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Koi are beautiful ornamental fish that primarily live in ponds or aquaponic systems. They come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes and can make great fish for beginner hobbyists who want to start up a pond and experience the joy of keeping a hardy fish.
Before getting your koi fish for your pond, you need to ensure that you have the basic supplies and knowledge on how to use these supplies before you get started. Fortunately, koi are easy pets to keep once you have all the supplies you need.
These are the essential supplies that will make caring for your pond and koi fish easier while helping to ensure that you make the necessary purchases first. We have created this article to help you find some great essential koi fish supplies you can get online or in some stores.
The 6 Essential Koi Pond Supplies
Food And Supplements
1. Koi Food
Koi fish are omnivores and require a diet rich in both plant and animal matter. Food is a purchase you might have to make monthly depending on the number of koi you have to feed each day. This is one of the continuous purchases you will have to make throughout owning koi fish.
Koi’s will enjoy eating a range of food that contains supplements to ensure they are kept healthy. Food brands such as the Blackwater Premium Koi and Goldfish Food are great, and this brand makes the same type of food in various sizes with varying prices. You can also supplement your koi fish’s diet with algae, larvae, and insects to increase their protein intake.
Tank Maintenance
2. Pond Pump
Having a waterfall or fountain in your pond is a great solution to help increase the water movement in the pond to prevent stagnant water. This will help to benefit the water quality which in return benefits the health of your koi fish. Pond pumps form part of an essential supply because they are extremely important for the health of your pond.
While pond pumps are not strong enough to form part of your pond’s filtration system, they do work as an aeration system to increase the amount of oxygen in your pond. Pond pumps can also be used to help move water treatments throughout the water, much like a filter would in a fish tank. We recommend starting with the Lifegard Aquatics pond pumps because they come in a variety of different sizes to match the size of your pond. You will also find that the tranquil sound of the pond pump is a pleasure to listen to and is the reason behind the flowing sound of water in pond environments.
3. Filtration System
Filters help to provide a koi pond with three types of filtration—mechanical, biological, and chemical. Filters work by helping to keep the water clean and remove debris and impurities from the water to help keep it clear and free from harmful contaminants.
The type of filter you choose will depend on the size of your pond because a small filter placed in a large pond will not be able to work properly and it will need to be cleaned more frequently. When it comes to choosing a filter, the more turnover the filter produces the better, especially if you have a large stocking ratio of koi fish. We recommend the Sunsun pond filter to get started.
Cleaning Supplies
4. Water Treatments
Water treatments are important for koi fish, especially when you are first setting up a pond. The treatments can include a dechlorinator which removes the chlorine found in most water sources, along with any traces of heavy metals. Most bottles of dechlorinate are too small to add to your pond and are better suited for tanks.
However, Ecological Laboratories is a large bottle of pond dechlorinate you can purchase for an affordable price. You will also need to use dechlorinate when doing water changes and adding new water into the pond to bind and detoxify the chlorine levels.
5. Aquarium Maintenance System
Most ponds will be drainable, which can be useful if you want to refill your pond before stocking it with koi. However, a handy cleaning supply to use when doing water changes for your pond will be an aquarium water-changing python. You get versions such as the Python No Spill which spans to 50-feet and can be attached to your sink or simply used to water the grass or garden beds when doing partial water changes to your koi ponds. Other cleaning supply options include algae scrapers and water treatments that help to keep your pond clean.
6. Net
A fishnet is always a necessity for koi, but you will need to use a large net, such as the Corisrx lifestyle adjustable fishnet. Nets can be used when transferring your koi from the bag you purchased them in or if you need to move them to a separate body of water. This could include a treatment tank if they fall ill and need to be watched closely and have medication administrated to them. A net can also be useful if you want to get a better view of your koi fish, perhaps to check if they have any signs of illness or ripped fins.
Conclusion
Most of these supplies will be a once-off purchase, such as the filter, net, and pond pump. However, fish food, water treatments, and medications may need to be purchased monthly once it runs out. You also have the option of buying koi products in bulk, especially when it comes to water treatments and food if you have a large pond and lots of koi.
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Featured Image Credit: Vital Safo, Shutterstock
