2. Use 60-65 mil epdm rubber roofing as a liner.It is cheaper than pond liners and will last 50 years or so.It comes with a coating of powdered silicone on it so the rubber won’t stick together when stored.Wash it off with a Teflon scrubber sponge. Just roll it out on your grass late in the afternoon so it won’t burn your grass in the sun.With a hose and scrubber sponge wash off the silicone.If you don’t wash off the silicone, it gets in the gills of the fish and eventually they won’t breath and soon after die. Use old carpet as a buffer between the ground and the liner.It is free, recyclable, and carpet outlets usually have lots of scraps and are happy to get rid of the old stuff. Place the burlap side next to ground, smooth side next to liner.Try using one piece of rubber to fit your pond and avoid seeming if possible.

    3. You don’t want your pond to be in a lower position than your yard since fertilizers and pesticides can drain into your pond.If the pond is located down hill, raise the edges surrounding the pond so chemicals don’t leach into the water of your pond.

Stay away from bark used in landscapes that has been sprayed brown, red, or different colors. We are finding that it is usually toxic to fish. Use natural bark or shredded tree shavings.

    4. Koi need filtration. The average landscapers’ pond has a skimmer box and a waterfall.This is not enough.Koi require a filter system to stay healthy.There are several systems available for purchase.You can also ask us how to make your own.Declorinate water before adding fish.

    5. Build your pond at least 3-4 ft deep, for 4 reasons. (A).It is essential if you are going to keep your koi in the pond in the winter. (B) Koi get sunburned in shallow ponds. They need to get away from the sun and go deeper to avoid sunburn.(C) It is harder for predators to get your fish if the pond is deeper and with sides that go straight down, instead of gently sloping to the middle, where they (Fox, Raccoons, Skunks) can walk out into the pond and have breakfast. But remember to make some steps for yourself so that you can get in and out of the pond.I use flagstone sitting on the rubber since the rubber will be very slippery. (D) The water temperature is hotter in the summer and colder in winter in shallow ponds. The deeper the pond, the more regulated the temperature is for your fish. It is healthier for them to have less temperature changes.

    6. If you build a pond with bottom drains that are 4" in diameter, it will be a lot easier to keep your pond clean.These suck out fecal material and debris that the fish leave behind and the leaves and pine needles that sink to the bottom.The debris then goes to your filter. It is a lot easier to clean a filter than to clean a pond. Plus your pond liner will last longer by avoiding penetration created by walking around on it as you step on rocks and such.

    7. The fewer rocks you have in a pond, the less cleaning is required.The result is fewer build up of decaying material that can turn into harmful bacteria if not cleaned regularly.Remember that you are not just building the pond for you, you need to build it to keep your koi healthy and happy.

Why fish? It keeps the mosquitoes from breeding and they become a very relaxing asset to your landscape.Fish do have personalities and will become very friendly if you treat them right.

    9. Don’t be alarmed.During spawning the male pushes the female into the sides of the pond to help the female release its eggs for fertilization.The fewer rocks around the edges of the pond, the better.To reduce scaring, eliminate any sharp flagstone, or other rocks that can hurt these fish in the pond itself.If flagstone surrounds the edges of your pond drop the water below the rocks during spawning periods. Spawning usually occurs after a major rain where there is an increase of nitrogen. I have had some fish that have spawned 3 times in one season.

    10. Buy healthy koi, because it only takes one sick fish to get every other fish in the pond sick.You then have to treat every fish to make them healthy again.If the fish are scraping their sides (flashing), sucking air at the top, jumping out of the water, or have holes in their sides, they are sick and need treatment. Call me and we will help you. 303 469-0808 bestwayimportedkoi@hotmail.com

    12. Do not feed your fish if the temperature is below 50 degrees. Their metabolism shuts down and any food fed to them will rot in their stomachs if it stays colder than 50 degrees for more than a week. You will then find dead fish in the spring. Feed wheat germ when water temperatures are 50- 68 degrees and then you can feed color enhanced or higher protein foods, such as fast-grow or spirulina foods.Other foods fish like to eat are sectioned grapefruit, oranges, watermelon, and organic spinach leaves (organic food that does not have pesticides sprayed on them).Koi also like eating steamed rice and shrimp. I use cooked salad shrimp and cut them up for the smaller koi.

    13. Quarantine new koi for 3 weeks, by this we mean set up another 100-300 gallon koi tank with filtration, aeration, and dechlor the water. You should always quarantine any new fish that you are introducing to your pond. If nothing else, quarantine for a peace of mind that the fish is accessible if it needs to be treated for stress, parasites, or bacteria. Most pet stores have not treated koi for all the bacteria and parasites that koi can have.Generally their philosophy is to perform a basic treatment and sell the koi quick so they don’t die at the store. If the fish die at some ones house, the customer may come back to buy more. This is not what I consider good business.Also treat plants with formaldehyde before introducing them into your pond. Formaldehyde will treat your plants for parasites.

      14. Pumps.Try to stay away from submergible pumps because most of them have oil in the casing. When they quit working, the oil leaks out and kills your fish. Also they are known for causing electric shock. There are Sequence and Wave pumps that are free standing or in line pumps that are excellent for savings on your electric bill.These pumps are more efficient, and have no chance of oil leaks.They are placed in a protected area above ground.

Pond Water> Drain>Tubing> pump> then tubing to filter> Gravity pushes water back to the pond after the filter.

    15. It is a good idea to buy or build a filter that is bigger for your pond than what you need.There will always be another fish you just have to have!Beware that most filters don’t do what they say they will.By rule of thumb get a filter that is two to three times bigger than what you need. The filter size that you need has to deal with amount of fish, dissolved oxygen, water depth, full sun and plants. The size of a filter can also be determined by which kind of filter (Bubble Bead, Gravity, Vortex, or home built) used

    16. Join the Rocky Mtn. Koi Club. www.rmkc.org  Our philosophy is to educate you on fish health, pond construction, treatment for diseases, water quality, koi shows, and pond tours. Help is there if you need it(303) 469-0808.Many of the Rocky Mtn. Koi club members, including Debbie, Owner of Bestway Imported Koi, [bestwayimportedkoi@hotmail.com (303) 469-0808] will help you with the design of your pond at no charge in order to help you and/or your landscaper provide the best and healthiest environment for your koi.

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