Koi Fish Keeping Information | Wonderfulkoi

Koi Pond Cleaning

2012-01-18T16:01:00.000+07:00

Cleaning a koi pond is important for koi health, but least enjoyable. Koi Fish pond changes through the seasons, so will your challenges in keeping it healthy. A healthy, thriving pond is a living entity in balance with nature. It is essential to appreciate why a natural pond is the perfect model for you own backyard pond, and what is likely to happen if you deviate from that ideal, that is what makes spring maintenance so important. Often a dreaded part of Pond ownership, Routine Maintenance is an inevitability and absolute necessity.

Although thorough and sometime very expensive filtration devices are employed to maintain water quality, ornamental fish ponds are infrequently the balance ecosystem we envision.

Water exchanges are the most needed, and can be very labor intensive. They however are imperative to proper function, and the old koi fish keeper's adage has never been more accurate; The Solution to Pollution is indeed Dilution. When not removed, the organic waste that is created in or falls into the Koi Pond will begin to decompose. It is this decomposition that will create a problem if left unchecked. Water exchanges will prevent the slow buildup of toxins to levels that will become stressful or even deadly to the pond's inhabitants.

In what has become a technologically advanced world, automation in the Koi Pond World is becoming more and more prevalent. By carefully constructing Fish Ponds with cleaning and maintenance in mind, water exchanges can be a simple, even automatic process. Automatic top-off features are being incorporated more than ever, and it is this feature that will allow water exchanges to become as simple as feeding the fish, as opposed to the all-day affair they once were.

By employing a similar device to the ones that refill your toilet when it is flushed, an automatic top-off device will keep your pond filled to its maximum level. It will prevent evaporation loss, and will refill your fish Pond for you when water is being exchanged.

As external filtration is becoming commonplace, some simple design additions can assist in Koi Pond Draining. Water is pumped from the pond through the filter and back into the pond. At or around the filter, the pipe can be split or diverted with individual shut-off valves.

One will continue on rout to the pond, while the other should flow away from the pond, preferable piped to a suitable waste-water location. By adding this simple device, a water exchange can be performed by merely switching these valves on and off. The automatic top-off will refill your pond, and you didn't even have to get wet! To take it a step further, the valve can actually be automated with a timer switch, most commonly used for automated lawn sprinklers. The valve will then begin water exchanges on its own.

As with all facets of Koi Pond ownership, nothing is maintenance-free. If chlorinated water is used, a dechorinator must be used whenever top-off water is added. Valves may eventually wear down or leak and consideration should be given to future replacement of these parts.

Even with consistent water exchanges, the filtration will need to be kept clean, and algae and detritus may need to be removed before the exchanges for maximum efficiency. With some sound thought before the system is in place, there is no reason to fear maintenance.

Source:
http://www.pondworld.com/keepyourkoipondclean.aspx

Koi Pond Skimmers

2012-01-14T21:17:00.000+07:00

Pond skimmers are an important element of koi ponds, since they keep ponds looking clean. Also, koi ponds covered in debris and leaves are unhealthy, and can create an unsafe environment for your koi fish and water plants. Without pond skimmers, unwanted elements eventually sink to the bottom of the koi pond, decay, and create gases. Most pond skimmers also house the pond pump, and contain filter media to clean the water. These products are effective while being easy to disguise or hide which helps your koi pond retain a natural look. We offer a variety of pond skimmers, including koi pond skimmers, water garden skimmers and more.

Koi Pond skimmers are designed to work with other types of filters, as a sort of pre-filter that removes the larger elements such as floating leaves, which would clog other types of biological or chemical filters. These same floating leaves would also clog the pump. Many pond skimmers are creatively designed to fit with your pond's design. Some may have an artificial rock or natural-looking cover over the top. Some pond skimmers sit outside of the pond, and can even be covered up by garden plants or bushes.

The surface skimming action of these skimmers removes leaves, pine needles, grass clippings and other debris before it sinks to the bottom of your koi pond. They are also creatively hidden in your landscape by placing simulated rock cover over the top of the skimmer. Pond skimmers can act as a prefilter to other filters by removing solids before they can reach and clog the second filter (most likely your biological and mechanical filter).

Example How Pond Skimmers Work (Atlantic Pond Skimmer)

Pond skimmers are usually installed at the surface of the water and will capture any leaves/sticks or other floating debris. Depending on how much debris is floating on the surface of the water will determine how often the basket or filter will need to be emptied.

How To Choose Pond Skimmers

There are many different brands of pond skimmers. When choosing which one is best for you consider these points:
1. Ease of Emptying
Depending on the amount of trees near your pond, you may be emptying your skimmer quite frequently in some seasons. For that reason, choose a skimmer that is easy to empty, and is also easy to access in your landscape.

2. Durability
Some low quality pond skimmers will not hold up well over time, especially when the weather gets cold and low quality plastics get brittle. Have a good look at the durability of the removable basket and choose one that slides in and out easily so as the basket won't get stuck in various weather conditions.

3. Pump Size
To ensure that your skimmer can always keep up with your pump, choose a skimmer that is rated to a similar flow rate as the pump. If your skimmer is matched to your pump, then it will be no problem in the future if you decide to squeeze a little more flow out of your pump (to build a bigger waterfall for example). For more information on flow rates and choosing a pond pump, click here.

4. Fish Considerations
If housing fish, you may want to consider a skimmer with some kind of floating door on the intake to prevent fish from entering and getting caught inside your skimmer.

Building A Koi Pond Using Pond Liner

2012-01-11T13:51:00.001+07:00

Pond Liner Pond, photo stasko,cc.gatech.edu

Building a koi pond in short time is not difficult as you think it. You can use pond liners to design and create a modern koi pond as you want. You can create unusually shaped pond or you need a pond that fits a particular home style or design then you can best achieve this by using flexible pond liner. With the preformed pond liner your pond will look like it was professional installed.

Building Koi Pond using Pond Liner only take a little planning to design, create, and install your pond. You can call up your friends or family, purchase all the material, and you can easily have your pond up and running in short time.

For beauty koi pond with pond liner, you can add various depths, ledges, and make it as deep or shallow as you want. That’s one of the advantages of using pond liners is you won’t have a pond that looks like everyone’s. You can also install a waterfall, stream, or other types of water features.

All you need to know now is where to site the pond and how to measure the liner. Liner normally is cut from standard roll widths so try to design your pond around these widths. It is possible of course to join liner but it can be a tricky job and it does need to be done under clean conditions.

The best type of pond liner material is either EPDM (poplar in the USA) or Butyl Rubber liner (popular in the UK). Other popular materials for lower cost installations are PVC and Polyethylene... in my country South Africa LLDPE (liner low density polyethylene) is preferred in view of high UV intensity.

After you install your koi pond with a pond liner you do need to check it for leaks and repair it. If you treat the pond liner with care you won’t have any leak repairs to do for several years. Normally pond liners last quite a few years but fish, weather, and time do tend to wear the liner, so you will have to maintain the liner to increase the life of your pond.

Source:
http://www.pond-building-tips.com/the-easiest-way-to-create-a-koi-pond-using-pond-liners
http://www.practical-water-gardens.com/flexiblepondliner.htm

Why Pond Filter Get Dirty

2012-01-08T05:02:00.001+07:00

Koi pond filter consist of mechanical, biological and chemical chamber. In the biological chamber must not have debris as dirty particle.But Even biofilters get dirty. This can be in many forms and of many descriptions. In the most fundamental case, 'dirt' is macro debris that is carried to the biofilter from the greater pond environment. This can be leafs, seeds, acorns, fish pellets , insects and feces. These really should never get to the biofilter ( which is more accurately called a bio-reactor and not a filter at all) as every pond should have a first line of defense in the way of a skimmer basket and pre-filter. A prefilter is a concept more than a piece of equipment. The WAY your prefilter words and how efficient it is, further describes want you prefiltration approach is.

You can have :
Mechanical filtration - an actual physical filtration using a permeable material that allows water to pass thru but not solids. Depending on pore size, the mechanical filter can be just a plastic cage and go right down in size to micron spacing in a paper or plastic membrane.

This technique is tricky in that, if the pour size is large in order to accommodate large water flow, some material will get through. If, on the other hand, the pour size is very small to accomplish maximum protection and entrapment, the filter quickly clogs. In addition, a weak point about physical filtration of any kind, the fact that things become trapped against the force of flowing water and this tends to pulverize and liquify trapped organic debris. This then cause fines that remain in circulation and also causes an accumulation of dyes and stains within the water column itself.

A second mechanical filter type is the combined mechanical/bio design. Sand filters, bubble bead filters, stone filters, peagravel filters. OK as an old style approach but ultimately the mechanical function gets better at the expense of the biofilter function and thus requires serious maintenance or huge surface to overcome this design flaw.

Passive filtration- in many forms- cyclone filters, vortex filters, settlement chambers, baffle filters, etc. This systems tend to pull out circulating waste by employing several creative scientific/ physic’s principles. In general these are efficient and tend to avoid many of the short comings of true mechanical filters. The one weakness of these filters is that they are only as effective, in terms of the overall pond system, if what they trap is routinely removed.

This often requires a substantial amount of water . But still they are easier to clean than the true mechanicals. The material they can remove are all of the macro material mentioned and additionally- do not create the pulverizing effect of the mechanical F.

So with all these designs, why do biofilters STILL get dirty?? The answer is simple. First a small percentage of particles still gets through all the above mentioned devices. Secondly many types of organics actually RE-connect and accumulate as they settle on biomedia and attract other like particles. Thirdly, The biofilter itself produces waste over time.

This comes in the form of dead biofilm, dead bacteria, processed fish slime coat, process particles, dead algae content and particle formation of all this material. Often it takes the form of a green or brown paste-like muddy material. And often, this media becomes home to protozoa , worms and fungi.

This material also must be removed - but not too often as the biofilter has an ecological balance of its own. It is the gross accumulation of macro material and the use of biomedia that encourages trapping that should be avoided. The slurry you may see that accumulates is to a degree, alive and will ‘live’ as long as the microbes within it stay alive. This is a layer of controlled anerobic activity.

Source:
http://www.canadiankoiandpond.ca/articles/article19.html

Red Color Development In Koi Fish

2012-01-02T16:27:00.000+07:00

Red Color or Hi in Koi Fish make koi more beautiful and wonderful. But the depth of red color make one koi fish different with other. Depth of red color depend on genetict, environment and food. Red color in koi also depend in the age of koi fish. Hi (red color) in young koi may be not yet depth (orange) but tend to dark in the age.Koi development can be a confusing topic particularly for folks just getting into the koi hobby. One of the reasons for this is that there are no "exacts" in koi. Another reason is a koi's colors can be easily changed by environment and diet.

It is simply immature orange based Hi. It is probably high quality Hi, but it is not ready to be red yet. Most, or at least many, young koi for sale by dealers are "colored up" or fed large amounts of color enhancing food, or forced into finishing early, to enhance the red. It is simple koi business.

There are some young koi that have a purple based Hi that looks deep red even in very young koi, but in the experience purple based Hi does not last long. It tends to bleed around the edges where red meets white as the koi grows. Orange based Hi is high quality "elegant" Hi. It thickens and becomes red slowly over time, and it stays. Well finished orange based Hi on a jumbo koi is an incredibly beautiful thing to see.

Koi color development takes a back seat to growth, and a koi's growth takes a back seat to egg production. So, if a koi is growing quickly, as in a mud pond, or in a large sparsely populated koi pond, the koi's colors will be "down". The Hi will look thin and can be perceived as of low quality.

Young koi should not be fed food high in color enhancers as they are growing because as they are developing we really need to know what stage of development they are in. When a person buys a "colored-up" fish with little information about the koi's history they have no idea whether the koi is finished, or near finished.

It may not be your intention to buy a koi that is finished at only 12 inches long. Knowing the koi's history, true age, and stage of Hi development will prevent this from happening, or it can help you choose a high quality small koi that will stay small, if that is your desire. If a koi's colors are "finished" at an early age the koi should be kept small to maintain this beauty.

Source:
http://www.lotuslandkoifarm.com/Articles/The_Basics_of_Hi/the_basics_of_hi.html

Koi Herpes Virus

2012-01-01T17:46:00.000+07:00

Koi Herpesvirus (KHV) is a very damaging and easily spread virus that affects common carp and carp varieties such as koi Fish. Koi Herpesvirus (KHV) represents a third cyprinid herpesvirus formally designated Cyprinid herpesvirus 3(CyHV-3). Other nomenclature (Carp Interstitial Nephritis and Gill Necrosis Virus (CNGV)) has been suggested. Koi Herpes Virus is not new. It has been around for decades, even before we knew what it was. Koi were said to have a sleeping disease or some other explanation.

Outbreaks of the disease occur in summer, when water temperatures are high, and can kill between 20% and 100% of carp in a fishery. The disease is most likely to be spread when fish are stocked. But it is also possible that the virus could be moved on fishing tackle. To protect your fishery, or the place you fish, there are practical steps you can take.

If your fishery has an outbreak of the disease, there are also actions you can take to reduce the losses and ensure that the fishery can recover as quickly as possible. You can also take action to prevent problems in the future.

The virus will spread from one koi to the next only when the infected koi is “shedding” the virus. By shedding I mean producing and releasing the virus from its body. It is possible for an infected koi to not be shedding the virus and not spread it to another koi. It is also possible for a koi to have briefly come in contact with the virus, develop antibodies to the virus, but never contract the virus. This is why 100% accurate testing is difficult to achieve.

No KHV quarantine or testing procedure offers 100% assurance a koi previously infected with KHV will be detected. Through quarantine and serological testing we can greatly reduce the odds of infecting other koi. Serological technology is available to measure antibodies to the KHV virus. Both Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) and the Virus Neutralization Antibody Assay (VN) serologies are available at modest cost, the latter being the most sensitive. The KHV disease outbreak illustrated in the photos should have been prevented by testing the fish for the carrier state while in quarantine.

Serology done on survivors strongly suggests some imports had survived a previous KHV infection as they carried low antibody titers. It is unclear how long a KHV survivor will maintain detectable antibodies but studies are in progress. The CEFAS group has demonstrated detectable antibodies a year or more following infection. Using serology on fish in quarantine is another tool we have available for protecting our collections.

If a fish has detectable levels of antibodies to KHV, it has been previously infected and must be considered a carrier. Carriers have the potential to shed the virus at a later time, infecting other fish. Materials and procedures we find useful for drawing blood for anti KHV antibody testing are outlined.

Source:
http://www.simikoi.com/subcat421.html
http://www.koihealth.org/

Best Condition For Spawning Koi

2011-12-17T22:13:00.000+07:00

Spawning or Breeding Koi, however, isn't as simple as throwing together male and female Koi. They need the right conditions to be present.There are many things to consider when breeding Koi.Time is of paramount importance when planning to produce your own broodstock. Koi spawning occurs best during specific periods of the year, following the pattern of their wild carp ancestors.

To be able to produce koi eggs and stock out of your own efforts is an achievement in itself considering the degree of difficulty required in such an endeavor in a koi pond environment.

In Breeding koi,pairing koi is always initially a process of trial and error. Always pair like varieties if you are trying to produce a certain variety. For example, if you are trying to breed kohakus, use kohaku male and female fish. Whilst crossing a kohaku and sanke/showa is acceptable, crossing a kohaku and a Yamabuki for instance will probably produce only ghost and black koi. Remember that male genes tend to be dominant in any pairing.

Females are very sensitive to changes in temperature, which can affect their ability to release koi eggs for fertilization. For successful Koi fish spawning, pond temperature should ideally be around 20 C. On the other hand, in koi eggs production, day length is the one variable that has the most impact.

Normally, female Koi would produce their best quality koi eggs during long days. Another thing that would stimulate females to release koi eggs is the presence of male breeding koi. Timing is crucial for fish spawning in that males should only be allowed to mingle with females once it has been established that the latter has produced the right amount of mature koi eggs.

One of the hardest and most technically challenging aspects to breeding Koi is ensuring the production of good quality offspring for your pond. All Koi breeders aspire to produce high quality fry, but not many actually to achieve this. There is a lot of science behind selecting the right kind of stocks that would produce the best fry.

Using two outstanding fish for koi breeding does not always guarantee success. This is because exceptional characteristics or traits may not manifest in the resulting fry due to the absence of complimentary genes. Admirable qualities may hide behind recessive genes, which would not surface unless matching genes are paired with them

Hikari Economy Koi Food Review

2011-12-16T03:02:00.000+07:00

Hikari Economy is a basic, daily diet for koi offering quality and value only the market leader could develop.Hikari Economy provides a well balanced nutritional package providing basic nutrition without offering colour enhancement or superior growth characteristics.Hikari Economy Koi food is a daily diet for all Koi when superior growth and colouration are not a primary requirement.

Hikari Economy A balanced nutrient profile providing the basic nutritional components your pond pet requires to develop at a predictable pace. Includes Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, naturally rich in Carotenoids, to help prevent fading over time and improve brilliance. A floating pellet free of artificial colors and flavors, offering your aquatic pet the nutrition they require and you a value oriented feeding cost.Contains stabilized vitamin C which has been shown to reduce stress in fish kept in an enclosed aquatic environment. Stress can lead to an increased risk of health issues.

Hikari Economy offers the consumer excellent value for their money, yet provides adequate nutrition to keep their Koi healthy.Hikari Economy is high in stabilized vitamin C which promotes resistance to stress and immunity to infectious disease.

Advanced production technology allows Hikari to provide you with Hikari Economy Koi food that will not stain or cloud your pond water.Hikari Economy is a floating food which allows you to easily monitor and adjust the amount of food fed to avoid over-feeding.

Source:
http://www.pondproductreviews.com/Hikari/Hikari-Economy-p-179.html
http://www.hikari.info/koi/k_03.html

Koi Pond Filtration

2011-12-14T05:38:00.000+07:00

Pond water quality is the key to enjoying Koi pond, so it is better to have a smaller pond with superb filtration capability than to have a large pond with undersized filters. Good Pond Filter Design make good koi pond water quality. If we have good water quality Koi will growth well and beautifull. Koi pond filtration not difficult or complicated. It can be very frustrating, time-consuming, and labor-intensive though if it is not carefully planned ahead as part of the pond system.

Many koi hobby neophytes simply go ahead with the construction of their ponds with little thought about how filtration shall be set up and maintained. Subsequently each of them realizes that an important feature of the pond system is missing and has to do with a makeshift one after the fact, resulting in an underpowered filter with a fraction of the capacity that it should have. Koi pond filtration is the process of removing waste products and other harmful compounds from the koi pond, it is a basic requirement of koi keeping.

Without koi pond filtration, several things can and will most likely happen:
1) Koi pond will turn green, rendering the pond fish invisible.
2) parasites and other harmful life forms will easily spread from one fish to another.
3) Koi pond will become unsightly and foul-smelling.
4) the pond will be poorly aerated; and worst of all.
5) the water quality can become deadly to its inhabitants, which may lead to a massive fish kill. This reasonable if koi Pond filtration needed for every koi keepers.

Basic Requirenment To Built Koi Pond Filter

1. Proper planning and setting up of the filtration system, for every koi pond built. It is best to have this done while the pond is still in its planning stages as well. If not , It will also result in more frequent and labor-intensive cleaning of the filters. Sooner or later, the hobbyist will shell out more funds in order to correct his poor filtration set-up. This is not to mention the potential loss of expensive koi due to poor filtration.If The Koi Pond not proper planing koi keeper must clean water manually almost every day to get clean water. You must prepare koi pond design before built it.

