An ornamental koi pond at the bottom of the garden is a wonderful addition to your landscaping and a relaxing escape for you to spend some quiet moments with a rewarding hobby in a tranquil environment.

It is important for the health of the koi to filter the water and keep it clean, free from bacteria and also free from debris, branches, twigs and dead leaves that find their way into the koi pond.

To ensure water quality in your koi pond, install a filter and pump system and test the water regularly to check the pH balanceCreating the right pond environment before your first fish arrive is the ideal timeYou can install the filter and verify the chemical balance of the water a few days ahead of the arrival of your koiThe filter is important to remove the koi waste, and also to keep the pond clear of any other pollutants.

Koi make beautiful petsTheir colorful, jeweled tones and many varied patterns are wonderful to look at as they glide through the waterKoi are descended from the carp and owe their vibrant tones to selective breeding over generationsThey do not occur naturally in the wild in these colors, nor is a koi pond a natural phenomenonCarp live in running water which has a different ecological balance from a still pondFor this reason it is important to pay attention to the koi pond environment and ensure your filter is working properly at all timesWhen koi breathe using their gills they produce ammoniaIn much the same way as humans cannot live on air once the oxygen has been removed, the same occurs with fishA filter helps to remove the ammonia build up from the koi habitat and a pump will help to circulate additional oxygen in the water.

A koi filter works first by filtering pollutants from the waterThe filter is usually supported by a pump which may be submersible or a robust recirculating typeA submersible pump works well in a small garden pond and a larger, more robust pump may be needed for larger koi pondsThe filters contain sand and other filtering material and may also be equipped with brushes that remove leaves and other debris as the pump draws them in to the filterThe filter contains biological materials, usually nitrates, to remove the koi waste products and neutralize the ammonia.

Cleaning the filter regularly will be of big benefit to your koi pondIf the nitrates used to neutralize the koi waste are allowed to build up in the water, these can be harmful to the koi as well.

To supplement the work done by the filter, add oxygen to your koi pond by using oxygenating plants, fountains or waterfallsThe constantly running water creates bubbles and is great for adding oxygen to the waterAn alternative is to change out a portion of the water at regular intervalsWhenever you add water to the pond you must balance the water, and if tap water is used, you will need to de-chlorinate the water before you add it to the pond and then adjust the pH balanceA good pH balance for your koi pond is between 7 and 9.

Maintaining the filters and caring for your koi will become a routine that takes very little time when you do it regularly and yet it will greatly enhance your experience as a koi owner.