my Zen Water Garden and Koi Pond

[lastlight]

Really nice man. The deck overhang is key it'd be sweet to have dinners and chill with the koi. I always fantasized about doing a pond in my last place but it was a liability due to the dayhome. Now my pond would have to be a foot across lol.

[randallino]

Very nice indeed!

[tang daddy]

Nice pond, love the buddha's aswell!

I hope to have a pond in the future with kois, it's so peaceful to sit and watch when the weather is warm...a few people in the LM have koi ponds aswell however they have to put nets over them as the raccoons and herons have raided the fish several times....

[sgreen]

Very nice pond set up. I have often thought that I would love to have some type of pond but always thought that there was too much work involved to getting it set up and then caring for it...but I guess, as in any hobby, there is always work involved to get the end enjoyment!!!
Thank you for sharing your experiences to help any of us who might decide to get into a similar such pond set-up. It is good to know that there are alternatives to explore, even in our Alberta winters!!!

[fishytime]

Oh........ So this is why you havnt been around much lately ....... It looks really good brochacho

[kien]

Originally Posted by fishytime

So this is why you havnt been around much lately ....

Yes, which is why I told Kevin to get into pond fish and stuff so that I don't have to spend so much time at picses :-P

[Lance]

I hope you don't have the fish-stealing critters out there that we have here. I've lost dozens of fish to herons and Kingfishers. I've even had an osprey dive bomb the pond before. Not to mention the racoons playing havoc with the fountain and flagstones. Little bastards flip the heavy flagstones into the pond and have punctured the liner on more than one occasion. I used to keep koi but the losses were killing me so I just go with goldfish now. Can't put a cover over the pond to keep the bird's out as the coons wreck it. I planted lots of lily pads which give the fish cover from the predators in the summer months, but as soon as the lilies die back in the fall, the herons are back. Anyone want to lend me their shotgun?

[kien]

So far so good.. I did chase a crane from the yard the other morning tho. Did a head count and everyone was accounted for so I think the fish hid well. I have lots of lilies too. Thankfully because of our short summers those large birds are few. I don't see too many of them around here.

I know that coons must be around but I honestly have never spotted one in all the years that I've lived here. I wonder if the coyotes keep them in check. The depth of my pond might be helping too. I know others with shallower ponds that lose fish all the time.

Koi are quite hardy and I find them very easy to keep and care for. They also have great personalities. All the fish will come up and feed from my hand.

[lastlight]

Get a Buddha Lance =)

[kien]

I do rub the buddha belly everyday so maybe that does help?