Having a garden pond at home is like having a small oasis in your backyard.

It’s a place to get away from the worries and cares of everyday life and spend time in quiet solitude. Koi ponds are a beautiful addition to any home, but they require a lot of maintenance to keep them looking nice.

Here are 6 koi pond maintenance tips to help your pond stay clean and clear.

Before we go over our tips for maintaining your koi pond, we must first explain why pond maintenance is so important.

Koi pond maintenance is key to your pond’s health, beauty, and longevity. Without proper maintenance, your fish can become sick, pond water becomes stale, and unwanted plants and bacteria thrive in the environment.

Maintaining your pond is constant work, though, with ecosystem ponds, the maintenance is much less because they mostly take care of themselves. You only have to do some tasks once a month or yearly, while others can be daily tasks.

However, if you do these regularly and don’t let problems build up, they take less time when they come around.

The health of your fish determines the overall health of your pond. If you have too many fish in your pond, they compete for resources like food and oxygen. An overpopulated koi pond results in unhealthy fish starving for food and oxygen.

A good rule of thumb is to have one 10-inch fish for every 100 gallons of water. There are a few other rules , too, depending on who you’re talking to. If you have more fish than the recommended amount, consider selling some or relocating them to a new home.

Overfeeding fish is just as bad, and it is one of the most common mistakes made when it comes to koi ponds. People often try giving their fish as much food as possible to ensure they’re getting enough nutrition. However, this leads to waste products building up inside their bodies, which is fatal.

Overfeeding also causes several issues with your pond’s water, including excessive algae growth and the death of your koi. Overfeeding can also cause fish to become sluggish, sick, overweight, and more susceptible to illness.

Algae is both good and bad for your pond.

Algae is a natural filter and food source for fish, but it can also cause problems if it grows too much or in the wrong place. An excess of algae blocks light from reaching plants at the bottom of your pond, making them develop more slowly or even die off completely.

One way to maintain algae levels in your pond is by growing plants that compete with the algae for the nutrients in the water. Some plants require substantial nutrition, such as water lettuce and water lilies. These plants also help provide shade for the pond and maintain the temperature of the water.

You can scrape out excess algae during regular pond maintenance if you don’t want to introduce more plants to your pond. Some artificial chemicals also help regulate the growth of algae in your pond. Make sure any you use are fish and plant safe.

Plant growth is essential to the health of your pond.

While aquatic plants and landscaping plants can provide shade and help regulate algae, they also provide oxygen, food, a place for fish to hide, and areas for them to breed. Plants also make your koi pond more pleasing to look at by providing visual contrast against rocks and other landscape features.

Even with regular pond maintenance, debris will accumulate in your koi pond.

During each cleaning, remove all visible debris from the bottom and sides of your pond. You can use a net or a stick to clear out any clumps of debris that gather at the bottom of your pond.

You should also prevent large pieces of debris like leaves or sticks from building up in your koi pond. They can introduce harmful bacteria to your fish when decomposing and clog up filters or water features.

Some people also install nets over small koi ponds, keeping their ponds clean and removing the threat of predators that eat fish.

Clean pumps and fountain equipment are essential to keeping your pond healthy.

If they aren’t adequately maintained, debris might build up in the filter or water lines, decreasing oxygenation. You help clear debris and remove harmful bacteria by disconnecting and flushing them.

You should regularly clean or change the biological filters every two years or so. Clogged filters cling to harmful bacteria and redistribute that bacteria into the water.

Maintaining the water fountain or waterfall feature also helps to oxygenate the water. Moving water is necessary for proper aeration and oxygenation of a pond. Aerating the water provides air for both the fish and plants to breathe. Helping the plants to breathe ensures they grow healthy, adding food for your fish to eat.

The best way to keep your pond healthy and happy is to provide enough aeration through a working fountain, waterfall, or aeration pump.

It’s easy to forget about water levels, but you must keep an eye on them and make adjustments as necessary. Your koi could be at risk of becoming injured or even killed by falling into a dry area of their pond.

Hot summer weather and direct sunlight lower water levels and oxygen levels and increase the acidity of the water. You might refill the pond once a week or more during hot months. Don’t use tap water to fill the pond; use a garden hose or a water supply system that constantly adds water.

Autofillers are a great tool that can help you do less work maintaining your pond.

Koi ponds are a lot of fun, but they also require maintenance. If you want your pond to thrive and look its best, you must invest in proper cleaning and maintenance. If you don’t have the time or skills for pond maintenance, let us handle it. 

At Backyard Depot Ponds and Landscaping, we specialize in installing and maintaining koi ponds and garden ponds. We proudly serve Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the surrounding areas. Fill out our contact form today to talk about residential pond maintenance and installation.

The post Six Proven Koi Pond Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Pond Clean first appeared on Backyard Depot Ponds And Landscaping.