Category Archives: Pond Maintenance

Anaheim Koi Pond Services How to Build an Algae-Free Fish Pond

Plants, animals, soil, and water need to naturally co-exist in a natural pond. It doesn’t take a lot of chemicals to keep the water clean and full of oxygen. In fact, a properly built pond will only need regular Orange County koi pond maintenance to clean up a few human wastes and other things that get into the pond by accident. So, how do you build a backyard pond that will give everyone in your house energy and make them healthier?

 

Anaheim Koi Pond Services

Natural Garden Pond Design

Most ponds focus on controlling algae levels by adding chemicals and using filters as well as a circulating pump. What about setting up a pond with all these features? Okay, now that I have your attention keep in mind the following three points.

  • Restrict sunlight to water’s surface. This reduces algae growth
  • Prepare plenty of space for plants
  • Allow enough space for beneficial microorganisms to grow

Room to Grow

Koi fish, frogs, and other living organisms will keep adding organic matter to your pond. This also applies to the nearby plants, shrubs, and even trees. Were it not for the microorganisms which offer regular koi pond service, then the organic matter may build up way out of proportion. Remember, these microorganisms can be found everywhere be it in the soil, plants, or rocks – they will feed on organic matter. To ensure your pond is free of algae ensure that you give enough room to support the growth of microbes. This way, your water will remain clean.

Plenty of Water Garden Plants

If nutrient levels in the pond become too high, then algae will easily fill up the pond and suffocate everything else. However, there is a secret to having an algae-free pond, and this is by allowing a lot of plants to grow in the water to compete for nutrients.

You need to create a pond with marginal water plants that can easily survive the bog-like conditions found at the edge of a pond. You will need these plants to take in their nutrients from the pond, an easy way to do this is by avoiding putting them in pots or soil. Grow them on the stones at the ledge and provide safety and firm support using bigger stones.

Limit Light

Ensure that when building your koi pond there is minimal light allowed in. Water lilies can be good for such purposes, their leaves tend to offer shade, and their roots may take in the nutrients that algae may feed on. These effectively control and completely alleviate algae growth in your pond.

At OC Pond and Fountain Care, we are committed to ensuring that your pond is clean and well-maintained to support healthy living in communities. If you need advice or even professionals to help you build an algae-free pond, do not hesitate to contact us today.

Proper Koi Fish Care and Pond Guide Proper Koi Fish Care and Pond Guide
Proper Koi Fish Care and Pond Guide

Before you get started on the construction of a koi pond in your garden, you should become familiar with koi pond maintenance and all the work this involves. Koi ponds are beautiful and can add an element of peace and serenity to any garden. However, they also require a lot of upkeep and care. You should make sure you are prepared for the costs and commitment of having a koi pond on your property.

We have compiled here a comprehensive guide for taking care of your koi fish and pond, as well as the types of koi pond services you might need to seek from a professional team.

Keep reading to learn how to take care of these amazing fish and keep their ecosystem thriving.

Types of Koi Fish

Koi fish are beautiful and striking animals that live in schools of between five and fifteen fish. They are active fish that will take advantage of every inch of the pond, from the bottom to the surface. Most koi have barbels on either side of their heads with a rounded mouth that allows them to swallow their prey.

There are a few main types of koi that you will probably come across when looking to fill your fountain, these are:

  • Japanese Koi Fish: These are perhaps the most common type of koi found in garden ponds. They are white with red and orange markings.
  • Butterfly Koi Fish: Butterfly koi are very valuable and beautiful. They can be many different colors and have strikingly long fins.
  • Dragon Koi Fish: Sometimes ‘dragon koi’ is another name for butterfly koi. However, there is also a variety called Kumonryu, whose black and white markings change with the seasons.
  • Gold Koi Fish: Like butterfly koi, gold koi are highly sought after for the fact that they are entirely covered in gold scales.

Koi Fish Food

In general, koi fish eat a similar diet to many other fish, eating plant material, algae, and insects. If you properly maintain your koi pond, the fish should easily be able to satisfy their large appetites.