2.Filter Volume
Recommend a filter volume of not less than 33% of the total pond volume. If We have koi pond with 9000 gallon , filter must not leess than 3000 gallon.Koi Pond Filter can separated in several chamber.There are 3 chamber foltir, 4 chamber etc.

3. Water flow rate
Water flow rate is another important point to consider when designing a Koi pond filter. Filtering the water requires a way by which dirty water will be passed through the filters and delivered back to the koi pond as clean water 24 hours a day. This is achieved by using water pumps. When one speaks of the filter flow rate, what is referred to is the rate at which the pump moves the water through the filter. Recommend a filter flow rate equivalent to displacing the entire pond volume within one hour.
Example if Koi Pond 9000 gallon in one hours pump must flow water 9000 gallon via filter.The filter flow rate should be based on the actual rate at which water is taken out of and returned back to the koi pond, not on what the pump is labeled to be capable of.

4. Water Pump Selection
There are two type of pumps used in koi keeping, the submersible pump and the recirculating pump. For small ponds and water falls, submersible pumps are preferred because they are unobtrusive and silent by virtue of their being submerged underwater while operating.
For large ponds, however, recirculating pumps would be the wiser choice because of their efficiency and long life. Most koi experts recommend setting up two pumps of smaller capacities than buying just one pump of higher capacity to meet the flow rate requirements.

Pond Filter Structure and Equipment

Pic.2. Comercial Filter Structure

Once the filter capacity and pump flow rate have been established, the filtration stages must be designed. Filters work best if they consist of numerous stages, with each stage specially designed to accomplish a filtration task that the others can not. Having such specially-designed filter stages will allow all harmful wastes and debris to be removed effectively.
A filtration system usually has a couple of stages for mechanically filtering out suspended debris,
and another couple of stages for biological filtration of the water.

1. Mechanical filtration , consists of physically trapping the particulate wastes and debris in the water.
Sand, beads, pads, and brushes are the commonly-used materials for mechanical filtration. Passing the water through these materials traps whatever suspended materials are in the water, e.g., leaves, twigs, fish feces, etc. The first mechanical filter stage usually uses brushes as the trapping medium, because these only trap the relatively larger debris in the water, allowing the smaller ones to pass through.

Japan Filter Matt For Mechanical Koi Pond Filter

The second mechanical filter stage usually uses Japanese filter mats, beads, or sand to trap the smaller particles in the water. More mechanical filter stages may be added, with the trapping size getting smaller as the filter stages progresses.

2. Biological filtration, as the name implies, employs natural biological processes to convert the harmful wastes excreted by the koi and those produced by decaying plant matter in the pond into less invasive compounds.
Koi excrete ammonia, which is deadly to koi in large doses. Certain anaerobic (non-oxygen-breathing) bacteria convert ammonia into nitrites, which are, unfortunately, also poisonous to koi. The good thing is, there are 'good' aerobic (oxygen-breathing) bacteria that convert nitrites into nitrates, which are no longer deadly to koi.
These 'good' bacteria are also known as nitrifying bacteria. Nitrifying bacteria occur freely in nature, and will populate your pond in time.

Bioball as Biologicall Filter Koi Pond

Biological filters usually use bio-balls, sintered glass, porous rocks, ceramic rings, or synthetic high-surface area particles as filter media. Biological filter media are designed to have as much surface area as possible for a given volume, in order to maximize the good bacteria population within the filters.

3.Chemical Filtration
Chemical filters make use of activated carbon as a filtration media that helps absorb chemicals. The carbon used can be cleaned in salt water and reused again. It is important not to use salt water in your pond when using a chemical filter as it might release some of the ammonia. Chemical filtration involves purifying the koi pond water of harmful chemicals by chemically binding them to the filter media. This method of filtration is extremely useful to remove chlorine, pesticides, heavy metals, ammonia and other chemical impurities from the pond water. Chemical filters can help improve the pond clarity and remove pond odor.

Activated Carbon as Chemical Filter Koi Pond

4. Bottom Drain

Bottom Drain

Bottom drain is a drain at the bottom of the pond where dirty water is sucked by the pump for transport to the filter chambers. The bottom drain is normally placed at the center of the koi pond, and should be the lowest point on the pond bottom. Thus, the entire pond bottom surface must slope towards the bottom drain. Pond with no bottom drain will need frequent cleaning of its floor.

Installing Bottom Drain to the pond

5. Ultraviolet Lamp
Ultraviolet lamp (UV light) systems for killing algae may also be considered if green water is a persistent problem for you. In fact, many koi experts consider the uv sterilizer as a 'must-have' item for successful koi keeping .These are usually placed before the mechanical filters since uv light makes dead algae clump together. Not All Pond filter design need uv light to keep the water clear though, so you may want to go for this as well. If Biological Filter in the koi pond can't work in maksimum condition UV lamp can help reduce algae in our koi pond.

Ultra Violet Lamp

6. Surface Skimmer
Surface skimmers for removing wastes on the surface of the Koi pond will also be required by your pond. There are floating particle in the surface of koi pond from Koi feces, food etc. If not cleaned not good for water quality. Survae skimmer can remove it.

Floating Surface Skimmer Koi Pond

REFERENCE
1.Koiandpond
2.Abcpond
3.koicymru

Pond Filter Flow Pattern

2011-12-07T14:39:00.000+07:00

There are many ways to find instructions and patterns for making a homemade koi pond filter. If you belong to a garden pond club or society, you may come in contact with someone who has made their own filter.Before you can make your own homemade pond filter, you will need to understand the different types of filters and water flow.

1. Horizontal Flow Patterns

One thing is certain and that is a river situation is the most ‘natural’ flow pattern of all these applications. However, it is best that we briefly consider all these flow patterns yet again in order to find out why there has to be ‘a best of the bunch’ and, if so, just how much ‘better’ it is than the others. Once again, if we must admit that we will never have true perfection here then it is very wise to consider using the very best alternative available to us. I feel that covering all these methods in fine detail is of GREAT importance despite the fact that many consider them to be ‘long-winded’.

2. Downward Flow Pattern

It did just that and remained captive inside the media until the various hitherto ‘easy routes down’ became blocked with accumulated mechanical debris. This caused the falling water to find an easier series of routes to take and so on. If this was left unattended, all the routes became blocked and so the water simply found an exit over the top of the box and spilled over onto the garden

3. Upward Flow
Some of these guises are pump-fed with gravity return; gravity-fed with pump return; surface side exit; surface central exit; surface trough exit; circular upward-flow patterns; multiple chamber units; aerated fluidised media systems and many other variations. Again, these relate to a body of water moving upwards in any given container/box.

Sorce:
http://www.ericpondfilters.com/the-eric-menu/flow-patterns/

Secrets of Japan Koi

2011-11-24T16:25:00.001+07:00

Japan Koi has become an icon around the world. Beauty of Japanese Koi is an atraction for koi lover . Quality of Japan Koi are difficult to obtain in other states. This is because raising koi have been made since the last decades consistently. Japanese are the true masters and have made important discoveries that link good koi health, excellent growth and superior hi development to many aspects of koi keeping, including the subject of water hardness, and TDS levels.

Hi (red color) will become thicker, the shine of the skin (Tsuya) will improve, and last but not least, the health of the Koi will be stimulated and greatly enhanced, hence less problems.In Japan some water quality parameters is maintained really well.

KH Carbonate Hardness or Alkalinity

Carbonate hardness is essential for the buffering effect it has on the pH of water within a pond. If a recorded pH of a given volume of water is 7.5 and an amount of acid is added, it is commonly
expected that the pH value should drop by the corresponding amount of acid added. If there were little or no KH value to the water, this would be the case, but the purpose of KH is to act as a buffer, so rather than the acid directly influencing the pH value, the acid is spent on the carbonate ions in the KH value, and only when the carbonate of 7.0. But, if left unattended, the pH will fall to dangerous levels, and quickly crash the system, resulting in acidic water, and a pond full of either very unhappy or dead koi.

A good KH level should be somewhere in the region of 2 to 6dH, with my preference being 3dH. There is
no point in running a higher level than six, as this will often result in a rise of the pH. The Japanese consider a pH of between 6.8 and 7.4 to be ideal.

GH General Hardness

This is a measure of the amount of dissolved solids (mineral content), for example, calcium and magnesium. GH has nothing directly to do with the KH buffering effects of water. A GH measurement is no indication of the KH value as the two are totally separate independent readings.

Japanese Nishikigoi professionals desire low GH values. GH can be measured as ppm or dH, (German Degrees of Hardness). A typical tap water reading in the Bristol area is around 14dH (250ppm, or parts per million). In Japan this would be considered extremely high! The general guide as an optimum GH in
Japan is about 50ppm (2.9 dH), with many people feeling that if a reading is at or above 2 dH (34ppm), it should be lowered.

TDS Total Dissolved Solids

A TDS reading represents anything that is dissolved in the water being tested. This includes GH, KH, fish waste, uneaten food and chemicals. It is often said that koi will only grow to the size of the pond, but in truth, the koi will grow according to the TDS level in the pond. A heavily stocked pond, with lack of
water maintenance will result in a TDS level that will continuously escalate, hence slowing koi growth as they get older, (consuming more food, and creating more waste).

Japan Koi Pond Case Studies

Typical Japanese case studies are as follows; these figures are for various Japanese breeders mud ponds in the Hiroshima area. All of the readings are TDS readings, and hence represent a total of GH and KH levels combined. A 'PPM' figure should be divided by 17.9 to obtain a dH reading.
Wakabayashi 65 to 78ppm,
Takumi 76 to 85ppm,
Takigawa 105 to 108ppm,
Imai 35 to 48ppm, Inoue 35 to 48ppm,
Momotaro 75 to 85ppm.

Naturally, all of these ponds have growth rates equal to but mainly greater than the pond in Swansea! But, temperature in Japan also plays a large part, as do the many additional insects etc, that breed in the clay base to the ponds.

Source:

http://www.yumekoi.com/images/stories/pdfs/april_2003.pdf

Choosing Tosai Koi

2011-11-18T15:31:00.000+07:00

Selecting tosai properly is difficult because young koi are not yet fully developed, so predicting their final appearance requires many considerations. Tosai or Koi that are less than 1 year old very easy to change their color. We must be careful in selecting koi at age tosai. One has to observe the skin in the area around the neck and the shoulders of Koi. It is normal not to have Fukurin at this age, but the skin in the area around the neck and shoulders should appear white and shiny. Whiteness of the skin, however, is not the sole factor in determining skin quality.

The head of Koi has no scales and thus, it appears as the shiniest area. Next to the head is the neck area. Here, because the scales are so small, it will appear shiny. It is perfectly normal for the Koi to have a light Beni color during its Tosai period. When Koi is young, Hiban does not have to be very red. It is more important that Beni has the soft elastic quality and good thickness.

One must look for the shininess throughout the entire body. The sheen should appear as if it is painted with varnish. Full width Fukurin will gradually develop in this type of Koi; the scales will be covered with Fukurin as the fish matures. Presence of fully visible shininess in Tosai will ensure the future development of Fukurin.
Be very careful with very bright hard red Beni in young Koi.

Hard Beni tends to develop an intense redness rather quickly. Unfortunately, as the Koi develops its body this type of Beni will disappear. It is almost certain that Hiban with the hard red Beni during the Tosai period, will most likely break down and lose the Beni. It is usually possible to tell the quality of Beni or Benishitsu at an early age.

Be very careful with very bright hard red Beni in young Koi. Hard Beni tends to develop an intense redness rather quickly. Unfortunately, as the Koi develops its body this type of Beni will disappear. It is almost certain that Hiban with the hard red Beni during the Tosai period, will most likely break down and lose the Beni. It is usually possible to tell the quality of Beni or Benishitsu at an early age.

During the early stages, color can be light and Beni can appear blurry. Koi with brighter red color or pinkish red Beni turns to Rosy Red, while the red with a yellowish shade will develop into the type of red with the shades of persimmon or orange.

A best teacher is the time spent observing the high quality Koi. The small young Koi with round belly will not grow well, and must be avoided. In contrast, the young Koi with small stomachs, which are almost concave in their shape, have the potential to become a jumbo Koi.

Source:
http://matsunosuke.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56:tosai&catid=44:appraisal&Itemid=91

Diference Male And Female Koi

2011-11-15T11:34:00.001+07:00

Sexing Koi Fish in mature age is much easier than they are in immature. As koi owners you wonder how to tell the sex or gender of koi fish. In breeding session sexing koi needed to know male or female koi. As koi grow, prominent signs of their gender develop, You can start koi sexing through observation of your koi fish.

There are the differences between male and female koi:

Body Conformation

To know gender of koi fish Koi fish, yo can start from body conformation, because Male and female Koi have different body conformations . Male koi have slender body like a torpedo shape and Male Koi will be long and skinny, like a cigar.
Female koi fish are usually fatter at the abdomen. When viewed from above you can see they are wider and rounder. Female Koi get wider than male Koi because they carry tons of eggs.

Female Koi grow larger than male koi and Koi collectors make it a point to only have female Koi in their ponds, since the large and wide body displays patterns much better.

Fin Of Koi Fish

Second step we can see from fin of koi fish. Female and Male Koi have different looking fins. Female fins tend to be larger, but will have less color. Female fins will have a rounded edge and will be opaque. Male fins will have a pointy edge and will have a solid color look to them.


Female Koi Fin, Rounded Edge

Male Koi Fin, Pointy Edge

White Spot On The Gill Plates

Male koi fish have breeding tubercles come breeding time. These are small white spots specifically on the gill plates. You can feel the cheeks and fin fish by hand, the male koi will feel rough.

Source:
http://www.koifishcareinformation.com/
http://www.nishikigoi-info.com/koi-care/sexing-koi.html

Koi Fish And Goldfish

2011-11-11T15:09:00.001+07:00

Koi Fish or Goldfish? For people planning to have a water garden or a pond, their set-up will not be complete without fish swimming in the water. Everyone has their own criteria for choosing which ones. Their reasons for choosing one over the other could be based on practical, economic or aesthetic reasons. Once they have made their selection on which type of fish to care for, there are those who will even go a step further and name their fish, just like they would to any other pet.

Picking the type of fish may seem a simple task: just select the prettiest and most colorful ones you see. However, for those who are serious, fish selection is much more involved. There are several factors to be considered when planning the pond as to what type of fish is desired. Towards this end, the most common pond fish that people choose are Goldfish and Koi.

Both Goldfish and Koi are popular ornamental pond fish. They are hardy and can survive, although briefly, in adverse pond conditions. They even share some common historical origins and breeding development. Both are selections of carp, but they come from two different families. Goldfish are mutations from Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius) and Koi are from common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

These may be simple and non-essential differences, but for those who have no experience in having a pond and caring for fish and want to do so, it is quite an unsettling question to ask themselves, “Which should I put in my pond, Koi or

Goldfish? Or is it ok to put them both together?” The answer to this question lies in your situation and the habitat you are able to provide for either fish. If you prefer a pond or water garden that combines fish and plants, it is a good point to remember that Koi can knock and uproot the plants in the pond and even eat them. Goldfish, on the other hand, would just happily dart around the plants, but hardly disturb them. While some fancy Goldfish need to be brought inside over the winter, any Koi will survive cold climates as long as the pond is at least two feet deep.

Source:

Starting The Koi Hoby, The Definitive Koi Handbook - How to Look Koi Like an Expert

Koi Colour Enhancing

2011-10-30T05:29:00.002+07:00

The colors on the koi is caused by pigment colors are hidden under the skin of fish.Pigment color will develop if there are foods that support its development. Fish in the wild will obtain natural red, orange and yellow color pigments, via carotenoids, through natural food sources such as shrimps, snails, daphnia and blood worms. Pond's lack these natural food sources so the fish require a supplement to their diets. Unfortunately natural color enhancers are an expensive addition to a diet, so many fish foods do not contain them or they are provided in such small quantities they are not effective.

Carotenoids are a family of over 600 natural lipid-soluble pigments that are produced within microalgae, phytoplankton, and higher plants. They also produce compounds such as essential fatty acids, steroids, sterols, vitamins A, D, E, and K. Within the various classes of natural pigments, the carotenoids are the most widespread and structurally diverse pigmenting agents. They are responsible, in combination with proteins, for many of the brilliant yellow to red colors in plants and the wide range of blue, green, purple, brown and reddish colors of fish and crustaceans.

Carotenoids are absorbed in animal diets - sometimes transformed into other carotenoids, and incorporated into various tissues. As we all know, flamingo's are pink or should be pink - this is due to ingesting algae containing high levels of beta-carotene and then converting this yellow carotenoid into canthaxanthin and astaxanthin before depositing it into the feathers and tissues as red plumage.

Some fish species such as koi and various crustaceans have the enzymatic mechanisms to convert carotenoids into other forms as well, such as astaxanthin - some fish/animals don't. Astaxanthin is the optimal carotenoid for the proper pigmentation of the red/pink colors is aquaria.

Crustaceans and other aquatic animals are unable to produce astaxanthin de novo (naturally), only plants and protists (bacteria, algae, fungi) are capable of synthesizing carotenoids. Therefore astaxanthin must be available in either their native habitat or manufactured diet to meet nutritional requirements. In the natural aquatic environment, astaxanthin is biosynthesized in the food chain within microalgae or phytoplankton at the primary production level. The microalgae are consumed by zooplankton, insects or crustaceans which accumulate astaxanthin, and in turn are ingested by fish which then accrue astaxanthin.

Source:
http://www.canadiankoiandpond.ca/articles/article16.html

Vortex Chamber For Koi Pond

2011-10-16T05:28:00.000+07:00

Vortex chambers has recently become very popular that is used today and has been used as part of the main filtration system now for many years. The cone shape of the filter design aids in the settling of debris and ensuring gentle action of the dissolved waste throughout the filter process. Many People said they cannot work because it requires very high revolutions for sufficient centrifugal force to be generated. The efficiency of the unit does depend a lot on it's design, especially the diameter, height, and especially the positioning of the inlet and outlet pipes. The pumping rate can also be very important.

If you have any doubts about the efficiency of a vortex chamber then do try to visit a pond keeper that has one in use as I am sure you will be quite impressed with it.

Careful thought must be given to the correct size of your vortex chamber(s) when designing your koi pond, taking into account the necessary pump rate.How Vortex System Operate

This rough sketch shows the basic idea for the Vortex chamber. The inlet from the bottom drain passes through the inlet just above the cone section of the chamber. The inlet is positioned so that the water flows around the side of the vortex, and then rises up and out through the outlet at the top, and then passes into the next chamber of the filter.
The solids will then fall to the bottom of the cone, and can then be flushed away several times a day.

Used as Primary chamber, fits into the filtration system as the 'First Line of Attack' ... and should be placed at the front end of the filtration system .. Normally the water from the bottom of the pond - together with waste and other debris is fed directly into this via the 4" or 110mm pipe from the Bottom Drain where it then adopts a 'spiral' motion inside the vortex chamber.

This allows the waste and debris to settle into the bottom of the vortex chamber where it then collects at the conical end of the vortex - waiting to be 'Flushed' via the Slide Valve which should be fitted to the external pipework that has been installed as part of the filtration system . Please note that for 'Gravity Fed' systems the water level in the pond should be no more than 1/2" from the Top edge of the Vortex Unit with the pump switched off. less if you can manage it. So if preparing a solid or concrete base for your Vortex units to stand on the base should be laid at the height of the vortex less 1/2"or less

Advantages to a Vortex Filter system

1.Vortex Filter Systems remove undisturbed solid waste before entering the pond's pump. The majority of other pond filter systems "puree" the solid waste from the bottom of the pond through the pump, creating a more heavier load for the filter system.

