Is A Pond Right For You?

I spent a couple of weekends last spring turning a patch of dead grass in my front yard into a 6 x 3-m fishpond. I thought the pond would be a nice way to inject some variety into my suburban lawn, but I hadn't expected the transformation I achieved. As the summer heat grew more intense, the pond turned into a miniature nature reserve. My sons and I loved sitting beside the water, watching multicolored fish flash between water lilies, while birds swooped down from the sky to take a cooling sip. The spectacle was soothing and fascinating a tiny oasis of peace in a busy world.

My family isn't the only one discovering the joys of having your own fishpond. Little known a decade ago, private fishponds are now one of the fastest growing hobbies in North America, thanks to the surging popularity of a type of Japanese carp known as koi. Prized for their vivid hues, koi have attracted an enthusiastic you might even say fanatical following. At least four English-language magazines now cater to koi hobbyists and the Associated Koi Clubs of America (AKCA.org) spans more than 100 clubs in the U.S. and Canada.

Just like dog lovers, koi owners can display their pets at shows and have them vie for titles like Koi of the Year. Why do so many people love these creatures? Dayleen Van Ryswyk, owner of Okanagan Koi in Kelowna, B.C., says koi are to fish as Ferraris are to cars. Sometimes referred to as living jewels, koi dazzle the eye with their neon markings. They move through the water with sinuous grace and can grow to more than a meter in length. You can even feed them out of your hand. Terri John, president of the Central Ontario Koi and Pond Club, built her first koi pond nine years ago.

Since then, her hobby has become her passion and she now has three large ponds in her backyard holding a total of 15 fish. She spends at least four hours a week tending to them and says that each of her fish has a unique personality. "The learning never stops," she says, "there's just so much to know." You don't have to be quite so dedicated. If you're content with a small pond, count on spending around $2,000 for a liner, pump and filter, plants and fish. Expect to spend about an hour a week on such chores as cleaning filters and adding water.

Before you start construction, spend a few hours considering where to place your pond. Instead of sticking it in the most remote corner of the backyard, "build your pond where you spend your time," suggests koi dealer Van Ryswyk. Your location should ideally receive plentiful amounts of sun, which helps your koi to grow, but also enjoy partial shade, to protect the fish from sunburn on particularly hot days. The size of your pool is a matter of taste, but if in doubt, go big. Size helps you establish a stable ecosystem and makes it more difficult for raccoons and cranes to turn the pond into a buffet. Your pond should be at least 3 x 5 m wide and 60 cm deep.

Your hardest decision will be choosing koi to stock your pool. Prices can reach into the millions for the choicest specimens, but you can purchase handsome koi for around $100 and young fish for as little as $15. Some plant nurseries now have pond sections that sell fish. It's not that hard to build a pool yourself. That's the way I did it and it cost me a grand total of $750. If you go the do-it-yourself route, you will need to buy a waterproof liner, which you can get for about $7.50 a square metre (70 cents a square foot). You will also need to invest $200 to $300 in a pump preferably one of the new, remarkably efficient magnetic models. Finally, you will need a water filter. I recommend a gravity-feed model, which costs between $200 and $2,000 depending on the size of your pond.

Mind you, if you intend to keep large koi, you will need a more complete filter and drainage system. If you're not thrilled at the thought of wielding a shovel, by all means find yourself a good landscaper to help you create your pond. Start by asking for suggestions from nearby koi clubs or dealers. But no matter how enthusiastic the recommendation, talk to previous customers and look at photos of a landscaper's work to make sure his taste meshes with yours.

"A contractor has to know how to work with rock and stone to make the pond look good," says Molema, the waterscape manufacturer. Esthetics are especially important if you go with cascading waterfalls and elaborate rock formations; in that case, you can count on spending about $8,000 for your pond. It pays to spend a few days surfing the numerous websites devoted to koi or reading koi magazines to get an idea of why so many people are smitten by this hobby.

You'll be struck by the enthusiasm of pond owners such as John, who'll tell you: "The love of our pond is a four-year-old koi called Sora. She's like a puppy. You call her and she'll come." As John and I will both attest, koi ponds are an addictive passion.