New Koi Pond Build apox 8'x12'

[Landman]

Here are the Stairs I really like how they turned out. They are going to mostly be a decorative feature and because I wanted a Koi cave it just came together. I found the big rocks in the woods and they just looked like stair rocks also the fish cave is u shaped and it has a hole above the back so I can look down inside. I read that a Koi pond should not have caves because if the fish get sick they will stay in the cave but with the hole on top I can check on my Koi. If any did get sick and were down there I don't know how I would get to them but that's probably not something I'm not too worried about. In the last picture on the shelf next to the stairs you will see I finally have a spot to put a water lily I made a ring of boulders and will plant my lily and fill in around it with gravel. This new shelf that became sort of by accident has created an issue thought, a dead spot. I have a return jet on the other side of my stairs 6" below water level so I may end up putting a pump on this side and run it to a spitting frog or something still thinking about it any thoughts maybe it will be fine like it is.

 

[GBBUDD]

The fish caves and tunnel are a must in my eyes.
I understand the concern about a sick fish and its legit . But I think giving the very slow thinking and acting fish a place to hide for the winter is far more beneficial than is leaving them out in the open.

 

[Landman]

Latest update I finally have most of my foam work done my waterfall is done accept the edges I want to do a test run and see if there are any low edge spots and fix if needed. I have two edges to finish on the pond but I am waiting to fill her up and see if they are low and I want to find a small log for one of the edges. I am going to wash my waterfall with hose sprayer and get an idea of anything that might need fixing right away before I fill the pond and run her. I will use a pump I have to pump out the dirty water so I don't clog my bottom suction grid mud. My next update hopefully will have a video with a running waterfall fingers crossed it goes well. I'm supper excited and, nervous because we are getting closer to harder frost and I want to run until late spring and see if I need to fix anything and have her off for longer time. I also started placing a few lights but I need to buy more. In total there will be approx. 18 3 watt led lights one in the pond and one at every waterfall spillway.

 

[Landman]

I'm still working out some details at my pump station but I'm super excited I finally filled the pond up. I should have it running soon just waiting for my dad to get back so we can keep an eye on the bog it's edges are not very high compared to the spill stone so we might have to adjust them. I'm probably going to build a pvc greenhouse of some sort over the bog just to keep it from freezing and spill over the edges. I looks like my pond is only about 1400 gallons which sounds small and much smaller than I was going for but oh well it's probably not too bad. I used a water meter connected to my hose to get a good figure. I think my 8500 pump will be about 6500 between the bog stream waterfall and return jets so I'm thinking that's pretty good. I can probably have about 7 koi at 200 gallons each. I may add a 2500 pump that I have next to my stairs as it looks like it will be a dead spot and then that would give my waterfall some extra water as I'm just not sure It will be flowing as munch as I was envisioning. Any thoughts. The waterfall is about 25 ft from the pump and about 2.5 - 3.5 ft high above the pump the bog is about 25 ft from the pump not much elevation change and I can adjust the valves letting less water to the return jets and more to the waterfall.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

It's looking really great! But (not trying to be discouraging here...) I'd seriously rethink those koi if I were you. 7 in 1400 gallons is going to be very difficult to keep balanced, and when they get large they're going to be pretty physically overcrowded in there.

 

[Landman]

It's looking really great! But (not trying to be discouraging here...) I'd seriously rethink those koi if I were you. 7 in 1400 gallons is going to be very difficult to keep balanced, and when they get large they're going to be pretty physically overcrowded in there.

maybe 5 koi what do you think?

 

[GBBUDD]

Start off with the 5 koi that are babies like 6 inch let them grow and in 5 years you' ll be looking at some 18 to 20 inch fish. Or as those who have koi call them poop machines. I'd think about some of the fancy gold fish . Some of which to the laymen look like koi. the colors don't get as crazy but the reds, and oranges are crazy vibrant. The long fins CAN BE AS LONG AS BUTTERFLY KOI.
The best thing about lesser amounts of koi is cleaner waters and less chances of infections.

