Koi Pond

Dig a big hole, lol.  Stop by my place this spring and I'll show you what I've done and what I wouldn't do again!

 

You'll want the edges to be vertical and not slope, to help prevent animals from preying on your fish, and deep enough for the fish to hibernate in the winter. If the pond will be on the smaller size, you may want to consider goldfish. My ex mother in law raised goldfish and she had a bunch that were a foot in length.

 

I dug one for mom a few years ago and she loves it. I wish I had a place for one here. The one I built is around 6' around and about 3' deep with multiple levels. It has a Ultima II filter run a by a Reeflo Dart that runs to a waterfall.
A couple things I wish I would have done different was to make sure the edges are completely level so when you fill it parts of the liner aren't exposed. The other thing I wish I would have done was dug it a another foot or 2 deeper so I didn't have to bring the fish in every year. I am pretty sure it freezes solid, maybe next year I will try and talk her into running a small heater in it to keep a hole in the ice.
I'll see if I can dig up some pics and post them.

 

I meant to get back to you after I was up there about the Hyacinth color.  My guess is the lettuce in the waterfall return is getting most of the nutrients.  Same principal as in reefing - the plants in the pond don't have the water circulation around their roots that the lettuce does.

 

Gered, make sure the pond is deep and steep sides or the raccoons will eat your fish out of the pondGotta watch for blue herons too.

Did you know there is an 80 acre koi farm in the Amana area?

Show quality imported stock from Japan. No cheap fishstore culls there. Kloubec Koi farm I'm gonna go tour it this summer 2011
Kyle

 

You might want to check out the Eastern Iowa Pond Club. I've attended a couple short tutorials from one of the officers...very knowledgeable. It'd be worth checking it out.

http://www.eips.org/