• Choose the correct dimensions filtering system for your pond. In case you are unskilled or uncertain, opt for the bigger filtering system.
• Develop a structure to keep your pond shaded if it gets a lot of straight sunlight that may stimulate algae growth. Additionally, add foliage to help protect your pond, but be aware that koi will probably eat plants.
• Control algae growth in your koi pond by adding barley straw to the water. Alternatively, use plant life to filter the water or add chemical substances to keep the water clear.
• Include a ultra-violet sterilizer to your pond’s plumbing system for a low-routine maintenance solution to control if you have severe algae problems. An UV sterilizer eliminates the algae while it is pumped throughout the pond.
• Analyze your pond frequently to ensure the water has a neutral pH. Ammonia from koi fish waste usually throws off the balance of the pond.
• Remove some koi fish if your koi pond is overloaded. A buildup of ammonia in your water may affect the wellness of all your koi.
• Check out your drains, plumbing system, filter and pump if you keep having problems. You may have a clog or a mechanical issue.

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

Koi Pond: Water Chemistry

The most basic conditions of your koi pond water chemistry are the pH factor (which stands for potential Hydrogen) and water hardness. These factors alone can determine the life or death of your koi pond’s inhabitants (I call them the “Fam Fam”).

The pH of the koi pond water is measured on a scale of 1-14, with a reading of 7 considered “neutral.” Any reading above 7 is alkaline; anything below 7 is acidic. Most fish prefer a pH value of 7.2 to 7.6, or just slightly on the alkaline side of the scale. However, koi and goldfish can adjust to gradual changes in pH from as low as 7 to as high as 8.5 and still remain healthy and flourish.

Hardness or buffers in the koi pond water can raise the pH levels. Even though hardness is a separate measure from pH, the two respond to each other chemically. Pure or “distilled” water has a pH of 7 and an absence of buffers or hardness. Neutral pH is unstable, however, and if it has no buffers or hardness, it can quickly drop to the lower (acidic) end of the pH scale – as low as 4.2 to 4.8. At this level of acidity the fish’s gills become burned and eventually become unable to extract oxygen from the water, ultimately suffocating.

Should the pH in your koi pond ever drop to these levels, never try to raise the pH too quickly. By placing coral gravel, dolomite, or oyster shell gravel in a nylon filter bag inside your filter or directly in the waterfall, moving water can pass through it and the pH will rise to 7.0 or 7.3 in less than two days.

To prevent the drastic fluctuation in hardness buffers affecting pH, you should include one or more of these gravels in your filter system at all times – especially if you are replenishing your pond with soft water. The gravel should be replaced every 9 to 12 months since all the buffers will be leached out by that time. If the buffers are used up and the pH level drops to 6.0 or lower, the nitrifying bacteria that break down the toxic fish waste, ammonia, and nitrite will stop functioning. At a low pH, highly toxic ammonia chemically changes to relatively non-toxic ammonium. If you raise the pH rapidly, the ammonium will also quickly return to ammonia, which could be fatal to your fish.

Please invest in the health of your fish. Purchase a koi pond test kit from any pet or pond store. Invest the time to read the directions and start regularly testing your koi pond. Remember, clear water does not mean clean! As in the water we drink, just because the water looks clear, smells good, and tastes good does not mean it is clean.

Most of the most toxic, cancer-causing priority pollutants listed by the E.P.A are colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Do not ever forget the simple facts: You have a toilet in a separate room of your house. Your scaly friend’s living room is their toilet, and they have to swim in it. Keep it flushed and clean.

If you do not presently have a bio-filter, please purchase one, or at no cost to you, download instructions and a parts list of simple items you can purchase from any home improvement store for less then and build one yourself using an electric drill and a hand saw. download with no oblication or log in required at – http://www.askdoughoover.com

Happy koi, peace and joy.

Watch this video to learn how to maintain and beautify your water garden or koi pond. Learn more at www.aquascapeinc.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Koi Pond: Water Chemistry 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.

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.

photo credit: Valerie Everett

Autumn is here and the weather is already changing. Big and small storm is something that will start happening no matter we like them or not.

How can we prepare the Koi fish pond for small storms?

1. Being outdoor, the Koi pond is vulnerable to all the stuff that can be blown away by the wind. If you have garden furniture or other garden items that can fall into the pond put them indoors or in a place where they are protected from the wind.
2. Most people think that Koi will starve if we don’t feed them for a few weeks or even days. Well, a Koi pond has a lot of natural food sources and Koi will have a lot to eat for a long time. Also, not feeding the Koi makes the water less dirty and therefore even if the filtration systems gets damaged due to the storm, there won’t be extra dirt on the water as well as ammonia problems.
3. During a storm you have little time and opportunity to take care of the Koi fond, therefore, before a storm, make sure the pond water is clean and if you can renew most of the water. This measure will allow your Koi to have good water conditions throughout the storm. For ground level ponds, protecting the Koi pond with sand bags is a wise choice to prevent overflow of the pond water.
4. If you can, protect the Koi pond with a net to prevent leaves and flying debris to fall inside. Make sure the net is secure.

Prepare your Koi Pond for Small Storms 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.