You should aim to provide your koi with both commercial food and an ecosystem that will provide them with natural food options. This will require a good amount of algae and vegetation in the pond throughout the year.

Read More: How to Build an Algae-Free Fish Pond

Since they also eat zooplankton, you should purchase water fleas or brine shrimp, which will fill this gap in their diet.

Food specially made for koi fish will provide the fish with lots of protein and will help maintain their overall health.

If you are worried about forgetting to feed your fish throughout the day, consider purchasing an automatic feeder so the koi never go hungry.

Type of Pond

While koi fish will not require too much human intervention to survive, their habitat does need to large enough to encourage plant growth and to give them enough room to thrive.

It’s very important that the pond’s temperature remains stable. Koi survive during the winter by swimming close to the bottom of the pond. However, this is a slow temperature change across many months. They will not fare well with dramatic fluctuations in temperature. This means the pond should be at least three feet deep.

If you are worried that predators like birds or raccoons might be a threat to your koi, you should drape a net across the pond’s surface or construct a pond with steep edges and plants along the side.

Read More: Important Things To Consider Before Installing a Koi Pond

Water Quality

Specialized varieties of koi fish can lead to in-breeding of the fish, causing the fish to be sensitive to their environments. Many koi require the water they swim in to be closely monitored and properly maintained.

While you should check with the seller of your koi, the following is what is recommended for the average garden koi pond.

  • Stable pH level between 6.9 and 8.2: This will ensure your pond does not become too acidic or too alkaline for the fish. 
  • Water hardness: Hard water contains more minerals, like magnesium and calcium, than soft water. While water hardness is not as important as other water quality measures, it’s still a good idea to keep the general hardness between 60 and 160 ppm.
  • Nitrate-free and ammonia-free: Ammonia and nitrates can have serious effects on the health of your koi fish. When ammonia is in the pond water, it burns the gills of the koi and high levels of nitrates can harm the fish’s organs.

Introducing salt into your koi’s environment can also have great effects. This will diminish the fish of disease and help the osmotic pressure between the koi and their ecosystem.

Koi Pond Maintenance

To keep your koi pond running smoothly all year long, you will a lot of equipment and a strong commitment to monitoring the pond.

One of the key features of your pond will be its filtration system. You should speak with a professional as to which water filter best suits your pond. Before choosing a filter, you will need to know the volume of the pond as well as its depth and how many fish you plan to keep there.

You should also consider a sturdy and effective water pump that will keep the water moving through the filter and a pond skimmer to ensure leaves, twigs, and scum don’t overtake the surface of the pond.

A professional company with experience building and maintaining koi ponds can help you ease into the duties of caring for your pond. A new owner should hire a professional the first time a blockage occurs in the pump or water system to ensure that no DIY endeavors go wrong.

koi pond service, koi pond maintenance Koi Pond Winter Survival Guide

koi pond service, koi pond maintenance

Despite being hardy fish, koi require a lot of care and attention throughout the year. A lot of people might not realize that even in milder winter climates as we have in California, koi pond maintenance still needs to be tailored to each season.

Not only will you need to maintain the quality of water in the pond to ensure that it contains the correct amount of minerals and oxygen, but you will also need to do regular temperature checks and switch over to a weather-appropriate food option for the koi.

This guide will take you through the necessary winter koi pond maintenance, as well as give you our top tips and tricks for maintaining your garden pond and fountain during the colder months of the year. 

Switch to Cold-Water Food

New owners of koi fish might not know that they should change the type of food fed to the fish depending on the weather. During autumn, you should begin to mix winter food into the summer food before fully switching over when temperatures begin to dip under 60 °F.

The koi should also receive less food during the winter because lower temperatures cause their metabolisms to significantly slow down. If they ingest too much food during this time, it could be detrimental to their health. Koi food specifically made for winter months is made mainly of wheat germ, which they can digest more easily.

If temperatures get extremely cold in California and regularly stay under 48 °F, you should stop feeding your fish altogether until the weather improves.

