A Fish Pond in the Garden?
The gentle sound of lapping water is very soothing and relaxing. More so when there are fish to observe as they swim about in their underwater world. Many people who keep fish find them mesmerizing to watch, especially backyard koi.
With these thoughts in mind, imagine sitting next to an attractive fish pond in your own backyard. What a great way to relax after a long hard day! Listen to the bubbling water and immerse yourself in the captivating realm of your fish. This article will explain how to do that and will cover you how to build a koi pond cheap.
Fishponds can be incredibly aesthetically pleasing if cared for, and can blend into the natural flow of a garden area to make a super-dynamic atmosphere.
There are many reasons why people like to have this unusual feature. It could be about creating a little oasis. Or adding beauty to the environment where you live. Perhaps you’re extending a hobby of keeping fish in a tank. Whatever motivates you, there is no doubt that having a fish pond in your yard is uniquely gratifying, a zen experience, and frequently quite entertaining.
Why Koi Fish?
Koi means Common Carp in Japan, but they are far from “common.” Koi are beautiful ornamental fish that are a perfect addition to any pond worldwide. There are many breeds of koi, including show quality categories. Yes, you can take your koi pond hobby a step further, and enter your fish into competitions.
Koi are magical fish. They change colors as they grow and can boast an array of shimmering patterns upon their bodies. Some have black markings, that will grow bigger as the fish matures. Patterns or colorations of red tend to get deeper rather than bigger. Some have scales, others do not, and some have a metallic sheen. The white coloring will begin as cream in the young and become whiter as they mature.
See this article about the meaning of koi fish, and about the symbolism of their shimmering colors.
The patterns and colors in a young koi will alter in the first 3-years of its life. While it can live between 20-30 years, once reaches its 3rd to 4th years, it will stop changing, but it won’t stop growing. If you invest in a small sized koi of around 6-inches long, then it is a young one that you can grow to around 2-feet in length. How it develops, though, is dependent on your own standards of care. Koi need nutritional food. They also require quality water that should be deep with current and aeration.
Koi are a social fish and prefer company, so don’t only keep one on its own.
During breeding season don’t worry if you see them colliding into each other. The males are loosening the eggs from the females. These are a hardy fish able to survive extremely cold temperatures. A frozen-over pond will cut off the oxygen in the water. It is not the temperature that is the danger, but ice covering. Make sure any it is broken up to let air into the water.
Koi will also take food from your hands. While they don’t have teeth to bite, their jaws are quite strong. Watch out they don’t mistake your finger for a piece of food, or you will feel that strength as it pulls at your hand.
With the perfect fish, you also want a perfect pond, so here are some tips on how to go about installing one in your backyard.
How Much Does a Backyard Koi Pond Cost?
It’s really hard to say how much a pond will cost, as there are a huge number of variables that would go into this calculation. For the pond that we are discussing here, assuming that you’re able to do the excavation yourself (with a shovel, and not renting out an excavation machine), and assuming that you’re doing the lining and plumbing work, somewhere in the $1,500-2000 range is a good estimate to start with.
That said, there are lots of factors in this calculation, and if you need to hire a site work contractor and rent an excavator, that price can easily double and perhaps triple before you can say “koi”… and “koi” is a very short word!
Though you’ll also need to consider ongoing maintenance costs, which are not enormous, but are also not insignificant in terms of time and expense.
Koi fish can live for many years, so it may help to consider them a part of the family!
How to Build a Koi Pond Cheap: A Step-By-Step Guide
1. Find your site in the garden area
When it comes to choosing where to situate your new pond, there are a few factors to consider:
- Can you get to it easily enough?
- Can you view it easily? after all, this pond is meant to enhance your garden!
- Will it blen in appropriately with the rest of your garden area?
- Get the right balance of both sun and shade?
- Will falling leaves settle on the area?
- Are there any large tree roots where you are going to dig?
- Are there any electrical cables or water pipes under the site?
- Are there any other physical obstacles to excavation (ledge, large boulders, etc.)
Mark the Area
Mark out your plot with string or spray paint can.
Ponder It For a While To Decide if You Like the Spot
- Observe the marked area for a few weeks. Look out for how great or small the sun shines on it.
- If it’s the right time of year, note whether there are many fallen leaves settling upon it.
2. Determine the Size of the pond
Now it is time to make the final decision on the size, shape, and depth of your pond.
Work out the Volume of the Pond
To help you decide on the size that is best for your needs, it’s a good idea to work out the volume of water needed. You need to know the volume to decide how large your pumps need to be.
Here is an example of a typically sized koi pond, L: 24′ x W 12′ x D 4′.
