Keeping you Koi pond clean should be one of your number one priorities. A clean pond could mean the difference between you Koi living a beautiful stress free life, and potentially suffering until they ultimately die. The water in which your Koi live is not only where they eat, sleep, and feed, but it is also where they use the bathroom as well. If you do not properly clean your pond, it is almost as if your Koi are living in the bathroom toilet.
The water in your pond should almost be completely clear. Your pond should contain no floating or suspended debris, and the Koi should appear to be floating in air. If you are unable to see the bottom of your pond, then chances are your pond is not clean enough.
We know that you take great pride in your pond, especially when you were constructing the beautiful landscape around it, and picking out flowers that bloom in beautiful colors and have beautiful smell that are unmatched. However, no matter how beautiful the landscape around the pond is, a pond is not successful unless you can sustain beautiful fish within the water. While ponds are designed to resemble nature, you must remember that your Koi pond is actually just a really large outdoor fish tank, and that it needs to be treated as such.
Unlike natural water systems, fish tanks need a large amount of care. Filtration systems are needed to maintain water quality, and a pump system is needed to keep the water moving.
In nature, Koi would not nearly the amount of food that they do in controlled ponds. It is not unheard of for pond owners to feed many pounds of food to their Koi per week. This produces a larger amount of waste, whether it comes from the digestion process on the Koi's part, or the amount of uneaten food that has settled to the bottom and spoiled. It is important to vacuum the bottom out as much as possible, and make sure all types of drainage systems are clear and in working order.
Another issue is the fact that your pond is indeed, outside. Being outdoors, your fish tank faces problems that a normal indoor fish tank would never have to deal with. Debris can easily find its way into your pond. It is important to skim your pond as much as possible.
No matter if your blame the Koi, yourself, or nature for the pond not being clean, it is important for you to clean it up. The health of your Koi is at stake if you do not. Even if your water quality is clear, a large amount of debris can cause your Koi stress. Stressed fish are more susceptible to disease and viruses.
Preventing Cleanliness Issues
Above cleaning your pond on a regular basis, adding preventative measures can also increase the cleanliness of your pond.
Keeping your pond moving is one way to help keep your water quality up Moving water adds more Oxygen to your water, as well as potentially keep floating debris for collecting in your pond. Moving water can be achieved several ways such as waterfalls, fountains, and pump filtration systems designed to move water.
Another way you can avoid cleanliness issues is by keeping your amount of fish down. Start by buying smaller amounts of fish as spawning will cause you to have babies in the near future. The less fish, the less waste is involved.
