The Best Koi Pond Kits: A Complete Buyers Guide

Koi ponds are a popular outdoor water feature for backyards, offices, and parks. While having a home koi pond might be a daunting idea, purchasing a koi fish pond kit can save you time and money and simplify the assembly process.

Koi pond kits for sale come in different sizes and can be much more affordable than buying all the parts yourself. In this guide, we’ve laid out the best koi pond kits we could find and included a buyer’s guide to help you find the perfect backyard koi pond kits for your budget and space.

What Is a Koi Pond Kit?

A koi pond starter kit is an alternative to buying and assembling individual pond pieces on your own. The kit includes all the necessary components to build a koi pond and can be put together using standard hand tools from your garage.

Buying a koi pond kit also ensures that all your pond parts will be compatible. As a result, it can save you valuable time and prevent you from hiring a professional to help you put your pond together. It also saves you money, as their koi pond pieces can be expensive.

Benefits of a Koi Pond Kit

There are many benefits to purchasing a koi pond complete kit instead of buying koi pond pieces. Affordability, compatibility, and safety are vital things a koi fish pond kit can give you, rather than leaving you stuck trying to assemble a jumble of different pieces.

Affordability

Outdoor koi pond kits can be an affordable alternative to buying individual pond parts. Purchasing a koi pond complete kit can save you money instead of having to source a filter, skimmer, and other pond parts all on your own.

While several cheap koi pond kits are for sale, buying the components of even a small koi pond kit one by one can be expensive.

Without your knowledge, you may pay a premium or higher price for something that could have been included in the cost of the koi fish pond kit. You can also save money on shipping if you’re buying it online. Shipping for separate pieces of a pond can be costly, depending on where you live.

Compatibility

Purchasing a complete koi pond kit also ensures all your pieces will be compatible. If you buy the individual parts yourself, you risk buying pieces that won’t or can’t work with each other. If you pay for an incompatible skimmer, pump, or underlayment for your pond, it won’t be able to function, and you’ll have to start over or re-buy parts for your pond.

All pond packages and equipment are not made equally, and while buying a cheap part online or from your local hardware store may seem like a good idea, there’s no guarantee that it will work with the other things you’ve purchased.

Buying a premade koi pond kit guarantees that your parts will work together and ship together.

Efficiency

Buying a complete koi pond kit is more efficient than getting solitary pieces and assembling them yourself. The best koi pond kits will save you research, shopping, and assembly time. However, finding the parts to make up your koi pond kit can take time.

Buying outdoor koi pond kits will also take less time than purchasing individual parts, whether you source them from your local hardware store or an online retailer. In addition, a fish pond kit will prevent you from having to research which parts work will work with your pond.

Purchasing a large or small koi pond kit saves time on assembly. The best pond kits will arrive ready to put together, with instructions detailing how to set up your fish pond.

Safety

Safety is crucial when setting up any outdoor pond or water feature, especially one with living creatures in it. For example, if your koi pond is assembled incorrectly or made of low-quality materials, you can risk flooding, electrical issues, and the death of your fish and other wildlife.

When you buy a premade koi pond kit, customer support will be available to you throughout assembly and after your pond is built. Experts can answer any questions and recommend any maintenance or safety tips for your specific pond.

Premade kits also include a simple warranty to understand and protect against broken parts and accidents.

What Equipment Comes With a Koi Pond Kit?

A koi pond kit should include everything you need to assemble and use your outdoor fish pond. A few essential pond kit components will come with every kit, and other optional items you can add depending on your budget and space.

Pond Skimmer

A pond skimmer is a device that keeps any debris that falls into your pond from sinking to the bottom. Koi fish are notorious for eating any plants and debris that may fall into your pond, negatively affecting their health and even causing death.

A pond skimmer will recycle the water floating on the top of your pond. It sucks in the water on the surface of your pond, including any plant debris or trash, and filters them before releasing the clean water back into the pond. All premade koi pond kits should include a pond skimmer.

Waterfall Filter

A waterfall filter is a type of pond filter that works well in koi ponds or other ponds with animals. The filter keeps the water in the pond clean and removes any junk missed by the pond skimmer. It also adds necessary air to the water, providing vital oxygen for your koi fish.

Waterfall filters can be a gorgeous addition to your koi pond, and they keep potentially dangerous algae from growing in your pond. Algae in your pond will provide oxygen during the day but take a lot from the pond at night, which can be deadly for your fish.

Pond Pump

A pond pump is another essential piece of your premade koi pond kit. The size of the pump you need depends on the size of your koi pond, and you’ll need to decide on either a submersible pump that can work in the water or an external pump.

The pump will power your filter, waterfall, and any other fountains or water features that you decide to add. The pump will also bring more oxygen into the pond while moving the water through the pond skimmer and filter and back into the pond.

Pond Liner and Underlayment

The liner and underlayment of your pond are critical to your koi fish’s health and safety. There are several types of material for pond liners, but the best will be puncture-resistant, long-lasting, and able to keep dirt, debris, and sediment from seeping into your pond.

The underlayment rests below the liner and is the last line of defense between your pond and whatever it’s built into. If there are hard rocks or sharp pieces of gravel at the bottom of your pond, the underlayment will stop them from tearing through the liner when it’s placed.