2.The Vortex System is an "open bed" allowing for atmospheric oxygen to interface with the surface water in the filter chambers, thereby acting as an oxygen supply safety net during power outages.

3. Closed, or pressurized filters, by design, can lose all of the dissolved oxygen present at any given moment in time if the flow is stopped. This process of oxygen depletion in many environmental cases can occur within an hour's time.

4. All systems have some unwanted, undesirable anaerobic environmental conditions which can "biologically bloom", given the circumstances. Example: a pressurized filter system operating at full capacity during hot weather conditions, loses its flow of water (and its source of dissolved oxygen).

5. The small population of anaerobic bacteria always present, but subdued can now flourish in an environment which is quickly becoming ideally suited for their populations to increase. As anaerobic populations increase, aerobic bacterial populations decrease.

6. When the pressurized filter begins to flow again, toxic waste products (hydrogen sulfide - rotten egg smell) from the now-active anaerobic bacteria flow into the pond.

Three Chamber Vortex

Exit the pond: The water should exit the pond (drain) from its deepest point, where most of the heavy debris will have settled. Obviously, the best thing to do is get rid of the heavy debris before transferring the remaining waste to the useful bacteria, in the biofilter. The water should be gravity-fed to the filter chambers. The flow rate should be low enough to allow the heavier solids to settle within the chamber and great enough to allow a complete water turnover every 2 hours or so. (The efficient match between pond design, pump selection and filtration system is essential.)

The first chamber: The water enters the settling chamber, which is shaped something like a cone, on a tangent to the cone and therefore begins to swirl in a vortex. This gentle swirling action encourages the heavy debris to sink to the bottom of the cone, where you can simply open the drain for ease of removal. The water then proceeds from the lower portion of the cone, wells up and exits through a port in the uppermost portion of the chamber.

The second chamber: The water then enters the second chamber, a prefilter. The prefilter contains filter media - such as filter brushes, which filters out some of the finer debris which gets by the first chamber. Now this filter media is likely to get rather mucky, in time, so it is beneficial that this filter brush media is light and easy to clean.

The third chamber: The water then proceeds in the same low to high path, past the baffle into the third chamber, the main biofilter. The main biofilter contains filter media which millions of bacteria call home. Here's where the dissolved waste products, primarily ammonia, meet the bacteria. The main portion of the nitrogen cycle takes place here.

Example Pond Design With Vortex System

REFERENCE:
1. http://www.koicymru.co.uk
2. http://www.aquaart.com
3. http://www.koiofindonesia.com
4. http://www.koifooddirect.co.uk

Mistake In Feeding Koi

2011-10-13T13:01:00.000+07:00

Feeding the koi fish is very pleasant. Not only fun but proper feeding can improve the quality of the koi fish.But there are some mistakes made in feeding koi unconscious. This mistakes sometimes fatal consequences of the decline in the quality of the koi fish to death. So you must avoid mistakes of feeding koi.

A big mistake is overfeeding. Many people think if some Koi food is good then more must be better. Rather than feeding too much food at once it is better to feed smaller amounts less frequently. You should offer more food only if it is eaten very quickly.

Excess Koi food won’t necessarily harm your fish, but if they overeat they don’t digest it as efficiently, and simply release it into the pond as a waste product. This extra waste pollutes the water and causes your filter to to work harder.

If you spot any uneaten food in your pond remove it as soon as possible, before it decomposes in the water and produces toxins that can harm your fish!

Another Koi food mistake is to feed your Koi too often or not often enough. The frequency of Koi feedings will vary according to the temperature. When temperatures are around 68 degreesF (20degreesC) Koi food should be offered 2 – 3 times per day. In cooler temperatures (50-59 degreesF or 10-15 degreesC) you need only offer Koi food once per day. If your Koi are kept in a heated pond then feed them according to the temperature the pond is kept at.

Making sudden changes to new brands or types of food is another mistake you should take care to avoid. This will frequently result in your Koi refusing to eat. If you do decide to make a Koi food change you need to do it gradually. Start by mixing a little of the new food in with the old. Over a span of 7 – 10 days gradually increase the amount of the new food in proportion to the old until you have completed the switch.

While it is a great idea to feed your Koi some live insects, another mistake you should not make is to offer any stinging or biting insects as Koi food. Fireflies also make dangerous Koi food since the chemicals that cause them to glow are toxic and can kill your fish.

Additionally there are particular foods that can be fed to other pond fish that should not be used as Koi food. These include birdseed, corn, peanuts, bread, rice and peas. The reason that bread based foods and rice make poor Koi food is because they swell when exposed to water and can cause intestinal obstructions. Seeds, corn and peanuts are poor Koi food as well because they can also cause blockages because Koi can’t digest them. Peas and other carbohydrate laden foods make poor Koi food because they can lead to obesity in your fish.

One last Koi food mistake you may want to avoid is over-supplementation. Many Koi fish enthusiasts choose to supplement their regime with extra nutrients. There is nothing wrong with this BUT make sure to check with your veterinarian before making any dietary supplement an additional staple in your Koi food plan. Just like too little of a nutrient can be a detriment to your Koi’s health, so can too much of a nutrient.

All things considered feeding Koi is not an overly difficult task. With a little information and planning you can avoid making mistakes with Koi food.

Source:
http://koicarebasics.com/important-koi-food-mistakes-to-avoid/

Aquatic Plants Function For Koi Pond

2011-10-11T16:39:00.000+07:00

Aquatic plant has a function as a counterweight balance eco-system. Aquatic plant also make water garden or koi pond beautiful. They aid in the absorption of excess nutrients as well as beautifying any waterscape.They improve the water quality of your freshwater tank while enhancing the natural beauty of your koi pond and providing shelter and security for your fish.

Aquatic plants are also extremely important to the health of your Koi pond. Aside from providing shade and shelter for your pond fish, they also increase the oxygen in the water and help reduce algae. There are three types of aquatic plants that primarily provide shade and oxygen to the water. It is never too late to add plants. Here are a few suggestions:

Floating Plants

Ideally about 60 percent of the water's surface should be covered, allowing ample oxygen production and keeping water temperatures stable from morning to night. Common floating plants are: Water Lilies, Lotus, Water Hyacinth & Water Lettuce.

Oxygenating Plants

These submerged plants provide essential oxygen and act as a natural biological filter, benefiting the entire pond ecosystem. One bundle of oxygenators is recommended for every square foot of pond surface.
Some popular varieties are: Hornwort or Coontail, Elodea, Dwarf Sagittaria and Jungle Vallisneria.

Marginal Plants

Marginal (or bog) plants are used along the pond perimeter for a natural, relaxed design. They add some shade and absorb nutrients to keep pond water healthy. They grow best in shallow water and should be submerged to a depth of ten inches. Usually marginals are placed plastic planters along a shallow shelf within the pond's edge or planted directly into the shelves of a rock bottom pond.

Source:
http://stillwatergardensnw.com/watergardenplants.aspx

Common examples of marginals are:

Water Hawthorn, Umbrella Grass, Canna Hybrids, Irises, Lizard's Tail, Cattails, Reeds & Sedges

Long Road To Create Kin Kikokuryu Koi Fish

2011-10-11T05:27:00.000+07:00

Kin Kikokukryu Koi was entered at the 40th Nogyosai in 2000 and astonished and impressed everyone. The mysterious beauty consisted of shinning tanned pattern on the skin of Nezu Ogon was unforgettably beautiful. Because it has the blood of Karasugoi, it has Sumi on the entire body including mouth, head and fins. That creates the stout and distinguished atomosphere. Also, because of the Sumi , the Hi pattern looks shinning tanned and matches well with the skin of Nezu Ogon. The pattern is three steps. It is a wonderful design. The high level pattern and grave-looking is highly appreciated.

Kin Kikokuryu originated from Karasugoi. Through all the process of Magoi , Karasugoi , Hajiro , Doitsu Hajiro , Kumonryu , Kikokuryu, Kin Kikokuryu was finally completed. In this process, every variety is indispensable. For example, though nobody knows who developed Karasugoi from Magoi, if he did not succeed in the completion, the variety of Kin Kikokuryu would never be developed. Koi breeders realize their duty and make efforts while respecting the great achievements of their seniors. We must understand that the stupendously long period and breeders' efforts make beautiful Nishikigoi possible.

Mr. Seiki From Kodama Koi Farm has created Kin Kikokuryu for long time process. Mr.Igarashi has his big farm deep in the mountains about 10 miles away from Ojiya city. He breeds many varieties including Gosanke (Kohaku, Sanke and Showa.) He started breeding Koi with his father, Yoshiichi, when he was 17 years old in 1966. Now he has 35 years of- breeding experience. When he started Koi breeding, there were about 6000 breeders in Niigata, but now there are only 200. This means Nishikigoi has been an artwork. If you were not able to breed more beautiful Nishikigoi than anybody else, nobody would buy your Koi and you could not survive. Mr. Igarashi has been working hard in this competitive world.

To be recognized as Nishikigoi breeder, there are only two ways: either you breed the most beautiful Nishikigoi or you created a new variety that nobody has ever bred. Some 32 years after he started breeding Nishikigoi, he became recognized as an authority by completing "Kin Kikokuryu." Now let's have a closer look at Kin Kikokuryu that he finally completed.

Step By Step Make Koi Pond Water Clear

2011-10-10T01:15:00.002+07:00

Clear water not only make a beautiful pond but will also mage koi clearly visible. Water clarity is also a prerequisite for a healthy koi. But it makes clear koi pond water is not easy, especially for outdoor pond. You can make a koi pond to be clear, by performing the steps that are consistent and regular.

Here are some steps that can be done to make a koi pond water into clear, free from algae:

1. Stop feeding your pond fish till the water clears! Or, at the minimum, reduce feedings to 1-2 times a week (scoop out anything not eaten in 10-15 minutes). There should be plenty of natural food in the average garden pond for your fish to feed on.

2. Thin out your pond fish if you have more than 1 goldfish for every 50 gallons of water or 1 koi fish for every 150-200 gallons on average. (If you just can't part with your pond fish, upgrade your filter to handle the extra fish--see step 6).

3. Clean out any leaves, mulch, and any other debris that has collected in the pond. As they, (leaves, etc.) decompose they provide a constant flow of nutrients which feeds the algae! Net leaves before they sink to the bottom.

4. Make sure your pond pump is located on the opposite side of your pond as far away as possible from the waterfall or stream it feeds. This ensures complete circulation throughout the garden pond thereby preventing stagnant areas.

5. Add the proper quantity of aquatic plants especially submerged plants and floating plants for your size pond. Place floating plants in a stream, near a pump, etc. where water is continuously pulled past their roots.

6.Add or upgrade your filter system to a 2-step system consisting of: Step 1 - have a pre-filter where the pump is located and Step 2- have a proper size biological filter (KISS TM Filter). The biological filter is best installed out of the garden pond and is often hidden as a waterfall.

7.Seed your garden pond weekly with beneficial bacteria such as Super Bugs or Green-be-Gone or Crystal Clear. Dry formulas are more effective than liquid in general.

8. Add a single layer of fist-sized round stone across the bottom and on any shelves in the pond. This prevents fish from stirring up any dirt that collects on the bottom of the pond.

9. Make sure your garden pond is not receiving runoff from the lawn, or any surrounding ground. Raise edges a few inches with stone and foam if necessary so runoff goes around the pond instead of into the pond!

10.Do a 10-20% water change every 2 weeks. Be sure to purge the water from the bottom of the pond and add a dechlorinator if you use city water to refill it

Source:
http://www.pondandgardenwholesalers.com/servlet/Page?template=Ten%20Steps%20To%20Clear%20Water

Using Barley Straw To Control Algae

2011-10-09T04:40:00.001+07:00

There are two ways to control the growth of algae in garden ponds, UV light and barley straw. Barley Straw is a natural way to control algae in your water garden. As you know algae booming will make green water. Barley straw releases a natural algae inhibitor as it bio-degrades. Barley Straw is used to curb the growth of string or filamentous algae which cannot be destroyed using UV lights. This also helps rid the pond of any kind of stench and makes water sparkle.There are many different forms of barley straw such as actual straw, bales, pellets and extract (liquid).

The technique of using barley for algae control was developed in the early 1990s in England, where it is widely used in many bodies of water, including large reservoirs and canals. In general, it is thought that fungi decompose the barley in water, which causes a chemical to be released that prevents the growth of the algae.

The specific chemical(s) has not been identified (oxidized polyphenolics and hydrogen peroxide are two decomposition products that have been suggested), and it is not clear whether the chemical is exuded from the barley itself or if it is a metabolicbproduct produced by the fungi.

The activity of barley straw is usually described as being algistatic (prevents new growth of algae) rather than algicidal (kills already existing algae).

If you are using barley in the form of straw or straw bales, then it is best to partially submerge the barley in the water and place it near recirculating water such as in a pond filter or skimmer. Be aware of approximately how many gallons of water are in your pond so you can add a sufficient amount of barley straw to control the algae. The label on the product will guide you as to the proper amount to add.

Barley pellets and extract can be easily added to your pond or water garden as needed. If you have a very small pond such as a rigid, molded type, then the barley liquid extract would be the first choice because it would obviously not have to be hidden out of sight.

Barley Straw Pellet

Barley takes time to bio-degrade naturally in a pond so patience is needed if your algae or green water problem doesn't clear quickly. On average, expect 3-4 weeks for improvements to be seen in your water garden. Barley extract or pellets work more quickly than the straw.

How To Control Algae In The Koi Pond

2011-10-08T05:42:00.001+07:00

Algae booming in the koi pond is very annoying because we can not enjoy the beauty of koi fish. Algae booming makes the green water and covered the landscape to the bottom of koi pond.In an outdoor pond algae growth will be very fast especially if the pond is not adequately filter. Algae growth is also influenced by levels of ammonia from the fish feces. Therefore the density of fish in the pond were also given the role.Algae growth on a koi pond should be controlled so that the pond stays clean and bright.

If you are thinking of adding a water garden to yard, there are some things you can do to prevent the growth of pond algae. For instance, the material you choose to build your pond will influence how easy it is for algae to grow and bloom. For instance, ponds made from concrete, limestone or marble are prone to algae blooms.

Careful design of your pond can also prevent algae growth. For instance, making sure you build your water pond at a slight slope toward the deep end will make it easier to remove debris, which can accumulate and foster algae growth. It’s also important to make sure your design includes a barrier to prevent rainwater from running off other areas of the yard into the pond. Believe it or not, rainwater is full of nutrients that actually feed the algae, not to mention that runoff can carry fertilizer or other chemicals into your pond that could contribute to algae and will definitely harm any fish.

If you already have a koi pond, there are things you can do to control the algae that are fairly simple. The most important thing is to have proper circulation and filtration equipment. Must-haves include a pump and a filter, and you should make sure they are both the right size for your water garden.

The next step is maintenance. Part of the work of keeping a pond algae free is regular skimming with a net and use of a pond vacuum when needed. You should also use a bacteria and enzyme supplement your efforts and reduce any odors that may develop because of algae. These products can also reduce accumulated algae sludge.

Lastly, to control algae, don’t add more fish than your size pond and filter can support. This will cause algae to multiply quickly. Avoid overfeeding the fish, as this is also a common cause.

An outdoor water garden or pond can be a beautiful addition to any home and yard and a source of relaxation. Proper maintenance will allow you to enjoy your creation without the nuisance of algae.

Source:
http://beta.www.doityourself.com/stry/pond-algae-control--the-significance-of-ph

Koi Pond Water Testing Parameter

2011-10-07T11:06:00.001+07:00

Koi pond water quality is a determinant of koi fish health, So we have to constantly monitor water quality continuously. We can monitor the koi pond water quality with water testing steps. Water testing is perhaps the most important part of Koi keeping as this can tell you a lot about whether or not your pond filter is working at peak efficiency.

Parameters that need to be tested for water quality are:
1. Testing and monitor ammonia, and the presence or not of this will confirm for you whether or not your filter is performing satisfactorily, or whether it's efficiency is falling due to causes that need urgent investigation. Using Ammonia tester kit can monitor value current ammonia disolved.

2.Then monitor nitrite (don't confuse this with nitrate), as nitrite appears after the first stage in the oxidation of ammonia. You can have the situation where there is no ammonia, yet nitrite persists, and this should lead you once again to investigate the filter performance.

3. The third parameter of importance is pH. This can tell you a lot of things about your pond, and there is a certain band, which is better, suited to Koi. PH 7.5 to pH 8.3 is absolutely ideal, but Koi can exist from pH 7.0 to pH 8.5 without harm as long as it is stable.

Any reading outside this range should be investigated and rectified without delay, but we would not advise that you tried any alteration of pH by artificial means such as the widely sold "pH buffers". Not only would this require a lot of buffering agent, but it would not be a permanent correction, would need to be repeated often, and you could thereby be masking a filtration defect.

This Koi keeping hobby is, as you can see, rather a complex one but with a little learning applied and a little common sense, we can hopefully surmount all of the difficulties that others fall into, who are not prepared to acquire this knowledge and to apply it.

Source:
http://www.koi-ponds-care.co.uk/koi-pond-filters.html

Koi Pond Filter Requirements

2011-10-06T16:19:00.000+07:00

Success of the koi pond filter depends on the proper design of water filter. There are some things to consider to design koi pond filter. Make ideal flow rates and filter retention times for koi pond filtration systems is good idea. Because long retention time to make bacteria alive and well so decomposition of ammonia to be perfect. If water flow in the koi pond filter is too fast is not good as well as water flow is too slow.

When it comes to filter sizing, life can get complex. As I've said, if we only wanted simple nitrification, it is probable that filter sizes would be small. However, as well as nitrification koi-keepers want:

Gin-clear' water
Breakdown & removal of DOC
Conditions which discourage filamentous algae (blanketweed)
Generally optimal water conditions for fish.

Broadly speaking, the effectiveness of biological filtration is improved the longer the 'polluted' water is held in the filter - i.e. the longer the retention time. The most time-consuming process in koi pond filtration is the breakdown of dissolved organic carbon compounds into simple inorganic compounds.

These compounds are ultimately incorporated back into living organisms. This complex chain of processes is not instantaneous and will, even under ideal circumstances, take some time. If insufficient filtration time is available, intermediate products will be pumped out of the filter back into the koi pond. This is clearly undesirable and rather defeats the object of having a filtration system. Indeed, this may well be the reason why excessive algal growth occurs in some ponds, with the filter merely producing an endless supply of plant nutrients!

So for how long should water be retained in the biological section? This depends on how polluted the water is in the first place. Certainly, industrial water treatment plants - which handle much higher levels of pollution from sewage etc. - would retain water in the plant for many hours before it was deemed sufficiently clean to return to the nearest water-course. Given that pond water is likely to be only mildly polluted, a retention time of ten minutes, possibly longer, will usually suffice.

Source:
http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/filtration/koi5flow.htm

How to Treat Dropsy Disease In Koi Fish

2011-09-13T05:43:00.000+07:00

Dropsy, Pic Usakoi.com

Dropsy is not really a koi and Goldfish disease. For all intensive purposes we will call it one. It's really an internal bacterial infection usually caused by poor water quality.This funny-sounding disease is not funny at all! It is an infection of the koi or goldfish's internal organs and is fatal in almost all cases. The trick to being able to treat this monster is catchFish may recover with no treatment and may die despite it. There are multiple possible causes.

