A filter is the means by which your koi are kept alive. It is bought to complement the size of a pond and installed at the same time as the pond. The simplest way of obtaining an effective filter for a small to medium . . . → Read More: Pond Filter Choices
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Our gardens, and everything in them cannot avoid the seasonal variations in temperature – responding accordingly with periods of inactivity and growth in winter and summer respectively. As spring approaches, life within our garden and koi pond is not be able to resist nature’s . . . → Read More: Pond filter in spring
A pond filter is the inseparable partner of the pond pump that we looked at last month. Just as the pump’s role can be compared to that of our heart, the filter’s role is that of the liver and kidneys combined. All of the . . . → Read More: pond filter options
Pond Filtration:
All living animals produce waste which is toxic and must be excreted. If such waste is allowed to build up once excreted, then it is likely that health problems will follow. This is true for pond fish just as it is for slums . . . → Read More: Pond filters biofiltration.
Dear Ben,
I am currently in the middle of building a koi pond of around 2,000gallons. I am planning on using traditional settlement and wondered what flow rate and size of settlement you would advise. Would you also include brushes? And how good are trickle . . . → Read More: Pond Filtration: Settlement and bio-towers.
As someone who may be new to koi keeping, or perhaps are still contemplating taking that leap of faith, it may be wise to take a leaf out of Gordon Brown’s book. When undertaking any project, it is the prudent thing to plan and . . . → Read More: Pond fish accessories
When I was discussing this article I suggested a ‘How it works’ series, covering anything from food right through to filters. My offer was misunderstood and I was taken quite literally at my word (and was asked to write ‘How it works – from . . . → Read More: Pond fish food to filters
We eat on average, 3 times a day, and according to a survey on lifestyle, we can expect to spend a total of 5 years of our life eating. Quite a full time occupation!
Pond fish are quite different, and compared with our gastronomic timetable, . . . → Read More: Pond Fish Food. Health, Growth & Colour
The popularity and growth of the koi and pond keeping hobby is largely due to it being accessible to a wide range of aspiring pond owners, irrespective of their time, budget or space.
Koi keeping has suffered from the label of being a pastime of . . . → Read More: Pond fish keeping advice information
Dissolved oxygen concentration
Q: At various times this summer I have seen my Koi gasping at the pond surface and around my waterfall. Does this mean that there is not enough oxygen in the pond? Is this because of exceptionally high temperatures or for some . . . → Read More: Pond fish koi are gasping?
Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, man has been struggling with the problems of an imperfect world such as weeds, death and disease. This is very true for the aquarist who over the years has been forced to experiment . . . → Read More: Pond fish koi medications. How do they work?
Every garden pond, even the smallest contains a living ecosystem. We can fall into the trap of regarding the water in a pond as playing an insignificant part in maintaining our fish in tip-top health. This misconception is all the more evident when confronted . . . → Read More: Pond fish koi treatments
Pond Food for a growing market
The start of the pond season is determined largely by the weather, and gets a kick start for real over the Easter Holiday weekend. Likewise, the end of the outdoor aquatic season is marked by the return of autumnal . . . → Read More: Pond Food. A growing market.
Being a koi keeper does not mean that two weeks’ holiday in the sun each year is not allowed.
If it did then people would soon lose interest in their pond. Koi keepers maintain garden ponds and keep fish to relax, not as a means . . . → Read More: Pond goldfish care over holiday
When I leaf through “Koi Ponds and Gardens” and see, amongst many other things, pictures of various koi pond projects showing ‘before and after’ scenes, I often wonder what it would take for those same koi keepers to consider moving house.
Even more so when . . . → Read More: Pond in the new house you have moved into and bought
We eat on average, 3 times a day, and according to a survey on lifestyle, we can expect to spend a total of 5 years of our life eating. Quite a full time occupation!
