up to 50 fish as it matures.
So while I assume some consider this overstocked (I have never been in the 250+ gallon range), I am sure others have overstocked at times, if not, well I guess it has mostly worked for me.
Anyone else willing to share or link me to another post with more examples?
As long as you only feed them what the filter can handle, then you are also likely ok. I have seen a large number of fish in a small space thrive and a few fish in a large space die. It takes a combo of things to actually keep happy fish and ponds. I really like the post by addy www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/help-in-choosing-a-big-enough-filter-for-the-fish-you-have-waste-produced-fish-length.30399/ but want to find some more on the specifics of others, understanding that might not work for everyone.
I am curious how people handle the volume of koi to bog to feeding and if there is another post on this some examples of what has worked for people in the past. I prefer the rule of 100 gallons per pound of fish rule and then only feed to the filter capacity, but if you are feed less than 10 times a week, that is likely not enough, 3-5 times a day seems more healthy IMO. At 100 gallons per pound, unless your filter/bog is oversized or limit feeding, your pond will be at its limit.
My experiences, are bit on the crowded and higher maintenance side, but generally worked for me as I am always finding a new fish and trying to find a spot for it. We have had 3 primary ponds.
Pond 1: 600 gallons, full sun, shallow and had an average of 10 koi, often more, but mostly small (6-8 inches) with maybe one or two 10-12 inch koi. The entire pond was a basically of a bog with gravel on the bottom, 3 or 4 lily pads and a 15 inch round waterfall with plants and bio balls. We added water plants (lettuce and hyacinth) to cover at least 50% of the pond during the summer (would go to 75%-100% and we would cut it back to 50%). To keep the fish and pond happy I had to clean the filter every 2 weeks and feed them about 20 times per week, 1-5 times a day. So about 6 pounds of fish in a 600 gallon tank, maybe one fish died every year or two. Would often go a month between cleanings, but you could tell after a month. Had this pond for over 20 years, my first.
(I did have fish die from predators and chlorine, but not counting that for this purpose)
Pond 2: 3,500 gallons, at least half shade had an average of 15 koi, mostly 12 inch, but 2 24 inch and a couple in the middle. Mixture of bog, 4-5 lilies plus water based plants. About 10% to 20% of the surface of the pond covered with plants and another 15-20 SF of bog space along with a bead filter, cleaned the filters about 1 per month. About 30-40 pounds of fish by my estimate, one fish dead every 2 to 3 years. Fed about twice a day on average. This pond lasted about 20 years before selling. Cleanout system for this pond was not ideal as the pond often struggled to be clear, but tests were usually good, I needed a better maintenance process on this pond.
Pond 3: 2,000 gallons, 7 koi about 15-16 inch each, less than 5% water based plants (floating), more shade than sun and until recently just a 4 SF plastic bog (but very mature) and a bead filter. Needed cleaned every other week, but rarely was. Fed the fish 1-3 times a day or 15 times a week. So about 20 pounds of fish, but I just increased the bog to 24 SF, that plus some floating plants I hope will allow me to keep a clean pond as these fish grow beyond 20 pounds as I wait another year for my future pond (planning to test going to 25 pounds of fish - but the bog+pond are 2,500 gallons so maybe still in my rule). This pond is only 4 years old. but only one fish has died. Clean out is easy with the bead filter, but not easy enough to always do on a schedule.
Future pond: I still have plans to build our dream pond to support all our fish as they outgrow our spaces. with 20,000+ gallons it should be able to support up to 50 fish as it matures.
So while I assume some consider this overstocked (I have never been in the 250+ gallon range), I am sure others have overstocked at times, if not, well I guess it has mostly worked for me.
Anyone else willing to share or link me to another post with more examples?