Sometimes it's not contageous, but sick fish should be isolated and treated since determining the actual cause may be impossible. The swelling is because the fish is absorbing water faster than it can eliminate it, and it can be caused by many different problems. High nitrates are one thing to check. Internal bacterial infections, including fish TB, are other possibilities. If there are no water quality problems, you may want to attempt antibiotic treatment in a separate tank.

There are multiple possible causes. Usually caused by kidney damage. Kidney damage may be caused by overuse of drugs or a disease. Eventually the swelling will cause the scales to raise, giving the fish what is called the "pine-cone" appearance.

You can best see this by viewing your fish from the top. Fish may also stop feeding, appear off-colour, become listless and/or lethargic, have sunken eyes, and hang at the top or stay at the bottom of the aquarium.

Recognizing Dropsy Disease

What makes dropsy so hard to diagnose in time to treat it is that the symptoms that we know as dropsy do not come out until the fish has entered the final stages of the disease. The fish literally blows up like a balloon. Its scales stick out, making the fish resemble a pinecone. In fact, Dropsy is often called Pinecone Disease because of it. The eyes will bulge out from the trapped fluids beneath.

Dropsy is also often accompanied by external bacterial infections including fin rot, mouth rot and ulcers. In some cases I've seen almost any and all symptoms. It's really a sad sight to see.

This poor little fellow died from dropsy this morning. You can see how his breast area is swollen and his scales are sticking out. His eyes never bulged out but he had fin rot, ulcers and his skin and fins were riddled with red streaks and swollen blood vessels.

Preventing Dropsy

Poor water conditions are often the culprit. Gouramies, Cyprinids (barbs, danios, etc), guppies, betta and goldfish are prone to this disease. Goldfish are said to be somewhat more prone to dropsy than other fish. High nitrates are usually the culprit. Clean Water, is a must! Clean Water, should I say that again? Good water conditions prevent this.

Excellent water quality is probably the one best thing we can have to prevent dropsy, though sometimes no matter what you do a dropsy case will still happen. A pond can never have too much biological filtration. Make sure the filter you have is sufficient (and even more than sufficient) for your fish load. We use the ProBead because it gives us excellent water quality and low-maintenance.

In early spring we like to treat our pond for parasites as well as start our koi out with two weeks of triple antibiotic food -- even if the fish are showing no symptoms of parasitic or bacterial problems. This is a precaution that pays off well in prevention of disease, including dropsy.

Treatment Dropsy

Dropsy is not very contagious; however, Fish usually die from this, but in some cases where the problem is due to bacteria, if detected early enough, it can be treated.

It's possibly the hardest internal bacterial infection to cure. There are a number of medications available such as penicillin, tetracycline and naladixic acid. The fish usually doesn't make it. By the time the scales begin to raise, however, it is very fatal to the fish. Salt baths can help to draw the fluid out of the fish. A variety of medications can be purchased that treat dropsy, which sometimes occurs due to an internal bacterial problem. Medications for external bacterial problems only will not be effective for this problem.

Source:
http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/dropsy/
http://www.ponddoc.com/

Selecting Bekko Koi

2011-09-09T14:08:00.000+07:00

Shiro Bekko

Bekko is colored Koi type with a black pattern. Shiro Bekko is the most commonly seen between Aka Bekko and Ki Bekko. Shiro Bekko are a white skinned Koi with a black stepping stone pattern, Ki Bekko are a yellow skinned Koi with a black stepping stone pattern, and Aka Bekko are a red skinned Koi with a black stepping stone pattern.

The preferred quality of sumi in Bekko is the same as those in Sanke, i.e., arranged like a set of stepping stones in a garden. There has to be a moderate number of sumi markings to help create the Bekko’s appearance of being neat, tidy, and elegant. Because of the simplicity of the coloring and pattern, the criteria in selecting for quality are quite severe.

Shiro Bekko should have a true white base, without any yellowing. Unfortunately, a common problem for Shiro Bekko is the development of a yellow head.When selecting a young Bekko, not a single hi marking (however faint) is permissible. Also avoid any young Aka Bekko or Ki Bekko with the slightest indication of small white markings or breaks on the ground of red or yellow. In small Bekko, the sumi markings might not have full luster and might even still be “submerged.”Where the sumi is still submerged, it will appear bluish.

Select youngsters with well defined sumi markings arranged along the length of the body. Bear in mind that the sumi markings of the young Bekko will have to remain substantial enough in size and arrangement when it has grown big.

If the size and pattern of the markings are insipid in a young Bekko (regardless of their quality), the Bekko will have an even more insipid appearance when it is an adult. It should be immediately apparent that the sumi markings, viewed individually, will be strong, but also that the pattern of those markings will nevertheless be elegant. Too much Tejima, or ojima (stripes in the tail) are not attractive. If they appear boldin a young Bekko, they might gain the desired definition later on, but this can never be guaranteed.

Source:
1. Selecting Young Bekko,BobWinkler, AKCA Certified Judge, Colorado.

Koi Pond Design Fundamental

2011-09-06T14:31:00.001+07:00

Koi Pond Pic, Taken From idealimageonline.com

Koi Pond design and construction is required before building a koi pond. Koi pond designs that will either affect the performance of the koi pond. There are some distinct differences between the serious Koi pond enthusiast and a koi lover just getting started in the wonderful hobby. The better you understand these differences, the easier it is to make sound decisions regarding your koi ponds design and construction.

There are 3 major fundamentals in the design of dedicated koi Pond that all serious Koi enthusiasts will agree on and then debate FOREVER on how to accomplish.
The 3 fundamentals are as follows and in order.

REMOVE ALL SOLID WASTE from the pond via bottom drains, pond skimmers and sometimes mid-water drains, such as leaf debris, pine needles, wind blown debris, fish poop, and uneaten fish food.
SETTLE SOLID WASTE as it is removed from the pond via bottom drains, pond skimmers and mid-water drains in a pre-filter. This is commonly accomplished in settlement tanks or physically removed with newer technology via a pond sieve pre-filter BEFORE the biological filtration.
FILTER OR NITRIFY the pond water (converting ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate) return it to the pond via waterfalls and often times return circulation jets below the water level.

These 3 fundamentals will be the foundation of your Koi pond design. From this foundation planning can begin. The ponds length, width and depth will determine the total gallons. From here we quickly move in the equipment selections determined from turn over rates for the pond matching pumps to speed limits of bottom drains, skimmers, UV filters, pre-filters, biological filters and on. Each ponds design is very subjective to the homeowners goals and is often influenced by the landscape and a budget.

Still to this day, dedicated Koi ponds are being constructed with design philosophies that oppose the 3 fundamentals described above. The philosophies and theories of designing ponds for Koi unveiled over the last decade have been some of the most important; producing critical pieces to an extraordinary puzzle. Only in the last few years have some of the most important components to effectively accomplish these 3 fundamentals became readily available to contractors and retailers.

If you are taking bids for construction of a dedicated koi pond, be sure to weigh the philosophies we have outlined here against the technologies offered to you in your ponds design.

Source:
http://www.theponddigger.com/koi-pond.php

Using Water Heater in Koi Pond

2011-08-28T05:16:00.001+07:00

Water heater needed in the koi pond in several think. Low temperature, Koi treatment and etc. Electric heat is ok for small ponds or for temporary use, but the expense can get to be too much for larger ponds or for long term use. In many parts of the country, natural gas is significantly cheaper than electricity.

The figure shows the parts you need and how they connect into your water heater to provide heat for your Koi pond. The system circulates water from the water heater, to a heat exchanger, and back to the water heater. Water from the heater and water from the pond never mix -they just get close enough to transfer heat. The heat exchanger can be put in a variety of places.

Gas Water Heater Schema

The figure shows the heat exchanger in its own tank as a separate stage in the filter. Pond water is pumped to the heat exchange tank, flows over the heat exchange coil, and then flows into the filter. The heat exchanger should be completely submerged and in an area where there is a good flow of pond water moving across it.

Constructing Your Gas Water Heater System

To build your heating system, you will need the following materials:

Shutoff Valves (2)
Circulating Pump
Heat Exchanger
Flow Regulating Valve
Thermostat (optional)
Timer (optional)
Misc. Pipe and Fittings

Test water heater system to make sure nothing leaks. Put insulation on the pipes from the water heater. Set the flow regulating valve so that it will allow a little more water through the system than you have calculated that you need, but not too much more. Watch the water temperature in the pond closely for several days until it has stabilized. Note how often the circulating pump is running.

With the flow set close to the minimum, the pump should be on most of the time. Make changes in settings in slow increments. It will take a while for the temperature to stabilize after changing settings.

Source:
Efficient Koi Water Heating Using Your Gas Water Heater,By Larry Lunsford.
http://www.usakoi.com/profile/news/read/id/38

Why Multiple Chamber Filter Needed

2011-08-25T05:49:00.001+07:00

Proper filter system requires a good prefilter to keep the dirt from reaching the biological chambers. A proper filter should be as large as you can fit. A proper filter system should consist of multiple chambers filter to promote stability. Two to three chambers is good, three or more chambers is even better. Each pond will acquire it’s own unique state of balance. Be flexible. Observe your pond water conditions and your fish every day. You are aqua-culturists. You must learn to culture stable Living Water. A good multiple chamber filter system is critical in establishing this stability.

The quality of Living water is determined by the health of the microorganisms in a dynamic equilibrium with the filter system. The stability of the pond, chemically and physically, determines the health of these microorganisms. Water stability is an end product of planning and proper filter design. Water stability takes time and patience. It requires staying within limits. Maintaining stability requires a filter system that can be cleaned without disrupting the koi pond.

Water stability is the prerequisite to balance. Stable water conditions promote good water quality. Stable pond conditions determine how long it will take for Mother Nature to reach a state of dynamic equilibrium. The microorganisms, plankton, algae and plants and koi fish depend on a stable water chemistry in order to function properly without constant disruption.

Most organisms in the pond are quite capable of functioning outside of perfect preconceived notions. What they are not good at is change. Endless change within the water affects all organisms negatively, not just the fish. The fish depend on these multitude of organisms to condition the water. Constant change within the pond chemistry and environment creates antagonism. The good bugs are out of balance with the bad bugs. The fish are usually the ones to pay for this antagonistic environment. A proper multiple chamber filter will encourage and support water quality and stability.

When you install a prefilter ahead of the biofilter you just made a quantum leap in achieving stable Living Water Quality. A good prefilter prevents solids from reaching the pump and biofilter. Now you can clean the prefilter without disturbing the biofilter bacteria. The biofilter bacteria are very slow growing and are easily lost in vigorous frequent cleaning.

A good filter system would require weekly cleaning of a prefilter and cleaning the biofilter once or twice a year! This is the difference between filtration and water purification. This is a very important concept to understand. Filtration is the removal of solids from the water. Purification is the conditioning of the water by the action of bacteria, microorganisms, algae and plants.

As the water flows through the biofilter it is in contact with large numbers of bacteria. These bacteria not only consume ammonia and nitrite but recycle all the other dissolved organic and inorganic wastes like phosphates and carbon based molecules and left over small solids which past through the prefilter. These bacteria grow on and in between the media, layer upon layer in a bacterial matrix that becomes a little universe all it’s own.

This stable population of bugs requires good oxygen flow and stable conditions to flourish. These bugs may take 6 months to a year or more to fully establish. Frequent “disruptive cleaning” of the filter media washes away stable colonies of bacteria. Large filters will bounce back more easily than small ones. Ponds in very cold climates will rely on many aquatic plants for biofiltration since the bacteria often freeze in the winter and a biofilter is restarted every year.

Some of the bacteria in the biofilter and gravel bottoms consume high quantities of phosphorous. In fact, given stable conditions, some of these phosphate eating bacteria can actually grow faster than algae. They are capable of digesting enough phosphate that the algae just starves. This is how a pond clears itself of green water or hair algae when the system is given time and stability.

Frequent “disruptive cleaning” of the Biofilter or gravel bottom is antagonistic to stability. This is one reason why ponds go green after a vigorous filter cleaning. Improper filtration is also the reason ponds need big U/V sterilizers. A proper filter size and design greatly reduces the need for a U/V.

Source:
http://www.lagunakoi.com/Multi-Chamber-Filtration-Library-sc-360.html

Step By Step Make Koi Pond Water Clear

2011-08-23T05:29:00.000+07:00

Keeping the water in your koi pond clear is essential to maintain the health of your fish, as well as make it easier for you to enjoy your slippery friends. Although having clear water doesn't always ensure healthy koi. Koi in the wild love muddy, murky conditions. That's why it's key to keep an eye on the overall health of your Koi fish.

Foollow step by step Instruction to Keep Koi Pond Water Clear:
1. Choose the right size filtering system for your pond. If you're inexperienced or unsure, opt for the bigger filtering system.

2. Build a structure to keep your pond shaded if it gets a lot of direct sunlight, which can encourage algae growth. Alternatively, add foliage to help shade your pond, but be aware that koi will eat plants.

3. Control algae growth in your koi pond by adding barley straw to your water. Alternatively, try using plants to filter the water or add chemicals to help keep the water clear.

4.Add a ultra-violet sterilizer to your pond's plumbing system for a low-maintenance way to control algae or if you have serious algae issues. A UV sterilizer kills the algae as it is pumped through the system.

5. Test your pond often to make sure the water has a neutral pH. Ammonia from koi waste often throws off the balance of the pond.

6. Remove some fish if your pond is overloaded. A buildup of ammonia in your water will affect the health of all your koi.

7. Check your drains, plumbing system, filter and pump if you continue to have problems. You might have a clog or a mechanical issue.

Source:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2246562_keep-koi-pond-water-clear.html

Color And Pattern Of Koi

2011-08-11T13:40:00.000+07:00

The coloration and patterns of a Koi Fish are in many cases, the thing that attracts people into the hobby of Koi keeping. These same two factors are also very important in determining the quality and therefore value of any particular koi fish. Yet our understanding of fish and, particularly Koi, coloration is still and inexact science, which is plagued by theories, old wives tales and relatively few facts.

What makes Koi Fish color?

The coloration of a Koi Fish is produced by three color pigments which are contained within cells called chromataphores. The three pigments are Erythrin (red), Melanin (black) and Xanthin (yellow), each of which occurs, in different chromataphores. Complementing the color pigment are irridocytes which can be best described as tiny reflective spheres within the skin.

All of the colors we see on our Koi Fish are a mixture of these components. For example orange is a combination of red and yellow chromataphores; brown is a mixture of black and yellow and red is just the red chromataphores. If there are no chromataphores present the Koi will appear white due to the irridocytes However, the position of the irridocytes within the skin affects its reflective properties. If they are on the surface of the scales the Koi will have a silvery appearance. If they are in the lower layers of the skin the fish will have a mat color.

In certain cases, the irridocytes can combine with the chromataphores to produce reflective colors (e.g. gold on the surface). Blue is an unusual color in that it is a result of deep lying black pigment with irridocytes in the middle of layers of the skin. The irriclocytes interfere with the light to give a blue color.

Destiny of color

The chromatophores may be positioned on the surface of the skin (above the scales), immediately under the scales or deep in the skin. If the chromataphores are very dense the coloration will also appear dense, with the chromataphores on the surface of the skin blocking those below. However, the position of the chromataphores affects the 'stability' of the color. The chromataphores on the surface of the skin will often produce unstable coloration due to them being removed or spreading as the koi fish ages. Those deep in the skin are more stable and less likely to break up. The ideal is to have the some, dense color pigment in all layers of the skin. This results in both a dense and stable color.

Where does the color come from?

Koi cannot synthesize their own color pigment therefore they have to consume it. In wild conditions the color pigments would originate from eating algae, shrimps, snails etc, In the confines of a Koi pond there is insufficient of these different organisms to satisfy the Koi's requirements, therefore it is important to feed color-enhancing foods. As with all Koi feeds, it is important that the color enhancing food given is of high quality to ensure that the pigments are in a form that the fish can absorb into its body.

If color foods are not given to your Koi, the chromatophores would not be filled with pigment and the Koi will look pale or poorly colored. This can result in a Kai of high potential quality only looking mediocre. Feeding a color food would greatly enhance the appearance of such a Kai - but could not make a poor Kai great.

When the chromataphores are filled with pigment, the excess is passed through the Koi in the feces. It is possible to get white areas of the koi becoming pink due to a temporary build up of Erythrin. This pigment is not in a chromataphores and will quickly disappear as soon as the amount of color food given is reduced.

Aging

Each Koi Fish is born with a fixed number of chromotaphores which remains relatively constant throughout its life. As the Koi ages and grows, these chromataphores, have to cover a larger area of skin therefore there is a tendency for the coloration to become paler (due to the chromataphores becoming less dense) or to fragment. This helps to explain why many stunning young Koi are not as attractive when they are slightly larger. Buying young fish from a known "high quality bloodline" usually means you are buying fish with more dense chromataphores, which results in the color remaining even when the Koi has grown.

In some varieties (e.g. Sanke and Showa) it is common for the pattern to change considerably as the fish grows due to the surface color fragmenting and revealing a deeper different color. When your Koi become very old they tend to become paler and in some cases turn white. This is the equivalent of our hair turning gray and cannot be reversed.

Changing Color

A chromatophore is a branched cell, within which the color pigment can be moved. The two extremes are that the pigment spreads though out the entire cell (which results in the Koi being the color of the cell) or it is concentrated in one small spot in the center (resulting in the background color showing through - usually pale or dark). The distribution of this pigment is affected by a number of different factors including:

Water Quality - Different water quality conditions can have a major impact on the coloration of the Koi. Raised levels of pollutants (e.g. ammonia, nitrite or nitrate) will cause the pigment to contract, resulting in the Koi losing its color. pH and hardness affect coloration differently, red pigment tends to spread in softer, more acidic water, whereas black pigment spreads in harder more alkaline water and vice versa.

Pic 1 .This "Kohaku" No Black Spot in 10 cm size change after reach 20 cm

Background Color - Although it is difficult to merge into the background when you are a red and white Koi, they do try to do so. Against a pale background the Koi contract the pigment to make themselves as, pale as possible. The opposite occurs when the Koi is next to a dark background, which is why blue vats are used at Koi shows to ensure each Koi looks at its best.

Treatments - Salt is often added to Koi ponds as a treatment or to control nitrite toxicity, however, it causes the pigment to concentrate resulting in poorer coloration. The same is true for antibiotics, whether added to the water or injected and malachite green based remedies.

Algae - Koi (and goldfish) which have lived in an algae rich, green pond often appear intensely colored due to the color pigment spreading in the chromataphores. This effect can be recreated without the "green water' by using Tetra Pond Koi Vital.

Temperature - At high summer temperatures pigments contract; at cool autumn and winter values they expand resulting in the koi looking at their best in the cooler months of the year.

This list could be continued, but hopefully some of the examples my help to explain color changes in your Koi which you have observed. Unfortunately these things don't happen in isolation, making it very difficult to ascertain exactly what caused the coloration of your Koi, this can only be remedied by more people making more accurate records of the coloration of their Koi and what happens when conditions change.

Source : By Dr. David Pool, Tetra Reprint courtesy of Nishikigoi International via Cascade Koi & Goldfish Club

Why Koi Pond Use Air Pump

2011-08-09T16:10:00.000+07:00

Aeration, in one word, sums up the reason why your Koi pond needs an air pump. Pond aeration is as essential to ponds as air, particularly oxygen, is essential for us to live. In lakes and ponds, not only fish are dependent on dissolved oxygen (DO) supply in the water. Many other organisms in the water also depend on it to function well and survive. A shortage of oxygen opens a Pandora’s Box of problems to your pond’s water quality and clarity, which can rapidly escalate to fish deaths sooner than you expect. So unless you are willing to take the risk of suffering the consequences from poor pond aeration, a pond air pump is a must.