Read More: Year-Round Maintenance Tips for Your Koi Pond

Keep the Pond Clean

Most of us are used to raking up piles of leaves during autumn and winter, and your koi pond needs the same treatment.

Leaves, twigs, and sludge naturally build up at a greater pace during wintertime and ponds require diligent cleaning to ensure the pumps and filters continue to work properly. Even worse, leaves that remain in the water for a long time will break down and worsen the water quality due to added levels of ammonia and nitrite.

If you don’t have the time to manually remove the leaves and debris, or worry that you won’t always remember, it is probably a good idea to invest in some pond netting. This netting will prevent leaves from dropping into the water at all, and help keep your fish healthy and swimming through clear water.

Unfortunately, netting won’t be able to keep sludge from building up at the bottom of the water feature. Sludge is usually caused by anything from decomposed leaves to dead algae and can have a big impact on the level of oxygen in the water. To remove sludge, use a quality net or pond vacuum, which are available to rent in most cities. These tools will allow you to effectively clean your pond without the hassle of draining it.

Read More: 3 Best Expert Advice in Taking Care of Your Koi Pond

Maintain Bacteria and Mineral Levels

Koi ponds have a complex ecosystem that needs regular treatment and maintenance.

Koi owners will be aware of how important minerals, bacteria, and oxygen levels are for the health of their fish. Especially with their metabolisms slowed down, koi rely on these nutrients to aid their health and kill harmful parasites that might be living in the water.

Good water bacteria also has the advantage of breaking down any leaves that might have slipped through the pond netting, as well as difficult to reach sludge and debris. Salt is an easy alternative to beneficial bacteria because of its many functions: it makes osmoregulation easier, lowers levels of nitrites, and also kills parasites.

Check Water Temperature

Thankfully, California’s temperature rarely plunges below 48 °F, which means you won’t have to worry about your koi pond freezing over. However, it is still important to regularly check the temperature of the pond to gauge how best to maintain it. Koi are resilient fish though and can easily survive in freezing temperatures, so there is no need to worry if it is especially chilly this year.

Know Who to Call

Even the most diligent koi owner can run into trouble with their pond from time to time. If your pond has become damaged in some way or you worry there is a pond-related emergency, you should call a professional in your area who is experienced with water fountain services and understands the ins and outs of koi ponds.

Due to the delicate ecosystem, it is always best to ask for help when you encounter a blockage deep in the pump system or find it hard to detect a leak.

The Bottom Line

While a mild California winter will be gentler on your koi and pond than harsher climates, you should still take the necessary steps to ensure the ecosystem remains protected, clean, and stable.

Koi thrive on healthy nutrients found in a flourishing pond but can be susceptible to parasites and toxic nitrite levels. By keeping your pond clear of grime and leaves, and regularly checking on the quality of water, you can make sure that your koi stay healthy and strong all year long.

planning to convert your old pool into a koi pond Planning to Convert Your Old Pool Into A Koi Pond? Only Trust the Experts

koi pond service

Waterfalls and ponds are by far the most popular features in modern landscape design. The sounds of moving water in a serene environment is relaxing. Introducing living creatures takes this pleasurable and relaxing experience one step further. The most popular living addition to a home garden is the koi fish. Many people convert their old, unused pools into koi ponds. The challenge, of course, is knowing whether to try this project on your own or to hire a professional koi pond service. Here are some things to consider while dreaming of your perfect, future koi pond.

Why koi a koi pond?

You’ve probably noticed that doctors and dentists often have aquariums in their offices. This display of fish is thought to relieve stress and calm one’s nerves. Koi, unlike some other fish, respond to people. They will respond to footsteps and can be tame enough to eat out of your hand. Having a koi pond is more than having a mere landscape element; it has pets who live in your yard. Many people really get into collecting koi fish. Once you spend time around them, it’s easy to see why.

