I have a raised 1000 gallon pond with a window, had it nearly 2 years, upgraded it from a 300 gallon fibre glass pond, i have an Israeli koi that is 35 years old and 2 ghost koi's nearly 30 years old. I have never heated my pond and only cover it temporarily when it forcast snow. Love you channel. So very informative, Keep up the good work 👍
Do you turn your pump off in the winter? I'm in NJ and I get 3' feet of snow sometimes and alot of 0 below... just wondering if that is something you do since I'm still planning to build a half raised half inground
@@mannymartins6831 Hi, I run my pump all year round. Pump is located in a shed next to the pond, I use a Evolution Aqua 10000 vari pump and a Eazypod. I insulate my pipes and bits when the temp drops. My pond is completely raised above ground. Hope this helps.
Hi I only found your channel last week and I love it, I've got a 4000 gallon old school pond with concrete block fibreglassed filter chambers kept koi for 30yrs and to me what you say makes total sense keep up the good work I'm subscribed 👍
I like this guy. He is right and more UK people should follow him cause they waste too much money heating their ponds only to have to treat them every year for parasites
My late father built his pond in the mid 70’she filtered with a built in gravel filter pump was a reconditioned pond pump. The bottom drain had an iroko wood grill held together with bronze screws. Never heated,nor covered he kept them successfully for 25 years. They survived a flood, frost and snow, what got them was a faulty pump draining the pond .
The best one I've had from other koi owners was I don't have a real koi pond because it has plants and is in the ground rather than raised. Apparently I have a water garden. I've also been attacked for saying I won't treat things like flukes and trichodina (even tho they've had them years, and been totally fine as I don't mess around with my water). I just refuse to use chemicals unless something serious was going on. The big problem I had was I mixed vaccinated Israeli koi with Japanese koi. I didn't know what a problem that could be and one carried KHV and eradicated my pond of all unvaccinated fish in June. My fault for not understanding and being naive. The guilt was so strong it nearly stopped me keeping koi. Please keep doing these mate. Some in the koi community need to give their heads a wobble.
I have been keeping my koi out since 1991, in Canada, with temperatures below -42 Fahrenheit and colder with windchill values to -59 below. I now run my new ponds with no heater and keep water running all winter in my ponds. Running water all winter most important to keeping a small natural water hole open where water flows or ice would choke off pond. No need to cover at all in the UK buy I do a cold frame covered with snow for -40 and below. Never lost a koi and they are never sick cause ice cold running water keeps koi healthy and parasites away.
I look at some of the ponds featured on YT and the filtration is out of this world. It is unbelievable. I have a 6400lt pond ( 8x8x4 ) with 21 koi. Avarage size is about 15" - 20" and I run a 14000lt pressure filter with a 7500lph pump. Fish are all fine..parameters are fine. I do use polycarb covers over the pond with a 1" gap all round to allow gas out and air in. Good video..just subscribed. Look forward to more straight forward speak.
No heated outdoor Koi Ponds in Canada! Just got thew -42 Fahrenheit last month and fish all fine and happily in slumber mode. I've been keeping Koi outside and alive in Canada since 1991. Don't waste your money on a heater, just keeps the parasites alive and wel. My fish never ever sick thanks to ice cold running water
I think people who heat and cover there ponds in winter genreally have expensive KOI and ponds and there main goal is to keep them growing in winter, i think the reality is if you just havea normal pond you dont need to heat it or cover it as long as its deep enought onot fully freeze
Hi 👋, how are you? I do have a different opinion on some of the topics you mention. I hope you don’t mind I am sharing this: 1. The winters in Japan are not colder than -1 or -2 degrees Celsius in Niigata (exceptions there). The reason why the fish are inside during the winter is the meters of snow that cover up the mud ponds. 80% of the ponds from the breeders are not even heated during the winter. I know 1 breeders in Niigata that keeps their fish in the mud pond, it’s not right what you say here. Breeders in the south have a whole different climate so that’s a exception. 2. Mudponds are millions liters of water, ponds not. That’s why temperatures fluctuate more in your backyard koi ponds. Mud ponds are very stable you can’t compare this with a simple 30,000 liter koi pond. What I miss in your video is the reason why people cover their ponds. Extending a feedingperiod for their growth or health.. Saving money when heating their ponds. Keeping ponds ice free. And yes keeping their water temperatures stable during the spring when days are warm and nights cold. Because ponds are small ecosystems the temperature can change a lot during this time of the year. I think you missed all these very important points that are proofed by hobbyists and dealers for decades. I know hobbyists that have for tens of thousands of euros of koi in their ponds. With temperatures of -15 or -20 during winter in Germany, Netherlands or Switzerland these hobbyist want to protect them. I am not a huge fan of covers myself, but I do know that for many people it’s very useful. Cheers Yvo ✌️
Hi thanks for the comment. The point is that if you choose to cover or not, heat or not, that’s just human choice. Koi as a species do not require either. If they did need to then everyone would have to. For instance if you have ever kept specialist tropical fish like discus, they are very selective with water parameters as they are very sensitive, hence you you do not find them all over the world, their temps have to be specific or they will die. Koi are very hardy which you do find all over, some countries they are pests…if you have been to Japan, you can see them in the streams, even street side drains and all over the rice paddies, they are left outside and are still koi. cheers
And btw temperatures still effect water the same either a large mud pond or small garden pond. Colder layers on top hence why it freezes, warmer layers sink to the bottom. The science doesn’t change. A three foot pond of 1millions litres will still have the same amount of ice on top as pond of 10000 litres at the same air temp and the temp under neath with be the same. Water is an amazing insulator, your point is inaccurate.
I have a koi pond in alberta, canada. Its 2500 gallons and 24-30" deep. Its not possible to keep the pump waterfall runnning through the winter due to our temperatures. The fish will be under ice for about 5 months straight with a bubbler going constantly. Usually I get about 8" of ice but if the bubbler it keeps a small hole open and everything seems to be fine. Any extra suggestions for managing a pond during a canadian winter?
