KOI

   Like most ponders, I thought a few koi would look nice in the ponds... and, of course, one led to another until we now own about 50 wet pets. The colors and patterns are so beautiful that like collecting stamps, it's hard to pass up a good quality koi when you find one. I'm not interested in showing my "kids," we just have them for our personal enjoyment. My husband and I belong to the Inland Koi Society, and like water gardeners, you couldn't find a better group of people. The ponds have truly been a labor of love, and unlilke other koi keepers, our koi haven't damaged the plants, so we've been able to "have our cake and eat it too".

FIltration System

   Our filtration system is comprised of a prefilter, which flows into a large pool type sand filter (filled with gravel), then returns back past a U.V. light before reentering the pond and stream system through a 'teed' pipe into both the "spring," in the older pond, and the head of the stream flowing into the newer pond. We have been extremely satisfied with this system, but there are many designs for filtration, and no "one" is perfect for every pond. It's best to "look" at many ponds, and "listen" to the designers before deciding which one would be right for you. As noted in the garden section, waste water is emptied into an area planted with marginal and plants requiring damp conditions. Pond water is excellent fertilizer and shouldn't be wasted... your plants will thank you.