Koi fish and plants

[2017Rick]

I have a medium size pond around 2000 gallons have koi , goldfish and other pond fish. I decided to had lilies to my pond this year. A couple days after planting them with pee gravel on top of the dirt.The koi fish dug all my gravel out and now my pond is muddy looking. I have 2 questions first what do I do about my muddy looking water other then draining and adding new water. and the other question is if I replant my lilies with lava rock will it help to keep koi away from doing again.

 

[sissy]

reason I did a lily pond koi are rooters and you can't change that .Koi will still do it and lava rock is rough and may harm them

 

[Tula]

If it were my pond, I would not drain it. I'd do some water changes over the next month and let the dirt settle. You can also put some quilt batting in the flow of your water return, to catch fine particulate.

I too love my lilies and have koi. I've found success, planting them in clay kitty litter, then covering the entire pot, in deer fencing and zip tying them shut

I'm transitioning to dark colored dish pans ( with handles ) as I can easily tuck the the deer fencing inside the pan and zip tying though holes I pre-drill. I also drill some holes in the pan, to make them easier to lift from the water.

@cas has a good idea too and uses hanging flower pot sad has a hook to lift them from the pond.

 

[2017Rick]

I have a medium size pond around 2000 gallons have koi , goldfish and other pond fish. I decided to had lilies to my pond this year. A couple days after planting them with pee gravel on top of the dirt.The koi fish dug all my gravel out and now my pond is muddy looking. I have 2 questions first what do I do about my muddy looking water other then draining and adding new water. and the other question is if I replant my lilies with lava rock will it help to keep koi away from doing again.

If it were my pond, I would not drain it. I'd do some water changes over the next month and let the dirt settle. You can also put some quilt batting in the flow of your water return, to catch fine particulate.

I too love my lilies and have koi. I've found success, planting them in clay kitty litter, then covering the entire pot, in deer fencing and zip tying them shut

I'm transitioning to dark colored dish pans ( with handles ) as I can easily tuck the the deer fencing inside the pan and zip tying though holes I pre-drill. I also drill some holes in the pan, to make them easier to lift from the water.

@cas has a good idea too and uses hanging flower pot sad has a hook to lift them from the pond.

Thanks for the response so you don't use dirt at all just clay litter and cover them with deer fencing .

 

[Tula]

Yes, I don't use dirt, just the cheap, unscented, clay kitty litter I find it at Walmart, or the $ store. I add fertilizer to the kitty litter, or you can use pond tabs.

 

[Becky]

Just wanted to say welcome to the forum

 

[2017Rick]

Thanks Again

 

[cas]

My Koi and I have a game we play.... I put in fresh kitty litter every spring (topped with some rocks) and they spend all year moving the kitty litter out of the pots. In the fall I use my pond vacuum to remove the kitty litter from the bottom of the pond and put it back in the pots. It isn't that much of a bother and I am glad that is all they do - they do not touch the lily pads.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group! I don't have koi, my goldfish ignore my lilies. They are all planted in kitty litter.

 

[2017Rick]

Just a update on my pond. I used Micron bags on my outlet hose it seem to work my pond is clear again, I can see the bottom and all my horn wert plants . I would like to thank everyone who commented with suggestions.

 

[Usman]

welcome , it shud b fine in few days not big issue . my koi eats everything , i bought very expensive water lily and they ate it in 2 days lol i was trying to find its remaining in pond