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This is an interesting discussion and it seems like all of the boards have been discussing it. We had so many inquiries about rock-bottomed ponds on KV, that we opened a separate forum just for them. What we found was that not everyone wants a "koi pond" and many people want an advanced water feature that includes nice plants and nice fish. There is no getting away from this and so, maybe the tact we all take is to educate folks on how to properly maintain whatever kind of pond they want and in such a manner that the fish are well taken care of... Somewhere in all of that discussion, someone coined the phrase "koi garden".. I apologize for not remembering who came up with it, but the name stuck and really defines what many people are looking for... a combination of plants, water and fish. And to many this means a rock bottom...

So, instead of just saying it has to be black or white, we went the education route and started talking about the pro's and cons of rock bottomed ponds and in that discussion, we left out the aestethics and stuck with ecology and physiology. We stressed that rock bottomed WILL (not might) harbor all sorts of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria IF not properly maintained and cleaned. But, rock bottom ponds also provide a nice haven for an active bio film, which is why you should never let your local pond cleaner drain and power spray the liner... dumb...

Maintenance is the key and we explained that this had to be done or the fish will suffer. Oddly, what we discovered was that many folks elected to remove their rocks once educated. The biggest reason was that they did not want to do the maintenance nor pay someone else to do it. But they did care enough about the fish to listen to the advice. So, I think the fish owners will listen if we educate them properly and not tell them it has to be one way or another... BUT..

The real problem as so accurately pointed out is the attitude and (lack of)education of the retailers and pond cleaning people. Keep in mind that this is their product and like many other retailers, they will sell you what is on the shelf as THE fix for whatever is ailing you or your fish. Love him or hate him, Dr Erik Johnson took on the task of educating the Aquascapes dealers on koi health and how the AS ponds could be used as viable and healthy homes for koi. Some of these guys got it, others did not but the process of education continues. But as an organization, AS is beginning to understand what is needed for a healthy koi/watergarden environment.

So, I guess my point is that we of the public bulletin board cult have to educate the masses on all aspects of the hobby, including helping those that want a "koi garden" to be successful. To paint the situation black or white on KB or KV or anywhere else will just drive the reader (who is looking for info) to someplace where they are more comfortable. And too often that comfort zone is providing the wrong information.

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