info on ponds and koi

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nativelady76

nativelady76
Nov 29, 2004
65
0
0
47
minnesota
Me and my husband are planning on building a house on some land he has that is about 80 acers we want to build a good size pond and we have been doing research on how to build them but cant find anything about what a good depth is for this pond . We live in minnesota and it can get really cold here sometimes -30 to 45 degrees... i was thinking of being able to keep the koi in there all winter.. aside putting in a water heater what are some other good options i could do without harming the fish i plan on raise thx for the advise...
 

Shekoi

Trying to start up again
- 35 to 40 degrees WOW!!

for koi ponds the best depth is 4ft minium to allow them to grow. but because it gets cold i'd go for around 6ft depth at least in some areas of the pond, the whole thing doesn't need to be that deep. adding heaters in winter would help!1

how many fish (koi) are you thinking of having - i would allow 300g per fish and they will grow very big and happy
 

nativelady76

nativelady76
Nov 29, 2004
65
0
0
47
minnesota
i was thinking of maybe 6 depending on how big the pond gets..
how long does it take for a small koi to grow into a 55 gallon tank.
i was thinking of raising them in the tank first
 

*TJ

AC Members
Oct 14, 2004
117
0
0
51
ON, Canada
www.backyardpuddle.ca
Koi can adapt to an aquarium environment but it's not recommended for a few reasons. First one off the top of my head, water volume, 55 gallons isn't enough to start young koi off on the right track.

If you choose to raise very small koi in a 55gal you should be aware of the pitfalls. It's work. Water change outs are a necessity on atleast a bi-weekly basis. Limited feeding to slow the water pollution rate(which means slower growth rate). No gravel substrate is highly recommended. Ample filtration is a MUST.

Young koi can and will grow very very quickly when given the opertunity, meaning an excellent environment in which to flurish.

A 300 gallon stock tank would be more suitable imho for 3-5 very small koi (under 4 inches) for the short term. 150 gallons minimum for a couple. A stock tank is a good investment, good for young small koi short term and also good for adult koi to be housed in temporarily if there comes a time for needing treatment for whatever health issues they might face.

4 minimum to 8 ft depth should be considered for pond depth. Square footage at the bottom of the pond is as important as surface area, especially for overwintering. There are many commercial Deicer's on the market(price varies), from 1500w to 100w, to keep a hole open in the ice. There are a few DIY Deicers as well. Something else to consider along with deicers is the use of a very small water pump or air stone and air pump, there needs to be very slight circulation happing over winter to help with gas exchange. Many ponders also opt to cover their ponds with a greenhouse type structure to keep the winter elements off, wind and snow can have varying degrees of effects on unsheltered ponds most of which are not good.

Nuff of my babble.... good luck!
 
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