Algae Problem

I have Koi in my pool, about nine of them in 14,000 gallons of water. I have been using the pool to filter the water, but I am having trouble ridding the pool/pond of algae. Any ideas? -Chele It depends on what type of algae you are having problems with. The type that makes the water itself green can be treated with a couple of powerful UV lights, like these: http://www.koiacres.com/Koi-Acres-Products/ultra-violet/high-output-uv.html. If you are having problems with string algae, you can either add chemicals to remove it (which can be costly) or you can remove it by hand. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Wintering Koi

I have a small back yard pond, over the summer my friend gave me some pond lettuce and to my surprise there were 4 baby Koi entangled in the roots which I did not even notice until about 2 months later!!! The fish have survived wonderfully with no feeding or attention. Now, that winter is approaching I would like to keep my fish in the pond through the winter. What should I do? Last year my pond froze solid, is it even worth the try? -Lisa There are two requirements that need to be met in order for your Koi to survive the winter, how you achieve them is up to you: A hole in the ice, so that fresh Oxygen can get into the water and Carbon Dioxide can escape. Make sure that the bottom 2/3rds of your pond stays un-frozen so your Koi have some water to live in. Most people keep a hole in the ice with a 1,500-Watt Floating Pond De-Icer/Heater, this nifty little piece of technology will maintain a hole in the ice. When you compare this to a heater that heats the entire pond, its pretty cheap to run. Another way to keep a hole in the ice it to agitate the surface of the water, with a good amount of aeration or with a strong aquarium power head. If you live in a region that is farther north, then I would not use this method because water can freeze solid easily when its -20 degrees Fahrenheit. The two worst things that can happen in the winter are (hint, they both involve the pond freezing over): Mechanical Failure - ie. The heater or powerhead fails and the pond freezes over. Power Failure - Your power goes out so your heater or powerhead cannot run (consider yourself lucky if you have a backup generator.) If once of these things happens and your pond starts to freeze over, don't hack away the ice with a pick, the vibrations will greatly distress your Koi. Get some hot, de-chlorinated water, and melt the ice instead of chipping it away (make sure there is no chlorine in the hot water I cannot stress that enough). If the pond starts to freeze due to faulty equipement, replace it right away. Don't forget, you can always set up a tank indoors! Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Compatable Fish With Koi

I have a 100 gallon tank in my tattoo studio. I have several Koi, several plecos and a few snails... My question is, what other fish will live well in a tank of Koi? -Ronald Any type of fish that is considered docile will do fine in a tank with Koi. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Koi in a small tank

I really want a Koi i think they are soo cute but the only problem is that i do not have access to a indoor or outdoor pond, but i do have a small gold fish tank could I put one in that? -Rachel A Koi could live in a small tank, just as long as it has some buddies in there with him and if he has plenty of filtration. He will outgrow the tank, so make sure you have a home for him when he gets too big. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Moving Koi

How can I move my Koi from one pond to another without make them stressed? -Dan It is nearly impossible to handle a Koi without causing at least a little amount of stress. The best, low stress, way to move them would be to net them quickly, with as little chasing as possible, After you have caught your Koi, put him in a bag or a suitable container and float it in the destination pond for about 20 minutes or until the temperature has equalized. After that, scoop the Koi out with your hand and release it into the other pond. Things to remember: Make sure you dump the water in the container somewhere other than in the pond, it contains ammonia and is not healthy. Be gentle with your Koi, rough handling causes stress. Don't ever lift the net out of the water with the Koi in it, use your hands or a sock net (sock nets have a very fine mesh which will not damage a Koi). Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Keep Heron Away From Pond

How do I keep Heron from eating my Koi? The Heron decoy did not work. Will I always have to use a net over my pond? -Peggi The best way to keep a Heron out of your pond is to build it with steep walls. Herons like to wade through shallow water and they have a hard time getting into a pond with a steep pitch. Many people also have a dog in their yard to chase them away. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

