07/01/2026
You know, I originally got into this hobby because of the fish. And I still love watching my koi swim, it’s one of the most relaxing things ever. But more and more, I find just as much enjoyment from looking at all the plants growing in my pond. I love to see the different colors, textures, and way they move in the water and wind. I love watching the wildlife that comes to interact with the environment. The dragonflies zipping around the pickerel plants. The bees landing on the flowers. The birds swooping in for a drink in the stream. The spiders spinning webs on the canna lily stems. The life in this small ecosystem is fascinating and changes every day. Every day I see something new and different that interests me and keeps me watching, wondering, and admiring. The fish are a small part of this balanced ecosystem.
I have seen people build large koi ponds, with monster koi, that are bare sided, square, concrete boxes, with filtration systems and pipes that fill entire rooms, like large fish tanks but outside. And they are great at showcasing their large expensive koi. But they lack the balance with nature. The pleasing sense that there is harmony in a system that is made up of many natural components, all working together to keep water clear, and fish healthy.
It’s sort of like a large expansive lawn filled with perfectly manicured grass. It takes a lot of energy, chemicals, and manpower to keep it looking that way. And sure, to some people, it can be nice to look at, like a cement box filled with very expensive koi
Versus…
A natural woodland filled with bio diversity and trees and ferns and moss. Give me that anyday. It’s so much more interesting to look at.
I’ll take the ecosystem pond. Not only because it’s a more balanced system, as nature intended, but also because when the man made components fail (like during a power outage in a heatwave), and pumps and circulation are lost, my ecosystem pond will be fine, because the plants will shade the fish and continue to suck up fish waste through their roots, while the fish in the cement box will have mere hours to live without their manmade filter system functioning.
Balance is better. Nature is better. And it’s more pleasing to look at in my humble opinion.