On the flip side, koi ponds to require a real commitment. Regular koi pond maintenance and filtration equipment are needed to keep everything working well. If properly cared for, koi can live up to 60 years. While some of the regular maintenance tasks are easy enough to do yourself, other jobs are best left to professionals. For example, koi pond fountain installation and water fountain repairs can be tricky. If done incorrectly, some issues could put your fish at risk.

Why would I convert my pool?

Pools can be an excellent addition. If you enjoy your pool regularly, you probably aren’t even considering converting it into anything else. After some time, pools can end up being a bigger headache than their worth. For many people, finding time to enjoy a pool is challenging. For others, the cost of upkeep and maintenance seems wasted. Unused pools can even become a breeding ground for mosquitos or other insects. If you have a pool that has become a burden, it might be time to consider making a change. 

One of the significant benefits of a koi pond is its impact on the environment. Many groups criticize swimming pools due to their construction costs, large amounts of wasted water, and the seemingly endless energy needed to maintain them. A koi pond, however, is a closed biological system. Koi feed off of the plants. Plants feed on the nutrients supplied by the fish. Pond algae regulate oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Mollusks or zooplankton help keep the amount of algae in check. 

Of course, if you lead a busy life, one that makes having a pool obsolete, you might not want to take on a koi pond. Since the pond contains living organisms, there is some work required. If left unchecked, everything can fall into disrepair and end up worse off than an unused swimming pool. Luckily, you can hire a koi pond maintenance service to keep everything running smoothly. Making use of professionals allows you to enjoy the landscaping environment without being responsible for all of the work. 

Can’t I do it myself?

Many homeowners are in great physical shape, so they imagine they can handle any labor involved in converting a pool into a koi pond. Unfortunately, brute strength isn’t the most essential part. Some of the hardest parts include technical knowledge, construction skill, and design experience. The planning process is probably the most critical part. You might be able to picture a beautiful pond. Most people imagine tropical water lilies floating in their ponds. What they may not believe is how koi fish will often eat lilies and overturn their pots when looking for food. Using water lilies is undoubtedly an option, but they must be segregated from the area koi fish swim as they don’t mix well. 

Those who try to tackle this project on their own might believe some of the biggest misconceptions about koi ponds. For example, many kits and websites suggest adding as much filtration as you can fit. The idea that more filtration means a better pond isn’t accurate. It is possible to over-filter a pond.  

It is definitely possible to convert your unused pool into a koi pond without help. At the same time, working with a professional team means getting it done right the first time. Instead of spending time trying to figure out to make it work, you could use that time relaxing in your new landscaping addition. 

Go with the pros

Beware of general handymen or lawn guys who claim they can build a pond or convert your pool at a rock-bottom price. Your better to go with a qualified contractor who has the appropriate experience. Always check your company’s portfolio of past projects or talk with former clients, when possible. A true professional will offer a written warranty on their work and will cover the filter and pump of adequate size for the pond. 

The other benefit of going with a professional is that they can help design the pond not only to meet your taste but your lifestyle. If you have lots of free time and look forward to working in your yard, your design team can create something that meets that need. Alternatively, if you keep a busy schedule and need to limit the amount of work required, your team should be able to help. A proper installation team will also be able to help with regular maintenance through their own company. Even if you want to do the maintenance yourself, go with a company that offers the service. Chances are they will build a more maintenance-friendly pond. 

Above all, remember that adding a koi pond to your property is supposed to reduce stress. Trying to determine which equipment, plants, and other elements are right for your project isn’t easy. Don’t get caught adding more stress into your life when you can trust the professionals to get it right. Spend less time worrying about the details and more time enjoying your peaceful koi pond.  

 

wow your guests with these wall fountain ideas How to Create a Zen-Like Vibes in Your Backyard
wow your guests with these wall fountain ideas

Peace and prosperity are not just principles or states of mind. They are emotions too. If a decorator wants to elicit feelings of harmony with nothing but color, which would they choose? Practical experience says green because green calms people down. The color green is reminiscent of nature, where many people feel at home. This is also the reason houseplants, gardens, yards, and vacations to Yellowstone are so popular.

