What is the right amount of fish for my pond?
The total gallons of pond water and the rated size of your pond filter is what determines the amount of fish you can have in your pond. A simple rule we use is for every 1″ (inch) of fish you need 1 sq.’ (square foot) of surface area assuming you have a good filtration system. So, if your pond is 8′ x 10′ that would equal 80 sq.’ of surface area for new pond installations. That equates to being able to stock up to 80 inches of Koi (10 8″ Koi) to start with. For established ponds with lots of aquatic plants and an active bacteria colony in the filter, you can raise that level to 2 or 3 inches of fish per 1 square foot of surface area. It is better to not push the envelope on keeping Koi. Should your filter clog up while you are away for a week or less you can severely stress, or even have a complete kill of all of your expensive and precious Koi!