That is much colder than what we get but the science is the same. When ice freezes, the colder layers are at the top, in fact it doesn’t matter how cold it gets outside, water is a great insulator, at the bottom there temp can’t get lower than 4 degrees Celsius, because water is at its most dense at this temp so it sinks and goes to the bottom, I presume the ice is only few inches thick…?
Fellow Canadian here in the Hobby since 1981. Yes physics wise water is most dense at 4° however in your situation with a pretty shallow Pond if you actually measure the temperature you'll find it'll be maybe 1 Celsius at the bottom. Winter Thermoclines don't generally develop without a decent amount of depth The surrounding earth will be 10 Celsius at Double the depth of the frost line. Here in Toronto our frost line is perhaps 3 ft - worse for you. So when digging your pond you want to consider the frost line. You can reduce the frost line of course by making a cover that extends at least two to three feet wider than the pond Probably the number one regret in building a pond is not making it big enough followed by not having the right filters. Most people have a limited footprint so the way to increase the volume is to make it deeper. Then you're able to keep more fish and those fish you become attached to when they get larger in better conditions. Adding a jet in a smaller Pond is a great idea as it makes sort of a swimspa for them There are a couple other huge benefits of the winter cover which I'm a big advocate of. First if you get it on in early October you can stop all the leaves from getting in the pond. Spring Clean up is therefore a snap. You are also extending the season for feeding your fish. And of course in the spring the pond warms up a lot faster and you can feed them sooner. You're likely gaining at least a month if not 6 weeks more of feeding which is huge because the cumulative effects of winter in our climate here are not good for the fish. When you look at the cost of a cover and the time to make one it's a no-brainer. We just build them with electrical conduit and Super 6 Polly The cover also eliminates the wind chill which is a huge factor in cooling down the pond. Obviously site location effects this as some ponds can be very well sheltered and others not so much. Wind will severely cool down your pond ! Pay attention to your aeration location it should be more off to the side and not at the deepest part of the pond. If aeration is too high it can cause super chilling as you expose all that water to the cold air. Super chilling is when the water goes below zero and it's still a liquid. This is a big reason why you don't run your waterfall in the winter The general comment I'll make after watching some of these videos is that yes you're able to get away without some of these things sometimes..... but is your objective for the fish to thrive or just survive? And also remember it sounds obvious but the fish can only die once. Once you grow a fish on for a while you get attached and losing it from a preventable mistake is awful We have started a koi farm just outside of Toronto and I'm really enjoying the hobby again. Happy koi keeping to all 😊
Hi ,I really love your channel and I know that you build some awesome ponds. Please may I ask a question. I have about 16 goldfish most are just commons . However I have 2 small ( but fat ) fancy goldfish ,Oranda I think. Can they survive a British winter . My pond in about 80cm deep. Thanks very much 😊
In 2010 my pond with koi in froze over to the extent that I could walk on it, it was frozen for weeks. The fountain even froze. I had to go out every day and pore 3 or 4 kettles worth of water on it to make a hole, it would freeze back up in minutes lol. I tried the ball trick but the ball would just freeze in the ice. The fish were fine.
what do you think about the elevated ponds with large windows? i dont own one because i dont like the looks. do they need a cover to keep some temperature in? most of them insulate the sides and i see a lot of the with temporary roofs for the winter.
I put floating balls on mine my koi got what appeared to be either chilled swim bladder or sleeping sickness. I put the heater on 12c and salted gradually up to 0.6% . I had more every day going upside down. The water parameters were perfect , no parasite or bacterial issues . It worked anyhow . People who spend a fortune on koi wish to do everything to ensure their survival the breeders do raise some Tosai and Nisai indoors . I have found Koi to be tougher than fancy goldfish, If someone has spent a fortune on a Dainichi , Sakai or Momotaro Gosanke and they can afford it I don’t blame anyone for heating and covering their pond . I do like plants which I plant in my Bakki shower and will be hanging baskets next summer I think your right though for regular koi ones that do not cost the earth they do stand a great chance of making it to spring without heat or cover . I have Dainichi , Momotaro and Sakai fish among others plus 7 Tamasaba. I will be heating and covering. Last Februarys short , sharp and very cold snap caused major issues I lost one fish before the heat abd salt pulled it back
Many thanks for the comment. Like we said in the video, if something happened to your fish in winter it wasn’t the cause from the temp, it maybe that your fishes immune system is low, quite a common issue is people keep koi in almost sterile like ponds which are far from natural and highs stocks and just rely on man made filter system with no plant life and a no natural ecosystem, again heating is un natural they have evolved of a long time to experience cold winters and go into a state of hibernation, you are just messing with what is in there dna so you have to expect problems
I think you have over simplified this , carp are historically actually a warm water fish and thrive in water temperatures of 26deg , and in fact the uk is right on the edge of their climate range . Mainly talking summer months here , this is why you find the uk on average have smaller wild carp than most of the other areas of the world you find carp . Now winter time using the same reference you do carp in the wild live in much larger bodies of water than your average pond with deeper areas to over winter , fishing the mohne dam Germany the carp would sit at depths of 10 m . Being large bodies of water temperature fluctuations are a lot slower .moving water is warmer than still water in the same air temps. And you having done the same degree as me ! You know it is rapid fluctuations in temperature over 2deg that upset fish . So small ponds under 4000g do benifit from covers to prevent rapid cooling from wind chill, it’s not necessary, but if you want to care for what many will have” a very expensive collection “then covering or enclosing a pond is a personal choice and worth while , I agree there are a lot of myths about but the one about the Japanese bringing there koi in , why bring in their prize most valuable fish if winter causes no problems . At the end of the day it’s a personal choice and most people who cover do have ways of observing their koi to make sure there’s no problems from cameras to viewing points . Sure they are ugly to look at but hey in the uk how often do you sit out in the garden in winter 😂
It is simple that’s the point. We always say if you want do it a different way by all means, but the fish by no means need it. Majority of people don’t cover/heat. If it was necessary then everyone would have too. Lots of people are told the fish need it which is not true hence the video.