But green isn’t the only way to bring serenity to your world.

Koi

The magic of the aquarium has been lost in recent times. There is nothing more impressive than a well-maintained show tank of tropical fish. The same principle is at work if you can show off a pond populated by Koi and maintained by an expert koi pond service. Contrary to many opinions, koi are not goldfish, even though the two species have a similar appearance. Koi are carp bred for coloration that better resembles the colors of the goldfish.

Koi can recapture the magic of domesticated fish because they are quite hardy, will eat nearly anything and help provide a welcome contrast to the dull colors of the average open-air small pond. They swim rather lazily and rarely pick at each other, so they are also quite pleasing as pets.

Order

The Zen quality many people imagine is a by-product of order. For the garage craftsman or the workbench maintainer, the principle is “a place for everything and everything in its place.” This kind of order combined with the cool colors of a well-maintained garden create a feeling of mastery, and with that comes peace and stress relief.

Portraying order in a backyard setting starts and stops with water. Whether it is a fountain or a pond, using water decoratively is intensely satisfying. Water that is populated with healthy fish like koi is a further demonstration of prosperity and growing things. It puts people at ease. Good koi pond maintenance is an important part of this goal.

The key to achieving this level of contentment is to assemble the pieces in the proper order and with the proper proportions. Too much water and you have a swamp. Too many plants and green growing things and you have a jungle. Too many koi and you have a food bill that will force you to sell your backyard to the nearest Japanese restaurant. It would be easy to make a joke about balance here, but you get the point.  

Form

The shape and texture of things are fundamental to elicit feelings of peace and serenity. It is important to avoid the appearance of artificiality. Plants should look as if they grew naturally from underneath the stone. The pond should look as if it spontaneously gave life to the koi lazily drifting under the surface. These are the forms of nature people have come to expect, and they are more authentic when they look like they grew in place instead of being placed.

Zen emerges from life, order, and form in much the same way peace and prosperity are understood on a subconscious level. It is something that can only be perceived if it is apparent in the design and presentation of your natural oasis.

Important Things to Consider Before Installing a Koi Pond Important Things To Consider Before Installing a Koi Pond

A koi pond is a beautiful addition to almost any landscaping on your property, but it is more complex than simply planting a rose bush or installing a flower bed. Koi pond maintenance is necessary to keep your property looking beautiful and to keep your fish happy and healthy. Before you decide to install a koi pond in your yard there are a few things you will need to consider.

Koi Have A Long Lifespan

If you ask people about which pets live the longest, most will mention parrots or maybe even a tortoise. Fish probably wouldn’t make the list, as most people have vague memories of their goldfish dying within a year or two when they were a child

Koi, however, is not your average fish. Depending on the breed, the size of their pond, and how well they are cared for, koi can live anywhere from 15 – 125 years. In Japan, it is common for some people to leave their koi to family members in their will because the fish can often outlive their owners! Don’t install a koi pond until you are ready to care for a pet for the next several decades.

Water Fountain Repairs Will Be Necessary

When you are running a water fountain in your pond it will require regular upkeep. Algae, debris, mineral build-up, and other issues can clog a water fountain over time, so you will need to schedule time for cleaning on a regular basis.

Water fountain repairs will also be required, just like any other electrical device. Keeping your water fountain in good working order is important not just for the health of your fish, but also because a broken or leaking fountain can waste water. In arid climates or other places where droughts are common, it is especially important to keep your equipment maintained so you aren’t wasting this precious natural resource. Make sure you budget for regular maintenance and repairs when you are installing a koi pond.

Koi May Attract Predators To Your Property

There is nothing worse than investing all the time and money into installing a beautiful koi pond than going outside one morning to discover that something has eaten your fish. Herons, cranes, gulls, pelicans, and sometimes even ordinary house cats can see your lovely fish as a tasty meal.

There are a number of effective ways to protect your fish from predators. You can use decoys like wooden owls or other things to frighten birds away. These are most effective when they are moved around every few days. You can also install a net over the pond to keep your fish safe.

