KOI KEEPING OUTDOORS, WHAT IS NEEDED TO KEEP HEALTHY HAPPY KOI OUTSIDE….

KOI KEEPING OUTDOORS, WHAT IS NEEDED TO KEEP HEALTHY HAPPY KOI OUTSIDE….

An outdoor garden pond is the ultimate setting for fully appreciating the beauty and elegance of Nishikigoi. The best way to keep happy and healthy Koi is to do it right, no shortcuts. The environment is extremely important to maintain a healthy and happy stock.

When thinking about a Koi Pond, it is important to start with the basics:

1.       Pond maintenance

2.       Equipment needed

3.       Water Quality

4.       Aeration, oxygen

KOI POND MAINTENANCE

Koi pond maintenance is a vital task that every Koi keeper has to undergo regularly. If everything is going well, regular maintenance shouldn't take more than a few minutes once a day (as in feeding the Koi) and perhaps an hour or so once a week.

1.       Material and debris should be removed regularly

2.       Water level should be checked regularly

3.       Fresh water should be added as needed to remove waste buildup (nitrates)

4.       Equipment should be inspected and repairs should be done

5.       Filters should be cleaned regularly, flushing the filters to remove solid debris

6.       Regular water testing should be performed and logged in a journal

7.       Additives to replace vital trace elements

8.       Inspection of the Koi for vitality, and health issues

EQUPMENT NEEDED

The optimum environment for Koi is a recirculating system that has good filtration, both mechanical and biological. As a new Koi pond owner, there may be many supplies that are needed to properly maintain the pond and the Koi.

Given that the pond is outdoors, and Nature is unpredictable, it is best to be prepared.

These are the most common supplies needed for a properly functioning and beautiful Koi Pond:

1.       Pump

2.       Filters

3.       Test kits

4.       Dechlorinator and other pond conditioning equipment

5.       Pond salts and Baking soda

6.       Pond Net

7.       Method of transport for Koi

Pump- A pump is essential to the health of a Koi pond. It will keep the water moving because if the water is not moving, the water can get very unhealthy very fast. Moving water can also be from waterfalls, fountains, and other water features, but in no way should completely replace your pump.

Filters- Having a working filter is essential for removing unwanted pollutants, and maintaining proper water quality. If you do not have a proper filter, water quality issues can occur, which in turn will cause your fish to have health issues.

Test Kits- You should test for the basic water quality parameters as often as possible, especially when starting up with a new Koi pond. Good test kits are available from most pet and Koi stores. Invest in a decent one and then stick to the brand to ensure consistency across all your measurements. You will need to test ammonia and nitrites on a weekly basis to ensure proper water quality. Emergency tests may also be needed in the event that you notice discrepancies in your Koi behavior or in the water. Keep a log of your test results. It can save a lot of trauma later. The actual readings themselves are not as important as a deviation from those readings! But if you do not know you pond's long term 'base line' you won't know when things have gone out of kilter.

Dechlorinator- Tap water contains chemicals that can potentially harm Koi fish. When adding new water for any reason, you must add Dechlorinator to eliminate these chemicals.

Pond Salt and Baking Soda- Pond salt and baking soda are used to regulate pH and Nitrate levels in the event that you find a discrepancy. Pay close attention to the amounts you are supposed to add to the pond, which depends on size and the issues you are currently having.

Net- You will need to have a net sizeable enough to compete with your Koi. You will never need the net to pull the Koi out of the water with, but you will need it to lead and direct your Koi into the place you want them. Nets can potentially damage your Koi, especially as the larger they get.

WATER QUALITY AND MAINTENANCE

Understanding water quality is of vital significance for the wellness and health of your Koi. It is best to understand what is happening inside the pond in order to be able to achieve good water quality and be a successful Koi keeper.

Koi fish are interesting; they interact with their watery environment on a continuous basis and with considerable intimacy. Koi are a product of the watery environment in which they live, and proper water maintenance will ensure minimal problems in the future.  Good water quality is not necessarily crystal clear water, and clear water is not a guarantee of good water quality. On the other hand, murky water may or may not be of good quality. Bacteria are inevitable, but as usual, bacteria, fungi, and viruses can must be kept in check, and the water needs to be free of poisons.

Koi produce two types of waste - inorganic ammonia and organic solid wastes. Organic compounds are simply those chemical compounds that contain carbon. Water is such an excellent solvent that it can dissolve some organic compounds. Inorganic compounds do not contain carbon. An example of an inorganic compound is ammonia. Ammonia is produced by Koi and is completely water soluble. The goal for a healthy pond is to have a zero level of ammonia. Ammonia is not seen, and for this reason it is important to have a good quality water test kit that measures important parameters such as these.

