Koi Pond Costs

Here are a few calculations for you; let's look at pond size versus total material and equipment cost:

Size of pond in US gallons	20,000		10,000		5,000
Size of excavation	28'x28'x4'		19'x19'x4'		13' x13' x4'
Excavation (use fill for waterfall)	120 cu yds	$2,000.00	55 cu yds	$1,500.00	25 cu yds	$1,200.00
Pond Liner size - 45 mil EPDM	40' x 40'	$ 720.00	31' x 31'	$ 440.00	25' x 25'	$ 287.50
Truck freight for liner & weight	500 lbs	$ 100.00	310 lbs	$ 90.00	200 lbs	$ 80.00
Crew to help lower liner into hole	10-15 guys	2 hrs	6-10 guys	2 hrs	4-7 guys	2 hrs
Stone, rock and Boulders	This varies with design, budget, and taste
Money Saver Pump	5 HP	$ 2,949.00	3 HP	$1,349.00	1 HP	$ 949.00
UPS freight for pump	60 lbs	$ 40.00	50 lbs	$ 38.00	40 lbs	$ 36.00
Best Pond Filter	60 cu ft	$2,796.00	30 cu ft	$1,398.00	15 cu ft	$ 699.00
UV Sterilizer	240 watts	$1,060.00	200 watts	$ 875.00	120 watts	$ 525.00
Truck freight for filter & UV	250 lbs	$ 100.00	200 lbs	$ 90.00	150 lb	$ 80.00
Skimmers	4	$200	3	$150	2	$100
PVC pipe & fittings		$ 2,500.00		$1,875.00		$ 1,250.00
	$12,465.00		$7,805.00		$5,206.50
Price per gallon	$0.62		$0.78		$1.04

As you can see to increase the pond size by 10,000 gallons will cost you about $4,660 for materials and equipment. In other words, the price per gallon goes down as the pond gets larger.

What's left? Connecting the PVC pipe and fittings with glue, piping in the pump, filter, and UV sterilizer, putting rocks around the perimeter, lining the hill you have made with the excavation fill to form a waterfall, placing rocks on the waterfall, etc.

The problem is: when you start watching a few Koi, you will soon want many more. You might even want one of each variety. There are hundreds of color combinations, glitter scales or not, German "Doitsu" scale pattern or not, Butterfly Fins or Standard, etc. When Koi feed they are the biggest hogs in the world, and they are really fun to watch and train to feed out of your hand. It has nothing to do with being a Koi expert, or breeder, but you soon will want to know more about them.

I have seen a large Koi "walk on water" like a trained Dolphin, with most of his body out of the water, begging for food. They can't do that in a little 2' pond.

They are very relaxing to watch, and serve as a healthful stress relief to many.

If a catastrophe happens and one of your only four Koi die, you will be heart broken. If you have 100 or so other Koi, it's not as much of a tragedy.

What happens in the winter when it hits -20 degrees for a week or two. How deep will the pond freeze? Remember a full grown Koi can be 3' in length, and up to a foot or so in girth. They don't do well when the ice encases them.

What happens when the raccoons come visiting, 2' of water won't stop them. How about foxes? Do you really want to replace all your Koi once or twice a year?

They grow very fast, a small 5" Koi will be over 2' within a few years, and continue to grow for 8 years. When they are full grown some can be worth way more than your entire pond budget.