Switch it off cold water holds a vast amount of water,if you have a filter system that probably aerates the water enough even in the summer unless you have a high stock pond
I have a cheap roll back tarp cover over the pond and equipment. I only do this to keep the equipment running along from freezing and breaking. Whilst I have a pond cover, I completely agree that koi do not need a cover. From research, over wintering has been proven to extend longevity.
@@thep0ndman Thanks. Having worked in aquatics, I appreciate this approach and guidance for all to keep Koi. In that area, we never heated any external tank or added a cover due to the equipment being inside.
Love this channel. So much miss information about koi carp. Thats why so many clubs fold due to people not agreeing about things. But can you do a video about bog filters please. That should stir some up. Cheers.
There are koi carp in the Thames. People have released them and they have survived just fine for years. There is an urban fishing channel on here with a guy catching them. Some decent sized ones as well!
@@thep0ndman Mine do just fine. Never have covered them for winter. There is a plant shelf type thing that they go under, but they go under there irrespective of the temperature. It's just natural behavior to avoid predators.
One of the videos I saw of a so called expert was that his fish were dying from a bacterial infection because he had a bit of muck in his filter. My heart went out to him because he clearly loved his koi, but it was maddening at the same time. My first pond with koi had well over an inch of muck on the bottom and I never had a single bacterial problem.
You don't 'need' to, but if you heat a cover definitely keeps the bills down (with heating being a 'want', not a 'need' either). It is handy though to cover in winter to keep the crap out of the pond (as most don't want to be outside like in the summer, at least I don't).
I have never heard any of those reasons used for reasons why people cover their ponds. The reasons ive commonly heard often have very little to do with koi's abilty to survive the cold.
Although I think most of the statements in this videos are correct I also think that some important issues have been omitted. Wild carp live in much bigger volumes of water, swings in temperature and chemistry are more gradual. Also not all carp in the wild will make it through a long harsh winter, no big loss but if one of my big ones worth a few $$$$ should go belly up I would be very unhappy. I live in the high hills in central Italy, in summer even with shade cloth over my fortysixthousand liter pond the water can go above 28° and without the air pump flat out the fish are visibly worse. In winter we have had a meter of snow, if that falls in the pond it drops the temperature instantly - so I cover my 5 meter X 8 meter pond. Is it absolutely necessary: NO, but it is a form of insurance. I don't heat the pond, I don't have a drum filter, a moving bed or bakki shower, things that many think are almost a must, but just 20 square meters of wetland filtration so not all modern gadgets and gizmos are indispensable but they have their uses
Thanks for the comment appreciate it. expensive or not they are the same species. If people struggle to keep them its human error not the fish or temps or anything like that
@@thep0ndmanI get what you are saying and agree with you that keeping carp warm through winter is unnatural but I think you are missing the point (maybe on purpose as being controversial leads to clickbait?). I live near a pristine mountain lake (lake Campotosto, 4300 feet above sea level, 14 square km, over 100 ft deep), water is pure snowmelt with no pollution as it is far from anywhere. And still in spring you can fish carp that have fared poorly and you occasionally find a dead one. As you have said yourself in some of your videos not all koi are brought in from the Japanese mud ponds during winter but you forgot to mention that not all make it to spring and our garden ponds are not a match for a natural water basin, they are small shallow puddles stuffed with fish that many of us strive to grow to sizes that would seldom be seen in nature. You are right in saying that carp are built tough, before keeping koi I used to have 100 gal fish tanks, some dedicated to discus and others to Mbuna and by comparison you just have to look at them the wrong way and they die. So three years ago I built my koi pond and never had to treat for parasites, the pond is covered December to March and the water is usually about 7°. By the way I also cover my wetland filters as some of the plants also get damaged by severe frost. Covering a pond does not keep it unnaturally warm, it still gets cold but avoids extremely low temperatures or excessive temperature swings, a healthy fish in a healthy pond would most likely survive those but why take the chance?
You should really distinguish the NEEDS from the Beneficiaries. I dont think i've ever seen/heard anybody say that you MUST cover your pond or MUST do anything else for that matter. Most people do these things as a kind of luxury for the fish through the colder weather, mainly the people that wish to heat them to add a little more growth which they wouldnt be able to do as effectively if the water was cold as the metabolism wouldn't be there. Some will cover to keep the wintery weather out of the water such as fallen leaves, which if gets too built up causes excess CO2 in the water from decomposition, which ultimately results in insufficient Oxygen. So every pond is different and has different circumstances. Koi keeping isn't about the bare minimum NEEDS as you suggest sometimes, its about helping them thrive in an ecosystem thats constantly on the knife-edge. Even the Japanese will bring in their fish from the mud ponds over winter, despite some of the ponds being quite some depth. People spend thousands & thousands on fish most of us could ever dream of owning, and will do what ever they can to protect their investments. So if people can understand that perspective, then its no different for the fish at the other end of the scale. One mans £10k fish, is another mans £100 fish, the joy they bring to each is the same.
Many thanks for the comment. The problem is that just because they are expensive doesn’t mean that they need different treatment, all fish behave like fish when you treat them how they have evolved. “Modern” koi ponds are far from a natural ecosystem which is why they are so prone to infections and disease
@thep0ndman you've missed the point again though, you keep mentioning the word NEED. It's not about needs, it's about taking additional steps to achieve what ever the fish keeper is trying to achieve. In the case of expensive fish, maybe the owner just wants a piece of mind through winter, whether that be from predators, jumping, sudden temperature swings...or like I said, maybe they're heating for growth. We tend not to spend as much time outdoors in the winter so to some it's a way of lowering risks whilst we're not about as much. If you had something really expensive, doesn't have to be a fish, I'm sure you'd take additional measures to ensure its kept in tip top condition. Any pond can be prone to infections, even naturally planted ground ponds. The size of the water body plays a huge part in this, in such a small space, anything can go wrong in an instance.
