Image via Wikipedia

High levels of nitrate in koi fish ponds will contribute to the growth of excessive algae causing a decrease of oxygen which will cause problems to your fish. High levels of nitrate can also cause your water to be with a strange color due to the algae.

Nitrates need to be controlled so that you have a clear water and healthy koi fish. This can be done manually and with the help of special solutions.

• First of all use the test kit you have to test the nitrate levels. Make sure you follow the test instructions.
• Verify if the koi pond filter you have is appropriate for your pond. Make use of activated carbon as a way to filter the water but make sure you replace it regularly to reduce the nitrates.
• Now you need to fill around 10 percent of your pond with tapped or rain water. For instance, in case you have a 1,000 gallon pond you will need to fill it with 100 gallons of water. If you are using tap water make sure you wait at least 24 hours to dechlorinate.
• With the help of a bucket, empty 10% of your koi fish pond. This water can be used to water your garden.
• Fill back the water into the pond. Make sure you keep repeating the process once a week.
• Get more koi fish pond plants. They naturally help in the removal of the nitrates that are in excessive number.
• Do not overfeed your koi fish.

With this simple steps you will keep your nitrate in normal levels and the water will stay clear and your koi fish healthy.

How to Control The Nitrates Levels in Your Koi Fish Pond is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

Planktonic Algae: Those microscopic single-celled plants that are found at the surface of your pond are called Planktonic algae. It gives the pond its bluish green or brown color. This is what they call the “algae bloom”. It starts the food chain in the pond as it provides food to small animals and newly hatched fish fry. This kind of algae feeds on oxygen that causes fish kill and annoys pond owners if they grow out of control.

Filamentous Algae: These are single-celled plants that grow in the form of long threads or filaments and appear like a mat of hair on the surface of the koi pond.

The color of the koi fish benefits from the nutrients of Filamentous algae. It feeds on nitrates and wastes in the water in the pond.  It is harmful for the koi fish and other pond plants if this kind of algae is permitted to grow beyond its acceptable population for it will cover the whole koi fish pond’s surface in no time.  These algae grow best during the summer when sunlight is plenty.

Kinds of Algae in a Koi Fish Pond is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

A pond for koi is not easy to build and maintain. It requires a pond hobbyist who is skillful in breeding standards. If you plan to build one, you’re going to need to allot a large area in your garden since Koi need a bigger pond to swim in. Alongside this, you are also going to need to spend some money from the start up to the maintenance itself.

A common pond hobbyist will of course be very enthusiastic that he will give much of his time and effort in maintaining his water feature. Conversely, as time passes by he will realize that he has a lot of more important things to do than just devoting his time to the Koi. A Koi breeder on the other hand has a different approach since he is more focused on the Koi than the aesthetic value of the water system.

A vast Koi pond is healthy and ideal. It also requires superfluous attention when it comes to maintenance and fish health. So if you are still clinging to the idea that small and large fish ponds are the same, here are some pointers to know the difference between a small fish pond and a large Koi pond.

First and foremost, you need a large pond for Koi. They easily get stressed when put in a crowded water system. Keep in mind that Koi always go in groups therefore a large pond will allow them to move around and avoid being stressed which can lead to sickness.

It will be awkward if your Koi pond is large yet shallow. For the Koi to survive in a much longer time, they need a deeper water to swim in. The acceptable pond water depth is 5-6ft deep.

Not like the typical pond filters that are used in basic fish ponds, specialize biological filtration systems are needed. And by systems, it means more than one filtration unit. Fluidized bed filters or vortex filter systems are the ones used in order to effectively break down the rapid upsurge of ammonia and solid waste in the Koi pond.

Pond pumps are also necessary in Koi ponds. But unlike the submersible pumps used in basic pond types, a Koi pond requires a more powerful pump because of its size and depth. That is why external pond pumps are normally used in Koi ponds since they are more powerful and can work even in a 6ft pond with approximately 10 gallons of water in it. Adding a fountain pump will also help make the oxygen circulation in the water to be much easier.

To avoid massive algae blooms in your Koi pond, high powered UV clarifiers are needed. They are responsible for sanitizing the pond water and destroying algae that form blooms.

The other elements like fish food and electricity should always be proportion to the amount of water and fish in the pond.

photo credit: timpeartrice

Visit http://www.hydra-aqua.us to read articles on pond and lake care and view inventory of koi pond supplies and fish pond treatment.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juris_Gutierrez – By Juris Gutierrez
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Difference-of-Koi-Ponds-From-the-Basic-Fish-Ponds&id=5156943

The Difference of Koi Ponds From the Basic Fish Ponds is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

The ozone unit is one piece of equipment that you could consider. Aquarium owners have used ozone for some time but it is relatively new to Koi ponds probably because they are very expensive. The ozone is created by passing air through a high voltage electrical discharge. This adds an extra atom to the oxygen. When this is detached it creates a very powerful disinfectant process.

Image via Wikipedia

The ozone itself can never be let into the pond. It is very harmful to the fish. But the water is fed through the ozone unit where it is treated before it is returned to the pond. Once treated it is free of bacteria and parasites and has improved clarity.

Another option for improving water quality and clarity is the UV clarifier. These units help to keep the water clear of single-celled algae that flourishes in sunlight and high levels of nitrates and phosphates. The UV clarifier radiates ultraviolet light causing the algae to collapse and decay. This unit is not a UV sterilizer that is commonly used in aquariums.

