Mud pond Question

[schreiberkoi]

I am curious to know if mud ponds are fed by natural spring water or if you add water like a water change in a lined pond. Also do you have any aeration going? Do the koi need it in a mud pond? TIA

[batman]

Each mud pond is an individual and for your questions there are no simple answers.

Few are spring fed and stay full all year and have water discharging. Others rely on one or a combo of surface runoff, rain and water pumped from an external source such as a well. Water levels for time of year will very greatly pond to pond and can't be predicted. Ponds heavily stocked and used for fish farming often use a continuous flow through system just like many koi ponds.

Aeration always improves water quality. For most ponds of adequate size and depth for it's locality it's not required for normal stocking and low feeding rates. But there are always exceptions and especially if runoff contains fertilizer. Just like a closed system koi pond water quality will tell you if more is needed.

Koi are just refined carp and will thrive in a mud pond as is in your locality. Note I mentioned adequate size and depth for locality earlier.

We have many mud ponds on the farm. They were once used for game fish production. A small one close to the house is kept full and overflowing with a well, and has aeration. It has only koi. Another 3/4 acre pond with bass, bluegill and catfish also has several large koi in it I released. No aeration and is filled by rain water and runoff. Water quality is excellent. It's interesting to note after many years the large pond with koi and game fish I have yet to find a single baby koi swimming around. They are too easy of a lunch.

[schreiberkoi]

Thank you for responding and the information I appreciate it!

[Dannielle B.]

I have a mud pond about 40 feet by 79 feet and about 2 foot in shallow area and around 6 feet in deep area. I have a ton of goldfish in there and 3 koi. The water level fluctuates greatly. Only in the spring is there water running through it. The rest of the time I add water with my well. We have a large aerator running 24/7 365 days a year. If you only have goldfish the water will stay clear but the koi love to dig in the mud and makes the water stay murky. I also add dark blue pond dye to help hide the fish from predators and the water lily help also.