Koi Supplies
Koi fish are some of the most beautiful and vibrant variety of fresh water pond fishes. However, for maintaining these fishes one should be aware of some primary information about Koi, outdoor Koi gardens and some basic supplies.
A great way to add a peaceful touch to your Koi garden is to erect a fountain. Apart from soothing the eye, this cuts out unnecessary noise. It also provides for a great way to recycle oxygen into the pond, which is a basic necessity for your Koi fishes.
An important part of maintaining a fish pond is to keep it clean regularly. To this end, installing a reliable filter becomes necessary. The filter will not only remove the waste produced by the fish but also any unnecessary polluting substances can be trapped by the filter. To aid in a smooth and effective process of filtration a water pump also proves helpful with the force and volume of water that it can push through the filter. Your filter, although good on its own, may not be effective without a pump since it lacks the force that a pump can provide. So do give thought to invest in a good pump to compliment your filter.
There are some essential supplies that may not be required regularly. However, it is a good idea to keep them handy. If ever you want to maintain the water level of your Koi pond, with tap water a dechlorinator becomes necessary in order to remove any dangerous chemical substances. You must keep a weekly check on the pH and Nitrate level of the pond water, which can be done either by taking the water sample to your nearest pet store or you can buy your own kit and test the water composition. A good way to keep the pH and nitrate composition at lower levels is to use baking soda or Pond salt. It is a good idea to keep this neutralizing substance handy as well.
The vibrant colors of the Koi fish are their high point. However, this very beauty can become a disadvantage for them as they can easily be found by outdoor carnivorous predators looking for prey. This problem can be solved to an extent by keeping the depth of the pond to a level that will be out of reach for such hunter animals. Another good idea could be to place safety nets all over the pond to avoid any animals from approaching the pond conveniently.
The most important of all supplies is food for the Koi. However, because the Kois eat almost anything, this is not a big hassle for the owner. You can keep any kind of food that is balanced in various nutrients. Most Koi food is such that it floats on the surface so that the fishes are forced to come on the surface. You can also feed your Koi out of hands for which you can keep such food handy always.
These small preparations and precautions on your part may take some effort and time but these will ensure that you can keep these fabulous and beautiful fishes for a longer time and enjoy their presence always.
Koi Garden
Imagine watching a variety of gorgeous koi fish with their striking colors and patterns, swimming across your own pond. Wouldn’t that be an absolute delight?; a delight that you would want to come back to again and again. No doubt they are delightful to watch. However, you need to keep your Koi garden pond in a healthy and clean condition to enjoy them the most.
A Koi garden is not your typical garden with trees and plants. A botanical garden is a delight in its own right. But, a Koi garden is a garden that can combine various elements to create a healthy eco-system for your Koi fish to live. A Koi garden can contain various elements, the main constituents of which are a pond, the Koi fish and plant life. Many other elements such as pathways, waterfalls, lights, seating area, etc can be added to create a fascinating Koi garden.
The foremost point to consider when creating a pond is the size. A pond with depth of a minimum of 4 feet is recommended to ensure that the Koi have enough room for healthy survival. As you already probably realize, the Koi will keep growing in size so a comfortable space is necessary for each of the Koi fishes to live with ease.
Another advantage of such depth is that it helps the fish from being caught by house pats or any other predators. Once you have decided about the size, then you need to decide where you will place the Koi garden pond. The worst place to place is under direct sunlight. It should be spot which is out of contact with debris, dust and chemicals. Even a small measure of pesticide or lawn chemicals can put the lives of your Koi fish in danger.
Sadly, plants and Koi fish cannot co-exist. Koi fish can give you the owner lot of work when you place potted plants in the pond. They may certain times dig into the soil or knock it over making the pond entirely messy. However this doesn’t rule out growing plants altogether. This hurdle can be resolved by covering the pots with netting to prevent the Koi from digging.
Lilies are a wonderful option for your Koi fish garden pond. There is a wide range of lilies to choose from. There are lilies that grow well in shallow waters and there are those that thrive in deep waters. Although they are not so good at generating oxygen, lilies provide good shelter and shade for the koi fishes.
Koi Filter
Water is the source of life for a fish. However, for a Koi fish, the importance of a clean water body is extremely high. Koi are highly affected by the condition of the water than any other kind of fish, hence a lot of care needs to be given to maintaining an equipment such as the water filter.