If you aren’t interested in something quite so garish you might consider at least adding a few plants and rocks to act as hiding places for your fish, as well as making sure your pond is deep enough that the fish can put some distance between themselves and the predators of the land and air.

Anaheim Pond Maintenance Expert Advice on Building and Maintaining an Elegant Koi Pond

So you’ve decided to build a koi pond in your backyard finally? Well, that is a great idea because Anaheim Pond Maintenanceyour compound’s landscape will certainly be amazing.

Koi ponds are built to keep koi fish: a unique type of fish which is also known as Japanese oriental carp.

For a healthy school of Koi fish, you must have expertise in koi pond maintenance.

Let us begin with the components of an elegant Koi Pond.

Bottom Drains

Even though the bottom drains are rarely used in water gardens, they are highly beneficial in Koi ponds. Bottom drains allow heavy solids to be carried to the mechanical filter when there are no rocks at the bottom of the pond. They are usually equipped with air diffusers, maintaining oxygen supply in the pond. 

Skimmers

Skimmers enable cleaning of the koi pond: By drawing water from the surface of the pond, they collect leaves, twigs and other floating debris found on the surface of the pond.

Biological filters

Biological filters convert nitrogenous wastes from fish into nitrogen which escapes into the atmosphere.

Water and air pumps

Water pumps ensure circulation of water within the koi pond. Pumps should be able to perform a complete circulation of water once in every hour to maintain a conducive environment for your ornamental fish. Air pumps are also used to increase dissolved oxygen within the koi pond. Air pumps become vital when the ponds are stocked to capacity.

Ultraviolet Light

Sunlight helps to clump algae making them easier to be disposed of using the mechanical filtration. UV sterilizer kills free-floating bacteria thereby promoting a healthy koi fish.

Steps to building and maintaining a koi pondKoi for Anaheim Ponds

Before you begin to construct a koi pond you should understand the following:

Size of the pond

The koi pond should be larger because koi fish grow in size and may not be able to survive when the resources in the pond become limited.

The pond should hold a minimum of 1000 gallons in volume or more to create a healthy environment that will promote the survival of these ornamental fish.

The depth of the pond should be at least 3 feet, but you can increase the depth to 4 or 5 feet keeping mind the larger fish.

Location of the pond

The pond should be located near your house for security and ease of accessibility. You should also position your pond away from trees as this can reduce the number of leaves falling on the pond, making it easier to clean. If you want to have lilies within your pond, then you should choose a location that has at least 4 hours of exposure to sunlight. This will enable extensive growth of lilies which is food to koi fish.

The keeping of koi fish is one of the best ways to make your home beautiful. You should endeavor to understand the details of koi fish rearing before you embark on this highly rewarding venture. For more information on koi pond building and maintenance and for koi pond repairs, visit OC Pond & Fountain Care!

Koi Pond Services in Orange County Year-Round Maintenance Tips for Your Koi Pond

Koi ponds are popular with many people. Their beautiful display of aquatic nature appeals to nearly everyone. To keep your pond in top condition and the inhabitants at their healthiest, you’ll need to stay on top of a koi pond maintenance schedule.

Routine Maintenance

A koi pond demands constant care. Cleaning, adding water, backwashing the filter, and control of algae are chores that will help ensure your koi pond remains in pristine condition.

Change the Water Weekly

Once a week, remove no less than 10 to 15 percent of the water in the pond. Refill with fresh, dechlorinated water to the pond’s optimal water level. Remember that water from your tap is likely chlorinated. Chlorine is deadly to fish so pretreat your water with a dechlorinating agent before you refill the pond.

Backwash the Filter Twice Monthly

Backwashing is the method of thoroughly cleaning the pool’s filter system. You just reverse the water flow which flushes the water’s contaminants. The process allows you to clean your system without having to manually scrub the filter and takes just a minute or two.

