An ornamental koi pond in your backyard is a source of immense beauty and tranquility. The sun dancing off the ripples of water and the gentle sounds of a waterfall can be extremely calming. However, maintaining a Koi Pond in Hammond, LA can sometimes be tricky.
Keep It Clean
Any kind of fish pond is its little ecosystem, so it’s important it has the proper balance of sunlight, oxygen, plants, and algae. All year long your koi pond will accumulate leaf debris, fallen sticks and branches, runoff, grass clippings, and fish waste. Without proper cleaning, this debris will breakdown and form a thick sludge at the bottom of your pond. This sludge will then boost the algae levels and leave the water murky.
Removing leaf debris, sticks, and branches throughout the year will ensure a cleaner and healthier pond. It’s still important to do a full clean up twice a year, once at the beginning of spring and once at the end of fall.
Put your fish into a holding tank while you pump out the water. Once drained, remove all large objects then begin power washing. Start from the top and work your way down, removing all the algae. This is a good time to make any adjustments to your plant life, lights, filter, or other pond fixtures. When refilling your pond, use a water conditioner and start up your pump before reintroducing your fish.
Not Too Much Sun
Too much sunlight can be a detriment. If your koi pond is getting direct sunlight throughout the day, the algae levels may get aggravated which will throw off the oxygen levels.
Planting trees on the south side of your pond will help block some of the sunlight. Planting a few water plants will help soak up some of those extra nutrients as well. Floating plants, like lily pads, are a great way to get shade without having to plant trees. If you do plant trees around your pond, then make sure to remove leaf litter and fallen branches as they occur.
Feed Your Fish
Your fish are the centerpiece of the pond. Keeping them happy and healthy should be a priority when maintaining your pond throughout the year. It’s important to know their habits will change as the weather changes, and this includes their feeding.
Koi fish and goldfish are cold-blooded meaning their body temperature depends on the temperature of their environment. Their bodies will take cues from the temperature of the water around them. If the water cools down, their metabolism will slow down, if their metabolism slows they’ll require less food. The lower amount of food means less fish waste and less uneaten food to remove from your pond, resulting in a cleaner pond!
