There are many different types of ponds you can build in your backyard in Oregon. Ponds are designed with water features that may add value to your property and enhance outdoor beauty. Before determining what pond you want, you will need to pick the location and size, dig in the ground, install the pond liner, finish the edges, and then fill your pond with water. Backyard ponds are great for enhancing aesthetic appeal and giving your property a more finished appearance that unifies it all together. Backyard ponds offer not only unmatched natural beauty, but also improved air quality and a healthy habitat for animals.
Koi Ponds
Koi ponds are a popular feature to add to your backyard. Koi fish prefer to be dug in ground that is natural and ideally held in clay or mud and have gravel or stone placed at the bottom of the pond. For optimum quality, it is recommended that your koi fish pond have up to 1,500 gallons of water, and more if you have female fish, who grow larger when breeding. Filtration is important when installing your koi pond. Mechanical and biological filtration are some popular choices; mechanical filtration promotes fish safety and water health by removing uneaten fish food particles, fish waste, dead plants, and debris. However, this filtration system does not have the ability to remove larger particles or debris from the water. Because the filter needs room to move at the rate at which water has to be filtered, you should choose a filter that is appropriate for your pond. The size of your pond affects this type of filtration. The second filter is the biological filtering system. The contaminants that are present at the stream's bottom surface are naturally removed by this form of filtration. Utilized to purify water, this bacteria eliminates nitrate from the nitrogen cycle. The tiny beads with a large surface area can hold back nitrifying bacteria, which make up the filter.
Maintenance
Koi ponds require a lot of maintenance throughout the year, so it is important to be prepared to put extra work into maintaining your pond and buying additional features, if needed. It is significant to regularly feed your fish and if they are new, make sure they are eating properly and enjoying the fish food. You should observe and monitor their swimming patterns for health reasons, remove excess food waste and debris from filters, examine pond water levels, and check the pond’s temperature daily. To improve the environment for your koi fish, it is optimal to drain about 10-15% of the pond on a weekly basis and refill it with new water. It is necessary to evaluate the water quality if new fish or equipment are added. Dead leaves from plants and other material at the bottom of the bottom need to also be removed, and the filter must be cleaned out. The water pump and filtration system need to be tested for effective functioning every month. To remove debris that has been restricted, stir ground soil around using a long pole. Finally, if no additional fish or equipment have been introduced over the past 2 months, evaluate the water quality. For seasonal upkeep, regular pond cleaning is required to get rid of extra debris and algae. Additionally, it is important to clear away dead foliage, keep an eye out for pond leaks, and prepare filtration systems to be placed in specific locations in case the pond freezes over in the winter. For a successful koi pond, you need to get into the routine of regularly monitoring your fish, the condition of the water, and the functionality of the filters and pumps.
Koi Pond Maintenance Expenses
Koi ponds can cost up to $100,000, but the required maintenance drives up the price by hundreds to thousands of dollars. It is important to have a planned out budget to fully know if a koi pond investment is worth your time and money. Koi ponds are easy to maintain since the habitat that surrounds it, naturally promotes water cleanliness and clarity. As you are constructing your koi pond and recognizing the danger that may occur if your fish do not have enough room to dwell in, it is wise to keep in mind the saying, “the deeper your pond is, the safer your fish are.” In order to leave enough space for fish to swim around in, it is advised to add one koi in your pond for every 250 gallons of water. Large koi ponds can cost up to $60,000 or higher, depending on the amount of added customizations and features. Large koi ponds are typically the best option in terms of ideal space, so that your fish can thrive well in a large environment suited for them. These ponds usually hold over 3,000 gallons of water and can fit over 10 fish. Average koi ponds cost between $15,000 and $20,000 and hold around 1,500 gallons or more of water, supplying you with about 4-8 fish. Small koi ponds are normally not recommended if you want to provide your fish with enough space and a better sustained habitat they can survive in. If budget is a concern, then start with just one or two fish until you can upgrade your pond to a bigger size. Small koi ponds cost between $5,000 and $6,000 and hold around 1,000 gallons or less. Average-sized koi ponds have annual maintenance costs of $3,000 or more throughout the year. The expense of spring maintenance is greatest at $1,000, followed by cleaning and filtering your pond in the summer and fall for $500 each, and then an inspection for about $300 in the winter.
Natural Swimming Ponds
If you know the ins and outs of Oregon’s best nature and swimming spots in the summer, you understand how beautiful and enjoyable these pools can be. They tend to be hidden out of sight and provide a unique appeal for people who want to keep them all to themselves. Due to their popularity, Oregon pond owners are determined to build and design their own naturally occurring swimming pond that exudes the same charm and is equally alluring, yet private. Natural swimming pools are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also enhance wildlife habitat and are easy to maintain. The pool is made up of both a swimming area and a planted area where the vegetation prevents algae growth by eliminating ammonia, resulting in a clean and filtered pool.
Maintenance and Expenses
Unlike many other ponds, natural swimming ponds have the easiest maintenance requirements. You do not need to be concerned about chlorine and whether it is removing germs from the water or if there are any dirty filters that need to be cleaned out, because one half of the pond uses its plantlife to filter out debris and maintain itself. Because of this, natural swimming pools are way more cost-efficient and easier to maintain than regular swimming pools that require these regular tasks. Even though the pond’s vegetation takes care of the difficult tasks, it is recommended to have the pond inspected every year, pick up any leaves that have reached the pool’s surface, and remove excess plant debris.
The maintenance may be inexpensive, but that doesn’t mean the cost of construction is the same. Natural swimming ponds can cost from $50,000 to $100,000, depending on size, depth, and customizations. Since Oregon is cold most of the year, building a pool can take a longer time than expected, so it is important to start building as soon as it is warm out.