I think I’m not the one missing the point, our channel is about keeping it natural, heating, covering isn’t natural so we aren’t saying don’t do it, we are saying it’s not a requirement for newbies who aren’t taking up the hobby. We are pretty clear on what we say. Cheers
@thep0ndman yes but out of what I can only presume is ignorance aimed towards other koi keepers, you will point blank refuse to give your viewers "the newbies", 2 sides to the story as to why just because something isn't necessary, doesn't mean it can't have certain benefits. You feed your viewers a certain narrative to try and belittle koi keepers, instead of giving your viewers beneficial information so they can make an informed choice.
I don't own a koi pond just goldfish in mine they have been in my pond for years some very large fish, pond is 1500 gallons never have covered my pond I live by the coast and can get extremely cold pond does freeze in winter but never lose any fish they thrive and there is a large number of fish in this pond good filtration installed.
Its clear to see that koi don't like water temperature below 10c, everyone has surely seen the difference in their behavior. Anyone that can't admit this are fooling themselves to take the guilt away 😂. People, look up koi torpor. Of course koi can survive really cold water but I've never seen an Eskimo koi keeper 😂. Ideally if you can, heat your pond and cover your pond but with view points or better enclosed for real enjoyment.
Thnx for the comment. Yes so as the video clearly says in the beginning koi do not need covering or heating. This is from the dictionary: “need: require (something) because it is essential or very important rather than just desirable.”
@@thep0ndman I get that, but you miss a big point, koi carp are varieties, this is a hobby, even mud ponds aren't natural. It's like saying humans don't need a home to live in so let's all be homeless. Koi at low temperatures have a shit life for sure. My dog could survive outside year round but that doesn't mean I'm going to keep her out there year round! I think this video missed a point and is justifying keeping pets at substandard conditions when actually many can do more and can afford to do more but choose not to, i include myself here to who has a unheated pond sat at 7c at the moment. We should be promoting the best to budgets but also discouraging those that simply can't achieve good minimum standards.
"mud ponds arent natural". You are referring fish to dogs and humans, fish are cold blooded not mammals. perhaps we are not the ones who have missed the point old chap
Hi. I live in Sacramento, California, USA. I saw these white blobs on one of my Koi . It looked like candle wax drops. I searched on line and saw 2 videos describing the issue as Carp Pox. I later discovered a second koi having the same issues. I separated them in a 55 gallon drum and turned on an aquarium heater. First one infected died yesterday.
For every opinion there’s a disagreement, opinions in this hobby are so subjective it makes answers so difficult to get right for every hobbyist, as every pond, aquarium, is different. The only thing we actually need to get right is water quality, in the wild this happens naturally otherwise life doesn’t flourish, if your parameters are not consistent and correct, other microorganisms take over and that’s where the issues arise. I keep both marine and koi, and the common denominator is water quality, end of. How you want to present your fish, invertebrate or corals is your choice, it’s you that has to look at it each day, you that has to keep the water quality consistent, it’s you that determines what’s in that body of water, so enjoy it as you want it, don’t worry about anyone else’s opinion. You look after your own health in your way, look after the fish the same, your way.
Thanks comment yes 100% as said in the video if it works for you crack on. But koi do not need covers to protect from the winter that is just a fact, otherwise every koi pond across the globe would need to be covered or the fish would die.
@@thep0ndman agree, done both, with and without, both had the same affect. The only thing, in my opinion, is insulate your filtration equipment and flexible pipework if possible, if there’s going to be a problem over the colder months, this is where it’s going to start.
I’ve only got a small koi pond with 4 koi in it, around 1/4 of it has cover which I mainly put on in the summer to shield areas from sunlight where the plants were sparse. I’ve left that cover on, it’s the polystyrene backdrop from a couple of large reptile tanks and honestly I rarely see the fish these days as they choose to stay in that part of the pond. I really only see them when I’m cleaning the filter, then they gather round and are looking amazing, lovely and healthy and have now chosen not to eat. I wouldn’t cover the pond completely as I don’t see the need - but was shocked to see a huge heron standing by the pond recently, no go for him though because the pond is netted. Bl**dy thing!
I have a raised 1000 gallon pond with a window, had it nearly 2 years, upgraded it from a 300 gallon fibre glass pond, i have an Israeli koi that is 35 years old and 2 ghost koi's nearly 30 years old. I have never heated my pond and only cover it temporarily when it forcast snow. Love you channel. So very informative, Keep up the good work 👍
Thnx for the comment much appreciated
Do you turn your pump off in the winter? I'm in NJ and I get 3' feet of snow sometimes and alot of 0 below... just wondering if that is something you do since I'm still planning to build a half raised half inground
@@mannymartins6831 Hi, I run my pump all year round. Pump is located in a shed next to the pond, I use a Evolution Aqua 10000 vari pump and a Eazypod.
I insulate my pipes and bits when the temp drops. My pond is completely raised above ground. Hope this helps.
Hi I only found your channel last week and I love it, I've got a 4000 gallon old school pond with concrete block fibreglassed filter chambers kept koi for 30yrs and to me what you say makes total sense keep up the good work I'm subscribed 👍
That is awesome! Thanks for the sub
I like this guy. He is right and more UK people should follow him cause they waste too much money heating their ponds only to have to treat them every year for parasites
Thanks for the comment appreciate it
My late father built his pond in the mid 70’she filtered with a built in gravel filter pump was a reconditioned pond pump. The bottom drain had an iroko wood grill held together with bronze screws. Never heated,nor covered he kept them successfully for 25 years. They survived a flood, frost and snow, what got them was a faulty pump draining the pond .
