Buy new liner?

[sissy]

you can even do a stock tank bog .The gravel and plants make a bog .I have stock tank filters and all I used was soda containers on the bottom and lava rock and plants and a crate ontop to catch some of the fine stuff using reusable furnace filter pads

 

[TheFishGuy]

Hi guys!

I just made my mom a koi pond last summer. It looks good and has held the water well, but I have some problems. I didn’t do enough research and made the mistake of watching youtuber Paul Cuffaro make a pond in Florida while I live in Iowa. I have no fish in it anymore (as they died) after the winter but they weren’t doing well before. My pond is 20in deep at the deepest part. It is at its widest 6 feet and about 10 feet long. The overlap is only about 2in at places. The fish could have died because I didn’t know how to care for them and all were reasonably new before the winter hit. Currently I’m debating if I should make the pond a little smaller or buy a new liner. Please save me.

Thank you ahead of time,
Isaac.

oh goodnes, you watched paul cuffaro, sorry man, but your in for life.......

 

[TheFishGuy]

There's literally no such thing as "little koi". They start out the size of an eyelash and grow VERY FAST. Have your mom look at shubunkin goldfish. They have all the lovely colors of koi and are the perfect size for your pond.

If by "overlap" you mean the amount that you have around the edge, a foot is fine. If you do want to go bigger AND use your old liner, check out the post by @GBBUDD on seaming two pieces of liner together. He did it in an existing pond - far easier to do if you can lay the two pieces of liner flat to create the perfect seam.

um.... I wish my koi would grow, but after having them for a year they have only grown an inch, any Ideas of what this might be? they used to be in a 160 gallon pond but I just got them to a 600 gallon.

 

[Lisak1]

after having them for a year they have only grown an inch,

Are you SURE you have koi? Post a photo so we can confirm before we talk about koi in a 600 gallon pond...

 

[TheFishGuy]

Are you SURE you have koi? Post a photo so we can confirm before we talk about koi in a 600 gallon pond...

yeah I knowwwwww, I shouldent have them in a 600 gallon pond the only reason I havent gotton rid of them is because they are too small here is a pic:

the black one with golden color is one of them and the other koi is the white gold and orange one near the top, I got them at petsmart, and yes I know that is also bad, If I could talk to my self 1 year ago something interesting wouldv gone down.

 

[poconojoe]

um.... I wish my koi would grow, but after having them for a year they have only grown an inch, any Ideas of what this might be? they used to be in a 160 gallon pond but I just got them to a 600 gallon.

As state, 600 gallons is way too little water to keep koi.

Aside from that fact and not that I would encourage you to somehow help your fish grow larger, but here's what I was told years ago by a reputable person....

If you want your koi grow faster, feed them a lot and do partial water changes often. It seems they excrete a pheromone which inhibits their growth. The water changes dilute this pheromone.

That being said, I have some koi that have gotten huge, well over 24", and others of nearly the same age that are nowhere near their size. I'm mean, not even close. They seemed to stop growing around 12"-14". I know the males generally aren't as big as the females, but half the size? Perhaps they are just different strains?

 

[TheFishGuy]

As state, 600 gallons is way too little water to keep koi.

Aside from that fact and not that I would encourage you to somehow help your fish grow larger, but here's what I was told years ago by a reputable person....

If you want your koi grow faster, feed them a lot and do partial water changes often. It seems they excrete a pheromone which inhibits their growth. The water changes dilute this pheromone.

That being said, I have some koi that have gotten huge, well over 24", and others of nearly the same age that are nowhere near their size. I'm mean, not even close. They seemed to stop growing around 12"-14". I know the males generally aren't as big as the females, but half the size? Perhaps they are just different strains?

thanks! since I dont really want them to grow to much bigger I will make sure to not do those things, as of right now since they are around 4 inches, do you think it is okay to have them in the 600 gallon?

 

[poconojoe]

thanks! since I dont really want them to grow to much bigger I will make sure to not do those things, as of right now since they are around 4 inches, do you think it is okay to have them in the 600 gallon?

I guess they are ok for now, but if they start growing fast, it may be time to do something, like build a bigger pond!

 

[TheFishGuy]

I guess they are ok for now, but if they start growing fast, it may be time to do something, like build a bigger pond!

thanks! Building a bigger pond is definitly on my list, now I just have to convince my mom to let me tear up more of her yard

 

[poconojoe]

thanks! Building a bigger pond is definitly on my list, now I just have to convince my mom to let me tear up more of her yard

Great! You have the pond itch! A lot of us started out small and just had to build bigger!

One fact to mention: smaller ponds are harder to take care of or keep in balance. With such a small amount of water, fluctuations can occur quickly.

 

[mrsclem]

You have had the fish for over a year. How large are they? Their growth may have been stunted from being in too small a container. A 1 year old koi should be at least 8-10 inches unless it is not being fed.

 

[poconojoe]

I went back and read your second post where you mentioned breaking a hole in the ice. I just thought I'd let you know that It's bad for the fish if you bang on the ice. It creates shock waves in the water. Try not to do that.

 

[TheFishGuy]

You have had the fish for over a year. How large are they? Their growth may have been stunted from being in too small a container. A 1 year old koi should be at least 8-10 inches unless it is not being fed.

I feed them once every other day one, is like 5 inches, the other is more like 6

 

[mrsclem]

wondering if they are hybrids

 

[poconojoe]

I discovered a new koi early this Spring. A nice looking orange and black one. It was probably only a few inches long. Now, in about two months it's about 8, maybe 9 inches long and gaining some serious girth. We do feed them twice a day. At the rate this fish is growing, by the Fall it's going to be huge.