Koi Pond Construction

Do-It-Yourself koi ponds. There is an incomparable feeling of fulfillment from being able to build your own pond. But before you start, you need to remember that kois are a long term commitment so you would need a durable, long-lasting home for them.

You don't need to build your koi pond from scratch though. There are pond kits you can buy to get you started. The most significant thing you can do to ensure success is to define and specify your plans first: how your pond will look, how many kois you will have, where you will locate your pond, its size and shape, the tools and materials you'll need, and the timelines and benchmarks to mark your progress.

Professionals charge premium for their services and if you want to save up, do-it-yourself may be your best option. There are certain realities that you need to consider though:

1. You may need to borrow, rent, or buy certain tools to be able to install your pond.

2. You'll need staying power so you won't abandon your project midstream. Construction may take time, and your progress will depend largely on your schedules. You may only have time to build your pond on your days off, and your pond may take longer in coming.

3. You'll have to handle your pond kit with caution so you don't damage them, and study manuals carefully so you install them correctly. Otherwise, you're looking at expensive repairs and reworks (which defeats the purpose of building the pond yourself so you can save up).

4. Unless you've done some construction work, you may have to accept the fact that your pond won't have a professional, landscaped finish. Take heart. Since koi-keeping's a long-term project, you'll have time to polish your work.

Getting professional help. If you do get the services of an expert, you'll be assured that you're getting not only that professional finish you want but the knowledge that your pond gets built right the first time.

Koi ponds are dynamic environments and there are components and devices that have to work together and this may just be too complicated for a newbie to work out. A professional will know about these systems as well as where to locate and how to place your koi pond, the appropriate architecture for your location, the right filtration system, and other protective equipment you may need. They build with both function and aesthetics in mind so you can be sure that your pond will not only be a thing of beauty for you but also a nurturing home for your kois.

You have to weigh the pros and cons in doing the pond yourself or hiring experts to do it. One thing you can do is join a koi society so you can interface with other enthusiasts. Pick their minds, visit their ponds, and learn from their experiences. You do need to have lots of ideas at the outset so you can define exactly what you want and don't want in your koi pond.

Expert advice. These are just introductory material for the neophyte koi hobbyist. You can read up more on these aspects of getting a koi pond in my book "All About Koi".