Exactly our point many thanks for the comment
The best one I've had from other koi owners was I don't have a real koi pond because it has plants and is in the ground rather than raised. Apparently I have a water garden. I've also been attacked for saying I won't treat things like flukes and trichodina (even tho they've had them years, and been totally fine as I don't mess around with my water). I just refuse to use chemicals unless something serious was going on. The big problem I had was I mixed vaccinated Israeli koi with Japanese koi. I didn't know what a problem that could be and one carried KHV and eradicated my pond of all unvaccinated fish in June. My fault for not understanding and being naive. The guilt was so strong it nearly stopped me keeping koi. Please keep doing these mate. Some in the koi community need to give their heads a wobble.
I know you do hear some stories it’s quite worrying! Thnx for the comment
I have been keeping my koi out since 1991, in Canada, with temperatures below -42 Fahrenheit and colder with windchill values to -59 below. I now run my new ponds with no heater and keep water running all winter in my ponds. Running water all winter most important to keeping a small natural water hole open where water flows or ice would choke off pond. No need to cover at all in the UK buy I do a cold frame covered with snow for -40 and below. Never lost a koi and they are never sick cause ice cold running water keeps koi healthy and parasites away.
I look at some of the ponds featured on YT and the filtration is out of this world. It is unbelievable. I have a 6400lt pond ( 8x8x4 ) with 21 koi. Avarage size is about 15" - 20" and I run a 14000lt pressure filter with a 7500lph pump. Fish are all fine..parameters are fine. I do use polycarb covers over the pond with a 1" gap all round to allow gas out and air in. Good video..just subscribed. Look forward to more straight forward speak.
Thnx for the sub and appreciate the comment hope all goes well!
Great videos, straight talking, no nonsense. Cheers
Thnx appreciate it
No heated outdoor Koi Ponds in Canada! Just got thew -42 Fahrenheit last month and fish all fine and happily in slumber mode. I've been keeping Koi outside and alive in Canada since 1991. Don't waste your money on a heater, just keeps the parasites alive and wel. My fish never ever sick thanks to ice cold running water
I think people who heat and cover there ponds in winter genreally have expensive KOI and ponds and there main goal is to keep them growing in winter, i think the reality is if you just havea normal pond you dont need to heat it or cover it as long as its deep enought onot fully freeze
We did a video on koi don’t need pond heating so definitely don’t need covers appreciate the comment many thanks
Hi 👋, how are you? I do have a different opinion on some of the topics you mention. I hope you don’t mind I am sharing this:
1. The winters in Japan are not colder than -1 or -2 degrees Celsius in Niigata (exceptions there). The reason why the fish are inside during the winter is the meters of snow that cover up the mud ponds. 80% of the ponds from the breeders are not even heated during the winter. I know 1 breeders in Niigata that keeps their fish in the mud pond, it’s not right what you say here. Breeders in the south have a whole different climate so that’s a exception.
2. Mudponds are millions liters of water, ponds not. That’s why temperatures fluctuate more in your backyard koi ponds. Mud ponds are very stable you can’t compare this with a simple 30,000 liter koi pond.
What I miss in your video is the reason why people cover their ponds. Extending a feedingperiod for their growth or health.. Saving money when heating their ponds. Keeping ponds ice free. And yes keeping their water temperatures stable during the spring when days are warm and nights cold. Because ponds are small ecosystems the temperature can change a lot during this time of the year.
I think you missed all these very important points that are proofed by hobbyists and dealers for decades.
I know hobbyists that have for tens of thousands of euros of koi in their ponds. With temperatures of -15 or -20 during winter in Germany, Netherlands or Switzerland these hobbyist want to protect them.
I am not a huge fan of covers myself, but I do know that for many people it’s very useful.
Cheers Yvo ✌️
Hi thanks for the comment. The point is that if you choose to cover or not, heat or not, that’s just human choice. Koi as a species do not require either. If they did need to then everyone would have to. For instance if you have ever kept specialist tropical fish like discus, they are very selective with water parameters as they are very sensitive, hence you you do not find them all over the world, their temps have to be specific or they will die. Koi are very hardy which you do find all over, some countries they are pests…if you have been to Japan, you can see them in the streams, even street side drains and all over the rice paddies, they are left outside and are still koi. cheers
And btw temperatures still effect water the same either a large mud pond or small garden pond. Colder layers on top hence why it freezes, warmer layers sink to the bottom. The science doesn’t change. A three foot pond of 1millions litres will still have the same amount of ice on top as pond of 10000 litres at the same air temp and the temp under neath with be the same. Water is an amazing insulator, your point is inaccurate.
Another good video. I would like to see a video about water parameters myths etc. all the best aengus
Great suggestion! Thnx for the comment
I have a koi pond in alberta, canada. Its 2500 gallons and 24-30" deep. Its not possible to keep the pump waterfall runnning through the winter due to our temperatures. The fish will be under ice for about 5 months straight with a bubbler going constantly. Usually I get about 8" of ice but if the bubbler it keeps a small hole open and everything seems to be fine. Any extra suggestions for managing a pond during a canadian winter?
What temps do you get?
-20C is not uncommon at all. It will dip down -30C at night for a few weeks of the winter but mid 20’s is pretty standard for January/February.
That is much colder than what we get but the science is the same. When ice freezes, the colder layers are at the top, in fact it doesn’t matter how cold it gets outside, water is a great insulator, at the bottom there temp can’t get lower than 4 degrees Celsius, because water is at its most dense at this temp so it sinks and goes to the bottom, I presume the ice is only few inches thick…?
