Koi Keeping and Husbandry

There are some essential Koi supplies that you should keep handy for taking care of your koi pond and keeping your fish healthy. Basic items include food and a water testing kit for making sure the water is clean and well filtered. More advanced supplies include medications and perhaps a thermometer for closer regulation of water temperature.The health of your koi begins with water testing supplies. Analyzing the pond water is critical to maintaining a chemical balance in the water that supports healthy fish. Test kits for your pond are available at most koi suppliers. Most of them work by using chemical testing materials to indicate the pH balance of the pond which you check against a color chart. Koi do best when the condition of the water is consistent. Testing kits include chemical supplies you can add to the water in small quantities to change the pH balance. The goal is a pH somewhere between 7 and 9. Various things affect the quality of your water, including the addition of tap water, rainwater and runoff from rainwater. Another koi care item you might want to stock is a supply of dechlorination tablets for when you add tap water to the pond.

Other water supplies for your koi pond are filters, and a pump. Filters include man made filters as well as natural filters. Check the working of any mechanical devices from time to time and consider keeping a back up pump handy if you have a large pond or a number of valuable koi.

A quarantine tank is another essential koi supply for a well-stocked pond. If you are a koi collector and you like to add to your koi family from time to time, the quarantine tank is useful for introducing new fish in a controlled fashion. You can monitor the health of your new koi while getting them acclimatized to the pond environment by using water from the pond in the quarantine tank. If, for any reason, the new koi experience problems, you will save your existing collection from exposure to any bacteria or diseases introduced by the new fish.

You can test the quarantine tank in the same way that you test the larger koi pond with your chemical supplies.

Another handy supply to have for the koi tank is an airstone. Typically this is a porous stone, usually limestone, which you set in the bottom of the pond. The airstone will help to oxygenate the pond. You can also find airstones made from fiberglass and other synthetic materials. You can also find oxygenator plants. Look for anacharis, hornwork, vallisneria and more. Your favorite koi pond supplies store may be able to make recommendations based on their inventory for other plants that are beneficial for the koi pond. Floating plants, such as water lilies, are good for adding shade to the pond. If you use a lot of plants, remember to use algae eaters, such as snails, and check the pond from time to time to clean out debris from petals and leaves that might clog the filters or present obstacles to your koi.