Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Nature’s Re-Creations, 1917 Meyer Drury, Arnold, 314-220-3841, re-createnature.com.
Chris Siewing’s garden emits a relaxing burble. It’s tranquil and lush, with waterfalls and koi ponds up to 45 feet across and 4 feet deep surrounded by arrowhead, variegated sweet flag, blue rush, thalia, and narrow-leaved cattail. In the clear water glide the sleek, colorful koi; their fins appear almost feathery. One, a golden fish that Siewing’s kids have dubbed Friendly, eats right out of your hand. But while some see serenity in koi ponds, I, a former fish owner, see onus. I had one fish in a bowl when I was in middle school, but I still remember the smell and continual water changes. Siewing assures me this is different. For starters, you only clean it once a year.
“Koi are foragers,” says Siewing, who owns Nature’s Re-Creations, a pond and waterfall design and installation company. “If you watch these guys, all they do all day is just nuzzle down onto the gravel. They’re eating any debris buildup.” Siewing’s ponds also use an eco-friendly filtration system that skims off any dross, and the water is treated with beneficial bacteria that helps keep the water clear.
But what about winter? “They go into a lethargic state and hang out at the bottom,” says Siewing. As long as the pond is at least 2 feet deep and there’s a source of oxygen (a waterfall, floating heater, or bubbling stone), the fish can stay put.
To deter predators, the pond is built with fish caves, or little alcoves where the koi can hide. Good lily-pad coverage also helps the fish get away from birds of prey, raccoons, and cats. And the pond doesn’t have to take over the backyard, either. Though Siewing’s ponds typically start at 11 by 16 feet, a pond could be the “size of a bathtub” or be customized to fit any area.
“One thing I try to do is make things appear as natural as possible,” says Siewing. “We’re trying to abolish the stereotype of a pond in St. Louis as very stacky and man-made.” His ponds’ surrounding stones look weathered, and pockets built into each pond’s lining hide potted plants. The pond can even be part of a rainwater harvest system.
Plus, it’s the perfect setting for carp and catfish—though Siewing says keeping wild game fish is illegal. He also warns against stocking the pond with cheap pet-store goldfish. “They multiply like mice,” he says. “In a season, they can have hundreds of babies, and then you have an overloaded system.” His koi, on the other hand, produce 12 to 20 new fish every year.
So maybe raising koi isn't that hard. But I’m not fully sold till I see the koi pond at night. Lit just right, the fish seem to glow from the inside as they flit through their ethereal, watery landscape, and I finally give in to the Zen tranquility of it all.
WEB EXCLUSIVE:
Tips for Raising Koi
Chris Siewing of Nature’s ReCreations shared some of his pointers for keeping koi happy, healthy, and safe.
• Females need a shallow planted area to hide their eggs when they spawn, otherwise they’ll get eaten.
• A pond can be topped off with tap water, so long as you’re only adding 25 percent or less of the total pond water.
• Be wary of aggressive plants like bamboo or ribbon grass, which could end up piercing the pond lining.
• Covering the pond liner with gravel protects it from UV rays and extends its life.
• When handling koi, putting a finger over the fish’s mouth to keep it closed can help keep it from wriggling.
• A pond should have 30 to 40 percent of its surface covered by lily pads so the fish can get out of the sunlight and hide.
• When introducing a new fish to an already stocked pond, keep it in quarantine for three weeks to ensure it isn’t sick.
