Why SO Many Koi Ponds FAIL to Thrive ☠️
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2024
- This is a video where we discuss some of the overlooked reasons why ponds, especially Koi ponds will struggle to thrive. Koi are kept in sterile boxes which is far from anything natural.
So many koi keepers scratch their heads blaming fish or even equipment for reasons why their fish may become ill or even randomly die.
The importance of naturalizing any pond, especially a koi pond should never be overlooked. Pond plants are the key...
Hope you enjoy the video, like and subscribe for more...
#koiponds
#naturalkoiponds
#ponds
#pondplants
Everything you’ve said mirrors my thoughts on ponds. Just built my first raised pond 1800L out of sleepers but when doing research 90% of the videos was about Koi and all the problems they had, not to mention the insane amount of money spent on mechanical filtration. That’s not for me, then I found Ozponds and it was him (Kev) that gave me the inspiration to build a bog filter, which I have done using a 240L green wheelie bin with a void at the bottom, then rocks, cobble stones, 20mm gravel, 10mm gravel and finally plants. The only mechanical part of the pond is the pump which pumps the water into the bottom of the wheelie bin. Pond has gravel and cobbles in the bottom along with various plants, water is crystal clear. Did all this for just 2 goldfish that have been living in a half whisky barrel with a small bog filter and plants for a year now and they so healthy and deserve a new and larger home to explore 😁
Keep up telling the truth and educating us all, your advice and knowledge is appreciated 👍
Cheers appreciate the comment
have been watching Ozponds too. I created my bog filter just a few days ago. water is clearing already. will wait a few more weeks and i may create another bog filter next to it
I have koi and have had them for years from babies now about 35cm long. I’m a believer of natural environment. I have a pond that has plants and allow algae to grow round the edges and just a pump with filter my pond has kept clear for years I just clean the filter once a year. I’ve seen videos of koi ponds that have nothing so many chemicals added feel so sorry for these fish my fish are hardy never had any issues thanks so much for highlighting this I have had soooo much moaning talking to fish specialist centres.
Absolutely sir , and as well as plants a mix of fish verifies is to me an important aspect of having a pond . But I know this is an act of heresy to many in the koi world . I love koi but I don’t want keeping them to be an absolute , a goldfish seen moving through a planted pond on a summer’s day is just as great a joy as any other fish I can think of . Best wishes and kind regards to both of you 😀👍👍👍
Cheers for comment 100% agree
I’ve been looking at getting a Pond for a few years, and this advise answer so many questions I had….as I was so puzzled with the bland ponds I’ve seen built…much appreciated.
Couldn’t have agreed more with you👍 absolutely great video.
I could not agree more! What blows my mind is the amount of people who buy the fish FIRST and they don’t even have a pond built yet. I waited months before introducing fish into my pond to ensure the ecosystem would be comfortable and welcoming for them. I feel sorry for the fish being kept in the raised box ponds with the windows that are popular these days. It looks miserable.
Many thanks for the comment appreciate it
You love it!!! You know all the koi tubers we be having sleepless night after watching your videos. 😂😂😂😂
😂🤷♂️
😂
Love your takes lol
I live in US, we bought a home with about a 100m² pond. My initial idea was to make it a wildlife pond with plants, minnows and bluegill. My wife wanted koi. I conceded, we got koi. She hardly sees them. But she understands we will likely have the healthiest happiest koi in town.
I also find the parasite comment interesting. Koi are often kept in a monoculture. They are set up for failure. In the US we have a species of sunfish that's colloquially called "shellcracker." They eat snails that vector parasites. But they aren't what koi people think are "beautiful."
Sounds good many thanks for the comment from across the pond 👊
You are very knowledgeable. I've kept Nishikigoi for years and had problems with flukes and Trichodina. I've got Plants in my fancy goldfish pond and the fish are really healthy. Everything you've said is so true. Well done for sharing your experience. 👍🏻
Many thanks for the comment appreciate it have a good day 😎
I love this…. Soooo many koi gurus preaching a sterile boring glass fronted box. Zero enrichment for the fish 💕
Thanks for the comment
Yea jump in the pond im sure they want to swim with you 🤣 like it’s not like a dog 😅 your fish don’t even know who you are 😂
I agree , i keep koi and i love natural ponds with plants ,Also I have lillies which really do well every summer but they are not in soil now just the roots in baskets .
