Will our pond be big enough for koi?

[Weirdness555]

Hello there,

We're just about to start our pond build, and our pond will most likely be approx: 7ft long, 4ft deep, 4.5ft wide at one end and 3ft wide at the other end. I have looked for size recommendations for koi and have found one saying 6ftx8ft is the minimum, which would make ours too small.

If it is too small we will keep goldfish and shubunkins, but I'd really love some koi.

Any advice?

 

[sissy]

I wish 11 years ago someone had told me my koi would be over 2 ft long .They were only a couple of inches long when I got them and koi are much fussier about water quality than goldies or shubbies

 

[Weirdness555]

I take it that means our pond will be too small? Haha

 

[dieselplower]

Not all Koi will become monsters. Generally you want 1000 gallons minimum for the first Koi, with each additional fish needing 300 more gallons. I think your pond is around 900 gallons. Tough call.

 

[Weirdness555]

Right... This is going to take some maths I can feel it

 

[Mmathis]

Try this site. It's just a reference, but will give you some idea -- it's a fish load calculator.

http://www.your-garden-ponds-center.com/fish-load-calculator.html

 

[Weirdness555]

Thanks I'll take a look. Once it's actually dug it will be easier because I'll actually know what I'm dealing with.

 

[HARO]

If you serve your koi lots of coffee, it will stunt their growth, and they'll fit right into your smaller pond! :coffeemug: Where there is a will, there is a way!
John

 

[Weirdness555]

That sounds a little mean... I'm just trying to do the best by the fish so I can not buy them if they will outgrow the pond in a few years :/

 

[HARO]

Sorry, it wasn't meant to be mean! There are many koi being kept in less than 1,000 gallons of water, and doing quite well. We have two koi in a display pond at the garden centre where I work part-time. These two are both about 16" long, in spite of the fact that they have lived in this set-up for over 20 years. The pond is heavily planted with Parrot Feather (it's in a greenhouse) and water parameters are always good. With a little work, it CAN be done.
John

 

[Weirdness555]

Oh ok haha, I'm sorry it's hard to understand subtones in text I just really like the colours, but then I LOVE Shubunkins, so I would be just as happy with a pond full of them

 

[HARO]

Seriously, I could never get my koi to drink coffee. It must be an aquired taste. :beerchug:
John

 

[adavisus]

Shubunkins are as pretty as koi, tougher and other than they don't have the whiskers that koi have, most folk would not know the difference

Regards, andy
http://swglist.wordpress.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/

 

[Weirdness555]

I do love shubunkins. I'm thinking it might be easier if we just stick with skubunkins and goldfish and leave the koi, because they seem to leave a lot of work

 

[adavisus]

If your pond is in a sheltered position with no serious extremities of Summer heat or Winter freezes, a large koi will cope but they will more vulnerable to an uncertain fate.

If you know you can maintain consistent favourable water quality you can look forward to passing them on to your heirs.... See how the shub's work out, hmmm?

Regards, andy
http://swglist.wordpress.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/