What more relaxing than sitting in your garden and enjoying your Koi pond? Nothing! But make sure you first take into account all the factors that may affect your pond water, so that you can build and maintain a beautiful and healthy environment for your Koi fish. Cyprus climate can be tricky; summer is too warm and prolonged, winter temperature may fall below zero and freeze your pond’s surface. So remember, the secret for healthy fish is to treat your water. Good quality water means healthy fish!

Find the right place and size for your pond

Choosing the right place for your pond will save you from troubles later on.

What you should avoid:

Too much direct sunlight. If your spot is not shaded, you must consider creating some shade yourself, for example using a tent.

Don’t build your pond under trees unless you are prepared to protect your pond from falling leaves. You will have to remove them regularly to avoid composition.

Building the pond outside your bedrooms may cause noise while you sleep.

Make a draft sketch plan of your pond and the filter housing to ensure your pond looks nice from every possible angle.

In deciding the right size for your pond, you must consider the available space in your garden. Also, you must decide the volume of fish you want to host. A typical calculation is one kilo of fish per ton of water. That means if you are planning to host 10 Κoi fish of an average 40cm (1 Kg) each, then you require 10 tons of water. This calculation will help you determine the right amount of water you need to provide your Κoi an environment where they can grow and thrive in Cyprus.

Equally important is to maintain the right depth in order to protect your Κoi from very high or low temperatures.  If you are living near the sea, then one meter (1m) depth will be adequate to protect your fish from overheating. For ponds situated in the mountains, you should consider even deeper pond to prevent the water from freezing.

It is recommended to protect your fish from water temperatures higher than 27 °C.

Decide the filtration type for your pond

There are three different types of filters.

The first type is the Gravity Return Filter. This will require a pump in the pond that feeds the filter with water. Water will then simply pass through the filter and fall back in the pond under gravity. The filter must be higher than the water level of your pond.

The second type of filtration is the Pressure Filter. Preferable for small size ponds. This will require a pump in the pond that feeds the filter with water. Since it is pressure filter, the water will maintain enough pressure to return to your pond. You can be flexible in deciding where to position the filter.

The Third type of filtration is the Gravity Feed Filter. It is used for larger Koi ponds. This is the best option for more demanding Κoi keepers. The water pump is installed after the filter and returns clean water back to the pond. More complex units are available providing self-cleaning and the installation is recommended to be conducted by an expert.

Regardless of which filtration system you have decided to use, you must consider installing a UV. An Ultraviolet (UV) system is absolutely necessary, especially with the high temperatures we have in Cyprus. The UV will keep your water free of excess algae and harmful bacteria. Always choose a model up, that can purify more water than your pond’s volume. That way you don’t have to worry about the quality of your water, and it is unlikely to cause any harm as long as you have adequate biological filtration.

Removing physical dirt from your water is not enough. Biological filtration is also required.  If your filter is only mechanically cleaning your water, then a biological compartment should be added into your system. The biological filtration will provide helpful bacteria to your pond.  These helpful bacteria break down toxins produced from the fish and excess food or organic material at the bottom of the pond. This is done by the helpful bacteria breaking down the initial toxin ammonia into Nitrite.

Choose the type of pond you want to build

There are many ways to build a Κoi pond.  A Κoi pond can be constructed with a wide variety of materials – they can be built in the ground, on the ground, or a combination of both.

An easy way to build a pond is to use a liner. The cost is lower and the shape and size can be more flexible. However, it is more likely to suffer leaks from plumbing fixtures and it tears over the time, especially in direct sunlight under the hot summer days in Cyprus. It may wrinkle and fold, which would interfere with water circulation, as well as catch and trap detritus. Also, it is difficult to hide the liner that extends above the water surface. For a Κoi enthusiast that wants to build their own very first small-to-medium pond, it is recommended to choose this construction type.

Another type is the Concrete pond, covered with fiberglass. It has the advantages of flexibility of size and shape, smooth corners with no folds or wrinkles. It is very durable and can be remodeled. It is more expensive but it will save you money in the long run. It is recommended to be constructed by experts.