Outdoor water feature/fish pond basics needed

[NanoNano]

Looking at a house that comes with a preexisting pump driven water feature with a waterfall into a small pond (3 small Koi in it at the moment- would guess 500 gallons for so,  but without wading in...).  Can anyone here with some experience able to give me some SWAG estimates at monthly cost to keep the pump running, water, maintenance, etc and some basic info on the amount of time effort needed?

The house is laid out great and the yard looks *ideal*,  but I'm looking to retire in a couple of years as well as starting to feel my years a bit in my back and knees and want to understand what I would be getting into financially and physically.

Edit- Should add that the house is in the Seattle/Vancouver BC area if that makes any difference.

Edited October 18, 2021 by NanoNano

[Zenzo]

On 10/18/2021 at 8:27 AM, NanoNano said:

Looking at a house that comes with a preexisting pump driven water feature with a waterfall into a small pond (3 small Koi in it at the moment- would guess 500 gallons for so,  but without wading in...).  Can anyone here with some experience able to give me some SWAG estimates at monthly cost to keep the pump running, water, maintenance, etc and some basic info on the amount of time effort needed?

The house is laid out great and the yard looks *ideal*,  but I'm looking to retire in a couple of years as well as starting to feel my years a bit in my back and knees and want to understand what I would be getting into financially and physically.

Edit- Should add that the house is in the Seattle/Vancouver BC area if that makes any difference.

I have a similar sized "pond" on my deck/patio (4x8x2) with a large trickle filter that I can grow plants and vegetables in. The only power that I need to run to the pond is for a submersible pump that pumps water up to the grow bed. It is actually my easiest system to maintain because the plants do so much of the filtration work. I hardly ever do water changes, but I do frequently add water due to evaporation (so I guess I am doing mini water changes). In this pond I have one koi (maybe about 16-18" now, and several goldfish (shubunkins and comets - all around 7-8"). I also have one huge dojo loach in there (about 7-8").

I usually do one larger cleaning per year, and occasionally run a net along the bottom to scoop out leaves and detritus. Water always tests less than 10ppm nitrates (usually around 5ppm). 

Not sure about estimating the cost, but if you have a way of having live plants in the system (where the koi can't bother them), it will help with the water quality, thus requiring less maintenance. Other than that, just the cost of running that small pump. 

My only concern would be to make sure that the pond is winter proof since you are up north. That's something I don't have to worry about here in San Francisco. If your pond is too shallow or not in the ground, low temps could be bad in the winter if there is a freeze.

[NanoNano]

Thanks @Zenzo!  Looks like the house is going into a bidding war so I'm out (other than the outdoor water feature it's a pretty "meh" late 90's house of which there are many more) ...Next step is to learn about how much it costs to have a water feature added to a house that doesn't have an existing one.

Edited October 18, 2021 by NanoNano

[Zenzo]

On 10/18/2021 at 1:55 PM, NanoNano said:

Thanks @Zenzo!  Looks like the house is going into a bidding war so I'm out (other than the outdoor water feature it's a pretty "meh" late 90's house of which there are many more) ...Next step is to learn about how much it costs to have a water feature added to a house that doesn't have an existing one.

If you are going to make your own or have one built, make it easy for yourself and make sure that it is winterized so that you don't have to transport fish in and out for winter. Also, if you can incorporate some type of marsh plants into the filter system, it may make it easier for you as well (water parameters, less water changes). Good luck!

[Patrick_G]

I have a similar but smaller version of Zenzo’s pond here on Vashon Island. It’s also surprisingly easy to maintain. I do have it in the shade with the house to the west and a dense tree to the south. I think that makes a big difference for algae control. 2020-21 was my first winter with it and the fish did fine. My former pond was in ground and in a more sunny location. I suffered from frequent outbreaks of algae and green water. If I owned that pond today I’d add a UV filter. 

[Zenzo]

On 10/18/2021 at 2:48 PM, Patrick_G said:

I have a similar but smaller version of Zenzo’s pond here on Vashon Island. It’s also surprisingly easy to maintain. I do have it in the shade with the house to the west and a dense tree to the south. I think that makes a big difference for algae control. 2020-21 was my first winter with it and the fish did fine. My former pond was in ground and in a more sunny location. I suffered from frequent outbreaks of algae and green water. If I owned that pond today I’d add a UV filter. 

Good point. Mine only gets direct sunlight for 3-4 hours per day. The rest of the time it is shaded, which also helps with the algae. Any algae that grows on the side, my goldfish mow down.