A koi pond can bring the tranquility of an Asian water garden to your backyard
Mel Barutha remembers when putting a koi pond in the backyard was more or less a DIY project.
“Years ago, everybody built them by themselves,” says Barutha, the president of the South Carolina Koi and Water Garden Society (SCKWGS). “They dug a hole, put a liner in there, had a waterfall and very little filtration, lots of plants, lots of rocks, and a few koi.”
As koi—known in Japan, where they have been bred for centuries, as nishikigoi (or brocaded carp)—have gained popularity in the US, koi ponds and other water gardens have become a much bigger deal. Watching the brightly hued ornamental fish gliding beneath the water’s surface provides a tranquil, almost Zen-like experience for homeowners, particularly with the sound of a rushing waterfall in the background. After Japanese culture started spreading to the West after World War II, pond-building techniques and filtration systems improved as the twentieth century progressed—and koi ponds became more and more elaborate.
Backyard Koi Ponds
These days, small ponds typically run about 8 by 6 feet and 4-feet deep, with a 1,200-gallon capacity—enough to allow four or five koi ample room to swim freely (allow 250 gallons per adult koi, experts say). Larger, multi-tiered ponds can take over wide swaths of the yard, especially if they incorporate plants, rocks, and other landscaping, along with waterfalls and other water features.
South Carolina, with its warm winters and abundant rainfall, is “really good” for koi ponds, says Barutha, who tends a water garden in his own Greer backyard.
“You don’t worry about ice or serious cold,” he says, although those may be concerns for homeowners in higher elevations.
The key is to work with what your space already has, advises Barutha. Consider shade and topography; if your yard has a hill, for instance, you can put a waterfall on top and build from there. Add plants like water lilies or water hyacinths to provide cover for koi and deter predators. Ongoing maintenance should include regular cleaning and checking water quality.
In Asia, koi are often seen as a symbol of strength and perseverance, Barutha explains, citing the folk tale of a koi that transformed into a powerful dragon by determinedly swimming upstream against a waterfall. But even if you don’t find a mythical creature in your backyard, when you’re among these “living jewels,” you might just find peace of mind.
“Looking at them swimming around and the patterns on their backs,” Barutha says, “is one of my favorite things.”
See for Yourself
Learn more about koi and check out vendors at the SCKWGS Koi Show in Simpsonville, September 26–28. Visit sckwgs.org for more information.
Keys to Koi
Koi vary in size and price, from juvenile domestic fish selling for about $10 apiece to imported champion-level fish costing as much as $20,000. Some of the more popular varieties are:
- Kohaku are white-skinned koi with large red markings.
- Taisho Sanshoku are tricolored with white, red, and black patterns.
- Showa Sanshoku have a black body with red and white markings.
- Asagi display a blue pattern on their back, with red or orange gills and fins.
- Shusi, another blue-bodied koi, are scaleless apart from a single dorsal line.
- Shiro Utsuri koi have a black base spotted with areas of white.
