Koi ponds require a lot of time and maintenance. If you are not ready to invest time into your koi pond, then you should most definitely not invest the money into one. Koi do function as beautiful garden decorations, in a sense, but they are really much more like pets than simple garden dcor.

This is because you are going to need to take the time to care for koi much like you need to take the time to care for pets. You want to be sure that your koi pond is a very healthy environment so that your Japanese carp will flourish. Also, you want to make sure that your water remain clear so that you can enjoy your koi.

Here are things to consider before building your koi pond:

The bigger the better. It is best to build a koi pond that is larger than 500 gallons.

The deeper the better. Make sure that it is at least 2 feet deep, but preferably much deeper (a 6 foot deep koi pond takes up no more room in your yard than a 2 foot deep one!)

Include at least one bottom drain.

Be sure that the bottom slopes toward the drain and away from any incoming water (like waterfalls, etc.)

Make a good shape. To be a proper Japanese koi pond, shape and style of the pond itself is everything. For your own pond, you can simply choose a shape that is most aesthetically pleasing to your own eye (and a shape that fits well in your yard!).

Vertical walls will increase your pond volume and help protect your koi from predators.

Have a pond skimmer system. Look for one with a weir.

Use a specialized biological filtration system instead of a mechanical or chemical filtration system.

Heat it during the winter.

Keep a good feeding regime.

Keep a good cleaning regime.

These are just a few things that you must do or must be aware of before creating your own koi pond. If you are still interested in doing so, then go for it!