I have rebuilt my pond and added a "flower box" under the water fall. I have tried on numerous occasions to put fish back, one or two at a time, but they all die.
I have tested the pH, etc of the water, the paint is safe to koi, so I suspect the plants.
Any ideas what might be the culprit, or other ideas?
[image:
First of all I would suggest Kamikaze goldfish instead of koi, til you know the balance is right. I'm not real big on which plants will harm fish, but there are lists out there if you google them. If you go the the MidAtlantic Koi Club website they have some good experts there who can help you figure out what the problem is. We were members for many years and met some truly amazing people with years and years of experience. We have a leaking pond with a liner right now and are trying to find the hole caused by a falling branch. 2 acres of land, and the damn branch had to fall in our 10 x 17 foot pond. 20+ fish in there some
26+ inches. What to do with them if we have to replace the liner is really a dilema. Hope you find the answers you need. You might try Rec.ponds.moderated, there are good people there. Where are you located? Nan in DE
I have standard freshwater aquarium experience rather than koi experience but I suspect that both sorts of fishkeeping have a lot in common. First impression is that you have water-quality problems. Have you neutralized the chlorine or chloramines in the water? Have you provided a starter culture of "good" bacteria (commonly called "grunge" water by fishkeepers)? Do you have a proper filtration system with sufficient area for microbe growth? Is the temperature suitable for the fish you add and did you take the time to acclimatize the fish to the water to prevent shock?
Beyond that I'd suggest that you forget about koi for a while and start out with some small "feeder" goldfish from the pet store. They are cheap and rugged and are quite suitable for letting the water develop properly.
Some good advice from Nanzi and John I also thought perhaps there is something in the Potting mix you are using. Is there a fertilizer in it or are you putting a fertilizer/plant food on the ferns? Emilie NorCal
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.