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March 25th, 2009 by John Stoner

We have all heard it before – plan before you start any major project. Well a Koi pond design is no different. Building a Koi pond is a big project. Poor planning will certainly cause it to be more expensive than you planned and take a lot longer to get it completed.

Decide on the shape of your Koi pond. There will always be constraints on the design that you can’t control – existing landscape, slope of the ground, other structures, etc. Lay out several shapes for the pond using lengths of rope or garden hose. Make sure you check out the design from all angles. Don’t forget to look at the design from inside your home. If you have an upstairs, look down on the designs as well.

The depth of your pond is a critical consideration for several reasons. Koi get to be big fish. They can grow 3 to 6 inches a year. They need room to swim not only laterally but up and down as well. You need to have a minimum depth of 4 feet. Ideally, 6 to 8 feet will give your fish all the room they will need. This greater depth also helps to stabilize the water temperature being cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter months.

With a larger pond you can obviously have more fish. The minimum size your koi pond design should have is 6 ft. by 9 ft. by 4 ft. deep. This will hold about 1600 gallons of water and provide adequate but minimum space for your Koi. In planning the true depth of the pond allow for about 6 in. from the water line to the top edge of the pond.

Keeping your Koi pond design simple is important. A simple design, while it may not look that spectacular on paper, will allow for better water circulation and filtration. You can always spruce up the design with landscape plantings. To keep your fish healthy and thriving you want o make sure the pond is kept clean and has the proper chemical balance. A simple design will make this a lot easier.

The best simple design shape is a rectangular or oblong pond. The rectangular design more easily allows the placement of multiple drains thus providing better filtration. It will minimize or eliminate dead areas that have poor or no water circulation.

The location of your pond is a very important part of Koi pond design. It should be where you will enjoy it the most. Most people prefer to have it as the central or focal point of a backyard or garden. Being able to view it from a balcony, deck or back porch can be very spectacular.

As you determine that perfect place, consider these issues. A pond in full sun is perfect for algae growth. Incorporate elements into your design to provide some shade. A pond under a tree is going to get dirty with debris and eventually cause the acidity to rise if not watched carefully. A pond next to large trees could find the pond liner pierced or concrete cracked by the roots. Keep your pond away from any locations that can have excessive rain water runoff. Make sure your pond not located to close to plants that require the use of harmful insecticides.