Do not make the costly mistake of assuming that your landscaper or contractor knows how to build a koi pond correctly. You need to do your homework and give some serious thought as to how you want your koi pond to turn out. Review the previous questions and make notes as to what is important to you and what is not. How big do you want the pond to be? How important is it to you that the pond be easy to maintain? How much do you want to spend on the pond? You need to have clear in your mind what kind of pond you want. Then, when selecting someone to build your pond, interview them concerning their workmanship and experience. If you can find someone who specializes in building koi ponds, that might be helpful. The reason I say it might be helpful is because sometimes people who only build koi ponds have one set way of building them and are not open to changes.

With today’s new technology you can create a pond that will not only give you better water quality, but one that will be so much easier to maintain than what was offered just 8 years ago. Unless you and your builder can agree, beforehand, on exactly how you want your pond to be built, the whole experience could be a disaster.

For example: One customer contracted to have a formal shaped 3,000 gallon pond built “exactly” according to the Advantage Koi Pond Design Plans for a 3,000 gallon pond. He was a very busy doctor who needed a pond that was as easy to maintain as possible. The contractor continued to assure him, as he was building the pond, that he was following the plans exactly. When the pond was finally completed it was beautiful to look at with it’s slate waterfall and edges. At night, the lights he installed help create a wonderful sight. The problem was that there was no gradual contour leading from the sides of the pond to the bottom drain. The contractor had completely ignored the recommended bottom contour, so that the waste would be removed automatically and instead made the whole bottom flat. The result is that now on a weekly basis, the owner has to vacuum the bottom of his pond to keep it free of debris. Needless to say, the owner is furious with the contractor. The lesson from this example is that you really need to get involved in the design of your pond. Don’t leave it all up to your contractor. Listen to his advice, but it is up to you to make sure it is being built correctly. If you need a second opinion, feel free to give us a call at Sacramento Koi.