Good water quality will have no dissolved waste organic or inorganic compounds. It will also have no waste solid organic compounds. In other words, good quality water will have zero waste.

THE MAIN COMPONENTS TO MEASURE AND KEEP IN MIND WHEN KEEPING THE WATER QUALITY AT ITS BEST:

1.       Water Ph

2.       Chlorine and Chloramines

3.       Heavy Metals

4.       Water contaminants

5.       Algae

6.       salt

Water pH

The pH of a healthy Koi pond should range between 6 and 8.5. This is acceptable for most pond life. Ammonia and nitrites are the primary concern when it comes to water pH, as they have a direct relationship to the toxicity of the water.  Each pH number above the neutral 7 reflects a tenfold increase in excess ammonia and nitrates. Any pH value below the neutral 7 is considered acidic.  Baking soda or ground limestone will raise the pH level. Any pH values over 8.5 will definitely stress the fish to the point of disease. Some causes of elevated pH are bricks or untreated mortar blocks used as plant pedestals which may be washing in leeched lime which can cause severely high pH readings.

Ammonia, Chlorine and Chloramines

It is not uncommon for city water to test positive for ammonia straight out of the tap. City water suppliers are more frequently adding ammonia to combine with chlorine to product the longer-lasting chloramines.  Chlorine and chloramines are harmful to fish and will kill the beneficial nitrifying bacteria in the pond.  Likewise, they may burn or kill aquatic plants.  Chlorine is a volatile gas that will dissipate with water circulation and exposure to the air within one or two days.  Chloramines, however take much longer to break down.  When adding chlorinated water to the pond, spray it in with a hose to provide the necessary aeration for dissipation of the gas.

There are products like Sodium Thiosulfate that will remove chlorine from water and also pull chlorine from the chloramines.  A stock solution of four ounces of Sodium Thioslufate crystals to one gallon of distilled water makes your stock solution.  One drop per gallon (50ml per 1,000 gallons) will safely de-chlorinate your pond.  Make sure to use a test kit to monitor your ammonia levels carefully.  High ammonia levels cause disease, and death.

Heavy Metals

Well water may contain copper and iron and ferrous bicarbonate. This can be detected when a brown precipitate forms when the water is aerated.  Besides being mildly irritating to the fish, ferrous bicarbonate stains equipment and causes water to become cloudy.

E.D.T.A. (Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acidic Acid) can be used to chelate out any heavy metals such as iron or copper from the water.  To make a stock solution with EDTA, use 1 teaspoon and mix it with 4 ounces of distilled water.  Shake well.  Then use 2 drops of this stock solution per gallon of pond water.  EDTA will lower your pH, so care should be used when adding it to the pond.  We suggest taking a pail of water out of the pond, check the pH and then add 2 drops of EDTA per gallon of pail water.  Mix the water well and then test the pH once again.  The maximum amount per day that the pH may be dropped is 0.2, any more can pH shock the fish, make the fish stressed and cause a disease outbreak in the pond.

Contaminated Water

Run-off water from a nearby stream, or collected rainwater may contain toxic insecticides, herbicides or fertilizers.  Rainwater from metal roofs or asbestos shingles will contaminate the pond and may prove toxic to both the fish, and the plants.  If the fish display signs of toxicity, execute a 50% water change and/or remove the fish to safe quarters, or a hospital tank until the water has been changed.

Acid rain may produce stress in water lilies.  Immediately following to a heavy rainfall, the lily leaves may show signs of burning at the edges or abrupt yellowing.  A partial water change may be needed after such rainy periods if the pH readings are lower than the neutral 7.0 range.

White foam at the waterfall entry of the pond is a sign of a high level of dissolved organic compounds.  Do some partial water changes and add some Aqua Gold to the pond to handle the high organic load.

Algae and weeds

Green water is caused by really small algae – teeny tiny nanometer sized single celled plants. Yes… Algae are water plants. Algae can form incredibly quickly, particularly in warm weather. They put oxygen into the water during the day and take it out again at night. Algae replicate at the speed of lightning, causing the pond to be off color – often a light grey, a light brown to green or even completely green. This can happen almost overnight.

Algae is unsightly because as it makes the water cloudy it tends to interfere with being able to see the Koi, enjoy them and properly check for disease. Koi, per se, don’t really mind the algae, they can even get quite comfortable with it.

While algae can be a frustrating problem if you have a swimming pool, it is often a welcome addition to koi ponds since it absorbs both nitrates, phosphates, and other minerals from the pond water; provides protection for developing koi fry (babies); and also gives the mature koi a source of food to nibble. It also aerates the water and provides the fish with much needed oxygen. Blanket weed and string algae can form a blanket, thus the name, over the surface of the water, it doesn't need a solid surface to attach itself to.