Koi Ponds get naturally aerated, but not adequately. Unlike mountain streams or raging rivers that have higher DO levels, the comparatively still waters in ponds and lakes don’t get additional aeration benefit from energised water movement. In addition, air contains only about 20% oxygen. So even if oxygen diffused from the atmosphere dissolves passively into the water, the amount is far too low to be sufficient.

To make matters even worse, several factors further decrease the level of DO in the water. Some of them are:

Rising temperature – the demand for oxygen rises as temperature goes up due to increased metabolic rates of fish and other aquatic life.

Koi Fish population and size – the more Koi fish you have in the pond, and the bigger they are, the more oxygen is used up.

Decomposing organic matter – fish and animal wastes, fertiliser run-offs, dead leaves, etc make up organic matter in the pond that requires a lot of oxygen to decompose.

Submerged plants and algae – these take in oxygen in the night, which contributes to the drop of oxygen levels after sun down.

Oxygen consuming bacteria – oxygen is required by aerobic bacteria in order to efficiently breakdown nutrients and toxic substances, like ammonia. The more nutrients and organic wastes are in the water, the more oxygen is consumed by these bacteria.

Presence of other water solutes and use of treatment products reduce DO.

Given these facts, it’s just logical to conclude that ponds and lakes need additional help to keep topping-up their exhausted dissolved oxygen supplies. However, some unconvinced pond owners argue that their ponds have been problem-free even without using pond aerators. Maybe so, but as your pond gets older, more organic sediments accumulate, fish reproduce, fish get bigger and aerobic bacteria multiply. Increased demand of oxygen soon takes a serious toll on your water’s oxygen levels and it is just a matter of time before problems surface up.

Source:
http://www.hydra-aqua.com/pond-supplies-uk/benefits-of-using-air-pumps.html

How To Install Koi Pond

2011-08-03T11:09:00.000+07:00

A Koi pond is more than a water feature. It is the home for your Koi fish. The pond needs to stay clean and provide a comfortable environment in all types of weather. The filtration components keep the pond clean.

Every Koi pond should have:

Bottom Drain
Surface Skimmer
Pump
Bead Filter
UV Light
Air Pump

Optional Equipment

Cetus Sieve
Vortex Chamber
Protein Skimmer

The bottom drain is placed on the lowest part of the pond. It collect any heavy solid waste that makes its way to the bottom of the pond. The surface skimmer removes floating debris like uneaten fish food and leaves.

The bead filter does two types of filtration. It captures small bits of waste and the filter media provides a home for the nitrifying bacteria. Bead filters have a backwash feature for easy cleaning. The UV light sterilizes the algae that turn the pond water green. An air pump and an air stone will provide a supply of fresh oxygen for the Koi Fish.

A Cetus sieve or vortex chamber takes the waste that flows in from the bottom drain and separates it from the pond water. These will knock down a lot of maintenance on ponds that are near trees.

A protein skimmer removes waste that gets dissolved in the water. by making the water super clean, it allows the Koi fish to grow more since they won’t sense that the pond is crowded.
Creating a safe environment

The easiest way to make a pond for Koi stable in all seasons is to make it deep. A pond that is five feet deep will not experience the same temperature fluctuations that a two foot deep one will.

Most ponds that have predator problems are built with shallow sloping sides that allow critters to wade into the pond. A Koi pond that is built with steep sides will deter the majority of the predators from getting into the pond.

An air pump and an air stone will provide a supply of fresh oxygen for the Koi.

Source:
http://www.nishikigoi-info.com/koi-care/koi-pond-install.html

Argulus Koi Parasite

2011-08-01T05:41:00.001+07:00

Argulus (Fish Lice) parasites for koi fish can be commonly introduced into koi ponds by frogs and toads. Argulus (aka Fish Lice) are more developed than most of the other parasites. You can see them quite well without using a microscope. They move around and itch the fish and cause complications that can kill koi and goldfish.

It is however easy to detect with the naked eye especially against the background of fins and white skin of affected koi fish. Size varies from between 1mm and 5mm. Attaching themselves to the koi by suckers which damages the skin, they also inject a poison into the body of the koi which causes inflammation, bleeding and potentially secondary bacterial infection. Pale green in colour, juveniles are more transparent.

Argulus must be eradicated quickly as the parasite causes considerable physical damage to the skin which often results in subsequent ulceration of the affected areas if left untreated.

How to Recognize, Treat and Prevent Argulus in Your Koi Pond

All you must do is get close to the fish to see these little creatures. And - creatures is probably a good word for them because they are so well developed with legs and what looks like a type of skeleton. Like most parasites Argulus is easy to get rid of if you treat the pond with the right stuff.

Recognizing Argulus

You can't mistake Argulus. They look like tiny see-through, jelly-filled, little creatures with several pairs of legs and a tail. They are only about 1/4 inch long and tend to take on a green tint. Basically, if you see a small round thing that has visible legs and almost invisible body around it your fish have lice!

Argulus Koi Parasite, Pic From www.pondcare.com

Treating Argulus

It's very simple to treat. We suggest using ProForm LA, Fluke Tabs or Anti-Fluke. ProForm LA is best to use if it's cold when treating because it works in lower temperatures though it also works fine during summer. Fluke Tabs are easier to use for quarantine tanks because each tab treats 100 gallons. Anti-Fluke (which is part of our Parasite Pak) is best used in warmer weather.

Salt will do nothing for argulus. It doesn't hurt to perform a salt treatment along with any of the treatments described above because it will encourage the fish's natural protective slime layer to form and it won't have any interactions with the medications.

You will need to have de-chlorinator on hand (if you use chlorinated water) because some water changes will be necessary.

Emergency Procedures

Treat the whole pond with either ProForm LA, Anti-Fluke or Fluke Tabs.
For added benefits, perform a salt treatment while treating for anchor worm.

What to Expect Next

Secondary conditions are not uncommon with argulus because it makes holes in the skin of the koi or goldfish for bacteria to invade. This often leads to ulcers which will need to be treated as they are noticed.

Preventing Argulus

Quarantining and treating any new koi or goldfish is the key to preventing any infestation of argulus.

Source:
http://www.ponddoc.com/koihospital/Diagnostic/Parasitic/Argulus.htm
http://www.koicarp.org.uk/koi_parasites.htm

Koi Pond Water Temperature

2011-08-01T05:13:00.000+07:00

Koi Fish and garden ponds are naturally heated up by the sun. Ponds with large volumes of water and/or deep water will take longer to heat up. Furthermore, water requires a lot of energy to heat it up so it will take many days of hot sun before a pond’s temperature warms up. Conversely, the pond will keep its temperature for several weeks after the first cold snap of autumn. Koi Fish , like all fish, cannot control their body temperature, so whatever the water temperature is will be the temperature of fish, too.

Koi are naturally warm-water fish and, in the UK, they are on the edge of their tolerable conditions. Unsurprisingly, they visibly respond to warm water and all their natural processes are geared to temperatures around 18–22°C (such as breeding, digestion and growth). Koi are much more active and responsive when it’s warm, leading many people to artificially heat their ponds.

High temperatures are not without their problems, though. Warm water holds less oxygen than cold water (see the Dissolved oxygen section), but because all the processes in a Koi are going faster when the fish is warm, its need for oxygen is greater. Therefore, in warm water, Koi can have oxygen shortages and might come to the top of the pond (where there is relatively more oxygen) to breathe. Also, in warm water some pollutants (see the Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate section) are more toxic and more likely to poison fish.

Cold water, of course, will contain more oxygen and some toxins are less harmful, but Koi will naturally slow down as it gets colder. Below 10°C, a Koi’s systems are on ‘tick over’. It will not digest particularly well so it feeds less. Its immune system, which protects a Koi against disease-causing organisms, is very limited in cold water so outbreaks can occur.

Heating a pond does keep fish more active for the whole of the year. It also means they grow all-year round. On the other hand, it is expensive and it is not an environmentally sound practice. If you do decide to heat your pond, make sure the fish have a cool period for a month or so in the winter because this lets a Koi’s body clock set itself to the natural seasons.

Source:
http://www.koimag.co.uk/advice/water-quality/koi-pond-water-temperature

Doitsu Koi Type

2011-07-28T15:01:00.000+07:00

Doitsu Kohaku

Doitsu Koi are Japanese koi crossbred into almost all varieties of Nishikigoi. Doitsu are display the characteristics of the German “leather” carp with no scales at all or with the German “mirror” carp having large scales only along both sides of the dorsal fin or with large scales along the dorsal fin and also along the lateral line on both sides of the koi.

Doitsu koi have been crossbred in Japan for most all of the classes and typically compete against scaled Japanese koi in the same class unless there is a special Doitsu class. Doitsu koi can easily have sharp kiwa due to not having scales so scaled koi are given the difficulty advantage in judging. All judging points being equal, scaled koi will beat Doitsu koi.

There is a Doitsu version of almost every variety; Doitsu Kohaku, Doitsu Sanke, Doitsu Yamato Nishiki, and Doitsu Hariwake just to name a few. Doitsu Koi are to be viewed for the orderliness of scale arrangement and the absence of unnecessary scales. Each Koi should have the features characteristic of its own original variety.

Source:
http://www.koipondfever.com/t-doitsu-koi.aspx
http://www.akca.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=222:doitsu&Itemid=204
http://www.lagunakoi.com/Koi-Varieties/Doitsu-p-33.html

Koi Type Classification Part IV

2011-07-28T02:46:00.000+07:00

This article is fourth part of four series article about koi type for newbie Koi Keeper who want to start keep koi. About this series koi types and koi classification designed in 4 part. Part I talk about Gosanke and Bekko . Part II about Utsurimono, Asagi and Tancho. Part III about about Hikarimono,Goromo And Hikarimoyo. The last part talk about type of koi in classification Matsuba and Kawarimono.

Matsuba
Aka Matsuba is a red koi with black centres to its scales, creating a pine cone effect.Ki Matsuba as above but yellow. Kin matsuba is a metallic gold or orange koi whose scales have black centres, causing a pine cone effect. Gin matsuba is the Silver version.

These Koi have a grey shading pattern on their scales.

1.Shiro Matsuba

Shiro Matsuba are a white Koi with a black net pattern. When buying a Shiro Matsuba,
make sure that the net pattern is equal all over the Koi. Watch out for any discolored scales or old scars.

Matsubas have been around almost as long as the Asagis. They are closly related,
sharing the same net pattern.

2. Aka Matsuba

Aka Matsuba are a red Koi with a black net pattern. When buying a Aka Matsuba,
make sure that the net pattern is equal all over the Koi. Watch out for any discolored scales or old scars. The Hi should be very deep too.

Matsubas have been around almost as long as the Asagis. They are closly related,
sharing the same net pattern.

Kawarimono

These Koi don't fit into any other classification.

1.Ochiba Shigure

Ochiba Shigures are made by breeding a Chagoi with a Soragoi. Look for a nice Kohaku-like
brown pattern. This is a very nice fish and this type really stands out in any collection. The Japanese breeders often name the Koi after things that they like. Ochiba Shigure, for example, means "leaves fallen on the water.

2.Kumonryu

Kumonryu are one of the strangest Koi fish. They are scaless and their pattern actually changes throughout the year. No one is absolutely sure what causes the color change, but the two best theories are a change in temperature or a change in pH. Kumonryu are usually black in the winter and the white usually appears in the spring and summer.
Kumonryu aren't usually judged by their pattern. Look for good symmetry between the black and white. When the color of a Kumonryu is changing, the area turns a blue/grayish color.

3. Beni Kumonryu

Beni Kumonryu are a rare form of Kumonryu, they have red along with the black and white. They are
scaless and their pattern actually changes throughout the year. No one is absolutely sure what causes the color change, but the two best theories are a change in temperature or a change in pH. Beni Kumonryu are usually black in the winter. The white and red usually appears in the spring and summer.

Beni Kumonryu aren't usually judged by their pattern. Look for good symmetry between the red, black and white. When the color of a Beni Kumonryu is changing, the area turns a blue/greyish color.

4.Benigoi

Benigoi or Higoi are Koi that are solid red. When buying a Benigoi, look for solid Hi. Check the fish over for any old scars or bad scales, for these will take away from the look of the Koi. Benigoi and Higoi are the same fish. The name, Benigoi, is given to the Higoi with exeptionally deep red.

5. Karasugoi

Karasugoi are Koi that are solid black. When buying a Karasugoi, look for one with deep color.
Check the fish over for any old scars or bad scales, for these will take away from the look of the Koi.The Japanese breeders often name the Koi after things that they like. Karasugoi, for example, means "Black Crow."

6.Haijiro

Haijiro are Koi that are solid black with white tipped fins. When buying a Haijiro, look at the white on the fin edges and make sure it is even with the other side. Check the fish over for any old scars or bad scales, for these will take away from the look of the Koi.Haijiro

Haijiro are Karasugoi with white tipped fins. These are a nice addition to the Koi varieties and allow for a larger collection.

7.Aka Haijiro

Aka Haijiro are Koi that are solid red with white tipped fins. When buying an Aka Haijiro, look at the white on the fin edges and make sure it is even with the other side. Check the fish over for any old cars or bad scales, for these will take away from the look of the Koi.Aka Haijiro are Higoi with white tipped fins. These are a nice addition to the Koi varieties and allow for a larger collection.

8.Chagoi

Chagoi are a non-metallic brown colored Koi. When buying a Chagoi, look for one with even color.
Check the fish over for any old scars or bad scales, for these will take away from the look of the Koi. Old scars will appear as dark areas. Chagoi have the terrible habit of growing very large. It is not uncommon to see one that is 36 inches swimming around a pond in Japan.

9. Kigoi

Kigoi are Koi that are solid yellow. When buying a Kigoi, look for one with deep color. Check the fish over for any old scars or bad scales, for these will take away from the look of the Koi. The most prized Kigoi have red eyes. This gives them an eerie look. Some people call the Kigoi, Lemon Koi.

10.Midorigoi

Midorigoi are Koi that are solid green. When buying a Midorigoi, look for one with a nice green color. Many Midorigois have red spots on them or patches of darker coloration.

The Japanese have a habit of naming things for what they are. Midorigoi, for example, means "Green Carp."

11. Soragoi
Soragoi are a solid grey Koi. They make a great addition to any Koi collection. When buying a Soragoi, look for any old scars or any bad scales. The Soragoi in the picture below is actually a Gin Rin Soragoi. It's scales look strong enough to turn any blade.

Soragoi, along with Chagoi, are used to create Ochiba Shigure. Bycom bining these two single colored Koi, the Japanese breeders have made a two colored Koi with a pattern.

REFERENCE
1.Koi Oase
2. Nishikigoi Info

Water Quality For Best Koi Growth

2011-07-27T10:24:00.000+07:00

Koi growth, health and color of are dependent on water condition, the first thing to suspect koi fish problem is water quality. Good water quality comes from the perfect koi pond filter. Daily checking for water quality in the koi pond is very important for the health of Koi. Fresh water are used by some Koi keepers without a Filtration system, but a large amount of fresh water should not be put into the pond at one time. If a quantity of fresh water is entering the pond, the Koi's body system has to adjust to the new water condition. A loss of shine and color fading can be a result of excessive water changes. Carp like to live in the same water condition and environment.

Otherwise water circulated for a long time without change becomes aged and can cause small bubbles and scum in the pond. Most purification systems cannot eliminate 100% of the harmful chemicals such as ammonia. It is suggested that 5% to 20% of the pond water should be exchanged every week and fresh water added. This fresh water should be added in small amounts on a continuous basis, 24 hours a day, to prevent a major environmental change in the pond.

Water Quality Parameter and Koi Behaviour

Water quality can determined by looking at some of the parameters in the water and abnormal behaviour of the fish. Characteristics that appear from Koi behavior of fish is:

If all the Koi are swimming all over the pond area that is an indication that they are healthy.
If there any scum on the water surface and are many small bubbles forming, suggest the water is very old or the biological purification system is not working effectively.
If Koi gathering at the waterfall area indicates that the water is lacking in oxygen content.
If Koi accumulating in one area and some of them scratching their sides at the pond edges, there is a possibility they are having problems with parasites and the pond should be treated imediately.

Water Parameter In The Koi Pond

1. PH
PH is the single most important water quality parameter. It can affect the toxicity and quantity of several of the other components of koi pond water. Koi can live in a wide range of pH, but 7.2 to 7.8 is ideal. To lower the pH of your pond you can add a water softener, try reverse osmosis, and decrease splash aeration by by-passing the waterfall. To raise pH increase splash aeration, add oyster shells, or lime.

2. Ammonia
Ammonia is toxic to koi fish. As pH increases above 7, the amount of ammonium transformed into ammonia is exponentially
related to the pH. A test for ammonia with water test kits should always read 0.0 PPM. To reduce the toxic ammonia content, make a water change but be sure to add a dechlorinator, decrease feeding amount, add zeolite (never combine with salt additions), reduce fish load, add more filtration area, add a commercially prepared ammonia remover.

3. Nitrites/Nitrous Acid
Nitrites/Nitrous is the first steps in the Nitrogen Cycle. Nitrous Acid (HNO2-) is the by-product of Nitrosomonas bacteria breaking down ammonium in acid water. As pH decreases below pH 7, the amount of nitrous acid increases and becomes more toxic. To reduce toxic nitrous acid, make water changes, reduce the fish load, reduce the feeding amounts or adjust the pH. Add salt at the rate of 0.2% to inhibit the intake by the fish of nitrous acid. A test for these molecules should read 0.0 PPM.

4. Nitrates/Nitric Acid
Nitrates/Nitric Acid is the second step in the Nitrogen Cycle. Unless found in large quantities, both are considered non toxic. To control the amount of nitrates and nitric acid, make water changes or add plants.

5. Water Hardness
Hard water is due to an abundant number of salts such as calcium and magnesium. Koi can cope with a wide range of hardness. There are two major benefits to having hard water in your Koi pond. First, very hard water can bind some toxic metals such as lead. Secondly, hard water reduces the workload of the koi for osmoregulatory functions. A reading of 0 to 75 PPM is considered soft, from 75 to 150 PPM is moderately hard, from 150 to 300 PPM is hard and above 300 PPM is very hard. If it is necessary to increase your hardness you can add crushed oyster shells, coral or any substance that will increase the amount of calcium.

6. Total Alkalinity/ Temporary Hardness
A large amount of bicarbonates in the water will result in a high Total Alkalinity reading. Also knows as 'buffers', these bicarbonates dissociate and then combine with the Hydrogen ions produced by the Nitrogen Cycle and the other acids produced by the fish and organic decomposition. When Total Alkalinity is low, or is 'used', the water will become more and more acid. Combining a low Total Alkalinity with submerged plants or algae can cause a day time alkaline pH and a night time acid pH. This 'pH shift' is stressful to your fish and can lower their resistance to disease if the situation continues. Total alkalinity should be kept above 80 PPM to avoid these potentially dangerous shifts. To increase alkalinity, add sodium bicarbonate, change the water or add a commercially prepared pH Buffer.

