When Emerick Peace first decided to build a pond, koi weren’t even part of the plan. His goal was simple: create a peaceful garden pond that transformed his backyard into a place of calm.
“I’ve always liked aquariums,” Emerick says. “So I just thought a pond would be really peaceful.”
At first, he dove into the world of garden ponds, reading, researching, and planning. But like many pond keepers, his curiosity soon led him deeper into koi. That shift changed everything. Suddenly, his “garden pond” didn’t quite fit the bill. Four tons of pebbles that once seemed like a good idea became a costly mistake, trapping waste and threatening fish health.
“I had to take the rocks out of my pond. All of them. And all those rocks I paid for—thousands of dollars, I ended up stomping them into the woods,” he laughs.
Lessons in Filtration: From Garden Pond to Koi Pond
Emerick’s pond is large, 20 feet in diameter, nearly 20,000 gallons—and its size only magnified the challenges. At first, he relied on skimmers, submerged pumps, and small pressure filters. But as he read more about koi pond design, he realized he needed to overhaul his system.
With guidance from experts, including Derek here at Play It Koi and some input from other seasoned keepers, Emerick started upgrading step by step: retrofitting bottom drains, swapping filters, and finally investing in high-performance systems.
“I started out with a pressure filter, then a bead filter, then an Evolution Aqua filter. Eventually, I ended up with a rotary drum filter, a Bakki shower, and most recently, a GcTek AlphaNANO Filter and a Poli Glass Bead XStream Polishing Filter. Now I’m turning my pond over almost three times an hour.”
It wasn’t cheap—he estimates over $10,000 just in filtration alone, but the improvements transformed his water quality and fish health.
Choosing Koi: Females Only
Emerick keeps only koi in his pond, 17 at present and he’s learned important lessons along the way.
“When I first started, I thought I was buying all females. But after spawning season, I realized out of 23 koi, seven were males. That was another lesson. Now I only keep females. They’re less stressful on the pond, and I didn’t realize until recently that champion koi are always female because of their body shape and color.”
His largest koi reach over 32 inches, with the others ranging from 27 to 31 inches. He isn’t chasing show titles, but he does value quality. “I’m buying really nice fish, just not show fish. Fish I love.”
The Daily Rhythm: Service & Stillness
For Emerick, living with a pond means routine as much as relaxation. Every Saturday morning is cleaning day:
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Run blowers.
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Backwash bead filters.
Inspect the drum filter. -
Vacuum debris if needed.
“It’s not hard,” he says. “Just consistent.”
But beyond maintenance, the pond has become a ritual. “I go to the pond every day and every night. Sometimes I sit there for hours and have to make myself leave. It’s the littlest slice of heaven on earth.”
Food & Fish Care: Finding Balance
One of the biggest surprises? How expensive koi keeping can be. Between filtration, equipment, and food, costs climb quickly.
“Food alone can be shocking. I started with Hikari and Sakai, $500 for a 40-pound bag. But I realized I’ll never win the All Japan Show, so I don’t need to feed the most expensive food. Now I’ve settled on Nijikawa. It’s high-quality, smells fresh, and the fish look great. That’s what matters to me.”
His koi are fed eight times a day thanks to an auto-feeder, six automatic feedings, plus one in the early morning and another late at night. “If you’re feeding that often, food costs really add up,” he admits.
Advice for New Pond Keepers
Looking back, Emerick wishes he had known one thing from the start: decide whether you want a garden pond or a koi pond.
“If you’re going to appreciate koi as living jewels, don’t build a garden pond. You’ll regret it later,” he says.
For those inheriting or starting a pond, he recommends learning the system first, then deciding if koi are the goal. “Keeping fish and keeping koi are two different things. If it’s koi, your filtration system has to match.”
And when it comes to food, he advises practicality: “Find a quality brand within your budget and stick to it. You don’t need to overspend to enjoy beautiful, healthy koi.”
What the Pond Means Today
Four years in, Emerick’s pond has become more than a hobby, it’s a sanctuary.
“It just brings me so much peace,” he reflects. “The vibration of koi keeping, the creativity of it, it’s unlike anything else. My pond is my slice of heaven.”
🐟 Pond Specifications
- Shape & Size: Circular, 20-foot diameter
- Volume: ~20,000 gallons
- Liner: EPDM
- Hakko Aeration
- Fish: 17 koi (all female)
- Filtration system: Combination
- Lighting:
Rotary Drum Filter (RDF) - For crystal-clear water and low maintenance, we recommend Rotary Drum Filters. These are excellent at removing fine debris before it clogs your biofiltration.
SeaSide Aquatics Rotary Drum Filters RDFs
ProfiDrum Rotary Drum Filters (RDFs)
K1 Bio Media - K1 and K+ media are industry standards for biological filtration. They provide the perfect surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize, keeping your pond’s nitrogen cycle healthy.
Evolution Aqua K+ Advanced Filter Media
Bakki Shower - Bakki Showers super-charge aeration while providing massive biofiltration capacity. They’re especially popular for high-end koi ponds.
Sea Side Aquatics Bakki Showers
GCTek AlphaNANO -Filter -Compact, efficient, and effective — perfect for those who want bead filtration in a smaller footprint.
GCTek AlphaNANO Filters
PoliGlassBead XStream Polishing Filter -For that “polished glass” water look, nothing beats a polishing filter. Ideal for removing the smallest suspended particles.
PoliGlassBead XStream Polishing Filter
Pond Pumps -Choosing the right pump is crucial. While “Evolution Aqua 9600” is sometimes requested, the closest match we currently carry is the Evolution Aqua Adjustable Flow VariPump line. These cover a wide range of flow rates and are energy-efficient.
Evolution Aqua Adjustable Flow Pond Pumps For setups needing multiple lines, we also carry pumps that cover ½ HP, ¾ HP, and 1 HP equivalents — so you can size each line correctly.
UV Sterilization- A strong UV system is essential for keeping green water at bay. While custom chambers can be built, most pond keepers will find an off-the-shelf solution works perfectly.
Evolution Aqua evoUV UV Clarifiers
Bottom Drains -Bottom drains are key to removing debris and keeping maintenance easy. Retrofit styles make it possible to add them even after a pond is built.
Evolution Aqua 4″ Bottom Drain (Non-Aerated)
Skimmer System Surface skimming is essential to remove floating debris like leaves, pollen, and fish food before it sinks. We carry a variety of skimmers and components to help you assemble a complete system.
Shop Pond Skimmers
Auto-Feeder- Automatic feeders ensure consistent nutrition, even when you’re away. While most feeders handle 4–6 feedings per day, with creative scheduling or multiple feeders, you can meet an 8-feeding schedule.
SunSun Solar Feeder (up to 6 feedings/day)