Pond fish are quite different, and compared with our gastronomic timetable, . . . → Read More: Pond Koi fish foods. FAQs
When we read terms such as ‘innovative’ or ‘technologically advanced’, we expect to hear them used with reference to the IT or electronics sector where the development of new technology is the lifeblood of the industry.
One would be forgiven for not associating the koi . . . → Read More: Pond Koi Food Innovations
Lighting
Lighting can be used to convey different moods to a pond and the surrounding garden. Subtle down lighting to create a glow from behind rock work or an evergreen shrub to cast its haunting silhouette can add a placid mood while brighter and more . . . → Read More: Pond lighting advice ideas
Maintaining a healthy and stable pond environment is the single most effective method of ensuring fish stay in top condition. This is best achieved by filtering the pond, introducing fish gradually, feeding wisely and not over stocking. Fishkeeping perfection must be so easy!
Alas, if . . . → Read More: Pond medications. How to use them safely.
Every pond is faced with the task of processing products and materials. In so doing it can behave in a similar way to an animal that is shaped by the quality and quantity of food that it eats. By trying to balance the pond’s . . . → Read More: Pond Metabolism – How balanced is your koi or garden goldfish pond?
Koi benefit significantly from stable water conditions, where water quality parameters such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonia and nitrite should be maintained within desirable levels. This is especially true for pH which must be remain consistently between pH7 and pH9
pH is one of the . . . → Read More: Pond pH keeps changing
In a planted pond, the aquatic vegetation will play a number of roles.
1. Functional. The pond water will have a tendency to turn green or be invaded by blanketweed and just as in a garden border, desirable plants should be chosen to compete against . . . → Read More: Pond Plants Planting a garden pond
If you’re considering building a pond that features a fountain or waterfall, or are looking to install a UVc and filter, then youll need a pump.
A pond pump has a demanding role, pumping continuously through a 12 month rolling contract in extremes of temperature, . . . → Read More: Pond Pump Buying Checklist
As koi keepers, we have never had it so good. Each year there are more quality koi to choose from than the last, there is plenty of information to support the hobbyist and the standard of pond equipment available has reached a new high.
Most . . . → Read More: Pond pump fails
A pond pump is an essential piece of equipment in a koi pond. It has one of the least glamorous roles to play, yet every healthy pond will be powered by a reliable pump. A pond pump has a most demanding job, working full . . . → Read More: Pond pumps – A comprehensive guide
As koi keepers we are experts in keeping fish in an enclosed artificial environment that is stocked with an unnaturally high stocking level and fed a relatively large quantity of food.
Consequently, there will come a time when the pond’s ecosystem becomes unbalanced, requiring our . . . → Read More: Pond water changes
I am relatively new to koi keeping, having installed a new koi pond in March this year. Taking the advice I have read in your magazine, I have been very careful to find a koi dealer who I believe I can trust.
Under their guidance, . . . → Read More: Pond water is tinted coloured
What is pH? What causes fluctuations? What effect will these have on a Koi pond?
Being aware of the many water parameters which we should test for, such as ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, these are measurements of a tangible chemical substance (ie you could buy . . . → Read More: Pond water quality. Will pH affect my fish and pond?
As koi keepers we are experts in keeping fish in an enclosed artificial environment that is stocked with an unnaturally high stocking level and fed a relatively large quantity of food. Consequently, there will come a time when the pond’s ecosystem becomes unbalanced, requiring . . . → Read More: Ponds do need a regular partial water change
Springtime is the launch pad for life in the garden. All life in the garden has spent the preceding cold winter months in slumber, resting and recuperating ready to burst into life in spring. The water garden too has been experiencing a period of . . . → Read More: Preparing the water garden fish pond for Spring
Pressure filters for garden ponds first appeared on retailers’ shelves just over 10 years ago. Most of us were then more familiar with the aquarium pressurised canister filters. These top-end pieces of aquarium hardware worked perfectly, undisturbed for months hidden inside the aquarium cabinet . . . → Read More: Pressurised pond filters.
