KOI POND

Do any of yall have one?

I suspect not as this is not a normal hobby.
I got my first goldfish at 5 , but this is not like that.
I have kept up an aquarium at the highest level since I came home in 1970.
I am an expert aquarium guy (mine is wonderful), but Koi are different.
Actually all fish keeping is the same, the difference is in the equipment.

Decades back I nailed down the indoor thing and that is now easy and endless fun for me now due to my gear and experience. I have culled back from 20 tanks to just one at my TV. My cats attack it most nights.

My first outdoor pond was 20 years back with gold fish and turtles (125 gallons). The same rules apply as to indoor as that is science. I have not bought a Goldfish in 20 years, but still have many. The sad thing is Goldfish may be the most beautiful of all fish, but need more room than an aquarium can provide.

I dug them a huge/deep pond here in SC using a shovel.
In 2006 dug in a 4000 gal pond and dumped in 6 tiny new KOI with my many GoldFish as I no idea. Unlike GoldFish, Koi eat all plants so you can have none. I grow plants for them to eat, they love Butter Crunch as do I.
Today all 6 Koi are happy, and now weigh around ten pounds and more. The Goldfish are also doing great.

Keeping fish this large, (and happy) in a pond is not one I would choose again.
Still, I honor that commitment. I buy the best food I can find, and Koi eat a lot. The pond requires lots of power to run the pumps. I harp on the Bride to close the door when the air is on (her cats), but she has no idea what these pumps cost each month.
It is more than $$. It takes much more than $$ to keep them healthy. Healthy and happy is the goal.

Actually as I now have it down to a science (plus great gear), not too much work.

Koi live to be a hundred. 200ft away is a large lake these guys would be OK in. At some point when it is best for them will do that. By "then" mean when I am controlled by the young. Right now, the beautiful Koi count on me to show up daily with clean water and lots of vittles. The entertainment they provide keeps me in their debt. I sit on the porch more than at the TV as it is a great place to be.

One sad thing is when I go fishing. I am unlikely to catch a fish as big as these guys who eat from my hand.