I have algae floating in my pond. Is there anything I can do besides getting a UV Light? -Anthony

A UV light is usually used for taking care of the algae that turned the water green. In order for a UV light to kill algae, it needs to go through it. UV lights don't usually take care of floating algae. To get rid of the algae that floats in your pond, you can: scoop it out by hand do a large water change, on a regular basis feed your fish less often (less food, less waste, less algae) treat the pond with an algaecide or another algae killing chemical (not really good, algaecides can harm fish if not dosed right) Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Koi and Other Fish

Can a freshwater shark and fighter fish co-exist and breed with carp fish in a large pond? How about adding turtles to the collection? -Adam Carp and Koi are docile. That means they won't harm any fish. Those other types of fish, including the turtle, are aggressive. That means they will tear apart any other type of fish in the pond. They carp will be lucky if they last a day. I would not mix any of those fish together. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Freshwater Snails

Do freshwater snails filter the water and are they considered beneficial in Koi ponds? Freshwater snails are good for two things: Eating Algea Reproducing and reproducing and reproducing and more reproducing. Usually adding snails to a pond is a bad idea, they can overtake a pond, clog mechanical filters, and be tough to get rid of. A good filter system is the most beneficial thing for a Koi pond. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Can a high pH cause cloudy water? -Anthony

The most common cause of cloudy water in in Koi pond is poor filtration. If you don't have an adequate amount of filtration in your pond to remove organic and inorganic waste, they will build up and cause the "cloudy water". A little searching around the internet will reveal that high pH will cause cloudy water in swimming pools. A Koi pond is both very different and similar from a swimming pool. Both will have a filter system to remove debris. A pool needs chemicals to keep it clean and sterile. A Pond uses a biological or a chemical filter to keep it toxin free, but it is not sterile. If you have cloudy water, increase the amount of filtration on your pond. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

What gets ride of amonia and nirite? -Alan

There are a few things that you can do to get rid of Ammonia and Nitrite. They fit into two categories: Short Term Do big water changes Add and Ammonia removing chemical to your water Long Term Add more filtration on your pond The best solution is to increase the amount of filtration on your pond. Doing water changes every day can get old and adding chemicals to your pond can get expensive really fast. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Waterfall and Aereation

I now have 6 Koi in my pond. On hot days the water gets warm (80 degrees). I have a waterfall running. Will this be enough oxygen for the fish? -Anthony The waterfall should provide enough aeration. Six Koi don't require massive amounts of aeration. It would be a different story if you said that you had 30 or 40 large Koi in your pond. If you are concerned about your Koi not getting enough oxygen, then go to a local Koi supply store or pet shop and get a good sized air pump with some good sized air stones. Hook everything up and put it in your pond. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Koi and Other Fish

I have a large 1/2-acre pond in which I'd like raise Koi. What issues should I address prior to releasing the Koi in the pond? Specifically, will the Koi coexist with the existing species, e.g. perch, bass, and bream? -Chris Koi are a carp. If those fish get along with carp, then they should get along with Koi. If you are really concerned about the fish getting along with each other, then get rid of the other fish and keep only Koi in the pond. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Raccons and Pond Depth

My pond is only 2 and a half feet at its deepest point. Will my Koi be safe from the raccoon? -Anthony A great predator proof Koi pond will be four feet deep and will have sheer walls so that animals can't wade into it. Here's a video clip of a Raccoon getting into a pond. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

How many gallons of water does each Koi need to have? -Nick

Each Koi needs about 150 gallons of water. This may seem silly when they are small, but when they get big, 150 gallons seems too little. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Bubbles in Pond

There are bubbles on the top of my pond. They get in the way of seeing my fish. Can you help? -Dale The bubbles at the top of your pond are caused by the dissolved organics in your water. The dissolved organics bind with oxygen, usually while the water is being agitated from an air stone or a waterfall. When the dissolved organics bind with oxygen, they float at the surface of the water as the "bubbles". Water changes will remove the dissolved organics from the water. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

