Maintaining the Water in your Koi Pond

Here's a list of some things to keep in mind when looking after your koi pond's water health:

• Water change. Undesirable bacteria may have accumulated over the winter or over time. One way to flush out undesirable compounds is to change pond water. You'll have to change your water partially as tap water needs to "age" for a time before it can be viable for your pet kois. As a rule of thumb, you'll need to replace about 10-20% of your pond water monthly to keep it healthy.

• Water quality. Every self-respecting koi pond keeper should have a test kit handy to test for pH, kh, gh, nitrite, ammonia, and salinity in your pet kois' swimming grounds. KH (carbonate hardness) determines your pond's buffering quality and is essential in maintaining desirable pH levels. If pond water stays longer within unhealthy pH levels (around 7.2 is desirable), then your kois can get stressed and turn sick.

• Aeration. One of the most important components of a healthy koi pond ecosystem is the amount of oxygen in the water. Oxygen, besides being essential to keeping your kois alive, is also a food source for bacteria that are essential to the nitrogen cycle. Aeration will help maintain dynamic water agitation for adequate oxygen levels in your pond. Good aerators include waterfalls, fountains, diffusers, windmills, and paddlewheels, among others. Remember though that the best aerator is one that can also aerate the pond floor.

• Parasites. Even if you're meticulous in cleaning up your pond, there's always the off chance that parasites can find their way into it. There are safe chemicals that you can use to weed out these harmful creatures and stop new ones from coming in. Your friendly neighborhood koi expert can advise you on this.

• De-clogging filters and vacuums. Over time, debris can build up in your filter system. When this happens, it becomes more inefficient in straining out solids in the water. Stagnation can occur and diseases may flourish, hurting your pet kois more than it helps them. Clean off all the filter components, but never simultaneously. You need to pace your de-clogging so some bacteria can still work with your filtration system. You may also have to cut off on your kois' feeding frequency to allow the filter to return to efficiency levels.

• Equipment maintenance. Machines aren't made to last forever. Their efficiency and effectiveness are reduced over time. It is therefore essential that you keep an eye out for defective parts in the systems and devices you’ve installed in your pond, and change or repair them when necessary.

These are just a few of the things to keep in mind when maintaining the viability of your koi pond water. While it's true that taking care of your kois can be a total joy at the start, it's also true that it can become a chore when you've been at it for a few years. You'll only need about 10% enthusiasm when it has come to that. What you need is 100% commitment to keep at it after the inspiration has waned.