An important consideration in building your Koi pond is planning for a proper Koi pond filtration system. Making sure that waste product build-up and other harmful substances in your pond are safely removed will insure the health and vitality of your fish. Neglect this and disastrous results are almost sure to happen.
Poor Koi pond filtration can quickly result in an unhealthy, even deadly environment for your fish. The lack of filtration results in that ugly green looking pond scum. It becomes a breeding ground for deadly parasites and other creatures, and soon is foul smelling and a health hazard.
A koi pond is a big investment. Don’t risk that investment and the health of your Koi by not planning for a proper Koi pond filtration system. Take the time to carefully plan the kind of system that’s best for your particular pond.
Some Koi experts recommend a filter system that will handle a volume of not less that 33% of the total pond water volume. Therefore, a 3,000 gallon pond should have a filter capable of handling 1,000 gallons of pond water at any given time. At the very least, it should not be less than 10%.
Utilize the best filtration pump for your pond. There are only two major types of pumps so the choice is really pretty simple. First there is the recirculating pump. This is best for large ponds because they the most efficient and will last the longest. The other choice is the submersible pump best used in small ponds or waterfalls due to the quietness and small profile.
Make sure you use a filtration system that has both mechanical filtering and biological filtration. Preferably it will have two stages for both. These two types of filtration are important for good maintenance of your Koi pond and to insure the health of your fish. As physical waste and debris build up in the pond, the mechanical filtration traps these particles using sand, beads, brushes or pads. Koi fish give off ammonia which can be deadly in large enough amounts. The biological filter uses a natural biological process to convert this harmful waste into less harmful elements. The process utilizes anaerobic bacteria to convert ammonia ultimately into nitrates which are not harmful to the fish.
Your Koi pond filtration system in order to work correctly will need to have a bottom drain. This should be placed in the deepest part of the pond allowing the dirty water to pass into the filtration chambers for cleaning. Not having a bottom drain means a lot of manual cleaning.
Take the time to plan out a proper Koi pond filtration system whether you’re starting from scratch or refurbishing an existing pond. The investment you make now will pay off in the years to come with fewer maintenance problems and healthier fish. You’ll be glad you took the time to do it right.
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