How Many Koi Can Be Put In A Pond

My pond is about 2500 gallons. How many Koi could I put in my pond? -Peter The general rule of thumb is one Koi for every 150 gallons. Going by this calculation, you can put up to 16 Koi in your pond. Plan for the future and make sure that you will have adequate filtration for when your Koi get big. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Bubbles Near Waterfall

At the bottom of our waterfall is bubbles like someone put soap in the pond. The bubbles float all around the pond. How can I get rid of the bubbles? -Anthony A quick short term solution is to take some pure alcohol and put it in a spray bottle. Spray a little on the bubbles and they disappear. A long term solution is to do more water changes. The bubbles are probably dissolved organics in your pond. When they water thats full of dissolved organics runs over the waterfall, the agitation forces the dissolved organics to bind with the oxygen in the air. This causes the dissolved organics the float at the surface of the water and it looks like soap bubble. Water changes will lower the amount of dissolved organics in your pond, therefore lowering the amount of bubbles. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Do I have to put salt in my pond? -Anthony

There are both pros and cons with adding salt to a Koi pond. No, you do not have to put salt in your pond. Pros Salt makes Koi secrete a thicker slime coat Salt kills parasites Salt helps Koi with osmoregulation Cons Salt irritates Koi Salt kills plants Constant salt in ponds is creating salt-resistant parasites Salt is only removed with water changes Most people have salt in their ponds when they bring in a new Koi. This helps kill parasites and makes them have a thicker slime coat. After a while, they will lower the salt level to nothing with water changes. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

String Algae

Our pond is full of string algae, were are putting everything in. Can you help? -Daniel You can try adding Bentonite to your pond. It forces the string algae to detach itself from the sides of your pond. You can also do large water changes, they will lower the amount of Nitrate in your pond (Nitrate is fertilizer for string algae). Maybe try cutting back a little on the Koi food a little. If your pond was installed by a landscaper and it has rock on the bottom, remove the rock. Fish waste, uneaten food, ect. gets trapped in between the rock and becomes fertilizer for the string algae. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Algae problems

Our pond is all green. Algae keeps coming back. It's like we have to continue using the Algae substances day after day. How can I get rid of this algae for good? -Anthony Anthony, Algae is basically a weed. Most people don't want it in their pond and it can take over a pond if kept unkempt. Unfortunately, it is part of the Nitrogen Cycle. Your filter turns Ammonia into Nitrite and Nitrite into Nitrate. Nitrate is a fertilizer and algae is a plant, so if you have a bunch of Koi, they will produce a bunch of waste, which will then turn into a bunch of fertilizer. Here are a couple of quick things that you can do to get rid of the algae: Run the water through massive amounts of vegetation (i.e. water lettuce, lilies, ect.) Do lots of water changes, (i.e. a 50% water change will remove 50% of the Nitrate in the water) Two common types of algae found in Koi ponds are string algae and floating algae. String algae is the stuff that looks like huge tuffs of green hair. Floating, or suspended algae is the stuff that makes Koi ponds look like split-pea soup. One of the simplest ways to get rid of string algae is to pull it out by hand. You can either grab it or use a toilet bowl scrubber to yank it off the sides of your pond. A permanent way to get rid of the floating algae is to install a UV Light in your filter system. When the water is pumped through the unit, the UV light disrupts the DNA in the algae cells, effectively sterilizing them. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Rainwater From The Roof

I would like to let the rain water fall from the roof in the pond, but I am wondering if it will be filtered quick enough in case of dust, especially at the end of a dry season (first rain)? - Benoit Raskin I can think of one reason that putting rainwater that lands on your roof into your pond would be bad: if your roofing material leached something toxic into the rainwater. If it doesn't leach anything, go right ahead. Maybe let it rain a couple of times before you start putting the rainwater into your pond so that it can wash the dust off of your roof at the end of the dry season. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Why do people keep Koi?