Its great watching the koi rooting about in the plants , plus its gives them cover and shade
Many thanks for the comment! 👌
I have 5 different types of pond plants in my pond. Directly planted into the pond are water Iris, Pickerel weed, and water lillys. And I buy water hyacinth and water lettuce each spring and toss them in a compost pile at the end of fall right before winter. I let the floating plants cover about 60% of the pond and then I remove some and cut back to 40% coverage. 1,000 gallon pond with 2 butter fly Koi and about 10 frogs.
Sounds splendid thanks for the comment
I’ve got a square ish box fibreglassed bottom drain pond, but I’ve added floating pond baskets and 2 big lilies, absolutely love the plants, wish I had added more shelves!
Thanks for the comment james! Great that you have incorporated a little slice of nature in your pond.
Just found your channel and subscribed , how refreshing to find advice that is simple to understand . I have a 4 foot deep pond with shelves and a mix of koi , Orfe , tench and do exactly what you have described and have never had a fatality in 10 years , apart from a heron taking a couple. I have a header pond with plants and dont over clean my filters , my fish are thriving 👍
Sounds awesome thanks for the comment
I subscribed recently, you talk so much sense and aren't ramming the latest koi tax product down everyones throat & what no pond bomb 🤣
Ho to get the green out
Look forward to the koi proofing plant video👍
👌
I couldnt agree more! Its refreshing to see somebody finally call the Koi people out.😎
Good points. I think I can cut back on my trickle in and trickle out due to plants, but my kh will suffer since it’s a small overstocked pond. We’ll see.
Thanks for the comment. Tbh even if you topped up with treated tap water that usually buffers quite nicely (depends where you live I guess) or you can buy powder buffer additives if you need.
@@thep0ndman The problem with adding baking soda is that it screws up my tds readings which I keep track on for water quality.
@@KoiRun50 www.swelluk.com/aqua-source-aqua-balance-gh-and-kh-buffer-up
Love your videos. Could you do video specifically on plants. Types, how many and how to plant. I will be refurbing an old pond in the spring and would like to get it right from the get go. Also any recommendations on where to buy equipment. TIA.
Thanks for the comment I will see what we can do!
Hello Mr POndman, would you have a video on making a bog (filter)? I had creeping Jenny. Elephant ears. Blue iris. Thank you
I agree with you 100% with how so may people keep koi, I find it unattractive and unhealthy too. My pond has three koi, one that’s growing at a ridiculous rate but have just realised he’s a Chagoi so he will grow fast. He’s worth it for the effect he’s had on the once shy younger ones. I don’t have any problem with plants being eaten and to my amazement my water levels are perfect (test weekly) and the water is beautifully clear, not crystal but healthily clear. My late husband was a herpetologist and created eco systems in his vivariums so I know how important that is. I hate seeing koi in ‘boxes’ purely for human enjoyment - poor fish never experiencing a natural existence.
thanks for the comment
I basically agree with everything, it must be mention, if the length and girth of the Pond is too little for the carrying capacity of fish too many plants can starve the water of oxygen at night, wich can be an issue during a severe powercut. I believe you said chemicals in the filter, dont know if I misheard or misunderstood if you where just referring to the benificial bacteria.
You had me at “Ecosystem pond”. 👍🙌
👊👌
Thank you! I'm getting an eco pond installed in 8 weeks and my goal is to have a 0% fish loss rate.
Great stuff keep up the good work
bang on, i have a goldfish pond with bog filter only. water remains crystal clear all year round. within the first 6 months of it up and running i had goldfish fry already. as soon as i put the fish in they started spawning.
the goldfish are no koi carp but i appreciate them just as much. especially when the water is crystal clear.
Cheers for the comment bob appreciate it
I love my bog. Made like a stream 10ft length. 3-2ft width. Along the side of 1000 gallon stock tank
I have 6 koi + several goldfish. I had to work this out on paper 🤪
Last month, I hired a digger. Now we have 12x12 pond. Still in starting phase. I saw a vid of the guy/ southern Cali. He had clay. So dug a trench. Maybe 8x8 inches. Made a French drain across pool under the liner. We have this clay too. I’m thinking we should do this.