7. Temperature
Temperature should be monitored for both daily and seasonal extremes. Temperature affects dissolved oxygen levels, respiration, metabolic rate, pH balance, free ammonia\ionized ammonia ratio and osmoregulation. Koi can tolerate a broad range of temperatures, from ponds that are iced over; to water up to 90F, better than they can tolerate sudden shifts in temperature.
Water temperature has an inverse relationship to the amount of oxygen contained in that water. The higher the water temperature, the lower the oxygen saturation level. The 'saturation level' is the maximum amount of oxygen in water at a given temperature. Water temperature also affects the metabolic rates of the fish. Fish, being cold blooded, slow their bodily functions as temperature decreases. This affects all circulatory systems. If you need to reduce the temperature of your water you can add more shade, add a misting system, bypass the waterfall during the day and utilize the waterfall only at night. To increase your water temperature, add a heater, bypass the waterfall at night and reduce the shade.

8. Oxygen
Oxygen is needed for the normal day to day functions of a fish and by the bacteria necessary for the breakdown of the fish's waste products in the nitrification process. Factors affecting the amount of oxygen in the water are temperature, fish load, organic load, medications, and the turn over rate. All of these factors affect oxygen inversely except the turn over rate. Minimum levels of oxygen should be 5 PPM. To increase the oxygen content, add venturis, increase the turnover rate, reduce the organic load (rid the pond of any organic matter that is sitting on the bottom). Do not add aquatic plants, they will use oxygen at night.

9. Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide product of koi fish respiration.To decrease the amount of carbon dioxide, add plants or increase bubble aeration. To increase Carbon Dioxide, remove plants and decrease bubble aeration.

10.Chlorine & Chloramines

11.Toxic Metals
Most natural waters contain chloride, sulfate, carbon, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. These ions serve a vital purpose in the mineral metabolism of all animals. If these ions are found in high concentrations, their toxicity is dependent on water hardness, pH, temperature and the presence of other dissolved substances. The solubility and toxicity of zinc, lead, aluminum and copper have a direct relationship to increases of pH and water hardness. To remove heavy metals, use activated carbon filtration.

12. Organic Compounds
Oil and grease, organic carbons, phenolic compounds, and detergents are included in this group. Much of the pollution from these organic compounds is due to runoff entering the pond. Make water changes.

13.Other Toxic Gases
Hydrogen sulfide is the result of anerobic bacterial action on organic matter in the pond. Ozone is being used to disinfect water in some areas. Make water changes and clean out the mulm under the filter or in the bottom of koi pond.

14. Pesticides & Insecticides & Herbicides
These are usually introduced into the pond by runoff, precipitation or accidental spills. Make water changes.

Source:

1.Akca Library

Step By Step Building Koi Pond

2011-07-23T15:14:00.000+07:00

Building a koi pond is different from a water garden because koi limit the amount of plant life available to be grown. A water garden typically contains both goldfish and a variety of aquatic plants. A koi pond should also be larger because koi Fish get quite large despite the size of the pond, it is recommended that a koi pond be no less than 1000 gallons in volume, the bigger the better. It also needs to have an area of the pond at least 3 feet deep, 4 - 5 may be better. Large Koi Pond make Koi growth bigger.

Select the proper location Of Koi Pond

Most Koi ponds will be enjoyed more if they are installed close to the home. Select an area where you can see the koi pond year round. Ponds are great attracters of wildlife including birds and butterflies. Position the koi pond where runoff from rain will not flow into the pond. This may carry fertilizers, chemicals, and organic debris into the pond. It may be necessary to alter the terrain to accommodate this. Avoid placing a pond too close to trees.

Falling leaves and other debris will need to be removed from the pond. You will want to place your pond where it will receive at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sun if you want to grow water lilies. Shade is fine for fish-only ponds. Water circulation is not essential but the use of a pump will allow you to keep more fish, it will keep your plants healthier.

A pump is required to run a filter, fountain, or waterfall. The sound of running water adds greatly to the enjoyment of the koi pond. Most ponds will benefit from the use of a biological filter. This is essential if you are keeping koi or more than a few goldfish. We have several types of biological filters to choose from.

Determine the size of Koi pond

The best way to do this is to use a rope or water hose and lay out the shape on the ground. A pond for goldfish or water lilies need be only about 2 feet deep for zones 5 or greater. Ponds built in colder areas may need more depth to keep the pond from freezing solid. Ponds built for koi should be close to three feet or deeper to allow these larger fish enough space. The biggest mistake that most people make is building the pond or water garden too small. A larger pond is more stable and easier to maintain. Keep in mind that a finished pond or water garden will be about 30% smaller than you visualize it. After you have laid out the shape, measure the maximum length and width. Add the depth twice to these measurements plus a foot or two for overlap and this will give you the pond liner size.

Dig the Koi pond to the desired shape

If keeping plants dig a shelf around the perimeter of the pond about one foot deep and one or more feet wide. Dig the remainder of the pond with a slight slope to the end opposite the waterfall if one is included in the design.

Position any external pond filters and/or pond skimmers and level these in their proper location

Pond skimmers should be buried to the proper level beside the pond. A ditch should be dug for the plumbing from the pond to the waterfall or external pond filter. If a pond skimmer is being used, dig a ditch to the external pond pump and from the pump to the external pond filter or waterfall. If you are using a submersible pump in the pond skimmer then the ditch will be from the skimmer to the external pond filter or waterfall.

Line the pond or water garden excavation with Pond Underlayment

This can be cut with scissors or a utility knife. You may want to tape any small pieces together to keep them from moving when the pond liner is placed.

Place the Rubber Pond Liner into the excavation and unfold

Position the liner evenly in the pond. Try to minimize folds and wrinkles but some will be necessary. After the water is added the folds should flatten out.

Pond waterfalls and streams can be excavated now

An external pond filter or waterfall tank can be positioned to create the first waterfall. This can be placed to spill directly into the pond in which case the pond liner is held against the pond filter until you are able to stack stone from the pond shelf up against the pond filter to create a waterfall. If a small pool or stream is desired then excavate this several inches deep and to the desired size and shape. Position the underlayment and pond liner allowing extra material to overlap several inches into the pond. Plumbing from the pump can be brought over into the stream or pool or again if using an external pond filter this will be the start of the waterfall. Streams should be dug wider than the finished size to make room for stone that will be placed into the stream for the edging. Stone can be secured to the liner with mortar or expandable foam. This will hold back the water allowing it to spill over the stone creating the waterfall.

Connect the pond liner to the skimmer

If one is being used, following the manufacturers directions. Place the pipe or tubing in place leaving a few inches extra to make your connections later.

Place the stone or other coping around the edge of the pond or water garden

Arrange the copingstone around the edge of the pond and fold the pond liner up behind the stone to slightly above the water level. It is usually not necessary to mortar the stone into place if it is of sufficient size to be stable. If using small stone or if people will be walking around the edge then mortaring the stone for stability may be required. Back fill with soil to hold the pond liner against the stone. Fill the pond with water to within a few inches from the top and then make corrections if necessary to ensure that the pond is level. As the pond is filling remove wrinkles and make folds as necessary.

Other methods of edging the pond or water garden

For most installations having a necklace of stone around the pond or water garden does not create a natural appearance. If your goal is to make your pond blend into the landscape in a natural setting then you will want to consider other methods of edging the pond. Besides the traditional method of edging with a thin stone on the edge overlapping the pond you can also use one or more layers of stone built up from the shelf. This provides a more natural appearance and will allow the water to fluctuate without seeing the liner. You can also create a cobblestone beach edging by placing a large stone at the inside of a large shallow shelf and filling the area with gravel and cobbles. You can naturalize this area by planting shallow water plants. This will create a more natural edge with plants partly in and partly out of the water. You can plant bare root plants directly into the gravel or place the plant with some soil still attached into the gravel. This will help the plant to establish quicker.

Add dechlorinator to the pond to remove any chlorine or chloramines

Add aquatic plants as soon as possible after constructing the koi pond

Many aquatic plants are great at using up the nutrients that would otherwise feed the algae. Some of the most effective plants include Anacharis, Water Hyacinth, Parrot's Feather, and Bacopa. Water lilies and other plants with surface leaves can be added to provide shade to approximately 66% of the surface area if in full sun. If less than full sun then less coverage is acceptable.

Begin regular use of a packaged bacteria to seed the pond filter and help maintain a clean and healthy pond. Ideally, fish should be added a few at a time over several weeks to allow the bacteria to establish in your water garden.

Source : Watergarden

Koy Type Part III :Hikarimono, Goromo And Hikarimoyo

2011-07-20T10:07:00.000+07:00

After described Gosanke,Shiro,Utsurimono,Asagi and Tancho, Next tipe of Koi are Hikarimono, Goromo And Hikarimoyo.

Hikarimono
The metallic Koi with only one color for a pattern.

Nezu Ogon

Nezu Ogon are an old type of Ogon. They are a metallic colored dark grey Koi. As with other
Ogons, the color should be uniform throughout the fish. Also, look for any signs of previous damage, for any scars will take away from any Ogon's look.

Nezu Ogons have a dark area on the center of their heads. This has caused many breeders and Koi keepers to affectionatly nickname them Helmet Head. The dark area almost looks like a maruten spot, but is it usually not very uniform in color and does not have sharp edges.

Orenji Ogon
This is the Koi for goldfish lovers. Unlike goldfish however, Orenji Ogons have the potential to grow up to 36 inched in length. As with other Ogons, the color should be uniform throughout the fish. Also, look for any signs of previous damage, for any scars will take away from any Ogon's look.

Ogons are single colored metallic Koi. They come in a variety of colors and variations. No Koi keeper's collection is complete without at least one or two Ogons in their pond.

Platinum Ogon

Platinum Ogons are metallic white and are one of the most popular Ogons. The color should be as white as fresh mountain snow. As with other Ogons, the color should be uniform throughout the fish. Also, look for any signs of previous damage, for any scars will take away from any Ogon's look.

Platinum Ogon is the English name for this Koi. The name that was originally given to it in Japan is Purachina Ogon. Many people buy this Koi because their ponds are under filtered and this type is easy to see in dirty water.

Yamabuki Ogon
Yamabuki Ogons are a metallic yellow Koi. You don't want to get a Yamabuki Ogon that is too yellow when you are selecting one. For some reason, they seem to develop Hi (red) spots, usually on because Yamabuki Ogons are easy to see in green water. Yamabuki Ogons are usually popular with people that have under-filtered ponds,

Hikarimono

Goromo
The Koi that have black shading over their patterns.

AI Goromo
This is a very interesting Koi. Ai Goromos have a Hi pattern like a kohaku, but
there is a dark shading on the Hi. A good Ai Goromo will have a red maruten spot on it's head without any shading on it. Goromos are the exact opposite of the Goshiki, they have a shaded.

Hi pattern on a white background while Goshikis have a Hi pattern on a shaded white background.

What makes an Ai Goromo?

What makes an Budo Goromo?

Goromos were created by accident. How? A breeder was breeding Goshikis and a goshiki with a white background and a net pattern on the Hi appeared. This Koi was carefully bred and now we have the Goromo variety.

Sumi Goromo
Some Goromos have a black shading instead of a blue shading over their Hi pattern. These are somewhat rare and if you see one with a nice pattern, you should get it. The skin should be a nice white color and the pattern should have crisp edges.

Goromo Koi were created by accident. How? A breeder was breeding Goshikis and a goshiki with a whitebackground and a net pattern on the Hi appeared. This Koi was carefully bred and now we have the Goromo variety.

REFERENCE:
1.http://www.nishikigoi-info.com/
2. http://www.nishikigoiofniigata.com

Koi Type Part II :Utsurimono,Asagi and Tancho

2011-07-19T05:51:00.001+07:00

This continuance of the first article about Koi Classification to help us know and familiar with koi variety. In this article the next three tipe of koi Utsurimono, Asagi and Tancho will describe.

UTSURIMONO

Utsurimono is The black Koi with a colored pattern.Include in Utsurimono type are Shiro Utsuri , Hi Utsuri and Ki Utsuri.

Shiro Utsuri
Shiro Utsuri are like Showa, they are a black skinned Koi, but Shiro Utsuri only have one pattern,
white. A good Shiro Utsuri will have a nice balance between the white (shiro) and black (sumi).

When buying, look for a unique pattern.
Be careful when selecting a Shiro Utsuri, look for any small black dots, these will only get worse
as the Koi ages. If you have the chance, see if you can find a older brother or sister to the Koi that
you are looking at and then study it to see how it has developed.

Hi Utsuri
Hi Utsuri are like Showa, they are a black skinned Koi, but Hi Utsuri only have one pattern,
red. A good Hi Utsuri will have a nice balance between the red (hi) and black (sumi).

When buying, look for a unique pattern.
Be careful when selecting a Hi Utsuri, look for any small black dots, these will only get worse
as the Koi ages. If you have the chance, see if you can find a older brother or sister to the Koi that
you are looking at and then study it to see how it has developed.

Ki Utsuri
Ki Utsuri are like Showa, they are a black skinned Koi, but Ki Utsuri only have one pattern,yellow. A good Ki Utsuri will have a nice balance between the yellow (ki) and black (sumi).When buying, look for a unique pattern.

ASAGI
The blue/grey Koi with a red pattern. Include in Asagi type are Asagi and Shusui

Asagi
Asagi are one of the original types of Koi. This is evident with their coloration, red and blue/grey.

When looking at an asagi, the red (hi) should be even on both sides and the grey scales shouldn't
have any flaws.

Shusui

Shusui are the mostly scaless verion of the Asagi. There is usually one row of dark scales on top and one row along the lateral line. Check all over the Shusui before you buy it to make sure that it has a complete row of scales. Also, make that they are straight and do not distort the look of the Koi.

TANCHO

The Koi with a pattern only on their Maruten spots.

Tancho Goromo

Tancho Goromo are just like regular Goromo, but they only have a pattern on their maruten spot,the pattern on the head. Tancho Goromo's are very rare, if you see one, buy it. These do not come around very often. The skin should be very white and the maruten spot should be symmetrical. The maruten spot should sit between and slightly behind the eyes.

The Tancho Koi, the ones with a nice head pattern, are one of the Japanese'
favorite types of Koi. It is because this pattern looks like their national flag and
the red crowned crane (Grus japonensis). Every Koi collector needs at least one
Tancho in their collection.

Tancho Kohaku

Tancho Kohaku, the most common type of Tancho. This is is a very popular variation of the Kohaku,with the Hi (red) pattern only appearing on the head. The Hi should be circular and should be centered of the Koi's head.There should be no other Hi on the body at all.

Reference:

1.http://www.koipondfever.com/shusui-koi.htm

2.http://www.nishikigoi-info.com/

3. http://www.heavkoi.com
4. http://www.koi.com

Using Rock On The Bottom Of Koi Pond

2011-07-17T05:59:00.000+07:00

Using Rock on the bottom of Koi Pond is old debate. The debates have been very heated and at times gotten out of control. Rocks will trap debris and create a breeding ground for parasites and bacteria. If left unchecked it will eventually create a highly toxic environment and claim the lives of your koi.

A smooth bottom koi pond will make it far easier to provide the ideal conditions high end koi require. Even with frequent cleanings, the rocks will trap debris and increase the dissolved Organic Compounds (DOCs) in the pond. This trapped debris will prevent the koi from reaching their full potential. Colors will fade sooner, their whites will yellow and so will their heads. Their skin will lose that prized luster and they will not grow as big. In other words, while they may survive, they will not thrive.

On the other hand, if you have no intention of ever showing or even purchasing high end koi and you are more interested in a beautiful pond with some nice koi and you are not concerned with developing the koi to their "maximum potential", then rocks might not be a bad decision. Just keep in mind the facts above about the annual cleaning. This is REQUIRED for all rock bottom ponds. If you are not up to the task, then don’t put in rocks.

Another thing to consider when adding rocks to the bottom of your pond is how the water will get to the filter. If the only method of sending water to the filter is a skimmer, you will vastly compound the problems with rock bottom ponds. With a skimmer only set up, all the sinking debris and waste produced by the fish will remain in the pond. 90% of all fish waste will sink below the skimmer line. If you decide you want rocks on the bottom of the pond, you need to consider some sort of bottom drain under the rocks. This can be done a number of ways, but what is really important is that sinking debris will at least have a chance at getting to the filter. With a skimmer only situation there is zero chance the waste will ever make it into the filter system. The water will become toxic much faster and rocks will need to be cleaned more frequently.

Tips to add rock on the bottom of koi Pond

1) Use larger rocks and only place them one layer deep. Pea gravel will be impossible to clean.

2) Use smooth river rock so debris will not be trapped as easily.

3) Install a bottom drain at the deepest point and leave several feet around the drain smooth and free of rocks.

4) Install several TPR’s or underwater jets to circulate the water and prevent debris from settling.

5) Invest in a good pond vacuum and frequently vacuum over the rocks to remove as much debris as possible.

6) Consider the option of mortaring in the rocks. This way you have the look you want, but a smooth enough base so that debris won’t get trapped under the stones.

7) Consider a smooth bottom pond with a couple pebble/rock beach areas near the edge. This way you have the look of rock with the benefit of a smooth bottom.

8) Keep the stocking density LOW. Rock bottom ponds cannot hold as many koi as a smooth bottom pond.

Source:
http://www.simikoi.com/prod198.html

How To Make Koi Pond Design

2011-07-16T04:28:00.000+07:00

Planning Koi Pond design important before building koi pond. A hobbyist should take time to plan out the project fully. A hobbyist needs to take in consideration how much space is available, how much maintenance they want to do with the pond through the pond season, how many koi they would like to keep in the pond, proper filtration, function and flow of the pond and of course, budget.

When a pond is well thought out and built correctly, your koi will have a healthy environment to thrive in. Unfortunately, even small mistakes when building a pond can lead to constant problems with the koi and function of the pond.

A few things to keep in mind while researching your pond design.

1. The pond will have enough gallons to allow your koi to grow healthy and not be over stocked. Building a too small of a pond usually leads to having to go back and expanding the pond in the near future.

2. A filtration system that not only handles your koi and pond waste now, but will handle waste load as it increases with the koi's growth.

3. Bottom drains in the pond will pull debris from the bottom of the pond to your filter where it is easily removed from the system. Bottom drains also eliminates the need to empty the pond and remove the koi each spring and fall for cleaning of the pond. When the pond is emptied and cleaned it disturbs the healthy ecosystem that has been established in the pond and has to start over again.

4. Proper flow from drains to filter back to pond will help eliminate dead spots in the pond, where waste and debris can settle in the pond.

5. An Ultra Violet (UV) light will help remove the free floating green algae in the pond, keeping your pond water clear. This light must be sized properly for your gallon and the bulb must be replaced on a regular basis to keep your pond clear.

6. Budget. Don’t short cut on our pond, as you will find it will cost you more in the long run. But, even on a small budget you can a build a nice, functional healthy pond.

Taking your time and planning out your new pond is just as important as the thought you put into buying your new koi.

Source:
http://www.qualitykoi.com/koi-articles/29-koi-articles-category/23-hobbyist-koi-ponds

Low Cost Pond filtration With Sand Filter

2011-07-15T16:18:00.001+07:00

Sand Filter Work, Pic From reuk.co.uk

For small koi pond keepers, sand filter devices will be one of the most economical options when it comes to pond filtration. This is because the mechanical filtration is far better than most other mechanical filtration devices on the market today and the sand bed will also serve as a biological filter, eliminating the need to purchase more than one filtering device. Sand Filter has been shown to polish the pond water and make it sparkling clear.

How Sand Filter Work?

High rate sand filters are becoming increasingly more popular with koi enthusiasts as both mechanical and biological filtering devices. The fine silica sand keeps water crystal clear while allowing for a large colony of beneficial bacteria to grow on the large surface area of the sand. These are relatively low maintenance filter systems and are relatively cheap when compared to multi-chambered biological filters and other mechanical filtration systems.