Fellow Canadian here in the Hobby since 1981. Yes physics wise water is most dense at 4° however in your situation with a pretty shallow Pond if you actually measure the temperature you'll find it'll be maybe 1 Celsius at the bottom. Winter Thermoclines don't generally develop without a decent amount of depth
The surrounding earth will be 10 Celsius at Double the depth of the frost line. Here in Toronto our frost line is perhaps 3 ft - worse for you.
So when digging your pond you want to consider the frost line. You can reduce the frost line of course by making a cover that extends at least two to three feet wider than the pond
Probably the number one regret in building a pond is not making it big enough followed by not having the right filters. Most people have a limited footprint so the way to increase the volume is to make it deeper. Then you're able to keep more fish and those fish you become attached to when they get larger in better conditions. Adding a jet in a smaller Pond is a great idea as it makes sort of a swimspa for them
There are a couple other huge benefits of the winter cover which I'm a big advocate of. First if you get it on in early October you can stop all the leaves from getting in the pond.
Spring Clean up is therefore a snap. You are also extending the season for feeding your fish. And of course in the spring the pond warms up a lot faster and you can feed them sooner. You're likely gaining at least a month if not 6 weeks more of feeding which is huge because the cumulative effects of winter in our climate here are not good for the fish.
When you look at the cost of a cover and the time to make one it's a no-brainer. We just build them with electrical conduit and Super 6 Polly
The cover also eliminates the wind chill which is a huge factor in cooling down the pond. Obviously site location effects this as some ponds can be very well sheltered and others not so much. Wind will severely cool down your pond !
Pay attention to your aeration location it should be more off to the side and not at the deepest part of the pond. If aeration is too high it can cause super chilling as you expose all that water to the cold air. Super chilling is when the water goes below zero and it's still a liquid.
This is a big reason why you don't run your waterfall in the winter
The general comment I'll make after watching some of these videos is that yes you're able to get away without some of these things sometimes..... but is your objective for the fish to thrive or just survive? And also remember it sounds obvious but the fish can only die once. Once you grow a fish on for a while you get attached and losing it from a preventable mistake is awful
We have started a koi farm just outside of Toronto and I'm really enjoying the hobby again. Happy koi keeping to all 😊
Hi ,I really love your channel and I know that you build some awesome ponds.
Please may I ask a question. I have about 16 goldfish most are just commons . However I have 2 small ( but fat ) fancy goldfish ,Oranda I think. Can they survive a British winter . My pond in about 80cm deep. Thanks very much 😊
In 2010 my pond with koi in froze over to the extent that I could walk on it, it was frozen for weeks. The fountain even froze. I had to go out every day and pore 3 or 4 kettles worth of water on it to make a hole, it would freeze back up in minutes lol. I tried the ball trick but the ball would just freeze in the ice. The fish were fine.
what do you think about the elevated ponds with large windows? i dont own one because i dont like the looks. do they need a cover to keep some temperature in? most of them insulate the sides and i see a lot of the with temporary roofs for the winter.
No the they don’t water may free at the surface but it’s warmer at the bottom regardless if raised or not…
I put floating balls on mine my koi got what appeared to be either chilled swim bladder or sleeping sickness. I put the heater on 12c and salted gradually up to 0.6% . I had more every day going upside down. The water parameters were perfect , no parasite or bacterial issues . It worked anyhow .
People who spend a fortune on koi wish to do everything to ensure their survival the breeders do raise some Tosai and Nisai indoors .
I have found Koi to be tougher than fancy goldfish,
If someone has spent a fortune on a Dainichi , Sakai or Momotaro Gosanke and they can afford it I don’t blame anyone for heating and covering their pond .
I do like plants which I plant in my Bakki shower and will be hanging baskets next summer
I think your right though for regular koi ones that do not cost the earth they do stand a great chance of making it to spring without heat or cover .
I have Dainichi , Momotaro and Sakai fish among others plus 7 Tamasaba.
I will be heating and covering.
Last Februarys short , sharp and very cold snap caused major issues I lost one fish before the heat abd salt pulled it back
Many thanks for the comment. Like we said in the video, if something happened to your fish in winter it wasn’t the cause from the temp, it maybe that your fishes immune system is low, quite a common issue is people keep koi in almost sterile like ponds which are far from natural and highs stocks and just rely on man made filter system with no plant life and a no natural ecosystem, again heating is un natural they have evolved of a long time to experience cold winters and go into a state of hibernation, you are just messing with what is in there dna so you have to expect problems
I think you have over simplified this , carp are historically actually a warm water fish and thrive in water temperatures of 26deg , and in fact the uk is right on the edge of their climate range . Mainly talking summer months here , this is why you find the uk on average have smaller wild carp than most of the other areas of the world you find carp . Now winter time using the same reference you do carp in the wild live in much larger bodies of water than your average pond with deeper areas to over winter , fishing the mohne dam Germany the carp would sit at depths of 10 m . Being large bodies of water temperature fluctuations are a lot slower .moving water is warmer than still water in the same air temps. And you having done the same degree as me ! You know it is rapid fluctuations in temperature over 2deg that upset fish . So small ponds under 4000g do benifit from covers to prevent rapid cooling from wind chill, it’s not necessary, but if you want to care for what many will have” a very expensive collection “then covering or enclosing a pond is a personal choice and worth while , I agree there are a lot of myths about but the one about the Japanese bringing there koi in , why bring in their prize most valuable fish if winter causes no problems . At the end of the day it’s a personal choice and most people who cover do have ways of observing their koi to make sure there’s no problems from cameras to viewing points . Sure they are ugly to look at but hey in the uk how often do you sit out in the garden in winter 😂
It is simple that’s the point. We always say if you want do it a different way by all means, but the fish by no means need it. Majority of people don’t cover/heat. If it was necessary then everyone would have too. Lots of people are told the fish need it which is not true hence the video.
Great vid & totally agree! 👍
what is your advice on the airpump in the pond in the winter?
