You can’t talk about Koi water without talking about the quality of it. Unlike your typical fish tank that keeps the family pet alive Koi pond water must be checked regularly and the Ph balance matters greatly. There are five levels to choose from, one certain level, 11ppm will ensure that your Koi are healthy and will live delightfully. The last level, 3 ppm, your Koi will start to die.

In order to find out which type of pond water is the best you will need to speak with a person who knows about Koi water and how it affects your fish. Oxygen is essential for humans and for fish to breathe, without it we both die. The oxygen levels in your Koi pond are just as important and you should test them regularly so you can ensure that you have maximum oxygen levels for your Koi.

Ph is the scientific measurement that tells you whether your Koi water is acidic or alkaline. The range of measurement starts at 1 and tops out at 14, 7 is the middle and that is considered neutral. Below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline. Koi thrive well in 7.4 and higher such as 9, but you should keep the Ph balance the same. Do not let it fluctuate too much, Koi need a steady Ph balance to survive.

Oxygen is essential for plant life and fish life. During the day plants and algae produce oxygen and at night they consume it. The best way to keep a healthy flow of oxygen in your Koi water pond is to install a waterfall. This will mix the water and keep the oxygen levels high enough so they can live. If you turn your waterfall pump off at night you are starving them of needed oxygen.

Another problem with low levels of oxygen is that your Koi fish will either stop growing or get sick a lot. If the Koi fish are spending a lot of time near the waterfall they need more oxygen. You can install jets that move the water around more or install air stones that release oxygen to the surface.

Ammonia is produced by the Koi through their gills and kidneys. If you do not remove the ammonia from the pond they will die in their own waste. This is easily done with a test kit and a biological filter. If you don’t have one you will be buying Koi every other week. It’s best to test their water and if the levels are too high you will need to change the water out at 30%. The biological filter will also produce nitrites, this is the bacteria from the ammonia and it is deadly to your Koi water.

Nitrates, not to be confused with nitrites, are harmless to your Koi water and fish. This process is done by the biological filter and will produce food for the plants and algae within the Koi water pond. The ammonia will change the nitrites into nitrates and help to balance out the Ph levels so you can enjoy your Koi fish a lot longer.

Efe Giolla is a koi expert. For more tips on how to maintain proper koi water conditions, visit http://koicareadviser.com.

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