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  • Results 1 to 12 of 12

    Thread: NEED HELP - How do I care for a koi left outside in the pond in Colorado

    1. #1
      lajude is offline Member
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      NEED HELP - How do I care for a koi left outside in the pond in Colorado

      I have had to leave one of my koi in my outside pond for the winter. First time doing this since I have always brought them inside to a pond in the basement. This year all the other fish got sick and I left the largest koi outside in the pond. Unfortunately all by herself.

      It is 7 years old and a very large size koi. I live in Colorado. The weather has been moderate so far. I have a de-icer to keep the pond from freezing over. The waterfall and pump are still running. Not too much splash into the pond to cool it down.

      1. Should I be doing partial water changes. I have replaced water 3 times due the water level decreasing because of ice dams from the waterfall.
      2. What should I do in the spring when the water warms up. Any additives. There are leaves in the bottom of the pond and lots of algae.
      3. Has anyone use Aqua MEDZYME in the spring?
      4. How large of a water change do I do in the spring? Should I move the koi to a container while I do this?
      5. What type of beneficial bacteria does everyone use. I'm not too sure mine is too effective anymore.
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      Last edited by lajude; 01-21-2019 at 04:13 PM.

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    2. #2
      koi4u2c is offline Senior Member
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      How deep is your pond? How many gallons? How many feet across?
      Nancy



    3. #3
      lajude is offline Member
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      It is about 900-1000 gallons. It is 3 1/2 feet deep at the deepest. Forgot what the width and length are.....see picture.

    4. #4
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      So sad! She must be lonely. I know Colorado can get bitterly cold. Have you ever covered the pond? I would shut down
      the waterfall and just keep an aerator to keep it open. But I'm sure others will chime in and give you the help you need.

      Can you not bring her inside this year? Maybe add a friend once she is inside?


      Pam

      Montgomery County Water Garden Society
      Clarksville, Tn




    5. #5
      lajude is offline Member
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      I didn't bring her inside because all the other pond fish I brought in got sick. I didn't know if it was bacterial or poor water conditions inside. I was afraid she would get sick too. I also need help carrying her inside because she is so large. Do you think it is going to stress her out being outside alone.

    6. #6
      koi4u2c is offline Senior Member
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      Looks like an elevated berm on the back side. If your pond is not too wide, maybe you could lay some 2x4's across it and cover with plastic. I get clear 6ml from the tractor supply store locally (Agri-supply). May also be able to get at Lowes or Home Depot.

      If you could cover with plastic and leave your de-icer on that may work ok for you, especially if it gets sun on it during the day.
      Nancy



    7. #7
      gray cat's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by koi4u2c View Post
      Looks like an elevated berm on the back side. If your pond is not too wide, maybe you could lay some 2x4's across it and cover with plastic. I get clear 6ml from the tractor supply store locally (Agri-supply). May also be able to get at Lowes or Home Depot.

      If you could cover with plastic and leave your de-icer on that may work ok for you, especially if it gets sun on it during the day.
      This is what I do as well. I get 6 Mil clear plastic from Home Depot our Lowes doesn't carry it. I lay 2x4's across my pond. I use two. Of course the more you use the stronger the cover. Mine run a little down hill from the waterfall which will help with rain or snow. I weight it down by using the rocks that are already there around my pond or you could get those half cinder blocks. Once it rains, I watch where it puddles on the cover. I will then punch a few holes ( 4 or 5) , nail size for the water to drain into the pond.
      I turn my waterfall off and I run a pressure filter that is buried underground and all of the tubing is under the cover.
      My pond water stays in the mid to high 50's all winter long. No ice has ever formed and we will get down to 18* to 20* at the lowest at least once during the winter. No need to cover your waterfall, just the body of your pond.
      Good luck and I hope all goes well with your pond & fish this winter.
      Nancy



      Koiphen 2013 Koi Person of the Year!

    8. #8
      aztecdrms is offline Junior Member
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      I’m in Colorado also, the Denver area. I turn off my water fall and cover the pond with a clear(ish) tarp and use an air diffuser. There’s also a pump running to the pressure filter with a return right at water level. Keeps my temps at high 40’s to low 50’s the whole winter. 3 years doing this with great success



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    9. #9
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      Sorry to be 3 days answering this: if you do not have a floating pond heater, Amazon has them. Probably so does Lowes or a pond store. My koi are asleep under ice here in Spokane, but the floating heater keeps a little area of water open to release co2 for the fish to stay healthy. If you're caught without one with ice, quickest way to open it safely (never break the ice: the crack will harm the fish) is a Weber charcoal grill starter. In an 8 day power out, I put charcoal in, lit it, tied a rope to the handle and set it on the pond: it would burn through and make a nice hole, and I'd yank it back before it sank---main thing is, keep a hole open so they have oxygen. Don't feed until the fish wakes in spring, here being about March. And don't disturb them: worst thing is if they get agitated and break their winter rest.

    10. #10
      ademink's Avatar
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      Since your water is lowering from ice dams, I would turn off the falls. You don't want to wake up one morning w/ the entire pond diverted and her laying in an empty pond.
      Andrea
      Koi Health Care Committee Member

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    11. #11
      lajude is offline Member
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      I have a floating de-icer and have bought a back up one that I will put in the pond this weekend. We are expecting 5 degree temps at night in a few days. The pump is elevated off of the floor so it won't ever decrease the water level that far. It has only gone down about 4-6 inches at the most due to splashing.
      The pump that I was going to use as a bubbler is too powerful and is creating too much action in the pond...That is the reason I have the waterfall still running. What do other people use for a bubbler?

      Will she get stressed being outside all by herself?

    12. #12
      OCkoiFan's Avatar
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      Nope alone does not stress but bad or near frozen water can be stressful

      Buy an good size air pump and some air stone and you can make bubbles
      M.Nguyen


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