Natural Backyard Swimming Pond Installation Tips
These eco-system swimming creations are environmentally-friendly and will protect you.
If you care about the Earth, or if you hate the way your skin smells and feels after swimming in a chlorinated pool, consider going au naturale.
What is a swimming pond?
Split 50/50 to accommodate vegetation and swimming, its been dubbed the swimming pond as the new and improved backyard pond.
The plant section of the pond is around a foot deep, while the swimming area typically ranges from six-and-a-half to eight feet deep. Timber usually separates the two zones.
How clean is it without chemicals?
Very. The regeneration portion isn’t just there for ambiance, it’s also the pond’s natural filter.
Plants like flag irises and water lilies keep phosphate levels in check while getting rid of nitrates so there’s no algae. Gravel also plays a role in filtering the pond.
To keep the water moving, go the scenic route with a waterfall or install a small pump — this will also help keep the pond clean.
Bonus: Your natural oasis will attract wildlife (think dragon flies, birds, tadpoles.), which will help control pesky insects. To avoid snakes, the surrounding grass is kept as short as peach fuzz.
Does a swimming pond cost more than a pool?
The upfront payment is more expensive because of the regeneration zone, but the cost per square foot is about the same.
Thinking ahead, the initial cost pays off. Unheated natural ponds evaporate less than normal pools, don’t have energy costs, and you save around $350-500 on chemicals and chlorine.
How much does a swimming pond cost?
The design you choose plays into the overall cost of installation!
Is it maintenance-heavy?
According to Aquascapes, a pond requires less maintenance than a pool. You don’t have to worry about chemicals, the pond essentially cleans itself, and you can keep it uncovered and full during the winter (ponds make great ice-skating rinks).
Tend to it as you would a garden — and make sure the surface is skimmed.
Is this really something people are doing?
While the trend is still developing in the U.S., Europe is all over natural swimming ponds and pools. The idea originated in Austria and Germany in the 1980s and has evolved from there. Last month, the UK unveiled its first man-made public swimming pond in London!
Long stream with multiple waterfalls flowing to a beautiful pond
Fish Friends for Koi
Fish Friends for Koi
When they are in the wild, Koi live with other species of carp. Koi also get along well with killifish and minnows.
Other types of fish that can be found in the lakes and streams they inhabit are large game fish, such as perch, bass and Catfish.
Koi are peaceful and do not bother or prey on other fish in your pond which makes it great for stocking your pond with a variety of other fish.
Sunfish get along well next to carp with Redear sunfish being the most popular for a carp pond.
Grass carp act as natural pruning system for your pond and they will make great friends for your Koi. Grass carp will also help maintain your plant vegetation as they like to eat and out of control plants that are growing too big.
Since they are similar, goldfish make a great friend for your Koi. They share similar color patterns to Koi and will help compliment the beauty of your precious Koi in their new garden pond.
For other fish, largemouth bass, catfish and striped bass will make perfect mates for your Koi. Bigger fish will require a larger pond size so keep this in mind when selecting the size of your garden pond.
Frogs can be really good friends for your Koi or any kind of amphibian. Local frogs, newts and even salamanders can share the same space as your Koi with no issues.
Try to attract frogs naturally to your pond rather than stocking them from a store. Frogs from pet shops may have bacterial infections or diseases that can spread to your fish. We want to keep your fish as healthy as possible so they can live a long life in your garden pond.
Fish that you want to avoid stocking your garden pond with if you have Koi are Bluegill. Carp and Bluegill are rivals and will be destructive to your garden pond as they compete for resources and food.
Small fish such as nano fish should be avoided too. These smaller fish will not be happy swimming around with large Koi and will be anxious and nervous when in an enclosed garden pond with them.
Lastly, the best option to stock your Koi pond with is more Koi. They like to be in a group or a school and the minimum for that is at least 5. If you have a larger pond, you may be able to accommodate up to 15 individual Koi. Be sure to consult with our professionals about the needs for your Koi pond setup.
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Koi Pond Setup
Pond Setup for Koi
Koi are the more sophisticated version of their wild versions which are common carp. Carp are traditionally native to Europe and Asia.
The habitat of carp are lakes, streams and ponds with mud near the bottom and minimal water flow. They can be found in temperate and tropical areas and they like water temperatures over 70 degrees F.
Carp are most active in the dim lit hours near dusk and dawn but they will forage for food at all times of day.
Achieving these living conditions for your new Koi is not a hard task.
Koi Pond Setup
Koi prefer temperatures between 74 to 86 degress F year-round. For areas where it is colder, a heater system will keep them from freezing and protect your valuable fish.
A small stream or waterfall is fine for your Koi but they do not require an water flow to be happy.
For the pH of your pond water, it should be kept between 6 and 9. Crushed limestone can be used to help maintain the pH levels in your garden pond.
For best results, a Koi pond with concrete and rubber lining are best. For the bottom of the pond, a substrate that mimics a mud consistency will have your Koi feeling right at home.
A beautiful outdoor water garden will give the best result for a pond setup. The plants should be non-invasive so they don’t damage the natural ecosystem for your new Koi friends.
The best plants for your water garden will included:
* pickerels
* floating pondweed
* water lilies
* cattails
* water hyacinth
* duckweed and more
Willows and other shade trailing trees around your water garden pond are recommended by other garden pond owners. These will help to provide extra shade and cover for your fish.
How big should your Koi pond be?
250 gallons of water is the minimum for keeping a Koi in a pond. A school of Koi may require over 1000 gallons of water.
Ten gallons of water is needed for every inch of fully grown Koi as a rule of thumb. This same rule can be applied to other fish as well. Because Koi can reach 3 feet in length, this means that 250 gallons is the absolute minimum for one adult.
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Types of Koi
Types of Koi
Koi fish can reach up t three feet in length which makes them one of the largest fish that people commonly keep in their garden ponds.
Usually they have two barbells on either side of their jaw and have a round snout that they use for taking in prey.
The female Koi are larger and have a rounder body shape than males. Their fins are short and rounded with lobed fins. Certain varieties can be bred to have long trailing fins.
Koi are available in a variety of colors. Most white or silver with colorful markings and spots.
These markings can be red, gold, black, deep blue or even orange. Their exact color and marks depend on the type of Koi.
Butterfly Koi
Butterfly Koi can also be known as Drago Koi. They have long pectoral and caudial fins. Keepers of Koi seek them out as they are highly prized and valuable.
These Koi can have the same color markings are other Koi and can only be set apart by the length of their fins.
Japanese Koi
These are the most common Koi and recognizable as the variety that you will see in most garden ponds and water gardens.
They are two varieties of Japanese Koi. The Kohaku are white with orange and red markings and are more standard. The second type is the Tancho and look the same as Kohaku with the exception of a single red dot on the top of their head.
Dragon Fish Koi
Not to be confused with the Butterfly Koi variety, the Dragon Koi Fish or Kumonryu is a black and white fish with markings that may change during different seasons.
Black and White Koi
There are two varieties of this breed. The Shor Utsui that have white with black spots and markings. You may see black on one side of the head and white on the other in some of this type.
The other is the Matsuba which is black and white too but it may have black markings over a gold or red body.
Gold Koi
This type of Koi is also called an Ogon and is a prized one color. It will be entirely silver, gold or orange. Koi that have gold marks over a white body are called Ki. Kinrin fish sparkle in the water like gold coins due to their beautiful scales.
Next time we will talk about Koi habitats and the condition of their Ponds. If you would like to know more, ask one of our experts.