Length
Koi grow to various lengths. Domestic breeds can reach between 12-15 inches. Japanese Koi can develop up to 26 inches. There are even jumbo sized ones that can reach as big as 3-feet long!
If your choice of koi will mature to around 24-inches in length, then ideally you should have no more than 15 fish in a 24-feet long pool. The larger your fish, then the fewer you should keep. If you know your fish will only reach around 12-inches, then you could keep around 20 in the same sized pool.
The fewer fish you keep then the better; so you can take good care of them.
Width
Bear in mind that you need access to all areas so you can take out any fish that might need help. For this reason, it’s best not to have a pond more than 12-feet wide.
Depth
An average koi pond needs to be around 3-4-feet deep. The larger your fish, the deeper you should go. The maximum depth should be around 6-feet.
Volume
This refers to how much water you need to fill the pool adequately. For the example sized pond we have used, here is how you would calculate an approximation on the volume of water needed.
- L24 x W12 = 288 x D4 = 1152.
- Then multiply your result by 7.5 (the amount of water in a square foot of water).
- In our example this would be 1152 x 7.5 = 8640 gallons of water will fill this pool.
3. Excavate the Pond
Dig the Hole
- Begin by digging approximately. 7-inches deep within the entire marked-out template.
- Once you reach this a depth, measure across 10 inches from the outer edge of the pool. Mark out a new circumference at this point, around the entire hole.
- Dig down another 5-inches, right across the new inner circumference. The 10-inches you left alone at the 7-inch depth, is the floor of the first terrace step.
- If you want more terraces, then repeat the process for every terrace step you want to create.
- If you don’t want any terraces for plants, there is no need to create an inner circumference. Don’t stop at 7-inches, but keep digging until you have your 3-4-feet depth.
- Now you should have a hole that is 3-4 feet deep in the center, with or without extra terrace shelves.
- Finally, dig a small hole at the bottom, in the center, for a Bottom Drain. You will also need to dig out a channel from this hole to run the flexible pipe to the surface. More about this in our plumbing section, but have a look at figure 1 and you will see a channel going from the Bottom Drain to the Setting Chamber.
- The overall shape of the surface is not typically round or square. Most who have koi ponds look for an irregular shape so it blends in as part of the land and has a natural look to it. But if you love sleek minimalism, and aren’t going for the natural look, choose any shape you desire (within functional limits).
4. Line the Foundation
Now you have your hole in the ground, you need to lay a protective foundation. The typical PVC or fiberglass molded ones will be too small unless you go for less than 100-gallons volume.
There are other choices for the larger ponds:
Concrete
The best type of lining but also the most expensive. You would still need to lay a vinyl liner underneath the concrete. This is the strongest foundation for any pond and the best for avoiding leakages. But it’s expensive and requires familiarity with concrete work, or a professional
PVC or Rubber Bonded Liners
These are easier for the “layman” to fit. They are more of a membrane for your pond.
You need to cover the bottom of the entire pond and the base of any waterfall features you wish to incorporate. Measure extra to extend up the sides and even beyond the edge of the pond to allow for the settling-in process. It is not necessary for it to be one size to cover the whole of the pond. You can lay it in smaller pieces, so long as you seal all the joints correctly.
Install the Underlayment
- First lay down your underlay on the base of the hole, and the sides if you can.
If you are investing in a quality liner, then it is worth putting down an underlay beneath it. This helps to protect the expensive liner as it cushions the underneath. It will prevent root growth or anything else from piercing the liner. If you buy one, they are made of the same fabric you would use for preventing weeds.
A cheaper investment for this underlay could be old pieces of carpeting. The joints don’t need any sealant, as it is purely to protect the actual liner.
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Install the Liner
- On top of the underlay, you will lay your liner. It needs to cover the underlay, go up the sides and extend beyond the edges of the pool, for settling purposes.
5. Install Plumbing
Bottom Drain
This is one of the most important filters for your koi pond. You should fit an independent drain for every 6000-gallons of water. Don’t connect them in any way, as it is their job to drain their section of the pond. They send all that waste and debris that collects at the bottom, to another filter.
If you don’t have a mechanical draining system, then you will need to completely empty the pond at least once a year.
That is the only way to clean up all that bacterial waste collection.
The cleaner your water system, the healthier your koi fish.
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Dig Drain Holes
At the base of your pond hole, dig 1-2 smaller holes for your Bottom Drains to sit in. For each Bottom Drain, dig out a trench for the piping to run to the settling chamber filters that will sit outside the pond. This pipe can be as long as needed to reach the settling chamber.
Always run flexible hose pipes and not the rigid piping that needs extra fittings on bends. Hard joints can potentially get blocked up with debris.