Switch it off cold water holds a vast amount of water,if you have a filter system that probably aerates the water enough even in the summer unless you have a high stock pond
I have a cheap roll back tarp cover over the pond and equipment. I only do this to keep the equipment running along from freezing and breaking. Whilst I have a pond cover, I completely agree that koi do not need a cover.
From research, over wintering has been proven to extend longevity.
Thanks for the comment like we said in the vid . it works what you have been doing then keep going cheers
@@thep0ndman Thanks.
Having worked in aquatics, I appreciate this approach and guidance for all to keep Koi. In that area, we never heated any external tank or added a cover due to the equipment being inside.
Lol another great video👍 Keep up the great work.
Well said I was thinking of getting a net cover just for the leaves is it worth it5000g pond
Yes if it helps with the leaves, but sometimes a pain for maintenance and plants get stuck in them.
Love this channel. So much miss information about koi carp. Thats why so many clubs fold due to people not agreeing about things. But can you do a video about bog filters please. That should stir some up.
Cheers.
Ok will look at that thnx for comment
There are koi carp in the Thames. People have released them and they have survived just fine for years. There is an urban fishing channel on here with a guy catching them. Some decent sized ones as well!
Yes and they a doing pretty well there I’m sure…
@@thep0ndman Mine do just fine. Never have covered them for winter. There is a plant shelf type thing that they go under, but they go under there irrespective of the temperature. It's just natural behavior to avoid predators.
Unfortunately the RUclips koi community have set themselves up as experts with no real knowledge. The dealers are the winners every time.
One of the videos I saw of a so called expert was that his fish were dying from a bacterial infection because he had a bit of muck in his filter. My heart went out to him because he clearly loved his koi, but it was maddening at the same time. My first pond with koi had well over an inch of muck on the bottom and I never had a single bacterial problem.
Haha do you know what I think I know the video you are talking about, absolute madness! Thnx for the comment
Agreed thanks for the comment
You don't 'need' to, but if you heat a cover definitely keeps the bills down (with heating being a 'want', not a 'need' either).
It is handy though to cover in winter to keep the crap out of the pond (as most don't want to be outside like in the summer, at least I don't).
I get it if you want to heat but like you say they don’t need it so it’s just pointless thnx for the comment
Exactly mate! Well said
Cheers
Love your videos. Bang on bud.
Cheers many thanks
I love your channel! Thanks for the info! You're gorgeous, by the way 🥰
Thank you so much!! 😎
I have never heard any of those reasons used for reasons why people cover their ponds. The reasons ive commonly heard often have very little to do with koi's abilty to survive the cold.
We have heard so many they are on our channel thnx for the comment
Although I think most of the statements in this videos are correct I also think that some important issues have been omitted. Wild carp live in much bigger volumes of water, swings in temperature and chemistry are more gradual. Also not all carp in the wild will make it through a long harsh winter, no big loss but if one of my big ones worth a few $$$$ should go belly up I would be very unhappy. I live in the high hills in central Italy, in summer even with shade cloth over my fortysixthousand liter pond the water can go above 28° and without the air pump flat out the fish are visibly worse. In winter we have had a meter of snow, if that falls in the pond it drops the temperature instantly - so I cover my 5 meter X 8 meter pond. Is it absolutely necessary: NO, but it is a form of insurance. I don't heat the pond, I don't have a drum filter, a moving bed or bakki shower, things that many think are almost a must, but just 20 square meters of wetland filtration so not all modern gadgets and gizmos are indispensable but they have their uses
Thanks for the comment appreciate it. expensive or not they are the same species. If people struggle to keep them its human error not the fish or temps or anything like that
@@thep0ndmanI get what you are saying and agree with you that keeping carp warm through winter is unnatural but I think you are missing the point (maybe on purpose as being controversial leads to clickbait?). I live near a pristine mountain lake (lake Campotosto, 4300 feet above sea level, 14 square km, over 100 ft deep), water is pure snowmelt with no pollution as it is far from anywhere. And still in spring you can fish carp that have fared poorly and you occasionally find a dead one. As you have said yourself in some of your videos not all koi are brought in from the Japanese mud ponds during winter but you forgot to mention that not all make it to spring and our garden ponds are not a match for a natural water basin, they are small shallow puddles stuffed with fish that many of us strive to grow to sizes that would seldom be seen in nature. You are right in saying that carp are built tough, before keeping koi I used to have 100 gal fish tanks, some dedicated to discus and others to Mbuna and by comparison you just have to look at them the wrong way and they die. So three years ago I built my koi pond and never had to treat for parasites, the pond is covered December to March and the water is usually about 7°. By the way I also cover my wetland filters as some of the plants also get damaged by severe frost. Covering a pond does not keep it unnaturally warm, it still gets cold but avoids extremely low temperatures or excessive temperature swings, a healthy fish in a healthy pond would most likely survive those but why take the chance?
You should really distinguish the NEEDS from the Beneficiaries. I dont think i've ever seen/heard anybody say that you MUST cover your pond or MUST do anything else for that matter.
Most people do these things as a kind of luxury for the fish through the colder weather, mainly the people that wish to heat them to add a little more growth which they wouldnt be able to do as effectively if the water was cold as the metabolism wouldn't be there.
Some will cover to keep the wintery weather out of the water such as fallen leaves, which if gets too built up causes excess CO2 in the water from decomposition, which ultimately results in insufficient Oxygen.
So every pond is different and has different circumstances. Koi keeping isn't about the bare minimum NEEDS as you suggest sometimes, its about helping them thrive in an ecosystem thats constantly on the knife-edge. Even the Japanese will bring in their fish from the mud ponds over winter, despite some of the ponds being quite some depth.
People spend thousands & thousands on fish most of us could ever dream of owning, and will do what ever they can to protect their investments. So if people can understand that perspective, then its no different for the fish at the other end of the scale. One mans £10k fish, is another mans £100 fish, the joy they bring to each is the same.
