Summer Care for Your Koi Pond
Keep your koi pond healthy and thriving this summer with our guide to summer care. Learn everything you need to know to keep your fish happy!
Summer is a great time to enjoy your koi pond, but it’s also a time when your fish may be vulnerable to certain conditions. To keep your koi healthy and thriving during the summer months, it’s important to follow a few key steps. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about summer care for your koi pond, from water quality to feeding and more.
Maintain proper water quality
One of the most important aspects of summer care for your koi pond is maintaining proper water quality. High temperatures can cause an increase in algae growth and a decrease in oxygen levels, which can be harmful to your fish. Test your water regularly and make sure the pH, ammonia, and nitrite levels are within the appropriate range. Add Aquascape® Maintain treatment or Aquascape® Beneficial Bacteria to help keep the water clean and clear. Also, make sure to clean your filters regularly to ensure they are functioning properly.
The Frog’s Advice: An Aquascape® Automatic Dosing System is a great way to treat your pond with Maintain by providing an IV to your pond during the season. Just plug in the treatment bag, set your dosing level, and no need to worry about remembering to add treatment.
Monitor and control water temperature
During the summer months, it’s important to monitor and control the water temperature in your koi pond. Extremely high temperatures can cause stress and even death in your fish. Adding water lilies will provide shade to the fish in your pond to help regulate the temperature. You can also add an aeration kit, fountain, or extra waterfall to increase oxygen levels and help cool the water. Regularly checking the water temperature with a submersible pond thermometer and taking appropriate measures can help keep your koi healthy and happy during the summer.
One of the most important things you can do to care for your koi pond during the summer is to provide adequate shade and aeration.
Feed your fish a balanced diet
Providing your koi with a highly nutritious, balanced diet is crucial for their health and well-being. During the summer months, their metabolism increases, so it’s important to feed them more frequently but in smaller portions. Choose a koi food that is higher in protein to support their growth and energy needs. Pond Country sells ONLY premium fish food. Be wary of discount store fish food as it can be harmful to your fish’s health long term as well as subdue your koi’s natural vibrant colors. Be sure to avoid overfeeding, as this can lead to poor water quality (due to increased fish waste in the water) and health issues for your fish.
Keep an eye out for common summer pond problems
While summer is a great time for your koi pond, it can also bring some common problems that you should keep an eye out for. One of the most common issues is algae growth, which can turn your pond water green and reduce oxygen levels for your fish. To prevent this, make sure you have adequate filtration and DEFINITELY add aquatic plants to help absorb excess nutrients. You can find the region’s largest selection of aquatic plants at our Pond Country retail locations. Finally, keep an eye out for predators like blue herons or raccoons, which may be attracted to your pond during the summer months. Consider adding netting or other deterrents such as decoys to keep your fish safe.
For store locations and hours, visit pondcountry.com/locations or shop online for store pickup at pondcountryshop.com
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