Settling Chamber
Water from the bottom drain is pumped up to the SC so that larger debris is filtered out. This is why you need to run a channel when you dig out your pond hole.
Settling Chambers are the larger skimmers that filter, but they are best not to be submerged. By standing them on the surface and anywhere in the garden, you have easy access to clean the filters.
You may put them behind a bush or long grass, so they are not in view.
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Pumps
The pumps should move all the water around every few hours. You may need more than one pump if you have a large pond. This process helps with aeration and debris clearance. Pumps move at the rate of Gallons Per Hour (GPH).
There are a few considerations to focus on when deciding on the size of the pump required for your koi pond:
- Volume – The GPH needs to equal at least half the volume of your pond water. A small pond of 1000-gallons of water would need to pump rated at 500GPH.
- SC – It is also important to buy the right sized pump for your SC and bottom drain. Too weak and it won’t pull up the debris from the bottom drain. Too powerful and it will send the water straight through the SC without filtering. If this happens there will not be enough time for the debris to settle.
For example, the skimmer in our Buyer’s Guide (below) can withstand a flow rate of 3900 gph (gallons per hour.) That means the pump(s) you install should not be more powerful than around 4000gph. Even if you fit two pumps for one filter system, the total power should still equal the size of the skimmer’s flow rate.
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Ideally, the water at the bottom of the pond should pump up to the SC on the surface. As the water pumps through the SC, there are various mesh filters that gradually break the debris and waste down.
Clear water is then pumped back into the pond.
If your pump is not submerged, you will need to prime it when you first turn it on. This involves fitting valves to allow water to enter and air to leave. If you don’t ensure the air is first removed, the pump could get air-bound and shut off.
It is difficult to advise on which pump(s) you should use. This is dependent upon your set up, with many factors impacting size and type. For example, the size of the pond and the location of the pump both impact the size of the appropriate pump(s) to use. Once you’ve got your pond sized and configured, calculate the volume and begin searching for appropriate pump sizes.
Only then will you know the volume of the water so you can decide on the filter system you need to use.
6. Set Up Your Filter System
As well as a good pumping system to circulate the water, you will also need filter systems to remove the debris. Depending on how large your pond is, you may need surface filters as well as an SC for the bottom.
Skimmers
There are various electrical models that can be either submerged into the water as a permanent fixture or float freely on the surface. If you have surface skimmers as well as the SC, then the top and the bottom of the pond are being skimmed for debris. This will benefit your fish tremendously.
As well as the mechanical filters, you should look at the natural ways of keeping your pond healthy. For the smaller ponds, or without fish, biological filters might be enough on their own.
Biological Filtering
There is an array of biological matter that is naturally added to a pond. Falling leaves, insects, and waste matter from the fish themselves, all play their part in causing algae growth. Biological filtering systems can help to break down that bad bacteria growth, as follows:
- Waste produces ammonia.
- Ammonia breaks down into nitrites.
- Oxygen in the water then breaks the nitrites into nitrates.
- Fish can thrive with low-level nitrates.
Different types of Biological Filtering Systems
Rocks
By creating lots of surface-growing areas such as rock surfaces, you will create spaces for the natural bacteria to settle upon. These bacteria will biologically filter the pond water.
You could also lay gravel on the bottom of the pond which will have the same effect as the rocks.
Plants
These help to balance the aquatic system, and koi even enjoy eating the leaves and roots of certain plants. Not only can plants provide shade and sustenance, but they also aerate and remove harmful nitrates. Once established they should need little maintenance.
You can place the roots in submersible tubs on the terraces incorporated when you excavated your pond. Or bury them under rocks or gravel, so that the fish can’t eat them all.
Lilly Pads
Lilly pads provide shade for the koi as their large leaves float on the surface.
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Water Lettuce
Water lettuce is another plant that is popular with koi and helps contain the algae growth.
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Other Plants
Waterweed, smartweed, and coontail are all great choices for koi ponds.
Do be vigilant though in the plants you choose, and make sure none of the vegetation is poisonous to koi fish.
Here’s a list (but not exhaustive) of plants that are inappropriate for koi ponds.
The eco-system of your pond can also include live creatures:
Snails
A great addition to a large pond that requires plenty of filtration. Probably not so good for the smaller ponds though. The main problem with snails is that they are fussy eaters.
They don’t consume the all bad algae and enjoy eating the good algae. While snails are an attractive addition, keep their population small. Remove any dead carcasses, as you don’t want to add to the debris.
Here’s a guide to welcoming snails into your koi pond.
Frogs
Great for eating up the insects and even the excess snails. Chances are the local frogs will inhabit your pond without your permission, so you typically don’t need to do anything to attract frogs!
