Do’s and Don’t 2009

The Basic Do’s & Don’ts of Koi Keeping 2009

The pages below were printed in the BKKS ‘KOI ‘80’ National Show programme but they started to be produced annually by the society around 1974 as guidelines for members. Yes, things have changed today, but those were the dark ages when few knew anything at all, if the truth was known at the time.

I have decided to do some of my own ‘Basic Do’s & Don’ts for Koi Keeping in 2009’ here are some which may be of use to some readers, especially newcomers to the hobby. Here goes, in no order at all: –

• Don’t

  Use a pond liner

  Build a Koi pond less than five feet deep

  Build a Koi pond that holds less than 2,000 gallons of water

  ‘Pump-feed’ your filter

  Build a pond without ‘proper’ bottom drain/s

  Buy ‘retro-drains’

  Buy ANY form of ‘pressurised’ filters

  Buy ANY ready-made filters without first being absolutely sure that they are perfect for your own needs and you also understand their installation requirements

  Buy your Koi from general garden centres; eBay and ‘on-line only’ outlets

  Buy off-the-shelf ‘Medications’ in pretty display packs – they do not work

  Buy ‘household drainage specification’ pipe work and fittings for your pond

  Buy any slide valves

  Believe all you read in ‘Specialist Koi Magazines’

  ‘Compromise’ in an attempt to ‘save’ money – it’s FAR too expensive!

• Do

  Build your pond in concrete

  ‘Gravity-feed’ your filter

  Remember and adopt the ‘One Drain to One filter to One pump’ principle

  Have a supplementary form of heating to your pond, even if it is never used

  Buy your Koi from a bona-fide Koi dealer with a good reputation and a healthy stock of fully-quarantined Koi – it’s cheaper by a mile!

  Own basic water test kits – pH; Nitrite; Ammonia & Dissolved Oxygen

  Try to get involved with a local Koi Club

  Use a ‘constant trickle’ of new water to your system and thus avoid large water changes; ‘top-ups’ and costly mains water purification units

  Get a microscope and learn how to use it

  Buy UPVC ‘pressure specification’ pipe work and fittings for your pond

  Feed genuine Koi foods

  Try to give your Koi the four seasons of the year

  Own a purpose-made Koi net & Koi bowl

  Try to attend Koi shows

  Try and visit other Koi ponds and get to know other Koi enthusiasts

All this advice is covered in greater detail throughout the respective pages of this site and this is just a ‘quick-read’’ page to highlight a few important areas that surround the hobby.