Considerations To Make When Choosing a Koi Pond Kit

When choosing a koi pond kit, there are various things to consider to make sure you pick the best one for you. You can choose different styles and materials based on your budget, the amount of space you have for your pond, and the size and depth of your pond.

Pond Kit Style

There are several styles of complete pond kits. The best one for a healthy and safe koi pond is the bottom draining pond kit. A bottom draining kit will suck all the waste from the koi fish into the filter to be removed. However, a filter alone is not enough to remove all the fish waste from a koi pond.

Liner Material

The liner of your koi pond is essential for your fish’s health, and it helps prevent debris and sediment from leaking into your pond. I recommend a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) koi pond liner. HDPE liners a thin and light but are extremely pressure and puncture-resistant.

Pond Filter

The type of pond filter you need will depend on the depth of your pond. The best practice is to buy a filter that can handle 1.5 times the gallons circulated through your koi pond per hour (gph). If you have a lot of green algae in your pond, you may want one with a UV clarifier.

Pond Pump

Your pond pump size will also depend on the number of gallons of water in your pond. If it’s too big, your pump will create too much movement in the water, harming your fish. Try to identify the monthly costs of using the pump you want to buy, and choose one that fits your budget.

The 7 Best Koi Pond Kits Available

Here is a list of the best koi pond kits available and my pros and cons for each kit. Remember, the koi pond kit that’s best for you will be within your budget, include all the pieces you need, and fit within the space you have laid out for your koi pond. Check out my comparisons below.

Poolscapes 270 Gallon Pond Kit

The Koolscapes 270 Gallon Pond Kit is a great and sustainable option for your koi pond. The kit has most of the parts you need to assemble your pond. It includes a non-toxic pond liner, a filter and pump, two extra fountain heads, and two lovely silk water lilies for the surface.

Pros:

• A non-toxic pond liner protects your fish and the environment
• 200 gph Pond pump

Cons:

• It doesn’t include pond underlayment
• It doesn’t have a pond skimmer

Simply Ponds 3000 Water Garden and Pond Kit

Simply Ponds complete water garden and pond kit has everything you need to assemble your outdoor koi pond. The kit comes with multiple sizes of liners from 10 feet to 15 feet and a 16-inch waterfall filter. It also includes a pond skimmer, lights, a liner, and an underlayment.

Pros:

• Strong 4000 gph pond skimmer
• Extended warranties on pump, liner, and tubing

Cons:

•  Somewhat complicated to install
•  The pump can be tricky to protect without a shell

Algreen 600 Gallon Pond Kit With Lighting System

The Algreen 600 Gallon Pond Kit includes all the pieces you need to build a complete koi pond. Its non-toxic pond liner is ten by 12 feet, and the kit’s pump can handle up to 500 gph at a time. The kit also includes three pond lights, a riser, two fountain heads, and two silk water lilies.

Pros:

• The pump has flow control and protection
• Affordable

Cons:

• Will not include a pond underlayment
• It does not have a pond skimmer

Smiley Scapes Fountain Koi Pond Kit

The Smile Scapes Koi Pond Kit comes with a nine-by-six-inch puncture-resistant pond liner for the bottom of your pond. Additionally, the kit has a 6ft fountain lift pump with flow control and a removable filter. The pump is strong enough to control up to 264 gph of water.

Pros:

•  Includes 5 silk water lilies
•  Optional sprinkler head

Cons:

•  It doesn’t include a pond skimmer
•  Reviews mention issues with the liner

Half Off Ponds Large Hybrid Pond Kit With Waterfall & Skimmer

Another kit from well-liked brand Half Off Ponds, the Half Off Ponds Hybrid Pond Kit, incorporates everything you need for a koi pond in your backyard. This kit can accommodate up to 700 gallons of water at a depth of 1.5 feet and has a filter, skimmer, pump, liner, and underlayment.

Pros:

• The kit is all-inclusive
• Long warranties, durability

Cons:

• The pump can be hard to protect

Simply Ponds 2100 Water Garden and Pond Kit

Simply Ponds 2100 Water Garden and Pond Kit is large enough to build an 11 by 16 koi pond outdoors. The liner comes in four sizes, so choosing the right size for your pond is a breeze. It also contains a waterfall filter, a serenity skimmer, a liner, and an efficient submersible pump.

Pros:

•  Nonwoven geotextile underlayment
•  Pump can handle up to 2,100 gph

Cons:

•  Skimmer is not pre-drilled
•  Small instruction booklet

AquaScape 99765 DIY Ecosystem Backyard Pond Kit

The AquaScape DIY Backyard Pond Kit is the last kit on our list. The kit is made to build an eight by 11-foot koi pond and comes with a pond skimmer, Bio falls filter, and AquaSurge pond pump. It also includes foam sealant, a 12 by 10-foot liner, and a durable underlayment for your pond.

Pros:

• Kink free pond tubing
• Low maintenance

Cons:

• The pond has a maximum depth of 2 feet
• Will not include skimmer brushes

Summary

My recommendation for the best koi pond kit is the Simply Ponds 3000 Complete Water and Pond Kit. It includes every piece you’ll need to set up a beginning koi pond, has extended warranties on all of its products, and can be customized to the exact size you need.

We’ve covered what your koi pond should include, what to consider when purchasing your koi pond kit, and compared the seven best koi kits available online today. With this guide, you should be prepared to find the outdoor pond kit that fits your needs, budget, and space.