Quarantine:
Quarantine is the procedure where newly imported or purchased Koi are subjected to a period of isolation. There are two objectives of quarantine:- 1. It is a resting period to reduce stress of newly imported Koi. Irrespective of many of the measures and improvements made . . . → Read More: Q, R & S: Pond Keeping Terms – Quarantine to Swim Bladder
We are a nation of DIY enthusiasts, – Don’t take my word for it, ask Mr B & Mr Q. We are keen to impress others by how well we can tackle a problem, eager to roll our sleeves up and get stuck in. . . . → Read More: Reducing pond maintenance
If your aquatic store serves the outdoor water gardening segment then one of the must-have stock lines is pumps.
When a new pondkeeper embarks on their first pond project, it is usual for their first purchase to include the pond / liner, filter and pump . . . → Read More: Selling pond pumps
Q: I want to exhibit my koi but don’t know where to start?
I have been a koi keeper for about five years now and have a number of quality koi that I think are worthy of entering into a koi show. The trouble is . . . → Read More: Showing Koi
I cannot understand why I lose fish at Spring time. My pond is approximately 1,500-gallons and has a very good waterfall and a venturi which are both switched off during the winter. My filter is always working and consists of a 30W UVS. The . . . → Read More: Spring koi death
Springtime is the launch pad for life in the garden. All life in the garden has spent the preceding cold winter months in slumber, resting and recuperating ready to burst into life in spring. The water garden too has been experiencing a period of . . . → Read More: Spring pond fish maintenance
Our temperate climate is punctuated by four contrasting seasons, and our ponds change character as they enter each phase of the seasonal cycle. Even though we can be certain that each season will arrive, we can never predict the exact day, especially when taking . . . → Read More: Spring pond job list. Getting ready for the summer
Springtime is the launch pad for life in the garden. All life in the garden has spent the preceding cold winter months in slumber, resting and recuperating ready to burst into life in spring. The water garden too has been experiencing a period of . . . → Read More: Spring Pond Maintenance
The Sterlet – Acipenser ruthenus
The Sterlet can be described as a prehistoric fish which dates back to the dinosaurs. Its ancient ancestry is also quite clear when looking at its body form, looking completely alien in a pond when compared to other traditional pond . . . → Read More: Sterlets Tench – Bottom Feeding Pond Fish
Most pondkeepers have experienced some problems or have heard of other people’s experiences when it comes to stocking a pond with fish.
You have designed, purchased and installed a landscaped garden pond. It has been planted for a couple of weeks, the pump and filter . . . → Read More: Stocking a new pond with fish. Golden Rules
Not a very pleasant headline, but all the same a very realistic issue that in the experiences of a pond owner or koi keeper, will at some stage, probably become a reality.
The background to such a fatality may be along the lines of the . . . → Read More: Sudden koi death
“Summer time, and the living is easy, Fish are jumping and the cotton is high…..” This is what we’ve all been waiting for. Preparing our koi pond through any winter worries, ensuring that the koi have come through their ‘rest period’ free from any health . . . → Read More: Summer Koi Pond Care.
This is what weve all been waiting for. Preparing the garden pond through any winter worries, ensuring that the fish have come through their rest period free from any health problems. Spring has seen the aquatic plants re-potted or trimmed if necessary and the . . . → Read More: Summer pond fish maintenance
This is what we’ve all been waiting for. Preparing the garden pond through any winter worries, ensuring that the fish have come through their ‘rest period’ free from any health problems. Spring has seen the aquatic plants re-potted or trimmed if necessary and the . . . → Read More: Summer Pond Maintenance
Tapeworm
Tapeworms are one of the largest parasites to affect koi. Living in the intestine or body cavity, these mouth-less parasites absorb nutrients directly through their skin from the koi. They are considered to be rare in the hobby for several reasons. 1. They are difficult to . . . → Read More: T: Pond Keeping Terms – Tapeworm to Treatment
What is good water quality?
