Sunday, November 25, 2012

Koi Ponds: An Excellent Addition To Your Yard

By Roland Stockwell


If you love fish, keeping a koi pond in your yard can be a great way to enjoy the many different varieties of ornamental carp or koi fish. Originating in China and very popular in Japan and other Asian countries, Americans also are learning to love these special water features.

In addition to their general beauty, koi are pets that have an exceptionally long life span. In fact, the oldest koi on record was well over 200 years in age and koi often live more than 100 years. Not only do they have that impressive longevity, they also are quite expensive. While the lower priced koi might cost only about $100, truly exceptional varieties have been known to fetch prices in the low six figures.

The breeding of koi is truly an art form, and there are actually various koi competitions that exist throughout the world. In addition to competing with koi, there are several magazines that are dedicated to this decorative fish. The magazines include helpful tips for taking care of your fish and pond, as well as features stories about koi in general.

Koi can eat up to 2% of their body weight each day, and they aren't picky about their food choices either. However, because they don't actually have stomachs, you do need to limit their food, especially during colder weather when their metabolism goes into a state of semi-hibernation. Koi are gentle with both other fish and people, and will even eat from your hand if they feel comfortable with you.

If you have a pond, keeping the pond clean is the highest priority simply because the health of your koi is at stake. Using a product that is safe and natural and contains no harmful chemicals is the best way to go. Healthy Ponds, for example has developed a special pond cleaner ideal for koi ponds. The AquaLily Water Cleaner and AquaSpherePRO are two other options to consider using to help keep koi pond water clean and clear.

Each of these cleaners contains a positive mix of bacteria that continuously release into your koi pond for 30 days, reducing excess nutrients, ammonia and sludge. The Pond Cleaner and AquaLily are both plastic dispensers that hold a pack of bacteria. The AquaSpherePRO is a biodegradable sphere that contains the helpful bacteria, but as the month progresses the sphere itself biodegrades, so there is no dispenser to remove. All of these products are safe for fish, people and all wildlife and have been approved by veterinarians.




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