If you are using a biological filter, backwash the filter every other week. If the filter’s pressure gauge is reading higher than usual, you may need to backwash the filter more often. If there is more water coming from the outlet into the pond, that is also a good indication that you should backwash the filter.

Have an Algae Control Program

The filtration system in your pond changes ammonia into nitrate which is harmless to your koi. Algae, however, thrive in a nitrate-rich environment. There are two methods to keep algae at a minimum. The first is an algaecide. Before using an algaecide, read the directions on the package carefully. The second and more natural method is to use ultraviolet light from a UV lamp. The light is part of the filtration system and kills the algae long before they can grow then reproduce.

Seasonal Maintenance

In addition to your normal maintenance routine, changes of the season bring their own specific chores. They may only occur twice a year, but these routines are crucial to your pond’s health.

Fall and Winter

When the weather turns cooler, your aquatic plants may change color just like the leaves in the trees in your yard. Aquatic plants drop their leaves as well. To keep your filtration system working well, cut off all the dying or dead leaves before they can fall into the water.

During the Winter, your pond’s surface may freeze over. You can use a product known as a floating deicer in one section of the pond. With a deicer, the water will continue to be aerated throughout even the harshest winter.

Spring and Summer

When Spring arrives, it’s time to clean your pond thoroughly. Put the koi in clean buckets filled with fresh water. Remove all the water in the pond so that you can take all the vegetation away and scrub down its walls. Rinse thoroughly then fill the pond with clean, dechlorinated water. If the outside temperature is high, add an extra air pump.

Your Koi Pond Maintenance Experts

For help with maintaining your koi pond in the Orange County, California region, OC Pond & Fountain Care can get your koi pond in top shape. Just give us a call.

Santa Ana Koi Pond 3 Best Expert Advice in Taking Care of Your Koi Pond

Santa Ana Koi PondHuntington Beach Koi Pond Maintenance

While koi fish can live for several years, they only thrive in the best conditions. This is why it is so important to properly care for your koi pond. In order to ensure the health of your koi fish, you’ll need to perform proper Orange County Koi pond maintenance.

Caring for Your Koi Pond

The beauty of a koi pond is found in the stillness of the healthy fish swimming about. However, there are a few factors that go into maintaining a koi pond. Read on for three key things you need to do to keep your pond healthy.

  1. Change the Water Regularly

Water in a pond will always decrease over time due to evaporation. As the water level goes down, certain substances and minerals are left behind. These substances can lower the water’s quality, posing a danger to the fish.

In order to combat the dangers caused by evaporation, 10% – 15% of the pond water should be changed every week. This water change allows the pond to be refilled with fresh water. If you are using tap water to refill the pond, be sure you add in a dechlorinator in order to make it as safe as possible for the fish.

  1. Perform Filter Backwashing

For the best results, biological pond filters need to be backwashed twice a month. You’ll be able to determine whether or not your filter needs backwashing based on the reading of the pressure gauge. If the reading is higher than it should be, this shows that the filter should be backwashed. Additionally, if more water is entering from an outlet into the pond, this is another sign that you should backwash your filter.

  1. Algae Control

As the water in a pond is filtered, ammonia turns into nitrate, which is relatively harmless. The algae that use nitrate to grow often begin to overpopulate as nitrate increases. While nitrate may be harmless, having excess algae can spell trouble for your pond. In addition to being ugly, an overwhelming amount of algae can deprive your koi fish of oxygen.

In order to get a handle on any uncontrolled algae growth, koi pond owners should start using algaecides. When using these algae killers, you should be sure to properly research the type of algaecide you need. Depending on the type of algae in your pond, certain brands of algaecide will be more beneficial than others.

A different approach to taking care of algae in your koi pond is to use ultraviolet lighting. With these special UV lamps, you’ll be able to control the growth of algae in your koi pond. The lighting from these UV lamps works to kill any algae before it starts to grow or reproduce. By adding these lamps to the pond’s filtration system, you’ll be able to keep your koi pond algae-free. Be sure to replace your lamps’ bulbs once a year to ensure your pond and koi are as healthy as possible.

