Terri I wont kid you it is a full time job but you can break things down to a weekly maintenance routine such as water changes filter maintenance water testing etc.
Buy the following test kits Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate,Ph, Kh and test on a weekly basis API or Tetra do very good kits (dont use the test strips).
You can net your pond against leaves but make sure your pond is clear of all dead leaves etc prior to winter and that your filter is clean.
Feed your koi as much as they can eat 3-4 times a day in 5 minutes, you have to feed your fish up prior to the winter so in mid August switch to wheatgerm and whatever other food they are eating but as the temperature drops feed just wheatgerm "they need to chunk up prior to the pond temperature hitting 10c" some foods say you can feed down as low as 5c ignore this and stop at 10c, dont be tempted to feed again till the spring.
Koi do not have stomachs and food will rot in the intestine if the koi stops feeding which you dont want as it can cause major complications.
If you have a U/V-C change the bulb once yearly, I carry on with water changes right the way through the winter using the trickle method the water trickling in takes up the ambient temperature of the pond however I use a filter to take out my chlorine:-
http://www.vyair.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=68
but you can buy liquid dechlorinator/chlorimines it just works out cheaper with the water filter which can handle thousands of gallons before you replace the cartriges.
At 3ft yor pond is on the shallow side for koi to over winter so heat the pond if you can, you can buy floating heaters or inline heaters but they can be expensive to run.
The floating heater allows for a hole in the ice which allows any gassing off of the water, you'll need to keep the hole open throughout the winter, Warning do not smash the ice as it stresses and freaks the koi out which is bad.
In the spring when the temperature reaches 10c (for more than two weeks start feeding wheatgerm again with a little garlic added or buy a wheatgerm and garlic food, it helps protect the koi against parasites.
Buy one or two books and read them I ould suggest The Interpet manual of koi health as one, see list for Authors and ISBN , read reveiws for the other book many start out at novice level and take you up through.
If you get any problems dont be embarrassed to ask for help from members of the forum , Waterbug, Charles, Larkin, capewind, koiguy or myself will always be there to help.
There are differing feeds for differing seasons which you can buy weve also done a thread on alternate foods ( only as treats dont rely on them):-
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/top...for-your-koi-and-goldfish/?hl=alternate+foods
It all may seem confusing to start with but you'll soon pick it up just like you did when training for your proffession as a Nurse .
rgrds
Dave
. Welcome!