In a man-made pond, a filter is responsible for removing the waste that Koi produce. It does not have the advantages of natural water bodies like the sea where, the volume of water and the tides help in filtering away the fish waste. This is where the function of a water filter comes into play, which takes care of removing the waste.
Most filters available these days in the market perform a dual function – one is a mechanical function and the other is of biological significance. The mechanical function – The filter traps the solid waste by virtue of gravity and flow of the water. This trapped waste needs to be regularly cleaned away by the owner to avoid piling up.
The biological function – This function is achieved by using bacteria to break down the toxic waste, which is also known as pH, into lesser harmful substances such as nitrates. Nitrates are harmful only when present in large quantity. By converting a highly toxic material into a particles having lower weight of harmful effects, the filters help in making the body a safer place for the Koi. However, a large amount of pH left untreated can become harmful for your Koi. Having a properly functioning filter is not sufficient.
You also need to have a reliable water pump that drives the water into the Koi pond filters. And if your pond is quite huge, a filter cannot work its way through the pond efficiently without the use of a water pump which effects force into the filter. As a pond owner, you may also want to consider installing a small fountain or a waterfall or similar such equipment so that the pond has sufficient and steady supply of oxygen in the water body.
With every movement, the water fountain would stir up the water body which helps in oxygen from the air to be sucked into the water. This function, known as aeration is eased by the fountain. You may want to check the chemical content of your Koi pond on a weekly basis. You can either do this by purchasing a test-kit and do the checks regularly by yourself or you can go to your nearest pet store and give them a sample of water from the pond and they will do the test for you. This way you can surmise whether you need to take any further action in order to ensure that the chemical composition of the pond is safe for the Koi.
Owning a beautiful Koi garden does not mean that it is completely maintenance free. Although the time and effort it takes to maintain the pond is minimal, it should be considered when it comes to taking on the responsibility of owning a Koi garden. Above all, it is one of the most rewarding hobbies that anyone can have.
Regular attention and maintenance of the pond is but mandatory if you are looking to own a dazzling koi fish pond. The time that spent in maintaining the pond and towards taking care of your fish, will certainly be worth it if you enjoy the sight of beautiful Koi fishes floating in your pond.
Koi Feeding
Koi fish are attractive by virtue of their colors as well as the patterns on their skins. They are also a very good pass time for many fish enthusiasts. They can be honed to consume food out of the feeder’s hands.
A Koi can identify when someone is feeding them and usually assemble around the person. A Koi is a pleasurable fish and can enliven your day with such fun acts of theirs.
Koi is an omnivorous creature, devouring on pretty much anything and everything, from meat, to plants and from fruits to algae. They have quite an appetite which flourishes during the summer seasons or temperatures ranging from 61 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The warm months are when the Koi are at their animated best. And the Koi owners should take care of their diets to ensure that they consume a nutritional and balanced diet.
Koi food comes from two ways; one is what their owners feeds them and another is what they feed on by themselves. They are an opportunistic being and can eat their way into whatever first their mouths. This wild side of theirs may create health issues for them and hence the owners need to take extra care and to check Koi for parasites and ulcers.
Koi gorge on all variety of foods. You can offer them vegetables and fruits like lettuces, peas as well as watermelons. As mentioned earlier, they need a balanced diet and a combo of fats, vitamins, proteins, and fiber is quintessential for a healthy growth and life. A good way to ensure that this balance is maintained is to feed them pellet food.
Most Koi food is comprised of stuff that floats so that the Koi come to the surface. With the fish in view the owner gets ample opportunity to inspect and observe them. They can check them for ulcers and parasites, if any as well as they can inspect if they have a good appetite and are healthy. What food the Koi consume has a great impact on their color.
Although the Koi can survive cold temperatures, they cannot sustain for long cold winter periods, which results to an almost total shutdown of their digestive system. They hardly eat during these periods and become quite lazy and opposite their usual active self. They may hardly eat in nibbles of algae from the bottom of the pond. Once the temperatures drops drastically, or even anything below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, any food in their stomach.
During the winter months the digestive systems of these cold water fish slows down. It is not necessary to feed them. They may nibble on algae at the bottom of the pond but, once the temperature goes below fifty degrees Fahrenheit, any food left in their stomachs can becomes fetid and may result in sickness.
Because of their great appetites, the Koi fish are quite less at maintenance and the Koi owners can spend a lot of their free time with the fish, watching them or feeding them.