Caring for your koi fish requires more than just feeding them. Follow these three strategies to make sure your koi pond maintenance is effective.

Need help in maintaining your koi pond in Orange County? OC Pond & Fountain Care provides professional pond cleaning and repair services.

Koi Pond Design Tips

Koi Pond Services in Orange County

We have all heard it before – plan before you start any major project. Well, a Koi pond design is no different. Building a Koi pond is a big project. Poor planning will certainly cause it to be more expensive than you planned and took a lot longer to get it completed.

The shape of your pond is an important aspect of design. Many factors impacting the design of the pond you won’t be able to control. Certainly, there will be existing landscape features, structures on the property, grade and slope of the property, etc. that will have to be considered. Always lay out several potential designs with rope or garden hose and view them from all angles. Make sure you view them from inside as well as outside and from second stories that may overlook the pond.

Plan for the proper depth of your pond. Tree roots or rocks on the property can be a problem. Koi, when grown, will be big fish. They need room to swim vertically and laterally. Your pond should have a minimum depth of four feet and ideally closer to 6 – 8 feet deep. A deeper pond allows for better water temperature stabilization – cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

With a larger pond, you have more Koi fish, but there are always limiting factors. Don’t make your pond smaller than 6 ft. by 9 ft. By 4 ft. Deep. A pond this size will hold about 1600 gallons of water. Remember in planning the depth of the pond, allow for about 6 inches from the waterline to the top edge.

When planning your Koi pond design – keep it simple. A simple layout, while it may not look that spectacular, will allow for better water movement and filtration. The more complex design may impress your neighbors but will be much harder to keep clean and maintain. For the health of your fish, you want to be able to easily and consistently maintain the chemical balance in the pond. A simple design will help.

The best shape for a simple design is rectangular or oblong. A pond with this shape is easier to clean and maintain. This koi pond design more easily accommodates multiple drains and eliminates dead areas that have poor water circulation.

Certainly, you want to locate your pond where you will get the most enjoyment out of viewing it. Most people choose to have it off a deck, porch or balcony. What your choice, make sure it is the focal point of your backyard or garden setting.

Consider these points in finding that perfect location. A pond in full sun will stimulate algae growth. Provide some shade for your pond. A pond located under a tree will collect debris. If not cleaned regularly this can cause the acidity to raise and become harmful. Large tree roots can crack cement ponds and pierce pond liners causing expensive repairs. Protect the pond from receiving large amounts of rainwater runoff and make sure there are no plantings that will require the use of harmful insecticides close to it.

With a few simple suggestions, you should be well on your way.

Location

Where do you want to put your new fish pond? Make sure that where you want to place it fits into the overall plan that you have for your yard. Your pond must be placed in a location that is appealing to your eyes but also makes sense as far as maintenance. Preferably a cool, shaded area would be the best choice. This area will allow you to relax and also allow the water temperature of the pond not to get too high.

Design

The design of your koi fish pond will depend on the terrain of your backyard. Because of the soothing nature of a koi pond, you don’t want a design that does not fit in with the natural landscaping of your

backyard. Avoid unnatural shapes such as rectangles or perfect circles. Use the curves of your yard’s natural terrain as a guide for your koi pond building.

Size

The size of your Koi fish pond truly depends on its design and the limitations of your yard. Remember, that a pond is a permanent project. Build your pond correctly during your first attempt. There are koi fish pond kits that you can buy that will help you with this decision.

Maintenance

Your Koi pond garden project should include both a good filtration and aeration system. A filtration system is needed to maintain the algae and debris that can form in your pond. The aeration system is needed to provide oxygen for your koi fish. If done properly, both systems will help to improve and extend the life of your koi fish.

Patience

Many new Koi fish pond builders get too impatient if their ponds are not perfect in the very beginning. Don’t let this happen to you. Understand that it will take time to find the right balance for your koi pond. Yes, you may have plenty of uncontrollable algae at first. But understand that through trial and error, you will eventually determine what works best for your koi pond.