I Wish I Had ....

Hindsight is a wonderful thing which we've all suffered with at one time or another, but when it comes to keeping Koi and especially when building a new Koi pond the old adage "I wish i had..." can become quite costly!

Well if you're thinking of building a new pond or currently in the planning stages, then this is your lucky day as we've surveyed our members and put together a list of items which they have now added to their set-ups after suffering hindsight or wish they'd actually included in their current system.

Hopefully this will be very useful and help to make sure you can sit back and enjoy your new pond without saying "i wish i had...."

 

The item top of the list is an aerated bottom drain.

Whether planning on using a liner, sealing with paint or fibreglassing your pond, an aerated bottom drain was clearly the "must have" item from our survey and was listed as the most efficient way of removing debris and waste from the pond.

 

Skimmers were next on the list.

These come in all shapes and sizes and are excellant at removing any surface debris and therefore reducing the amount of debris sinking to the bottom of your pond. Our survey also showed that it's better if the skimmer can be turned off easily otherwise it may end up eating more food than your fish.

 

Fibreglassing was voted the best way of lining/waterproofing your pond.

Although this can be a large outlay in the scheme of things it is definately worth it in the long run. Our survey also showed that this is something that should be carried out by reputable and professional company's and not something that should be undertaken as a DIY project.

 

Size does matter!

Size as always was important with our guys (and girls) and the advice here is go as big as possible first time round to avoid pond rebuilds as your interest and fish grow.

 

The shape of the pond also caused a stir.

Complicated shapes not only cause problems in the initial build but can also lead to problems down the line through areas of "dead water". The addition of pond returns can help to eliminate "dead water" areas and are also added to "stir" the debris in the bottom of the pond to aid removal especially when bottom drains are fit.

 

Another issue that cropped up in relation to raised ponds is wall height.

Remember to take into consideration other landscaping you may have in mind for around your pond and also whether you'll be wanting to perch on the wall to view your Koi or not.

 

 

The best advice that is apparent from our survey is to visit and view as many ponds as possible and to seek advice where possible. Joining a club like the East Yorkshire Koi Society is also a great way of tapping into a wealth of knowledge and experience and undoubtedly lots of help when it comes to the actual build.