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Koi are beautiful ornamental fish that live primarily 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 a pond and experience the joy of keeping a hardy fish.
Before you get your koi fish for your pond, you need to make sure you have the basic supplies and the knowledge of how to use those supplies before you start. Fortunately, koi are easy pets to keep once you have everything you need.
These are the essential supplies that will make maintaining your pond and koi fish easier while helping you make the necessary purchases first. We created this article to help you find essential koi fish supplies that you can get online or in select stores.
The 7 Essential Koi Fish Supplies to Get You Started
1. pond pump
Having a waterfall or fountain in your pond is a great solution to help increase water movement in the pond to prevent standing water. This will help improve water quality which in turn benefits the health of your koi fish. Pond pumps are an essential supply as they are extremely important to the health of your pond.
Although pond pumps are not powerful enough to be part of your pond filtration system, they 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 through the water, much like a filter would in an aquarium. We recommend starting with Lifegard Aquatics pond pumps as they come in a variety of different sizes to match the size of your pond. You will also find that the quiet sound of the pond pump is a pleasure to listen to and is the reason behind the sound of running water in pond environments.
2. Filtration system
Filters help provide a koi pond with three types of filtration: mechanical, biological, and chemical. Filters work by helping to keep water clean and removing 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 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 start with.
3. Foods and supplements
Koi fish are omnivorous and require a diet rich in plant and animal matter. Food is a purchase you may need to make each month depending on how many koi you need to feed each day. This is one of the ongoing purchases you will need to make throughout koi fish ownership.
Koi will enjoy eating a range of foods with supplements to ensure they stay healthy. Food brands such as Blackwater Premium Koi and Goldfish Food are excellent, and this brand makes the same type of food in different sizes at varying prices. You can also supplement your koi fish’s diet with algae, larvae, and insects to increase their protein intake.
4. Water treatments
Water treatments are important for koi fish, especially when setting up a pond for the first time. Treatments can include a dechlorinator which removes the chlorine found in most water sources, as well as any traces of heavy metals. Most dechlorination bottles are too small to add to your pond and are best suited for tanks.
However, Ecological laboratories is a great pond dechlorination bottle that you can buy at an affordable price. You will also need to use dechlorinator during water changes and when adding new water to the pond to bind and detoxify chlorine levels.
5. cleaning supplies
Most ponds will be drainable, which can be useful if you want to fill your pond before filling it with koi. However, a handy cleaner to use when changing the water for your pond will be a python that changes the water in the aquarium. You get versions like the Python No Spill which extends up to 50 feet and can be attached to your sink or simply used to water grass or garden beds during partial water changes in your ponds. what. Other cleaning options include algae scrapers and water treatments that help keep your pond clean.
6. Report
A fishing net is always a necessity for koi, but you will need to use a large net, such as the Corisrx lifestyle adjustable mesh. 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 pool if they become ill and need to be closely monitored and given medication. A net can also be useful if you want to get a better view of your koi fish, perhaps to check for signs of disease or torn fins.
seven. Medication
Like all fish, koi are susceptible to disease. It’s always a good idea to stock up on broad-spectrum medication in case your koi fish gets sick. These medications do not address specific illnesses, but rather contain ingredients that can treat a wide range of illnesses that can affect koi. For later stages of koi ownership where you notice them developing an identifiable disease, you can purchase specific medications at a later stage.
Some koi fish keepers will recommend isolating and treating any new koi with a broad-spectrum drug before adding them to the pond in case they carry diseases from the pet store or during transport from a breeder.
Conclusion
Most of these supplies will be a one-time purchase, such as the filter, net, and pond pump. However, fish food, water treatments, and medications may need to be purchased monthly once they run 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.
Featured Image Credit: Vital Safo, Shutterstock
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