Many thanks for the comment. The problem is that just because they are expensive doesn’t mean that they need different treatment, all fish behave like fish when you treat them how they have evolved. “Modern” koi ponds are far from a natural ecosystem which is why they are so prone to infections and disease
@thep0ndman you've missed the point again though, you keep mentioning the word NEED. It's not about needs, it's about taking additional steps to achieve what ever the fish keeper is trying to achieve. In the case of expensive fish, maybe the owner just wants a piece of mind through winter, whether that be from predators, jumping, sudden temperature swings...or like I said, maybe they're heating for growth. We tend not to spend as much time outdoors in the winter so to some it's a way of lowering risks whilst we're not about as much.
If you had something really expensive, doesn't have to be a fish, I'm sure you'd take additional measures to ensure its kept in tip top condition.
Any pond can be prone to infections, even naturally planted ground ponds. The size of the water body plays a huge part in this, in such a small space, anything can go wrong in an instance.
I think I’m not the one missing the point, our channel is about keeping it natural, heating, covering isn’t natural so we aren’t saying don’t do it, we are saying it’s not a requirement for newbies who aren’t taking up the hobby. We are pretty clear on what we say. Cheers
@thep0ndman yes but out of what I can only presume is ignorance aimed towards other koi keepers, you will point blank refuse to give your viewers "the newbies", 2 sides to the story as to why just because something isn't necessary, doesn't mean it can't have certain benefits. You feed your viewers a certain narrative to try and belittle koi keepers, instead of giving your viewers beneficial information so they can make an informed choice.
Thank you Simon, exactly this…
I don't own a koi pond just goldfish in mine they have been in my pond for years some very large fish, pond is 1500 gallons never have covered my pond I live by the coast and can get extremely cold pond does freeze in winter but never lose any fish they thrive and there is a large number of fish in this pond good filtration installed.
Yup it’s the same for koi and any other uk pond fish
My pond has not been covered since 1972 with no problems! 😊
Wow that’s great news
Totally agree 100%
Thanks for the comment
Thank you 🙏 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Most welcome 😊
Its clear to see that koi don't like water temperature below 10c, everyone has surely seen the difference in their behavior. Anyone that can't admit this are fooling themselves to take the guilt away 😂. People, look up koi torpor. Of course koi can survive really cold water but I've never seen an Eskimo koi keeper 😂. Ideally if you can, heat your pond and cover your pond but with view points or better enclosed for real enjoyment.
Thnx for the comment. Yes so as the video clearly says in the beginning koi do not need covering or heating. This is from the dictionary: “need: require (something) because it is essential or very important rather than just desirable.”
@@thep0ndman I get that, but you miss a big point, koi carp are varieties, this is a hobby, even mud ponds aren't natural. It's like saying humans don't need a home to live in so let's all be homeless. Koi at low temperatures have a shit life for sure. My dog could survive outside year round but that doesn't mean I'm going to keep her out there year round! I think this video missed a point and is justifying keeping pets at substandard conditions when actually many can do more and can afford to do more but choose not to, i include myself here to who has a unheated pond sat at 7c at the moment. We should be promoting the best to budgets but also discouraging those that simply can't achieve good minimum standards.
"mud ponds arent natural". You are referring fish to dogs and humans, fish are cold blooded not mammals. perhaps we are not the ones who have missed the point old chap
@@thep0ndman would be very interested to see your own koi collection on video?
Love my natural pond. Never cover it. But it is a planted pond with koi. Not an outdoor fishtank.
Good comment many thanks
Thank you for informing us. What can be done to prevent or stop Carp Pox? Please Help! I have it in my pond and just lost a Kohaku Koi…
Hi fish pox doesn’t usually harm your fish and it’s usually around early spring. Where are you based? It may be something else cheers
Hi. I live in Sacramento, California, USA. I saw these white blobs on one of my Koi . It looked like candle wax drops. I searched on line and saw 2 videos describing the issue as Carp Pox. I later discovered a second koi having the same issues. I separated them in a 55 gallon drum and turned on an aquarium heater. First one infected died yesterday.
For every opinion there’s a disagreement, opinions in this hobby are so subjective it makes answers so difficult to get right for every hobbyist, as every pond, aquarium, is different. The only thing we actually need to get right is water quality, in the wild this happens naturally otherwise life doesn’t flourish, if your parameters are not consistent and correct, other microorganisms take over and that’s where the issues arise. I keep both marine and koi, and the common denominator is water quality, end of. How you want to present your fish, invertebrate or corals is your choice, it’s you that has to look at it each day, you that has to keep the water quality consistent, it’s you that determines what’s in that body of water, so enjoy it as you want it, don’t worry about anyone else’s opinion. You look after your own health in your way, look after the fish the same, your way.
Thanks comment yes 100% as said in the video if it works for you crack on. But koi do not need covers to protect from the winter that is just a fact, otherwise every koi pond across the globe would need to be covered or the fish would die.
@@thep0ndman agree, done both, with and without, both had the same affect. The only thing, in my opinion, is insulate your filtration equipment and flexible pipework if possible, if there’s going to be a problem over the colder months, this is where it’s going to start.
I have the best cover over my pond.......The Sky!
Thnx for the comment
I have kept koi 4 years no heat no covers
Many thanks for the comment!
I’ve only got a small koi pond with 4 koi in it, around 1/4 of it has cover which I mainly put on in the summer to shield areas from sunlight where the plants were sparse. I’ve left that cover on, it’s the polystyrene backdrop from a couple of large reptile tanks and honestly I rarely see the fish these days as they choose to stay in that part of the pond. I really only see them when I’m cleaning the filter, then they gather round and are looking amazing, lovely and healthy and have now chosen not to eat. I wouldn’t cover the pond completely as I don’t see the need - but was shocked to see a huge heron standing by the pond recently, no go for him though because the pond is netted. Bl**dy thing!
Many thanks for the comment