How to Build a Koi Pond
Many people like keeping fish because of the beauty of the animals, and the relative ease of fishkeeping. Koi is a popular aquarium fish, but many people agree that koi is best viewed and better appreciated when they live in a pond. Here’s how you can build a quick and easy koi pond for your fish.
Materials
To build a koi pond, you need the following materials:
Blueprints
Liner (while you can use a plastic liner, it’s best to use a thicker-grade butyl-rubber pond liner)
Concrete
A power shovel, or other motorized or manual digging equipment (For more information on shovels, read The Guide to Shovel)
Drain pipe and water return kits
Aquarium grade pebbles or gravel
Bead filtration system
Aquatic plants
Steps
Follow these steps to build your very own koi pond:
Acquire blueprints. You may find blueprints for a koi pond from the Internet, or from manuals and books you can find on a public library. While an above-ground pond is excellent for fish, a ground-level pond has a more natural, aesthetic feel.
koi pond
Dig a hole deep enough for your koi pond. The blueprints will indicate the levels of the pond. Make sure to follow the depths indicated on the blueprints. (Learn how to dig a trench)
Create a concrete collar on the land surrounding the pond. The collar not only helps make digging easier, but it also prevents the surrounding land from eroding into the pond, and polluting the water.
Assemble and install the drainage and filtration systems. For best results, use an external filter that has a stronger filtration and cycling capacity than internal filters or submerged filters.
Lay the pebbles or gravel on the bottom of the pond, and arrange the aquatic plants.
Fill the pond with water, and turn on the filtration system.
Place the koi in the pond. Make sure that the temperature and the environment is conducive to their growth and survival.
Fish ponds are a great addition to any garden. With these tips, you can easily create a fresh and natural habitat for your pet koi. For more information, read how to make a pond.