Good water quality is a measure of how suitable water is for keeping fish healthy. There are a number of simple tests that can be carried out on pond water to determine whether it is suitable. The first thing to . . . → Read More: Testing Pond Water Quality
If you were to offer a sample of people the opportunity of having a pond installed in their garden, those that would decline would be in the minority.
Perhaps it is that fact that our bodies are predominantly made up of water, or we have . . . → Read More: The garden pond market
If you’re considering building a pond that features a fountain or waterfall, or are looking to install a UVc and filter, then you’ll need a pump.
A pond pump has a demanding role, pumping continuously through a 12 month rolling contract in extremes of temperature, . . . → Read More: The Pond pump buyer’s check list
Virtually every environment on earth relies on plant life to produce the first food that fuels all the other living organisms in the ecosystem. That is certainly the case in a ‘natural’ mud pond, but not so in an artificially filtered koi pond that . . . → Read More: The role of pond plants in maintaining a stable fish pond environment.
I suspect that the koi hobby is just like any other in that it benefits from a thriving grapevine. Fuelled by speculation, conversation and innovation, word soon seems to travel through the industry, especially when a rare nugget of information is unearthed. This was . . . → Read More: The Skimmer Filter – Savio
Some of the most memorable ponds are those which look as though they have been planted by Mother Nature herself. Appearing as though generations of weathering and evolution have shaped an aquatic hollow, to nestle in true balance with its surroundings.
We too appear to . . . → Read More: The standard planted garden pond
What chemicals can leach out of pond-side materials? What effects will they have on water quality and the Koi themselves? In what ways can you seal these materials? Can you use the same sealant for them all?
When considering the topic of leaching in and . . . → Read More: Toxic materials around the pond. What is safe?
Undergravel Filtration
A method of filtration that is perhaps best-suited to aquaria where maintenance is quite straight forward. The principle of undergravel filtration in ponds has to some degree been superseded by multi-chamber external filters, which can be maintained very effectively. Underground filtration relies on a . . . → Read More: U & V: Pond Keeping Terms – Undergravel to Vortex
Anybody contemplating whether to take the plunge or merely dip their toe into the world of koi would be well advised to carry out as much research on the many aspects of the hobby as possible before getting wet.
Koi keeping is an alluring hobby . . . → Read More: Using test kits in koi and garden ponds
Ultraviolet light has been widely used for just over a century as a disinfectant in a number of different industries. British scientists discovered that certain wavelengths of light have germicidal properties by disrupting the reproduction of micro-organisms – viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa. This . . . → Read More: UVc pond clarifier checklist
Water Quality
A short entry in an encyclopaedia cannot do the topic of water quality justice. Water quality is concerned with providing a stable, quality environment through testing water and responding to any undesirable changes from the norm. It is vital to understand how it . . . → Read More: W, X, Y, Z: Pond Keeping Terms – Water Quality to Zooplankton
Q. What principal water parameters should I check on a day-to-day basis? And what are the recommended levels for a koi pond? Are there any other parameters I should check too? Why is it so important to keep on top of this?
A. There can . . . → Read More: What and how do I test in my pond water?
The goldfish has been subjected to rigorous selection by man in his quest to develop and improve certain desirable physical characteristics.
The longer tails of the comet goldfish, the range of colours available in shubunkins and even the bubble-eyes and pearly scales of the fancier . . . → Read More: What fish are compatible with goldfish in a pond?
If the UK’s privatised water companies with their multi-million pound budgets suffer from the consequences of leaks and are frustrated by how difficult they are to locate then many pond keepers who have also suffered from the same problem (less the large budget!) can . . . → Read More: What if the pond starts to lose water?
The UK weather is a national obsession and its unpredictability has always made it a very popular conversation piece. Indeed, a well known TV weatherman put it just right when he said, ‘The UK doesn’t have a climate, just different days of unpredictable weather’.