It's something that can't fully be explained, there are too many reasons. Here's one of them though: Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Robotic Koi

Nowadays, the Japanese aren't satisfied with just taking ordinary carp and breeding them to make beautiful colors come out. In the 21st century, they must use robots. This is a video of another underwater robot, but you can see the Koi robot in the background. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

A couple of Koi questions...

A couple of items for your advice please. Question 1-Feeding. I give my Koi (16 of them) their main meal mid morning and I usually soak the pellets for about half an hour before giving it to them. I do this because they are so hard, they still float on the water even after being soaked and I only give them sufficient that they can consume in 5 minutes. Later in the day I usually give them a treat of specialist food that they enjoy and over the summer they have grown remarkably well. My question is: am I doing the wrong thing by soaking their food first in a jug of pond water? Question 2 - Salt in water. At present I am adding salt at the rate of 50gms to 100Litres of water. Is this sufficient?, and how do you test for salt content in water? I have read many conflicting statements about the quantity of salt that should be added so your comments would be appreciated. At the moment I have some salt pool test strips and the reading on those is 9.7 ppm/(mg/L). I assume you need to make an allowance occasionally for evaporation because the water goes out of the pond but the salt stays in, which in fact would increase the salt content by a small margin. Look forward to seeing your response. Thank You, William Those are two good questions William. You don't need to soak your pellets in water before you feed your Koi, they have teeth that will crush anything that's hard. The Koi food manufacturer probably intended for the pellets to be put into the water when they're hard, by soaking them for half an hour, you may be breaking down the nutrients that are in the food. Your salt level should be fine. Salt in the water actually irritates Koi, but in the process it gives them a thicker slime coat. Salt also helps with their osmoregulatory system. Instead of using pool test strips, you should try switching to a Koi pond salt test kit. The salt level in the water due to evaporation is usually neglagable, just don't let your pond evaporate halfway. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Need help with my pond. I am in California, could you help with the maintenance? -Martha

Hi Martha, I live about 1,500 miles away from California, so I can't help you with maintenance. Try contacting a local Koi club, you might be able to hire a member or someone at the club might be able to point you in the direction of a reputable company that can be of assistance. Maybe even contact Aquatic Coatings, the people there are really knowledgeable about Koi and filter systems. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

What is the right water temp for bio filter to start after winter season?

Your bio filter actually never shuts down, it just gets very efficient. This is due to the fact that cold water holds more oxygen, which is required to turn Ammonia into Nitrite and Nitrite into Nitrate. There will be a significant less amount of Nitrifying bacteria in the filter itself, because Koi's metabolism slows down to a crawl in cold water. As the water in your pond gets warmer in the spring, the number Nitrifying bacteria that live in your filter will increase. If you shut your filter system off in the fall, the bacteria would have all completely died off by now. It will take 4 - 6 weeks for Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter to grow back. Make sure to test your water frequently to check that your filter is working properly and there isn't an increase of Ammonia levels. Don't forget to do a large water change in the spring too. The oxidization of Ammonia and Nitrite by Nitrifying bacteria liberates Hydrogen Ions, which will lower you pH. Over time this will diminish the carbonates in the water, which could lead to a pH crash. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

My pond froze over during the winter, are my Koi still alive under the ice? -Mark

There is a possibility that your Koi may still be alive. It depends of three variables: The size of your Koi in the pond. How many Koi you have in the pond. The size of the pond itself. If you have only a few small Koi in a large pond that is several feet deep, then they should be fine. If you have a small pond with several large Koi, then the odds are against you and there's a good chance that they could have run out of oxygen. The best thing to do right now is to get fresh oxygen in the water. To do this, pour hot water onto the ice so that it will melt a hole through it. Never chip at the ice, it's a great way to harm your Koi, their lateral line is used to sense vibrations. Then either put an air stone or a horse trough heater into the water to keep the ice open. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Just moved into a new home with Koi Carp pond with 22 fish, why would the water start to smell? -Tracey