I have flagstone. Flat pieces for outer perimeter. But not in place as yet. Fish are still in 1000 gallon blue pool at my Mom’s home.
Loving the channel and currently watching all of your videos. I have recently started my own pond and aquarium maintenance company and this is a great resource for me. Looking forward to learning more 👍🏻
Good luck! More to come
What’s the best way to add plants to a larger pond when you have it fully lined?
Thanks for sharing, I put Lillie’s and fish weeds in my pond and they actually killed my Lillie’s and all the weeds disappeared, think they ate them. Will keep trying but don’t know how to prevent this problem from happening!
This may help: Stop fish RUINING your Pond Plants...
czcams.com/video/zLbep8ZtLN4/video.html
True
Does Cattapa or Indian Almond Leaves help Koi diseases like fin rot or external wounds?
Every spring I buy floating pond plants and also some in baskets
Could not agree more. I have kept fish for over 60 years, tropical, cold water marine and pond both Koi and Goldfish. I gave up with Koi about 15 years ago when it became very expensive due to its popularity and now keep Goldfish and a couple of my original Koi who live very happily together in my 26year old pond. I think the problem with Koi nowadays is that they are kept in too clinical conditions, I have to my knowledge never had gill Gill Flukes, Body flukes or other parasites. The only treatments I have had to give is for white spot or body ulcers (rare) and usualy cured with a salt bath. I rarely net my fish and I think the u tubers that are continually netting, bowling and measuring there fish, are just asking for trouble as I was always tought that this stresses the fish and this is the main cause of sickness. I also think that most modern filtration systems are putting too much flow through thge filters, not allowing enough contact time with the media and especially the UV which I have always used on all my tanks ponds etc as I beleive that the UV not only gives algi control but kills a lot of parrasites and eggs lavea etc. Like your blogs Peter T
Great comment really appreciate have a good day!
Water quality, water quality, water quality, keep that right and the fish will be fine.
Good quality food too of course.
I have 5 plants in my 800+ pond. Is this enough? What's enough plants?
I recently added 2 water lillies fish can't get the roots but the got my flowers 🤣🤣 the pads are still good so I'm happy they can still shade the fish lol
good to have plants!
@thep0ndman I agree id prefer to just have a natural pond setup but unfortunately I can't dig in my garden landlord wouldn't allow it so I'm stuck with a raised pond so going gravity fed system
Whats the best plants to keep in a pond
If you learn enough there's a way to have what you want and what the fish needs at the same time
Thanks for the comment
How to get the green out
In the marine/reef World we call the 'vegetable' filter a refugium where we keep different kinds of algae growing, usually a section of the sump.
So i have 6 koi fish in a 250 gallon so i am happy with it and looking at alot of these koi ponds they would have to have alot of money to do so my kois are doing grate along with my high fin shark my koi fish also have natural Rocks and they love it
Thnx for the comment!
Bang on as always
I’m just in the process of building a veggie filter , what plants would you recommend for maximum efficiency
when the weather warms up again i use canna lilys and colocaisias, take them out over winter. not much grows in the winter anyway
Cheers! 👊
To be honest in spring any of them they grow so quick. This time of year water hawthorn prob only one the grows but spring is your time for the rest. Veg filter one of the best things you will do! 👍
Parrots feather can still grow thru the winter. Unless there is a hard freeze.
That "treatment plant" you are referring to is called a bog filter ❤🌿👍
It’s just having a selection of plants cheers
Good advice as usual.
Cheers Ken appreciate it
Learn how to keep water first plants take all sorts of nasty stuff out of water I totally agree with you mate
100% 👌
Sadly, yes I have his name is luxe Goldies. He’s on CZcams but he does sell the fish off pretty quickly so I don’t know but he does just do a glass tank with water from what is shown in his videos.
