We have all heard it before – plan before you start any major project. Well a Koi pond design is no different. Building a Koi pond is a big project. Poor planning will certainly cause it to be more expensive than you planned and take a lot longer to get it completed.

The shape of your pond is an important aspect of design. Many factors impacting the design of the pond you won’t be able to control. Certainly there will be existing landscape features, structures on the property, grade and slope of the property, etc. that will have to be considered. Always lay out several potential designs with rope or garden hose and view them from all angles. Make sure you view them from inside as well as outside and from second stories that may overlook the pond.

Your Koi pond design also needs to careful plan for the depth of the pond. Koi can get to be big fish and will need adequate room to swim not only laterally but also vertically. Plan for a minimum depth of four feet. If you can go deeper so much the better. Ideally abut 6 -8 ft. will be as deep as you need. This deeper pond will also help with keeping the water temperature more stable in the summer and winter.

Certainly the bigger the pond, the more fish you can put in it, but there are always limitations. The smallest practical size for a Koi pond is about 6 feet by 9 feet, and 4 feet deep. This size pond will hold about 1600 gallons of water. In calculating the actual depth of your pond, don’t forget that there is usually about six inches from the water line to the top edge of the pond.

Keeping your Koi pond design simple is important. A simple design, while it may not look that spectacular on paper, will allow for better water circulation and filtration. You can always spruce up the design with landscape plantings. To keep your fish healthy and thriving you want o make sure the pond is kept clean and has the proper chemical balance. A simple design will make this a lot easier.

The best simple design shape is a rectangular or oblong pond. The rectangular design more easily allows the placement of multiple drains thus providing better filtration. It will minimize or eliminate dead areas that have poor or no water circulation.

The location of your pond is a very important part of Koi pond design. It should be where you will enjoy it the most. Most people prefer to have it as the central or focal point of a backyard or garden. Being able to view it from a balcony, deck or back porch can be very spectacular.

As you determine that perfect place, consider these issues. A pond in full sun is perfect for algae growth. Incorporate elements into your design to provide some shade. A pond under a tree is going to get dirty with debris and eventually cause the acidity to rise if not watched carefully. A pond next to large trees could find the pond liner pierced or concrete cracked by the roots. Keep your pond away from any locations that can have excessive rain water runoff. Make sure your pond not located to close to plants that require the use of harmful insecticides.