Koi Ponds VS Backyard Ponds, VS Outdoor Ponds, VS Water Gardens: The Raging Debate in Water Gardening

“Koi pond” is the term most often used to describe a backyard pond, a garden pond, otherwise known as a water garden. The reason is that these beautiful and peaceful outdoor getaways are often filled with colorful, charismatic koi fish.
Now as odd as it sounds, a raging debate has been going on for the better part of a decade over the healthiest environment for Japanese koi fish. The two issues that have divided the debatees include…
1. the most appropriate depth, and
2. the most appropriate surface for the koi pond.

The Debatees
One group for example, claims that if you fail to build your backyard pond at least three feet deep, you’re doing your Japanese koi a grave disservice. This same group contends that rocks and gravel all over the bottom of your outdoor pond can cause your Japanese koi to be bruised, beat up, nicked up and cut up, detracting from the fish’s potential of wining a blue ribbon in the local or regional koi show.

The other group scoffs at the three-foot claim and contends that from sea to shining sea, two feet of garden pond depth has been proven to be aplenty for Japanese koi. This same group contends that koi ponds with smooth bottoms run counter to Mother Nature whom nobody wants to offend. They go on to say that Nature’s koi ponds inevitably feature rocks and gravel all over the bottom, which keep the grazing koi occupied and interested in their environment, instead of bored to tears with a smoothie.

Where’s Your Focus?
The fact of the matter however, boils down to whether your focus is on showing koi, or relaxation. If your focus is on showing koi and winning blue ribbons, then the three feet smoothie may well win the day. However, the focus of most backyard pond enthusiasts is the overall backyard pond, the water garden itself. These folks have no desire to show their koi. They want to relax after a hard day’s work. For this segment of the water gardening world, two feet works right nicely, and given the chance, Japanese koi do indeed love to graze on the rocks and gravel.

Enjoy…
So the question becomes, are you a koi show person, or a just person who loves to relax in the midst of Mother Nature? If you’re a koi show person, then the three feet smoothie wins. However, if you’re an after work relaxation type of person, then two feet of depth, plus rocks and gravel works better. I can attest to that personally because I’m a member of the latter group. Either way, decide which you are and enjoy. After all, that’s what having a koi pond is all about. Right?