Hi, we have just purchased a home with a huge garden pond. KG

[Kathy Gimenez]

We would like to know how many koi we should put in the pond that is approx 3,000 ga. in the main pond and probably 1.000 ga. in the ponds that feed into the main pond.

 

[Lisak1]

You'll hear a variety of answers based on gallons per fish or surface area per inch of fish or a combination of both. My suggestion, whichever way you decide to go, is to start with less than the max. Koi grow rapidly and get bigger than you will ever imagine.

Tell us more about your pond. How deep is it? What type of filtration? Where are you located? How old is the pond and how many fish were in it before you moved in?

 

[Tula]

Welcome to our forum We'd love to know more about your pond and see pictures! Some people have more koi, than others, but are committed to more care and filtration. Many here, prefer shubunkin as they are beautiful, hardy and less care than koi.

My pond is 17 gallons and I have 4 koi. I've had them about 10 years and they've grown a lot, so I think 4 is my maximum.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello, and welcome!

Here is a link that will give you a general idea of fish loads -- but it's just a guideline, not a rule.....
http://www.your-garden-ponds-center.com/fish-load-calculator.html

And I ditto what Lisak said, above. Is this your first pond experience? If it is, my best advice to you at this point [and before you put any fish in your pond] is to do as much research as you can on pond-keeping. Learn about the nitrogen cycle. Learn about koi and koi health. It is always best to start out slowly, but you'll never stop learning.

It's such a fun hobby! I only have goldfish, but from what I understand, koi are more particular about their water conditions, therefore come with a higher learning curve.

 

[Mmathis]

Welcome to our forum We'd love to know more about your pond and see pictures! Some people have more koi, than others, but are committed to more care and filtration. Many here, prefer shubunkin as they are beautiful, hardy and less care than koi.

My pond is 17 gallons and I have 4 koi. I've had them about 10 years and they've grown a lot, so I think 4 is my maximum.

@Tula I think you meant to type "1700" gallons? I almost choked on my pickle when I read that, LOL!

 

[Tula]

@Tula I think you meant to type "1700" gallons? I almost choked on my pickle when I read that, LOL!

Oh dear........LOL Yes, 1700 gallons!!!!

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome Kathy!

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group! I stuck with goldfish shubunkins easier to care for and they don't get as big.

 

[CometKeith]

Hi Kathy, Welcome. I second what Addy suggested. Goldfish in your pond would be really easy to care for and way less work so you may want to think about it as an alternative. Also you can add as many plants frogs etc with goldfish and it will create a nice watergarden for your yard. Goldfish have an intersting range of behavor in ponds. My goldfish are always splashing like crazy this time of the year because of spawning and they are fun to watch.

 

[johan]

If you must have Koi, make sure that you don't stock anywhere near to maximum capacity. Koi grow quickly, so being at the limit means you'll be over the limit this time next year. If it's your first big pond then it'd be sensible to maybe go for a bunch of fancy goldfish first rather than straight into Koi. Keeping Koi involves a high level of complexity and ongoing maintenance routines and it might be worth making sure that you are really prepared for all that by just going a bit simpler first. Also, if you get it wrong being your first pond, fact is that replacing goldfish is a lot cheaper. And... welcome

 

[Mmathis]

@CometKeith @addy1 @johan I totally agree with you about goldfish! Especially for a first-timer [which we are assuming for the OP]. They are a lot easier to care for and are an excellent introduction to ponding as they are very hardy! And, as Addy mentioned, Shubunkin can be every bit as lovely as koi! I left that out of my initial post, so glad you guys brought it up!

Also, with koi, there's the issue of plants. Not everyone wants plants in their pond, but if you do want them, koi may not be a good choice as they are very destructive. Just another thing to consider.

Do your homework! Learn to be patient! Never stop learning! Have fun! Enjoy! [Hey, I should make that my new motto!]

 

[tbendl]

It looks like you've already gotten some great advice so I'll just leave a "Welcome to the Group".

 

[sissy]

welcome to our little pond of fanatics

 

[Mmathis]

welcome to our little pond of fanatics

Shouldn't that be "finatics?"

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Welcome to the group!