This . . . → Read More: What if the pond temperature suddenly drops in a cold spell in autumn?
Springtime presents us with the perfect opportunity for checking the condition that winter may have left our pond in and to look forward to the summer by carrying out any necessary maintenance, nurturing our koi out of their winter slumber.
As a pond leaves the . . . → Read More: What is happening in my pond in spring?
Feeding time is probably the most enjoyable and rewarding pondkeeping activity. However, when you feed your fish is as vital as what you feed them.
Are there variations in feeding times depending on the time of year? Koi, like all fish are cold blooded and their . . . → Read More: When to feed koi and goldfish
Just as China is renowned for its tea, Italy for its pasta and France for its wine, then Japan has a reputation for producing the most impressive Koi.
Cultures that have been the first to pioneer a specialised form of are usually in the best . . . → Read More: Where do koi come from?
Pond Pumps Buyer’s Guide.
Regarded as the heart of the pond, the pump (like the heart) must be the most reliable part of a garden pond. We expect a pump to work 24 hours a day and every day of the year in temperatures ranging . . . → Read More: Which pond pump is the best for my pond?
How to choose the right pond pump and why is it important to choose the right pond equipment?
Koi keeping is so enthralling and challenging because it puts demands on us from so many different disciplines, and to be successful, we need to master them . . . → Read More: Which pond pump should I choose?
Like many successful ideas, designs or inventions, their secret to longevity and widespread acclaim is down to their simplicity. What you see is what you get and any additional frills or detail would detract from what would otherwise be simply beautiful.
The goldfish’s popularity goes . . . → Read More: Why are goldfish so popular?
If a would-be pond or koi keeper were to flick through the pages of a koi magazine, there may well be the danger of them being put off keeping koi by the apparent number of problems that may present themselves to a hobbyist.
Not only . . . → Read More: Why are my koi colour’s fading in my pond?
Over the last few months I have asked a wide range of koi keepers that same question and although most of their answers were different, I was surprised by how long it took each of them to reply with their definitive answer. The fact . . . → Read More: Why become a koi keeper?
I am a little confused with the number of different types of food that I can buy for my koi. This is especially true during late summer and early spring when my pond temperature is cooling down warming up either side of winter.
I recently . . . → Read More: Winter and autumn koi foods. Do I really have to offer my koi different foods in the winter?
As spring approaches I am concerned about what to do if the temperature suddenly rises and then drops again back to near arctic conditions as can happen so easily in this country. How will this sudden rise in temperature affect my Koi? Should I . . . → Read More: Winter garden pond and cold water temperature swings
Winter pond maintenance.
To a certain degree, a laissez-faire approach with our pond may be justifiable in the winter, as there is little that fish require from us over this fallow period. However, there are a few simple measures we can take to ensure that, . . . → Read More: Winter pond fish maintenance
To a certain degree, a laissez-faire approach with our pond may be justifiable in the winter, as there is little that fish require from us over this fallow period. However, there are a few simple measures we can take to ensure that, even after . . . → Read More: Winter Pond Maintenance
This will be my first winter since building my koi pond in April 2003. My pond is relatively small, about 1,000 gallons and it has an Aquamax 5,500 pump with a 20 watt UV and small pump-fed filter.
Since it was built, the pond has . . . → Read More: Winterizing a Backyard Fish Pond
Putting koi through a typical UK winter experience is regarded by many as a matter of potluck as to whether they will pull through to the spring. That is, we keep our fingers crossed and hope that the koi have eaten sufficiently well and . . . → Read More: Winterizing a Koi pond and pond fish
Many life-changing experiences are unplanned, occurring by accident rather than by design. Consider the time that purring ball of fluff turned up at your door all those years ago and has been the most important guest in your house ever since, or the marriage . . . → Read More: Your new house has a pond. What to do next!
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