KOI Tips:  What Happens When I Have to Treat My Pond Fish?
 

It is imperative that you know the exact number of gallons of water in your pond.  In case of emergency, like fish that are flashing (rubbing on the bottom or sides of the pond) or not eating, swimming funny or showing other signs of illness you may have to add salt or other medicines, and there is no way to safely do this unless you know just how many gallons you have. 

Ways to do this are:  use a water meter that attaches to the end of the hose when you first fill it up, or move the fish to another container of which you know the gallons (i.e. 10-gal. or 50-gal.).  Or make sure nobody in the house is using any water, even flushing a toilet, and make note of the water meter reading before you start and when filled, and call the water company with these readings.  They can give the total number of gallons.

Another way is to measure the pond by the table below:

To determine gallons (in feet or inches): 

Rectangular or square pond:

a. Volume (feet) = Length x Width x Average depth x 7.5 = gallons

b. Volume (inches) = Length x Width x Average depth ÷ 231 = gallons
 

Circular-shaped pond:

Radius= ½ of diameter

Area= Radius x Radius x 3.14 

Volume = (feet) Area x Average depth x 7.5 = gallons
 

Irregular-shaped pond:       

Volume = Divide the pond into circles, squares or rectangles.  Add the divided parts together.

 

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