The koi fish are very popular in outside ponds, due to the longevity of their lives, their gracefulness and their gorgeous colors. Koi fish also have many traits that make them an ideal fish to thrive in an outside pond.

Since it is realistic to think that koi fish will grow to be large fish they require a pond that is about five hundred gallons or more. Typically the health of the koi depends a lot upon the amount of space that they are provided with and the quality of the water. Koi fish thrive in cold water and will do very will in temperatures between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. So even if you live in a cool climate you will be able to enjoy a pond full of koi fish. In the colder climates when ice forms on the top of the pond they hibernate in the winter. Allowing them to make it through the winter their digestive systems slow down almost to a halt.

Koi fish are not the only thing that can make a pond gorgeous and interesting to look at Koi love to have shade like lilies. Lilies can cover up to seventy percent of the water's surface. The lilies help to reduce the amount of algae in the water while providing the koi with cover and shade. Water lilies in your pond really help with the protection of the koi since they can only receive about five to six hours of direct sunlight. Plus, since koi are omnivorous meaning they eat both meat and plants, they can find insects and insect larva within the plants. Having your koi pond under trees is another way to offer plenty of needed shade for your fish. Although your fish will enjoy the much needed shade from the trees, the negative side is your pond most likely will be littered with twigs, needles and leaves.

When taking on the task of building the pond yourself some thought must go into the depth of the koi fish pond. To protect your fish from outside predators the depth of the water can provide a lot of protection. Predators like cute little raccoons would adore to have a traffic koi meal. Providing your koi with at least four feet of water will not only give your fish protection from the sun and more room to swim, it will also keep the raccoons at bay. Some parts of the country have to worry about birds like the Great Blue Heron who love the taste of koi as well. One Blue Heron alone can eat up to about one hundred six inch koi. To keep these kinds of predator at bay you should give your koi a water depth of at least 8 feet. Another way to keep bird predators away form your koi fish is to install a bird net over your pond.

When you build your own koi pond you are free to allow your imagination to run wild. A plus to building your own koi pond is that you can build it to your own specifications in order to advance your landscape nicely.