You have been busy for sure. Is there more to the pond then the last post shows? 18 - 3 WATT LIGHTS is a lot of light if your talking led you will give your fish a tan.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

Well...... General 'rule of thumb' is that the first koi needs 1000 gallons, and each additional koi requires 250 - 500 additional. Based on that, you could have 2 - 3 koi. Now, with *exceptional* filtration, and lots of regular water changes, monitoring of parameters, and keeping a very close eye on the entire ecosystem on a daily basis, **could** you have more? Well, yeah, sure. I'm personally pushing the limits of what is "recommended" by having 15 koi in 3200 gallons, with no issues (to date). But, our ponds are physically different (mine is 35' long, giving the fish 'swimming room' & lots of surface area for gas exchange) and that makes a huge difference in what can/should be done, fish-load wise. Surface area, mechanical & biological filtration, natural factors beyond our control - all play into what capacity of 'fish load' our ponds can support. I've been 'ponding' for over 20 years now & my personal recommendation is this: Over plant + under stock = a pond that will be lower maintenance & keep you happy. Koi are amazing! I won't deny that. Personable & interactive. But! Also much higher maintenance than shubunkins (goldfish) I just want to see you happy with your ponding experience, without the heartbreak of having to deal with the problems of overstocking.

 

[Landman]

Start off with the 5 koi that are babies like 6 inch let them grow and in 5 years you' ll be looking at some 18 to 20 inch fish. Or as those who have koi call them poop machines. I'd think about some of the fancy gold fish . Some of which to the laymen look like koi. the colors don't get as crazy but the reds, and oranges are crazy vibrant. The long fins CAN BE AS LONG AS BUTTERFLY KOI.
The best thing about lesser amounts of koi is cleaner waters and less chances of infections.

You have been busy for sure. Is there more to the pond then the last post shows? 18 - 3 WATT LIGHTS is a lot of light if your talking led you will give your fish a tan.

one light in the pond the rest are on my waterfall one under each fall and one under my bog fall my dad said that was overkill but it will look so nice at night.

 

[GBBUDD]

I agree with @BKHpondcritters , One thing i did this year that I believe was a first was adding what they are calling in the aquarium trade to be glow fish. they are a minnow and when your looking at them in the aquarium they look painted , not exactly my style. How ever i thought since i can add cardinal tetras to the pond and they disappear maybe a brighter small fish would show. And they did the glow danios were really cool darting around the pond and often in schools. In arizona i might even entertain some African cichlids. and

 

[GBBUDD]

How many gph are you pushing to the falls ?

 

[Landman]

Well...... General 'rule of thumb' is that the first koi needs 1000 gallons, and each additional koi requires 250 - 500 additional. Based on that, you could have 2 - 3 koi. Now, with *exceptional* filtration, and lots of regular water changes, monitoring of parameters, and keeping a very close eye on the entire ecosystem on a daily basis, **could** you have more? Well, yeah, sure. I'm personally pushing the limits of what is "recommended" by having 15 koi in 3200 gallons, with no issues (to date). But, our ponds are physically different (mine is 35' long, giving the fish 'swimming room' & lots of surface area for gas exchange) and that makes a huge difference in what can/should be done, fish-load wise. Surface area, mechanical & biological filtration, natural factors beyond our control - all play into what capacity of 'fish load' our ponds can support. I've been 'ponding' for over 20 years now & my personal recommendation is this: Over plant + under stock = a pond that will be lower maintenance & keep you happy. Koi are amazing! I won't deny that. Personable & interactive. But! Also much higher maintenance than shubunkins (goldfish) I just want to see you happy with your ponding experience, without the heartbreak of having to deal with the problems of overstocking.

Thanks for sharing, this is very informative. the price of koi will probably only allow me to buy three to start with which they recommend odd numbers. I will see how they do and how the water is and maybe I can add more. I have a really good biological filter and I will be having lots of plants in my bog, in my waterfalls, stream and pond edges. I have room to add on to my pond I could always seem another liner next to this one and such but that would be years from now this one is pretty good and it was a lot of work so when I'm done I will be taking a long break.

 

[Landman]

How many gph are you pushing to the falls ?

I would think the Koi would eat any small fish goldfish not so much if they are big enough. I'm running about 6000 gallons to my waterfall filter but I may add another pump 2500 I had in my last pond to give me more water flow in my waterfall and pull the water from a possible dead spot between my stairs and my skimmer I will have a water lily there somewhere but I'm not sure just yet about the second pump still deciding.

 

[GBBUDD]

I have room to add on to my pond I could always seem another liner next to this one and such but that would be years from now this one is pretty good and it was a lot of work so when I'm done I will be taking a long break.

Yea that's what i said but hardly what i did , am doing , done, never done 5 years latter and still decorating the pond

 

[GBBUDD]

Koi would eat any small fish goldfish not so much if they are big enough

Adult koi or gold fish only eat the eggs they don't eat the fry