That smell is probably ammonia buildup in your pond due to inadequate filtration. A short term solution is to do a big water change and to cut down on feeding your Koi. Make sure to dechlorinate the new water before you add it to the pond. You will need to get a good filter for your pond, long term exposure to low levels of ammonia in the water will poison your Koi. Here's an article with more on filtration. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

My pump went out for a few hours, are my Koi OK? -Dave

Your Koi should be fine, unless you are very heavily stocked and its a hot day, then you should panic. A couple of things happen when a pump stops pumping: The filter stops working and some ammonia will build up in the water. A few hours is not long enough for toxic levels of ammonia to build up. Your filter should remove any buildup shortly after you turn your pump back on. Another filter related thing, if your not pumping water and you rely on a biological filter to clean your water, your nitrifying bacteria that live in the filter are not getting any fresh food (i.e. ammonia, nitrite) or fresh oxygen. Don't worry, you won't lose any noticeable amount of bacteria in a few hours. The on;y reason you should be concerned over this is if your pump was off for half a week. The oxygen levels in your pond will drop, but only if you are relying on a waterfall to aerate your pond and you don't have an air pump/air stone to supplement it. During mild temperatures, a few hours won't hurt, but be cautious if its 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and your water temperature is 84 degrees Fahrenheit, you could run out of oxygen fast. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Koi Keeping

Hi, this is just an observation that I have noticed since changing from Gold fish to Koi and that is that Koi are very intelligent creatures. Mine are waiting at the same spot each morning for their food as soon as they hear me coming and they each have their own personalities. I have one fish, a medium blue with green markings and dark blue spots down his spine (not sure of the type) and I call him "Bluey" and when I call his name he will leave the rest of the pack and come over to me so they do recognise their owners. Others will also come over and take food from my hand, some are more reserved and hang back until the food hits the water. It is also true about their hearing being very sharp because they hear me calling them and they come a-swimming straight over. Absolutely beautiful fish, wish I could keep more. Maybe a bigger pond? -William I believe that Koi are one of the most tame fish that you can buy. They are easily trained to hand feed. I've seen some that sit at the surface of the water and wait for their owners to actually put food in their mouths. Koi keeping is a great hobby. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Is there a safe wood preserve that I can use on my pergola, over my koi pond? -Dawn

Dawn, I would start by going to a local hardware store, like a Home Depot or a Menard's, and asking a sales person if they carry any non-toxic wood stain. Tell them that you have a pergola over a fish pond and that you want to make sure that the stain will not harm your fish. If you local hardware store doesn't have any non-toxic stain, then check with a local paint shop. If any of these places don't have what you are looking for, then they should be able to point you in the right direction. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit

Koi and Plants

My Koi fish are well fed but as soon as I try to introduce plants into the water they destroy them, is this normal? I have floating plants on the water which are OK until they hang down close to the water and then the Koi jump at them to pull them down. What can I do to get some greenery down into the water? -William It is normal for Koi to tear apart your plants. Koi are omnivorous, so they'll eat just about anything that tastes good to them, which, unfortunately, includes your pond plants. Another problem that many people have is their Koi uprooting their plants from their pots because they love to muck around in the dirt to look for things to eat. You can try to wall off a small section of your pond with boulders, so that you create an area where the Koi can not get to so your plants will be safe. You'll want to make sure that the water flow does not get restricted, otherwise you might run into problems with anaerobic bacteria and hydrogen sulphide. You can also try building a floating cage for your plants. Although, it may not be very aesthetically pleasing. Black is a good color. Many people actually have a separate pond built just for plants. That way they can enjoy both their Koi and their aquatic plants without having to worry about one tearing apart the other. If you separate plant pond, it's a good idea to put a couple small goldfish or Koi in it to take care of any mosquito larvae. Share: Del.icio.us Digg Reddit