Sand filters work best in smaller pond situations due to the relatively small surface area being offered for water movement. Larger ponds mean more impurities that will be strained out of the water and require that your filter be backwashed more often, even up to once per day, in order to prevent clogging. In larger ponds, this drawback can be overcome by installing another filter or two parallel to the first.

Source:
http://www.ehow.com/about_6522511_koi-pond-sand-filter-information.html

Koi Food And Feeding

2011-07-13T12:08:00.000+07:00

Choosing the right food for Koi is one on the most important decisions you must make to get good koi.
Koi Food used for colour enhancing, growth stimulating ,sustaining foods and medicine.A Koi's metabolism functions best at temperatures above 70º F/721ºC.Koi food is divided into five categories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.Squash, bread, peas, citrus fruits and watermelon are good sources of carbohydrates.High quality protein and natural amino acid source to maximize growth and performance.

Carotenoids (Natural Color Enhancers) , Spirulina (Pacifica) single most effective natural pigmentation source.

Krill (Shrimp Meal) – Natural source of B-Carotene & Astaxanthin for red pigment.

Alfalfa Meal – Natural source of yellow pigment.

Marigold Extract – Natural colorant due to its orange-red color.

Essential Amino Acids – including Taurine, for optimum growth, health & performance of Koi.

Vitamin A, D, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, Biotin, Choline & Folic Acid.

Vitamin C – Maintains immune system for increased disease resistance.

Koi cannot eat a large amount of food at one time because they do not have stomachs. Feed smaller quantities more frequently for better nutritional absorption. Cheap Koi food has a low nutrition and even a high feed rate will not result in good body structure or growth.
Furthermore the filter system plays an essential role in feeding. If you have a good filter system the feed rate (in terms of filter capacity) does not matter anymore. Any food give just passes the intestines and the ingredients will be absorbed in a quite short time.
Any excess will be excreted. Therefore it is better to give the daily food rate split into 4-6 portions.

To optimize Koi body conformation it helps to have

big water volume per koi /big pond - low number of koi

create a strong current (additional pumps that run from time to time).

The current is like a "workout" for the koi and they would build up more muscles and less fat.

Feeding Koi only as much as the fish will eat in about 3 to 5 minutes. Below Table give guide feeding koi:

Water Temp. (°C.)	Feeding Frequency	Food Type
Less than 10º	Do not feed Koi.	Temperatures at 50° F. of more than one month may require supplemental feedings of low protein and high carbohydrates.
10-13	2-3 times a week if Koi are hungry.	High carbohydrate, low protein, laxative type foods. Wheat germ, Cheerios®, squash, lettuce and brown bread.
13-15	4-5 times per week if Koi are hungry.	Add low protein (25%) pellets along with vegetables. Increase quantities gradually as temperature increases.
15º	Once per day six days per week.	Low protein (25%) pellets along with high carbohydrate vegetables and fruit.
15-18	Once per day every day.	Gradually increase protein in pellets (35%) and quantity of pellets. Vary diet with vegetables and fruit.
18-22	Once or twice per day.	Bulk of diet should be 35% protein pellets. Add fruits, vegetables, and plankton for variety.
22-26	3 to 4 times per day.	High protein pellets (35% to 40%) with color enhancers. Add plankton, vegetables, fruits, and shrimp.

Example Koi Food Product

1. Nozomi Koi Food

NOZOMI KOI

FOOD is manufactured by Daiwa Fine Foods, an aquatic division of Daiwa Fine Chemicals Co. Ltd., Kobe, Japan. Daiwa is known world-wide for its research and development in the animal health industry.

New technology has now been introduced into the aquatic industry and has proven effective in promoting the health, vitality and brilliance of Koi.

Nozomi Koi food is manufactured under stringent quality control measures, emphasizing nutrition and natural immune system enhancers. Nozomi Koi food uses only natural ingredients to achieve natural color and flavor.

2.MIRACLE KOI FOOD

Miracle Koi Food provides the same high value protein that Mother Nature supplies in the Japanese ponds. Nutritional things such as pupae, larva, krill, shrimp etc.
Shortly after Koiman started importing beautiful japanese Koi he found within a year or two the Koi lost much of their color.
Koi Color loss problems.
Koiman believed that nutrition and perfect water quality were the absolute KEY to maintaining champion qualities and growth in Koi. The Clearwater Biological Filter took care of the water quality, so the Koi Food testing began.
Miracle Koi Food, Discovering Champion Quality.

We understand "TODAY" that high value protein was the missing link in the Koi food available.

3. SUGIYAMA KOI FOOD

Manufacturer: Nihon-Hai Goushiryou

Wheat Germ: Crude Protein (min 39%), Crude Fat (min 4%), Crude Fiber (max 5%), Ash (max 15%)
Super Growth (Seseragi): Crude Protein (min 55%), Crude Fat (min 10%), Crude Fiber (max 5%), Ash (max 3%)
Hi Growth: Crude Protein (min 39%), Crude Fat (min 7%), Crude Fiber (max 5%), Ash (max 13%)
Color (Beninohana): Crude Protein (min 35%), Crude Fat (min 4%), Crude Fiber (max 3%), Ash (max 12%)

4.Ultra Balance KOI FOOD

This premium color-enhancing diet provides optimum levels of digestible protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals. It includes the essential amino acids for the overall growth, health, and performance of your Koi when fed as directed.

Formulated for water temperatures 64°F (18°C) and above.

Features

White Fish Meal – High quality protein and amino acid source to promote growth & health.
Carotenoids - (Natural Color Enhancers)
• Spirulina (Pacifica) – single most effective natural pigmentation source.
• Krill (Shrimp Meal) – Natural source of B-Carotene & Astaxanthin for red pigment.
• Alfalfa Meal – Natural source of yellow pigment.
Essential Amino Acids – Including Taurine; for optimum growth, health & performance of Koi.
Exclusive Vitamin & Mineral Pack – Includes Vitamin A, D, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, Biotin, Choline & Folic Acid.
Stay C (Stabilized Vitamin C) – Maintains immune system for increased disease resistance.
Diamond V Yeast – Stimulates overall immune response and improves digestibility.
No Artificial Colors or Dyes
Extruded floating pellets – Maintain water clarity for the enjoyment of your pond.
Guaranteed Quality & Freshness – Re-sealable foil packaging (available in 20oz, 5 lb & 22 lb sizes).

Picture Taken From Enkoi.

Koi Pond Filter With Trickle Filters

2011-07-05T10:27:00.002+07:00

Trickle Filter, Photo From makeakoipond.com

Trickle filters are filters in the koi pond that are designed for biological filtration of pond water in 'dry' mode. Dry mode filtration simply means that the filter media are not submerged under water. Trickle Filter also called trickle towers. Trickle filters allow water to freely flow out of the tank by means of an overflow. As the name implies, an overflow is a mechanism that allows water to just flow out of the fish tank when it reaches a certain level. Advance Trickle Filter is Bakki Shower Filter.

Trickle Filters reduce the nitrate level of pond water by exposing the water to a large surface area of good aerobic bacteria that consume nitrates. The large surface area is achieved by choosing filter media that has a high surface area-to-volume ratio, such as bio-balls (plastic balls that have pegs).
For trickle filters to work, however, their filter media need to be fully colonized by the good aerobic bacteria. This colonization occurs naturally with time, usually in 3-4 weeks after the pond is filled with water. Colonization may be accelerated by mixing some 'old' filter media in with the new ones, which in effect 'seeds' the new filter with a small colony of bacteria.

In the case of the trickle filter, the pond water is instead allowed to drip in small 'trickles' through the filter media, which are usually hundreds (or even thousands) of bio-balls stacked onto each other to form a column or tower. The primary purpose of trickle towers is to reduce the nitrate levels of the pond water and turn green water into gin-clear water.

How Does a Trickle Filter Work?

Trickle filters allow water to freely flow out of the tank by means of an overflow. As the name implies, an overflow is a mechanism that allows water to just flow out of the fish tank when it reaches a certain level. Overflows are also used in swimming pools and reservoirs to control the water level and when and where water flows out of the pool or reservoir. In the case of a trickle filter, once the water flows out of the main tank by means of the overflow, it is collected or channeled into a drain pipe.

The drain pipe channels the water to the top of the tower. At the top of the tower is a spinner, spray bar, or distribution plate. A spray bar is a horizontal tube with holes in it to spray water across the top of the tower. A spinner is just a spray bar that rotates. this rotation is usually provided by the water itself, either coming through a screw or impeller to get to the spinner, or because the holes are all on one side of the tube and the water spraying out of the spinner pushes the spinner back the other way slightly. A distribution plate (or drip plate) is just a plate of aquarium safe plastic of acrylic with holes drilled into it to allow the water to drain in many places.

Trickle Filter Work, Pic From forum.o-fish.com

Trickle Filter Diagram The spray bar, spinner, or drip plate spreads the water out across the top of the tower more or less evenly. The tower is called a tower because it is usually relatively tall and narrow and rises above the sump.

The water the "trickles" through the biological filter media drawn downward toward the sump by gravity. As the water flows down through the media, it is exposed to free-moving air, which keeps the water oxygen rich. The high oxygen levels in the water in the tower improves the efficiency of the nitrifying bacteria providing biological filtration.

Source:
http://www.firsttankguide.net/trickle.php
http://www.koiandponds.com/tricklefilter.htm

Benefit of Koi Pond Aeration

2011-07-04T20:33:00.000+07:00

Aeration is the term that we use to mean adding air to the water. Since air contains 22% oxygen, aeration adds oxygen to the water.There are a number of very essential pieces of equipment to consider when planning a pond. None more so than a good reliable quality air pump.

Why aerate a Koi pond?

A Koi pond is more than a hole in the ground with a liner and some water. In order to have a healthy, dynamic pond environment you also need a biological filter, a source of aeration, a circulation pump and adequate space, or volume. It is important to note that all of these elements must work in harmony with one another.

The filtration system purifies the water of wastes, bacteria and other toxins. An aerator supplies air to the koi pond water so the fish will have oxygen and the water does not stagnate. The pump moves the water through the koi pond filter and aerator. This cycle is the lifeblood of a pond.

Water ponds, fish and oxygen the big secret to Koi fish keeping. We survive on this earth because we can breathe oxygen. Koi need oxygen and the beneficial bacteria that keep the water healthy need oxygen.

Best place in any pond system to add air or oxygen

Directly into the biofilter system as close a possible to where the bacteria are sitting. This is why vortex filters and Japanese matting work so fantastically well together in any serious water ponds system .... but only by pumping plentiful volumes of air around the Japanese matting matrix.

How much air should you add to you Koi Pond?

Add as much air to your pond as you can using air pumps and air stones to distribute the air (highly recommended for ponds that are heavily stocked). You can add the air directly to the pond, the filter, the waterfall and anywhere else you can think of.

Source:
http://www.koiclubsusa.com/cat74.html

Ammonia Water Test Kit

2011-07-04T10:18:00.000+07:00

Ammonia produced from fish waste & urine, uneaten fish food, decaying plants, and dead insects. In a large amount of ammonia will cause Koi Fish death. High concentration Ammonia in the Pond water will cause the water to be green. So koi keeper needs to detect the ammonia disolved in the water every time with Ammonia Test Kit. An ammonia test kit is considered to be a requirement for all pond keepers. If the ammonia test result was detected in high level , cleaning water needs to be done soon. Cleaning water from ammonia can do by change water partially or good filtration system.

Two types of ammonia test kits are commonly available.

1. Based on the Nessler reagent.
This kit normally uses drops in a water sample with an associated color chart. The Nessler kit provides a faster test but is not compatible with any ammonia treatment chemicals that may be in the water. Nessler kit color chart normally ranges : From clear, meaning no ammonia, to yellow/yellowish-orange as ammonia levels increase.

2. Salicylate Reagent test

Salicylate Reagent Test may use drops, powders, or pills and is usually a two step process again followed by a color chart.The salicylate based test kit ranges from a light yellow, meaning no ammonia, to green/bluish-green as ammonia levels increase.

Both types read the total of ammonia and ammonium, so without knowing the temperature and pH, the toxicity cannot be determined. Suffice it to say that the only good ammonia reading is zero. But note that any pond containing fish will have some residual ammonia. The bio-converter does not remove all of it each pass and the fish continuously add it to the pond. The residual level will be determined by the fish load, the effectiveness of the bio-converter, and how often the water is passed through it. This residual level should not be detectable on the average test kit. The recommended test kit should be able to detect 0-1 ppm of ammonia.
Example Ammonia Test Kit

1. Ammonia Test Kit.

Determines the level of ammonia in koi pond, a toxic chemical being constantly produced in the pond from fish waste, uneaten fish food, decaying plants & dead algae.
- Reads ammonia levels from 0 ppm to 7 ppm
- Kit includes a bottle of test solution, glass test tube with cap, instructions & color chart
- Performs 75 tests

2. Ammonia Allert

Ammonia Alert in-tank test system is an innovative color device for continuously detecting and monitoring toxic free ammonia. A sensor changes reversibly from yellow to green to blue, relative to the ammonia concentration.
No test kits, chemicals, or procedures are needed. The device detects less than 0.05 mg-L (ppm) free ammonia and alerts you to the No. 1 killer before any sign of stress. it lasts over a year and replacement sensors are available. Marine or freshwater use.

3.CalPump Ammonia Test Monitor

- Contains a Ammonia Master Sensor with 3 Months Supply
- Easy to use
- Suction cup included or use a string to tether in pond or skimmer
- Allows you to monitor your pond water for Ammonia without having to use liquids or strips.
- Just view the monitor and it will give you a constant read.

4.NT Pond Lab Ammonia Test kit.

NT Pond Lab Ammonia Test kit Comprises 30 tests .

5.Ammonia Aqua Sensor

Pacific Sentry’s ammonia aqua sensor enables visual monitoring of toxic ammonia (NH3) in aquaria water on a continuous basis. Simply attach it in a visible location where it can be left and easily viewed, with the sensor pad completely immersed. With initial use, wait about 15 minutes for the sensor to hydrate before making first reading. Thereafter they respond quickly (1-5 minutes) to NH3. To get a measurement, simply match the sensor’s color to the color-gradient indicator chart to readout the NH3 concentration.

Reference:
1. http://koiclubsandiego.org
2. http://www.nbponds.com
3. http://www.123ponds.com
4. http://www.koilogic.co.uk
5. http://www.pacificsentry.com

Koi Pond Water Treatments

2011-06-30T16:42:00.000+07:00

The best way to keep koi fish healthty is keep water in the best condition. Water treatments needed to do it. There are number of choices for water treatments in koi ponds. But It can be very confusing and it may take a time and a lot of money before you manage to filter though all the junk to find the products that are very useful.The first thing you should do is make sure you have proper water treatments for your Koi pond.

The most important water conditioner you can have as a koi hobbyist is an chlorine remover. Most of us are on municipal water sources which are going to contain chlorine and probably chloramines. These Must be removed before they are allowed to effect the koi. The best chlorine removers are also ammonia binders. In order for a chlorine remover to also remove chloramines it must have an ammonia binder. For many koi ponds, a good dechlorinator and ammonia binder is the only treatment you will ever really need.

Other helpful tools are products that container Live nitrifying bacteria. There are many many “biofilter bacteria” type products out there and while they won't hurt anything and might help a little, products with actual live bacteria in the bottle will be the best. These are refrigerated products because the bacteria will go dormant when kept cold and allow the product to be stored for longer periods. If you see a koi pond nitrifying bacteria product that is stored at room temperature, don't expect too much from it.

Another one of favorite water treatments is Koi Clay. Koi Clay is a mineral rich calcium bentonite clay. It will add tons of minerals to your pond which will help every living thing, from the koi to the bacteria in the bio filter. It will also help give you crisp clear water. Good koi clay should be 100% clay and not have any other additives.

A distant cousin to the clarifier is the sludge reducer. These products are used heavily in the rock bottom koi pond market to help control the waste and sludge that get trapped between the rocks. Most don't do a whole lot. The only real way to remove heavy sludge deposits between the rocks is to drain the pond and wash out the rocks. For more on rock bottom ponds.

Source:
http://www.simikoi.com/subcat423.html

Water Plants For Koi Pond

2011-06-30T01:54:00.000+07:00

Are there practical reasons for growing aquatic plants? Nutrition is the first reason for success in Koi aquaculture. Plants as a food supplement supply this at the lowest cost. Five plants are the most common plants in water gardening and fish love them. Grow these plants in a protected area of the pond. This will allow the plants to produce vegetation faster than the fish can devour them.

Azolla (Azolla Caroliniana) .

Azolla Caroliniana, Water Plant For Koi Pond Filter

Azzola Caroliniana, this tiny floating plant is considered the smallest of the fern family. It is sometimes confused with Duckweed but actually looks very different. Duckweed has smooth bright green leaves and Azolla has crinkly rough textured leaves that are a darker sage-green in color and that develops a reddish tinge in bright sun. The two lobed leaves overlap in rows like fish scales. Threadlike roots hang down from the undersides of the leaves.

Azolla likes sun but will tolerate some shade. It likes moist, warm air and does not do well in an aquarium. It usually will not survive the winter if temperatures fall below 50 F. It grows very fast and can become a problem in a big pond unless you can net it out regularly. If you want to cover the surface of a smaller pond fast, it is a good choice. This will give protection for small fish from birds. Azolla is used in Panama and elsewhere to carpet water surfaces to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs. Fish like to eat Azolla when the diet is not balanced.

Common Duckweed (Lemna Minor)

Common Duckweed, Water Plant For Koi Pond

This floating perennial is commonly mistaken for pond scum in natural ponds. If you look closely, you will see a thick carpet of tiny, individual bright green plants which are actually very attractive. Each small leaf (about 1/8" long) is a complete rooted plant which reproduces by budding, resulting in a chain of little, massed plants. It reproduces very rapidly but will be forced out by Azolla if grown together in a small container. It is an excellent food source for Koi and they do not get tired of feeding on Duckweed. To grow Duckweed in an aquarium, you need first to keep a sufficient amount out of the reach of your fish so it can reproduce. It prefers still or very slow moving regular aquarium water, florescent grow lights, and, if possible, a sealed environment to trap humid air. It will grow year around in this environment and you will be able to take out big clumps to feed your fish. Outside it will bleach out in full, direct sun so partial shade is ideal.

Anacharis (Elodea) is the most common and easily recognized submerged aquarium plant. It is a vigorous grower in the aquarium or pond and is an excellent oxygenator. It forms dense masses of foliage which can provide hiding places for fry Anacharis has short, dark-green lance-like leaflets whirled along the entire length of the brittle, branching stem. It spreads by runners and as the plant extends itself, the growth at the older end becomes yellow and loses leaves. This old growth can be pinched off leaving the healthy new growth Anacharis may flower for you.

Anacharis/Elodea

These will be charming 1/4" white floating flowers on threadlike stems. Anacharis is very easy to grow and does not seem to have any special requirements except sufficient light. It grows better in potted soil or just left floating to form long roots that trail down in search of soil to anchor the plant. It needs to be brought inside from a pond at the end of the summer. The temperature should be no lower than 5 celcius to live through the winter.

Water llyacinth (Eichhomia Crassipes) is a tropical floating plant with long, hanging roots which are the instinctively favorite spawning material of Koi and goldfish. Fortunately it is also a beautiful plant.

The shiny green leaves are on air-filled bulbous stems which are also filled with a spongy material that keeps the plants afloat. These leaves and stems spray outward from the center of the plant in a rosette shape. The Water Hyacinths flowers are similar to the Land Hyacinth. They look like a little purple orchid on a long stem coming from the center of the plant. The plants will flower more frequently if the roots touch bottom sediments.

