Koi Pond Depth Conspiracy: Uncovering the Truth and Saving You Time and Money

Hi, I’ve been keeping koi for 40 odd years. Your right koi don’t need a deep pond. They don’t need a heated or winter covered pond. But I like to look at a deep pond, just the way the fish move around, it just sort of adds another dimension. I can’t stand the brick tanks (they’re not ponds) that if you go on YouTube you must have and you must have this and that. These same people are forever treating for everything. My other bug bare is having no stones or gravel on the bottom. My fish are always grubbing about on the bottom. You don’t need a bottom drain. You don’t need solid pipe flexible pipe is better for flow and durability as long it’s not the ribbed kind. But I do think if stocking levels are the same, a bigger pond is better. Unfortunately the YouTube tank clan are probably putting off people who would, like I did and have done several times, dig a bloody great hole chuck a liner in it and some rocks, plants and fish. And enjoy it.

Me and my dad have been keeping koi for over 40 years and this lad is more informed that most and he is spot on .on every video I have seen

At last, someone who talks common sense. I've been preaching exactly what you've said in this video to my customers for years! Thank you

Hi thanks for this video. I built an above ground pond and felt after hearing advice that it wasn't deep enough. It is about 3ft deep and over 20,000 lts. The fish seem happy enough. They are just goldfish, shubunkins and a koi and been there for 10 years.

i could not agree more!. My pond is 16 x 13 feet with ledges down to 4 feet about 2500 gallons with a lot of flow and some of my koi are 80cm bought 25 years ago as yearlings!. I am well overstocked with probably 30 koi from 20cm to 80cm and have been for years running a very large home made moving bed filter with no problems!. I personaly think surface area is more important than depth for gas exchange and well being of fish etc and plants are a very healthy part of a koi pond or any pond for that matter!.

Saved me so much $! Appreciate the video. I'm building a additional koi pond to my existing pond around trees 🌳🌴

More water volume doesn't equate to a bigger filter. The filter is dependent on the volume of fish not the volume of water. The more water you have the more stable your pond system is.

We built the pond 30 years ago, but because of the solid clay we only went down an average of 4ft. We felt a bit disappointed as back then 6ft was often the recommended minimum. So we made it a bit longer, originally 15ft, to 18ft long and 8.5ft wide. Now the thinking is more horizontal swim room than depth for good body shape. We have no heater or covers and have had some bad winters, but have never lost a fish to the cold.

Thankfully I discovered your channel by accident and thankfully you talk common sense. My pond has 3 depths, deepest 5 ft 8, by mistake to be honest, then 4ft up to 3ft. Perfect size for us. Really enjoyed the video, keep em coming.

Absolutely great video now subscribed finally someone can voice out on the point of sale person

Great content and advice, thank you!

Dilution means larger stocking levels . I agree with what your saying about general ponds there’s no need for koi style pond building this is for people wanting fine water gardens. I’d like both to be honest both do different things . You DONT need a drum filter to have a general pond and if you fancy a few koi in a general pond that’s got shelves in that works but if you want large stocking levels you dig deep to crate more gallons especially if you have limited space in a garden

Excellent advice, 25 years ago, I snuck some cheap koi into my parents' "goldfish" pond, which is a reasonable size but shallow. They've grown ginagorous 😂!!! The filter is a larger waterfall/pool filled with reeds and watercress bought from sainsburys very clear water. Keep up the videos and advice 💯 0:07

Good vid - well said mate I am always amazed that koi enthusiasts think it is good for the fish to build a big fish tank half buried in the ground with absolutely nothing in it except water. This has nothing to do with the fish and everything to do with cost of build, ease of maintenance and ease of protecting against herons. The prison cell approach also allows convenient installation of big filters to support over-stocking and over-feeding to accelerate growth. They heat ponds to allow continued feeding and growth during the winter. I don't think it is good for a fish to stuff it with way more calories that it is naturally designed to consume. If it's there they will eat it of course but that does not mean it's healthy. I also think 90% of these bare fish tank ponds are an eyesore and much prefer the ones that look more natural

Very refreshing watching your channel and views. I’m planning a koi pond that will be a raised wooden structure of 3m x 1.2m x 1.5m deep. Do you think that would be a suitable size? I also want to add a viewing windows on the longest side of 1.2m x 0.9m but I’m unsure of thinkers. I’m thinking 35mm with would be two 12.5mm sheets together. Can you tell me if this sound feasible please?

Hi mate, well explained in the video. I have a koi pond, rubber lined, vertical sides, 6ft depth 1 end then runs up hill to 3ft, where you have explained the no real need for either heat or air in the pond in colder months most people i speak to say it would be cruel to fish to go below around 8-6° whats your thoughts on this and at what temperature would you say an air pump could be switched off for the winter. Many thanks

This is a really good and insightful video. Thank you for sharing. I only have space for a raised pond. Approx dimensions are 1.8m (L) x 1.2m (W) x .5m (D). Would you say it was sufficient space to keep koi, if so how many?

I think there are many Koi keepers around and what seems to be missed by the rudest of people on Koi forums is that the MAJORITY of people who keep koi are doing so to enhance their garden with beautiful fish to look at. They are not looking for show winners...perhaps never even visit a show...or want monster size fish. Just KOI. Kept in conditions that help the fish to thrive. That's what we do, but we were sucked into the bigger is better, etc etc. With hindsight I'd have gone for a different pond, but that's not going to change now. I love my fish and they are healthy and I try and enrich their lives as much as I can, but we still have a lot to learn and if there was only one answer and one way that would be a boring hobby. Long may my fish and everyone else's be healthy. I'd add happy, but that's inflicting our emotions on 🐟 🐠 🎣 🐡

Looking at building a pond, 8ft by 8ft or so. Would I need a concrete base for that?

Hi, very patronising. Surely the size of your pond should be dependant on what you want and what you can afford.