Closing down your water garden or koi ponds

 Saying good-bye to summer is never easy to do!! Koi hobbyist have such little time left to get their ponds ready to close.  Clean water, pond aeration and proper winterization will make your fish survive the cold winter months easier.

 As you start to close down your pond watch your fish and their activities.  Start by looking for red streaks on the fins, tails and mouth. Do they have any growths? Have you seen marks on them? Are any of them by itself? If you have answered “YES” to any of those questions... You need to test your water. You should always know your pH which should be (7.5), ammonia (0) and nitrite levels (0).

   Next, did you know that “MOTHER NATURE” only allows one (1) 10” fish for every 200 gallons of water and for a 2’ fish it’s one (1) for every 500 gallons with a good filtration system?

 Aeration-provides oxygen and releases the gases.  It’s quite simple to remember.  In ponds everything that drops rots, becomes toxic and lies at the bottom of your pond.  Koi are bottom feeders. They stir up all the muck which absorbs the oxygen and releases the gases.  Stone bottom ponds hold even more waste in the nooks and crannies of the stones.  When your pond is cleaned by a power washer it packs that toxic waste even deeper into the stones causing lots of problems later on.

 Hobbyist are told that they have a natural environment which is partly true; however, natural ponds have a stream at one end and one that leads out creating a natural flow.  What you have built is a pond that recirculates. If you have the proper filtration you will have many years of enjoyment.  If you don’t you will always have a reason why you replace your fish every few years.

 The bottom line is you should have use “Microbe Lift Autumn Prep” which will reduce the ammonia down while the filtration is breaking down, netting over the pond, aeration and if it’s shallow a heater.    

 Have a great winter and if you have any questions please email me @koilady2@aol.com.

 Gail Hermann

Koi Villa Water Garden Center