This unit is also different from the UV sterilizer that is often used in aquariums. The clarifier allows a higher volume of water to pass over the ultraviolet light. The sterilizer lets less water pass closer to the light for a higher dose.

You can add a variety of “water polishing” units to your filtration system to greatly improve the water quality. This has commonly been accomplished by passing the water through a sand filter as the last stage before the water is returned to the pond. Today there is even a more cost effective way to do this using a canister device containing a series of sieve plates to filter out extremely fine particles.

Consider these options as you look for ways to get that extra water clarity in you pond. It will make a real difference and greatly enhance the enjoyment you get from your fish.

About the Author: by John Stoner

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article166244.html

Koi Pond Equipment – How to Keep the Water Crystal Clear is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

Our most popular pond food!

* An ideal maintenance diet that provides nutrition for energy, longevity, and overall health.
* Feed in spring, summer and fall, when water temperatures are 50¿F and above.

(for more information…)

Koi Food: Tetra Pond Sticks is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

For many, having a Koi pond is like having a wilderness temple all to themselves. That escape from stress and the rigors of an increasingly busy and stressful society can be one of the many major benefits of an outdoor Koi pond. A Koi pond is a small, enclosed pond that is dependent on recirculating fresh water to keep Koi healthy.

The Koi is a fish that originated in Japan, and is named Nishikigoi by the Japanese. The Nishikigoi or Koi, were developed in Japanover two hundred years ago and are not big gold fish, despite their beautiful appearance, but are actually related to thecommon carp.

Koi ponds are specifically  (more…)

Koi Fish – Your Outdoor Koi Pond is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

Image by contraversion via Flickr

We are already in Spring and some you might be thinking what will I need to do to clean up my koi fish pond from the mess Winter did?

During Winter all the pond life was in a stand-by phase so when the weathers becomes warmer the pond becomes alive again. The right time to begin your pond maintenance is just before the warm weather comes.

• The initial Spring maintenance should include:
• Turn off the power
• Open the pump and clean it very very well
• Clean the Filters
• Remove the leaves your koi pond might have
• Remove all the dirt using the net
• With a high pressure water hose clean all the dirt installed on the rocks (if you have), on the waterfall or fountain
• Remove all the leaves around the pond so that they don’t end up inside the pond
• Turn on the power and

Enjoy your cleaned koi fish pond.

Koi Pond Maintenance Before Spring is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

photo credit: bunnygoth

Big storms can bring serious trouble to the Koi pond and therefore to the Koi fish. There are no useful prevention measures so the best solution is to remove the Koi from the pond before the storm.

Make sure you have all the supplies needed (bags, rubber bands, net and bucket) at home to remove and transport the Koi to another location.

Prepare your Koi Fish Pond for Big Storms is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

photo credit: SDCDeaCerte

As you already know the number of Koi fish should be adjusted to the Koi fish pond size. But sooner or later your Koi will spawn and new Koi will be born, nature does it naturally and there is nothing we can do to prevent Koi new babies.

The solution will be doing a population control that means remove the baby Koi. Ask around your neighbors or friends if they are interested in adopting some of your baby Koi or talk to your pet store expert and see if they accept unwanted Koi fish or if they know an association where you can put your extra Koi babies.

If you aren’t able to give your Koi away, there is a method you can use. Stop feeding your Koi for at leas three weeks as soon as you realize your Koi are spawning. They will not starve because they will start eating natural food including the your Koi. This may sound cruel but it is nature having its natural course.

If you don’t eliminate the young Koi your pond will become overpopulation, your Koi will be uncomfortable and the water can get harmful
levels of gases and chemicals.

Koi Fish Population Control is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.

Image by spyzter via Flickr

Winter will be arriving soon and you have to prepare your Koi fish pond that this season. Winter is the season when your Koi pond will be quiet and with only a few things happening. However, there are certain measures that should be taken to make sure the Koi pond and the Koi fish will survive throughout Winter.

Clean Up - Reserve one week to take care of your Koi fish pond. Clean it up and remove unwanted bulk material in and around your pond. Inside your pond, remove all leaves, dirt and other material from the bottom. Also, remove any plants or flowers that you know for sure that will not make it through the winter. Around the pond, clean up anything that the wind can blow into your pond, as you are not likely to notice this debris until the end of winter. Taking the time to make sure that as much debris is removed as possible will prevent potentially harmful bacteria and parasites in the future.

Stop Feeding – During Winter you must stop feeding your Koi fish. With temperatures hover around 55 to 60 degrees they should only be fed once a day, when the temperature drops below 50 degree for the first time, stop feeding completely.

Check Up – All your equipment should have a seasonal check. From filtration system to your store of preventable medications you should check if everything is in order once during winter it is more difficult to find products for your Koi and Koi fish pond.

Prepare For Cold Weather – When you search for a Koi fish pond heater always keep in mind your Koi pond size. If the heater is too small for the size of the pond you have, for sure ice will still form.

Turn Off All Water Sources – Waterfalls, streams and constant moving fountains should be turned off during Winter. They keep the water circulating and therefore it is more difficult to keep the water at the right temperature. The heater must work alone to keep the water at the right temperature to keep your Koi fish alive and the pond in great conditions.

Koi Fish Pond Care for Winter is a post from: Koi Fish Pond blog where you can get information about Koi Fish Pond and Koi Pond Care.