Tadpoles are ideal for consuming excess algae. Frogs add a wonderful natural characteristic to any pond, with their chirping and leaping around. They may occasionally even ride on the backs of the larger koi.
As they are generally on the decline, you will be playing a great role in conservation if you allow them in your pond. They won’t harm your koi, though large frogs do eat very small fish. Whilst koi are omnivorous, they will not eat the frogs. Their main diet is vegetation and the odd earthworm or prawn.
Birds and Bats
Attracting birds and bats to the area can be a great help to your koi pond, as well as your local bird population! As our article on the best bat houses mentions, bats are great at controlling insects, and it’s very important to support them. They are on the decline.
Place a few birdhouses and bird feeders around the larger koi pond. This is another way of naturally controlling those annoying insects, and is much better than using chemicals and mosquito foggers.
Of course, you don’t want to encourage the larger birds such as herons. Encouraging smaller birds also adds to the magic of a pond oasis.
7. Set Up The Aeration System
Whilst the filtration system will keep your pond healthy and clean, it is crucial to ensure you have adequate oxygen in the water. Believe or not, your koi fish do need to breathe.
- A combined pond pump and filter system is a great solution to clean your water, and for waterfalls and fountain effects.
- The plants will help in this role too, but if you have a large pond your water should have movement.
- Adding a small pond waterfall or solar powered water fountain are great means of creating movement in the water for aeration, as well as beautiful accent points.
- You can also add underwater electrical systems that will create air bubbles, making sure the water is not stagnant.
- Air stones and air pumps are great additions to ensure the water is oxygenated for healthy fish.
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Koi Pond Setup Buyer’s Guide
In this section, we’ll look at a bunch of the products that you’ll need to get your Koi Pond setup.
Many of these have been mentioned above, but here’s a condensed list with descriptions for help.
Thermal welded by hand and made from schedule-80 PVC. Comes in various sizes.
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Trap net and filter provided. Outlets for 1½-2inch piping.
Easy to install and hard wearing.
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Only works in the sunlight, which is perfect for sitting out to enjoy a bright day. Fill base with water where the pump is immersed, and change water frequently.
Size 7.1 x 7.1 x 0.4 inches, and under 8-ounce in weight.
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No rigging up as it has a self-weighted base to keep it upright and submerged. Attaches to an air compressor with the use of a sinking hose (both sold separately). Weighs under 3lb.
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Conclusion: Setting up a Backyard Koi Pond
This is the basics of building a koi pond, and with this guide, you should be able to get much of what you need oriented.
But the building of the pond is most likely the easy part! There is much more to this wonderful hobby if you want a pure pond full of healthy koi. However, it can easily become a habit of a lifetime, as it is such an enjoyable task with great benefits.
As a follow-up to this post, we’ve put together a beginners guide to caring for your koi pond. It goes into details on how to maintain your pond in all four seasons, and how to keep koi alive during winter.
Done correctly, you will get years of satisfaction and fun from your own creation of a beautiful koi pond. This article should get you started, but there is always more to learn when rearing your own koi fish.
Maintaining their underwater world with a healthy eco level is crucial, so do your research and treat your pond as a part of the family. That way, both you and your fish can enjoy many years of contentment together.
If you can do that, you will love every moment of owning your own private koi pond.
Further Reading
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your picture said without breaking the bank. 🙁 1,500- 2,000 is breaking the bank
It is true that these koi ponds are a luxury buy and even the least expensive ones do not come cheap.
I’ve been out of the business for many years now and have been reading about some new ideas in building koi ponds. But it’s been my experience that you have two different types of people who buy these pond. 1st is the most common and certainly the more readily available buyer…. and that the lady who wants to add something “pretty” in the back yard. Those are your water garden enthusiasts. 2nd is the more seasoned individual who have progressed beyond the water garden and into the realm of koi. These are your koi enthusiasts.
The water garden enthusiasts will buy almost anything to make it pretty and aesthetically appealing. And some do this with “money is no object” attitude.
The koi enthusiasts is a different breed of people. They build an environmentally efficient, friendly environment for their koi. Creating eco systems that not only mimic natural bodies of water, sometimes surpassing nature’s ability to maintain a healthy environment for their koi.
I myself am a definite koi enthusiasts. So much that I studied under Dr Eric Johnson. Probably the top koi doctor in the country, to become a certified fish health specialist.
I’ve enjoyed reading this article. It’s been very informative. And I’ve deeply considered returning to the koi industry to help others cross over into “the koi enthusiasts” side of the equation. Mainly because I’ve seen so many people who dont consider the health if their fish as important as the look of their pond.
Thank you for this article
Sincerely, Quinton Osburne