| A good place to start is to read a couple of koi-keeping books (not water garden books). Right now, you should probably concentrate on the environmental aspects (pond design, filtration, water quality, etc) and worry about the koi aspects (varieties, selection, appreciation, etc) later. The fish you have are probably perfect for teaching you how to keep them alive.
As Ruth says, you should get some test kits and check your water quality. Start with temperature, pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and alkalinity. With that information, and a detailed description of your pond, the people here can evaluate your situation and make suggestions.
Listen to your wife and do some serious research before making any significant investments. It is said that koi keeping is an expensive hobby. Well, that's true to some extent, but the only really expensive part is the mistakes. Investments which bring enjoyment for many years into the future turn out to be very cost effective.
You are going to be surprised at how fast you can catch on to the basics of koi if you are willing to invest some time. People here will gladly respond to any question as long as it is specific enough that it can be answered in a paragraphs, not pages. Asking "how do you keep koi" won't work because the answer requires a book. Your task is to figure out to best utilize this place as a resource. Welcome.
-steve hopkins |