30 Jul One Year Update: Overcoming Koi Pond Challenges with KGTropicals
Constructing a Stunning Backyard Pond
Last year, our team at Easton Outdoors collaborated with Aquascape to construct an impressive 1500-gallon pond for John and Lisa of KGTropicals. The pond, located on the side of John and Lisa’s house, featured four small cascading waterfalls, a striking stacked slate sphere water feature, and several intriguing hiding spots for the resident fish.
Our dedicated team worked tirelessly to complete this project in just two days, despite the considerable distance from our shop in Poquoson, VA to the job site in North Carolina. The demanding timeline and the long drive posed significant challenges, but our team rose to the occasion and delivered remarkable results.
Read more about how we accomplished this project here!
Challenging Fish Rescue Adventure
After completing the pond, we contacted John and told him about an abandoned pond with fish that needed to be rescued. Knowing that John and Lisa had a soft spot for rescuing animals, they eagerly agreed to help. We arranged to meet in Virginia Beach on a stormy day in September and immediately started draining the abandoned pond to locate the fish that needed saving. After some persuasion, John bravely donned a pair of leaky waders and entered the pond, ultimately rescuing 24 goldfish and 4 large koi. It was a challenging yet rewarding experience.
To learn more about the fish rescue, be sure to read this post!
Introducing New Fish and Plants
Once the fish were safely transferred to their new home in North Carolina, we introduced them to their new pond. One of the fish was so excited that it literally jumped out of the bucket and into the pond! After all the fish were safely in the water, I helped John and Lisa add some plants to the pond. We added Creeping Jenny, Wild Petunia, and some Pond Lilies. Check out this post about how to add these plants to your pond.
All of this happened back in the fall of 2023. So, how is the pond doing now?
Current State of the Pond
John and Lisa have shared that the pond is thriving and looks absolutely stunning. They’ve also created a video update on their YouTube channel, so be sure to check that out below! Despite its beauty, the past year has presented its fair share of challenges. Having a pond, especially a koi pond, brings immense joy but can also lead to heartache and frustration when things don’t go as planned.
John and Lisa encountered two significant issues with the pond: problems concerning the fish and issues related to the water. Let’s first delve into the challenges they faced with the fish.
Challenges with the Fish
After being removed from a murky abandoned pond and placed into their new home, the fish exhibited skittish behavior, which was completely understandable given the circumstances. John observed that it took several months for them to stop swimming away and hiding under the rocks every time he approached the pond’s edge. Over time, he noticed that if he went to a specific spot, the fish learned that it was feeding time and eagerly showed up for their meal. This aspect of koi behavior is often surprising to people – they don’t expect them to have individual personalities and get excited for feeding time, but they do!
Unfortunately, the journey with the koi hasn’t been entirely smooth. John and Lisa experienced the loss of one of the four rescued koi last year. Despite their best efforts, losses like this can occur even when taking the best care of the fish.
Dealing with "Pea Green Soup"
In addition to losing a fish, they also faced another challenge. Last spring, they encountered a problem with their pond, which we often refer to as “pea green soup”. I can imagine that’s not the look they aimed for…
Winters in Virginia and North Carolina are quite mild with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing. Consequently, John and Lisa didn’t have to take many steps to prepare their pond for winter. The fish simply huddled at the bottom and waited for the weather to warm up. However, when April and May arrived and the temperatures increased, things took a turn. John explained that thick algae started to build up and the water turned green.
As some of you may remember, John and Lisa have a background in aquarium fish and maintenance. When trying to clean the pond, John mistakenly approached it as if it were an aquarium. He attempted to solve the issue by doing a big water change and cleaning off the algae, just as he would in an aquarium. Initially, the results looked great, and John thought he had finished the job. However, after about four days, the algae returned.
How to Treat Murky Pond Water
Ponds require a different approach than aquariums. After realizing that draining and cleaning the pond wouldn’t solve the problem, John reached out for assistance. To effectively address a pond algae problem, you really only need to focus on three things:
1. Beneficial bacteria: Introducing beneficial bacteria into the pond helps to maintain the nitrogen cycle, ensuring the overall health and well-being of the aquatic life.
2. Live plants in the water: Incorporating live plants in the pond serves as a natural method to out-compete the algae for nutrients, effectively depriving the algae of essential resources and aiding in its control.
3. Patience: Successfully addressing a pond algae problem requires patience. It takes time for the beneficial bacteria and live plants to establish a balanced ecosystem and achieve desired results.
This process not only helps to keep the water clear and free from unsightly green scum but also creates a more stable and healthy environment for fish, plants, and other pond inhabitants. As a result, the pond remains an attractive and vibrant ecosystem, where all living things can thrive in harmony.
After adding a scoop of beneficial bacteria from Aquascape to the pond each day, and planting a few plants in the water, it took about two weeks before John and Lisa had beautiful clear pond water again.
The Joy of a Backyard Pond
Despite the challenges, John and Lisa have loved the pond experience and are eager to continue learning. We can’t wait to see how it will evolve over the years as everything grows and matures. Backyard ponds have a magical way of bringing immense happiness, and we are delighted to have played a part in bringing this joy to our friends!