Thnx for comment
My fish stay out all winter here in Canada with NO Heat just running water all winter long keeps hole open in ice. Never do I get sick or dead koi cause Ice cold running water keeps fish healthy and parasites fall off and die in ice cold water
Thnx for the comment
I constantly see -2000 gallon ponds with like 50-100 koi lol ( and they wonder why there koi keep dying)
Hi , please can I have your advice? I have a 1000L pond with 6 small goldfish. The pump I bought is an all in one filter and pump and fountain. I also have another hose running from the pump into a home made bog filter which is a 10L plant pot with stones and pebbles and plants in the top and the water runs back into my pond. I don't like the all in one. It is very difficult to clean . I have to lift it out of the water and clean a big sponge and 3 small boxes of media. So I am wondering could I just have a little pump to my home made filter and get rid of the cumbersome all in one. Would that keep the pond clean? I also have about 5 marginal plants and 3 water lillies and about 3 floating plants and some irises in my pond. Any advice would be very useful for me . Many thanks for your channel.
A small external filter would probably be best with a smallish solid handling pump. The best external filters are box style if you can fit one in with a waste valve to help with cleaning
@thep0ndman I will do that thank you, as before I received your reply I was looking at filters under pressure. . 😊🐡🐠🐟🙋♀️
Well said xx
thanks for the comment!
I have tried to keep plants in my pond but they always die. I dont know why. My only guess is that my water ph is around 8.2.
Thanks for the comment. There can be quite. A few factors, ph should be ok to be honest, it’s quite high in our area too. Most pond plants should be repotted when you buy them, the small pots they come in are pretty much just for resale purposes. Also, are the fish getting to the soil? Some plants will need more sun than others and some don’t like shallow water and vice versa
Also ill add i didnt have a beefy enough pump and my bottom drain ended up building up waste i put a 15000 on full wack and the waste that came out was insane now all clear running crystal on my diy pond just a rookie mistake i learnt from
Great cheers for the comment
What type of plants can I plant?
It’s not so much the plant it’s just making it so the koi can’t get into the soil cheers for the comment
I think more people (myself included) need to not only add plants but be bothered to maintain them. If you don't want that bother then don't add random plants to your pond.
thanks for the comment
I have no plants in my koi pond whatsoever AT ALL !!!!
However, I I regularly kept plants with my high end fancy’s the pond variety’s ie Wakin , London’s , Bristols , Tamasaba so on …………High end goldfish breeders are PARANOID about transferring pathogens via plants !
Koi love to wreck plants .
One of my filters Is a 4 tier Momotaro Bakki shower with 80 kg of Momotaro Bacteria house media and 20 kg of sintered glass
In the 4 tiers of the Momotaro which is 1 metre wide and 1.1 metres tall . I planted with reeds and various plants which have grew like wildfire it certainly has help keepin go nitrates down . I don’t have plant pots in my pond however the water runs through my baki and is filtered by Momotaro media and by a jungle that’s grew out of the Bakki
Thanks for the comment the backi showers sounds awesome!
@@thep0ndman I see if I can dig a photo out 👍
@@thep0ndman czcams.com/video/_FSCmUAJ-_A/video.html
@@thep0ndman apologies the picture quality is actually good the video didn’t upload well
@@Smog104 aah cheers yes really nice growth pretty impressive! Who needs pots! CZcams vids always start poor quality it can take approx an hour to process 4k depending on length
My koi demolished the lillys i put in floating baskets hope they enjoyed it 😅
For koi it’s best to keep the plants where they can’t get to them shelves etc a lot depends on how you build it from the start
What people don't seem to grasp, the more plants you have the clearer the water is. If you have enough plants you need minimal artificial filtration.
Great comment yes you are correct there!
Never seen a 15lb koi in a fish tank.
100 % water turn over in a true koi pond is essential,you dont want pond plants , especially baskets these cause dead spots this causes parasite paradise same as in an unkept filter. Baskets cause injury which aid secondary infection.nothing in a pond that a flick against can cause injury.
I’m sure that koi are over the moon to live in “a true koi pond”. No plants, nothin but beautiful fibreglass sounds brilliant
@@thep0ndman cant argue with that
Where are you based
Hi Phil we are based in Sussex
@@thep0ndman OK. I'm in st helens so think it's a bit far 👍
Just up lancs from me mate
2.55 a budgie you do
yes keeping birds in a cage also isnt cruel
Been saying it for years, koi swimming in absolute nothing is so selfish....
Roger that