When the weather cools, growth dies down. There are various products on the market that you can use to control algae -but do make sure that it is not toxic and won't harm you beloved Koi. The best way to take care of algae and make the water clearer is through using an ultraviolet light. There are many commercial varieties that you can choose from.

Adding Pond Salt to Your Pond

Adding salt to the pond is safe as long as you know the amounts to use. Salt can control algae, detoxify nitrites, kill parasites and behave as an antiseptic for Koi.  Salt is a great item to use for your water quality, but first... you need to know how much to add.  We feel that a 0.1% continual salt bath is a good level to run at all the time.  To achieve this level, add 1¼ ounces of salt per 10 gallons of pond water.  

AIREATION AND OXYGEN

Excellent water quality is not only free from wastes but it should have good dissolved oxygen content. Oxygen plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy pond environment. Fish need oxygen to breathe and water rich with oxygen allows efficient biological filtration. A stable pond environment with clean and clear water depends on oxygen. The only one place where oxygen is able to get into the Koi pond in any meaningful quantity is through the surface of the pond where the pond meets our atmosphere. For this the reason the water at the bottom of the pond has the least amounts of oxygen, where it is furthest away from the surface. This explains why fish under oxygen stress gasp at the surface of the Koi pond.

To avoid unnecessary stress on your fish, incorporate oxygen tests as part of regular routine maintenance. Testing is the most accurate way to determine if there is enough oxygen in your pond. However, there are several cues that can alert you of low oxygen content in your pond. Pay attention to the following signs for early detection and timely correction of potential problems:

1.       Fish gasping at the surface - Fish gulping near the surface, or at the entry of a water stream, or other water feature are likely oxygen starved. Pond fish such as goldfish and Koi thrive in oxygen-rich waters and are not tolerant of low oxygen levels.

2.       Foul odors - In poorly oxygenated ponds decaying vegetation, excess fish waste, and other organic matter can emit distinct smells. A strong "lake" smell may indicate poor water circulation, filtration, or aeration.

3.       Aggressive algae growth - A thick layer of filamentous or string algae suggests excess algal nutrients, including carbon dioxide in the water. Ponds without active aeration or gas exchange provide ideal growing conditions for troublesome algae.

The easiest way to improve the oxygen content in a pond is to increase water movement or to add an aeration device. When water tumbles vigorously over rocky streams and waterfalls, it comes into greater contact with air. Harmful gasses are released and oxygen is incorporated into the water. Pond aeration devices such as water fountains, bubblers, and spitters break the water surface to encourage gas exchange.

KOI FOOD AND KOI WASTE

Take care not to overfeed. The more you feed the Koi the more ammonia they produce.  They also produce significant quantities of solid organic waste, some of which dissolves into the water. Too many Koi can also become a problem, and overstocking can be dangerous.

SUMMARY

Regular maintenance ensures that the operations of the Koi pond are kept stable. It gives you the opportunity to spot any potential problems before they become critical problems. It gives you the opportunity to inspect your Koi pond equipment and your filtration systems, and of course it keeps you on the pulse of what is happening in your Koi pond.

Healthy tips to maintain healthy oxygen levels include:

1.       Remove waste - Decaying matter uses up oxygen. Use a net to skim the surface debris before it sinks. Remove leaves and settled debris from the bottom of your pond on a regular basis.

2.       Provide shade - Floating water plants are a fast and easy way to provide shade. Water that is cool in temperature is able to hold onto more oxygen than warm water.

3.       Plant the right plants - Add a mixture of plants, including marginal plants, floating plants, and submerged plants to help decrease algae growth. Oxygenating plants help increase oxygen level and improve water quality.

4.       Maintain proper filtration - Clean pond filters regularly, especially before departing for vacation. A clean filter works more efficiently to provide vital water movement and waste-removing filtration.

5.       Adjust oxygen levels to match fish population - Fish are a joy in the pond, but keep in mind, a heavily populated pond will require more oxygen. If your bio-load is high, then make sure you have enough aeration devices to maintain proper oxygen levels.

6.        Exposed water surfaces - During the winter, it is important to keep a small portion of the pond surface from freezing. Use an aeration kit or de-icer to maintain a small opening in the ice. This opening allows gas exchange and prevents buildup of toxic gases.

7.        Fresh, clean water - A partial water change, no more than one-third at a time, can replenish oxygen and improve water quality. Remember to use a de-chlorinator if you use tap water that contains chlorine or chloramine.

Thank you for reading,

Margarita Ochoa-Maya, MD