Water Hyacinths need full sun. Each plant is l0"-12" tall. They are perennials. They can be wintered over indoors but they are fussy. They need lots of light, and moist air. Propagation is by runners at the water surface and is rapid. These are among the fastest growing plants in the world. In tropical areas they have cloggedwaterways and stopped navigation on rivers . Luckily, this should not be a problem in your pond unless you have a very large or natural pond.

Water Hyacinths pull nutrients out of the water at such a rate that they have been introduced in many areas to clean up foul, stagnant water. Water reclamation plants are experimenting with ammonia directly

Water Cress (Nasturtium Officinale) is a hardy annual that grows naturally in the soil on the banks of cool to cold streams and spring-fed ponds. It can be found all winter long in unfrozen, sheltered areas. This is the same Water Cress that is sold in grocery stores and used in restaurants. You can eat the leaves and stems that you grow. They have a very peppery taste. Waterfowl eat it and fish like it also. The small floating leaves are rounded, dark green and waxy. The branching stems can spread out for 2'-3' over the surface. Slender roots hang down from the nodes of the stems. It is a very good oxygenator.

It develops many small white flowers over the growing season. Plant in garden soil and put the pot by the edge of your pond with a couple of inches of water over the pot. It will do fine in an area of moving water. Water Cress will quickly form a mass of foliage and can outgrow a small pot within two months. You may see the root mass growing over the surface of the soil them as they take in growth of the plant may slow and become scraggly. Either re-pot the plant in a larger pot or chop out a big chunk of the plant and the root mass then fill the hole in with soil. Water Cress tolerates sun, shade or partial shade equally well.

It is easily grown frorn the tiny seeds found at any gardening center that has a decent seed selection. It is also a prolific re-seeder and will re-sow itself yearly. You can also start it from a freshly purchased bunch at the produce section of the grocery store. Make sure you can see the fine white roots on some of the stalks... Push these into wet soil and soon you will have enough Water Cress for all of the salads and sandwiches you could possibly want.

Source :
1. http://akca.org/library/wtrplant.htm
2. Pic From Wikipedia

Aeration System For Koi Pond

2011-06-29T02:33:00.000+07:00

More fish die from a lack of oxygen than any other cause. To be educated fish keepers we must have a clear understanding of oxygen. We need to know what takes oxygen out of the water and how to put it back.You and I, your cat, and your canary all breathe air containing 20.9% oxygen, whereas your fish breathe water containing 0.0008% oxygen! They have evolved to be comfortable with that amount, but at 1/2 that amount, 0.0004%, they are hurting!

In garden ponds, we typically see oxygen problems only during the summer because when the water is warm all those things which consume oxygen speed up increasing their consumption of oxygen. For every 10C there is an approximate doubling of the consumption of oxygen (and production of carbon dioxide). Your Koi fish may be happy and healthy at 20C (68F) and suffering from low oxygen stress at 30C (86F) in the same pond.

Oxygen levels can only be determined by measurement with a test kit or an oxygen meter. Submerged plants and algae take oxygen out of the water at night. Their effect can be significant when you have "green water" (phytoplankton algae and zooplankton).

Oxygen Levels In Koi Pond

Warm water saturation is about 8 ppm

Continuous healthy minimum is about 6 ppm

Low level stress and poor feeding response 4-5 ppm

Acute stress, no feeding, inactivity 2-4 ppm

Death 1-2 ppm

The above is a guideline only, as duration, water quality, condition of fish, level of other gasses, etc. All have a significant effect.

Low Oxygen Stress
It is important to know you have an oxygen problem long before your Koi fish start dying. You need to either monitor it by periodically measuring it when you expect it to be low or, select and use an aerator large enough to handle the summer time conditions.

If you are stressing your fish, you are making them much more vulnerable to disease, parasites and infection. Their activity level will be reduced as well as their growth rate. Low oxygen levels will lower the oxidation/reduction potential (ORP), favor growth of disease causing pathogens and disrupt the function of your biofilter.

Solution
You can either design and maintain your pond so that oxygen never becomes a problem, i.e., clear water, few fish, little food and clean bottom. Perhaps, use an aerator, at least during the warm periods. Since every pond is unique and conditions, especially water quality and fish quantity vary greatly, I can only give you general guidelines (see oxygen budget). If you are not sure - measure the oxvgen level. Buy or borrow a dissolved oxygen test kit or an oxygen meter. Use it along with your preferred aerator until you are sure that the oxygen level will be maintained.

Aeration
Most fish keepers know they need some type of aeration. But, unless you've studied this science (and who has?) you are probably assuming that your stream, venturi, waterfall, air diffuser or fountain is taking care of your aeration needs. They may be, but are your sure? Almost anything that assists the transfer of oxygen into water could be called an aerator. But, is the aeration effect significant and is the energy expended cost effective? The oxygen content in your pond depends upon the rate of consumption vs the rate of replacement.

Oxygen Budget
The need for more oxygen comes from fish, plant respiration, the chemical and bacterial decomposition of waste matter. If you really want to read the numbers, read the following. Theoretical oxygen budget for a 1.000 gllon (3.800 liter) pond.

1,000 gallons of water at 6 ppm contains about 24 grams of oxygen. 10 lbs. of fish need about 18 grams of oxygen per hour. 1,000 gallons of water with a chlorophyll A of 20 mg/l (light green water), a B.O.D. of 10 mg/l (uneaten food, bacteria, etc.) will consume about 2 grams per hour. Feeding 3% of the fish's body weight per day will add 60 grams of food which contains 24 grams of protein, which converts to about 2 grams of ammonia, which will consume about 14 grams of oxygen in the biofilter. Pollen, bird droppings, leaves, etc. may add 2 more grams. 36 divided by 24 equals 1.5 grams per hour.

This example shows the fish consuming the most oxygen and the biofilter the 2nd largest amount, but be aware that very green water can cause a fish kill in a stagnant, nonaerated pond even if it contains only very few fish!

If you had an aerator maintaining the oxygen level at 6 ppm and you turned it off at 8:00PM, you would lose about 6% (1.5 grams) of the pond's oxygen per hour. By 8:00 AM, the next morning, the oxygen level could be as low as 1 ppm. If your aerator is your fountain, do not turn it off at night.

Aerator Performance
Following is a list of typical Koi pond aerators with estimates of oxygen transfer performance and efficiency. (Assumes 3000, clean water, 70% of saturation, power cost $0.1 0/kwh.)

Aerator	Flow rate	Watts used	Grams O2 per hour	Cost per 100 grams
Lazy Stream 12" drop	10gpm	150watts	1.2	$1.26
Babbling Stream 12" drop	10 gpm	150	2.4	.63
Waterfall 12" drop straigh into pond	10gpm	150	1.4	1.05
Waterfall 2-24" drop fallng on rocks	10 gpm	200	3.1	.65
Fountain	5 gpm	100	1.6	.63
water pump with venturi	4 gpm	100	4.0	.25
Air compressor linear type 1	1 cfm	30	4	$0.06

Summary
Make sure that your fish are not being stressed. If your fish are valuable to you, it is cheap insurance to have two aerators or separate breakers. If one fails, the other will prevent severe fish stress or mortality.

If you are building a pond, design it so you never have to worry about oxygen. Wire it so that your water pump and aerator are served by separate breakers, select energy efficient long life components. Consider that someday you will have a lot of fish, lots of algae, warm water and a broken pump.

Oxygen is the first miting factor in water quality. Ammonia and nitrite take days to reach crisis levels. Oxygen can become critical in a few hours.

Source : http://akca.org/library/aerate.htm

How To Select Ginrin Koi

2011-06-28T04:30:00.000+07:00

Gin Rin Koi type is short for Kin Gin Rin (= gold, silver scales). Gin Rin is the result of a reflective substance called Guanine deposited on the surface of koi scales.Practically every known variety of Koi can produce a Kin-Gin-Rin equivalent, for example, Gin-Rin Shiro Bekko. However, they are either classified as Kin-Gin-Rin B (ZNA) or with their basic variety (UK). Gin-Rin Shiro Utsuri can be included with Kin-Gin-Rin A (ZNA).

Types of Ginrin Koi

Beta/Niigata Gin Rin: Original type rarely seen today that appears to cover the entire scale with a solid mirror like reflective surface. It is more common on the sides of the koi and rarely appears in neat organized rows.

Tama/Pearl Gin Rin: Also rarely seen today. Appears as a small reflective dot in the center of the scale that usually disappears as koi matures.

Kado or Edge Gin Rin: Only the very outer edge of scales have a thin narrow rim of reflective surface that disappears as koi matures.

Hiroshima or Diamond Gin Rin: Most common and most refined type. Appears as lines scales and mostly on the top of the koi/ Best examples have at least three rows of gin rin down each side of their dorsal fins organized into neat complete rows without any gaps and equally strong on all koi colors.

Ginrin Koi Appreciation

• Points applying to Kohaku, Sanke and Showa also apply. Kin-gin-rin is regarded as an ‘add-on’ feature, so the points relating to each basic variety are also important. For example, white skin for all three varieties should be pure white, from nose to tail, without spots or stains.
• There are several types of kin-gin-rin: beta (complete shiny scale), Hiroshima (shiny lines on each scale – ‘cracked glass’ appearance), pearl (lumpy, shiny deposit in the centre of each scale) and kado (only scale edges are shiny).
• Beta-gin is considered best, although Hiroshima-gin is the most common. For excellence, kin-gin-rin scale lines must be complete from shoulders to tail and the shine very even. Large numbers of kin-gin-rin scale lines reaching down the sides are also highly regarded.

Source:
http://www.koimag.co.uk/
TKFGS newsletter

BASIC KOI POND DESIGN

2011-06-27T12:35:00.000+07:00

This article is a compiation of many koi experts' and enthusiasts' views, with an intermingling of my own views. . Besides collecting data from amny issues of KOI USA and Rinko Magazines, there is reference to Tetra's Koi Encyclopedia and heavy emphasis on Grant Fujita's book. My main goal is to give the koi hobbyist the foundation of what both a Basic beginner's pond as well as an ideal Koi pond should contain. Realizing that not everyone has the space, money, nor ambition to do all that is mentioned in my paper for the Ideal Koi Pond. I at least try to emphasize those things that every koi pond should have to both minimize the maintenance and, even more importantly, to improve the health and quality of their koi.

All of we koi hobbyists have later on wished we had researched the necessities of a koi pond in more depth, or had done something differently the first time around. Do you know anybody in the koi hobby who has not made major changes in their pond or filter after a few years and could kick themselves for not listening to the more experienced hobbyist originally? This is particularly true in not making the pond large and deep enough initially. I can say without hesitation that I am very guilty of this.

It is for these reasons that I have tried to summarize the literature, as well as the ideas of many experienced koi hobbyists. Even some of what I propose may find disagreement with other koi enthusiasts. But this is what makes us all grow in the hobby! This paper should. how-ever, provide you with a good starting point on areas which you may want to consider initially or changing.

The Basic Koi Pond
Many beginners in the koi hobby begin by digging a hole in the ground, lining it with concrete (or a liner), put water in it and gradually fill it up with koi. Well, this may work for a backyard goldfish pond but it is inadequate for a koi pond. There are even koi hobbyists who had their beginnings with koi in an aquarium.

However, they soon learn that such a small environment limits their growth and that koi are meant to be viewed from the top and are rather unattractive from the side. Some may disagree. saying they have a small back yard pond; only 1 to 1 '/2 feet deep, 3 by 5 feet in size and have a couple of koi in it which have lived for years.
Well, this may be true; but if you hang around with the same koi hobbyists that I do. a couple of koi will never suffice, and the five inch koi you originally bought has grown into a large koi. The biological load of your new koi or growing koi will result in overcrowding and an increased load of wastes and ammonia which deteriorates the water quality. Buying new koi will also bring in diseases which your old koi may not be immune to. So now we have a small overcrowded pond with some diseased koi and our enthusiasm quickly wanes.

Next we learn that there are 14 differnt kinds(classes) of koi with some subclasses, and that no two are alike, yet we are cornpromised with this small backyard pond. The water now turns to pea-soup green; there is no means of cleaning the pond except by draining it and then worrying about the chloramines in fresh water that will kill the fish if it is put in all at once. So what can we do to this small pond so that we can:

* 1. have easy maintenance. i.e.. be self-cleaning.
* 2. keep the water both clear and clean, both for viewing of koi and for water quality,
* 3. enable us to buy more koi,
* 4. and keep them healthy and in superb condition so that they do not lose their color or luster?

The answer is that every koi pond, unlike a goldfish pond. needs:

* I. an oxygen source. i.e..a waterfall,
* 2. a purification system. i.e., a biological filter.

BIOLOGICAL FILTER
A follow-up paper is forthcoming on the "Ideal Biological Filter." For this reason, suffice it to simply explain now the purpose of Biological Filter, the Purification System. The actual design will be discussed in the next paper.

Unlike a swimming pool filter, which is to keep the water clear and clean, it is the chlorine added to the swimming pool which keeps the algae from growing on the sides of the pool and is really responsible for the clear water. In a koi pond, we cannot use chlorine and we want the fine velvet coating of algae to grow on the sides of the pond. In fact, if algae does not grow on the pond sides then there is a major water quality problem. Your koi nibble on this algae. providing nutrients. giving them their luster and color. We also want the water to be clear so that we can always see our koi, therefore something other than cholrine must keep out the unicellular algae (causes pea-soup water) and the long stringy algae. These are the purposes of the Biological Filter.

Likewise, just because the water is clear does not mean that it is healthy for the koi. In fact, the ideal water is clear with a slight greenish tint, as well as being odorless and tasteless. Your koi produce wastes:

* (1) ammonia from their urine, which diffuses, yet the water remains clear and it becomes toxic to the koi as it builds up:
* (2) solid wastes which also add more ammonia, plus toxic hydrogen sulfide, methane gas, etc. and it clouds up the water.

Other debris. as dirt,leaves, and uneaten food adds to the accumulation of toxins to the water quality.

To purify all of these wastes is the purpose of the Biological Filter. It contains a biological material for aerobic bacteria to grow upon. These bacteria metabolize and rid the pond of the ammonia and wastes. Such a biological material in the 1980s would have been pea gravel or volcanic rock. Nowadays, however, many synthetic materials are being used (brushes, foam, mattresses, bioballs. etc.). The major requirement being that it contain the most surface area to house the maximum amount of good bacteria (aerobic). As stated. these large numbers of good bacteria rid the water of wastes and keep it clean and clear.

Important points of a Biological Filter:

* 1. Ideal to be outside the pond. i.e., better to not have the koi swimming in their own wastes.
* 2. Should have at least 1/3 the surface area of the pond.
* 3. Need a means of cleaning (backwashing and/or having bottom settlement compartments to flush out accumulated debris).
* 4. According to some experts, needs twice the amount of oxygen as the koi in the pond to keep the ggod aerobic bacteria and to keep out the bad anaerobic bacteria.

And remember, just because the pond water is clear does not mean that it is healthy water.

OXYGEN SOURCE:(WATERFALL)
The oxygen source comes from water movement. A waterfall is the most efficient and appealing supplier of oxygen. A fountain also works, as does any method of exposing water to the air. However, the water surface may be so disturbed by a fountain that one cannot view the koi. The koi must have oxygen. and as mentioned, the biological filter needs even twice the amount that the koi do. They also must have oxygen 24 hours a day. When I started in koi, I put my pump running the waterfall on a timer so that it would shut off at night. Why run the waterfall at night when it was dark and you could not even see it? Well, the oxygen level drops off when there is less sunlight and the algae present always consumes oxygen at night (produces it in the daytime). Thus, it is even more important to run the waterfall at night than during the day. Of course. the correct answer is to provide oxygen for your koi and your filter 24 hours a day. A power outage of more than 12 hours will result in your koi coming to the surface gasping for oxygen and eventually dying.

What about plants providing oxygen at night? Wrong again! Plants (water lilies, hyacinths, etc.) provide oxygen during the day when there is sunlight but use up oxygen at night. Thus, plants are (1) competing with koi for oxygen at night and (2) causing stress to the koi by affecting more rapid pH changes between day and night. Plants utilize carbon dioxide during the day butexcrete it during the night. Do not get me wrong, though. One can still have a nice koi pond with an acceptable balance of koi and water plants. Most hardcore koi enthusiasts do not have plants in their ponds however, because:

* 1. the koi hide under them
* 2. they encourage the koi to spawn and lay eggs that attach to them
* 3. as the koi grow, they begin eating the plants. What are the ideal requirements of a waterfall? The longer and broader the waterfall, the greater the aeration. The larger the area of water surface broken up by the waterfall entering the pond, the better the aereation. The entrance area of the waterfall into the pond needs to be a direct drop of a few inches otherwise the water will shoot directly across the surface and:
o a. will not mix oxygen into the depths, and
o b. will roughen the water surface thereby obstructing the viewing of the koi.
* 4. The waterfall must be run 24 hours a day.

Sloped Bottom to a Bottom Drain
The last need for the basic pond is to have a bottom drain with a valve on it. The bottom should slope down to the drain so that all the debris does not accumulate in the "dead areas" in the pond. The slope should be at least 20 degrees. If you do not put a bottom drain in the pond you will wish you had. The same if you keep the pond bottom flat, as you will have to constantly clean the pond. Without the bottom drain. you can still drain your pond with a sump pump. Thus it is not crucial to have a drain and sloping bottom, but you will greatly add to your work.

The Ideal Koi Pond

Limitations on space and money are two major variables in constructing a pond. Of course, the more space and money the nicer the pond. In this section of the paper. I want to list all of the ideal items or recommendations to have a perfect pond. Of course, very few of us are going to be able or to even want to do everything which I have listed. My purpose, nevertheless is to include everything which would make an ideal pond and let the reader decide where to draw the line. The beginner will in no stretch of the imagination think that much of this is necessary. But the advanced koi keeper will wish he had done all of this and perhaps then some. Perhaps somewhere between the basic pond and the ideal pond would be your preference.

The following three points must be emphasized:

* 1. A koi pond is for koi, not for people
o a. The pond may be pleasing to the eye but may not accommodate koi
o b. A koi (carp family) is environmentally adapted to running water, not to a stagnant pond
* 2. Never build a pond without viewing other people's ponds, talking to koi enthusiasts, or going to koi club meetings.
* 3. If you have a professional build your pond, be a skeptic and ask questions, a swimming pool builder or even a pond builder may not understand the needs for koi.

Location
The main point is to put the koi pond where you can enjoy it to the maximum, the nearer the house the better. It is very important to visit your pond at least twice a day without exception. But the koi pond should not be:

* 1. where it is accessible to the public and may be vandalized:
* 2. under a tree which deposits debris into the pond:
* 3. where surrounding run-off water will drain into the pond.

ABOVE GROUND OR IN GROUND?
Koi are viewed from above, as all of their beautiful color and pattern, which make koi distinct from any other fish, is on their tops. A koi viewed from the side, as in an aquarium, is not very attractive. That same koi viewed from above may be outstanding. Thus, a koi pond ideally needs to be in the ground, so one may look down upon it.

PROVIDING FOR SURROUNDING DRAINAGE
Drainage of surrounding water may be a problem. Fertilizer from a surrounding lawn can easily wash into a pond during a rainstorm, this will kill your koi. So there must be an effort to keep drainage going away from the pond, either by

* (1) sloping the surrounding ground away from the pond.
* (2) adding a two to three inch lip or pond edge above ground level which is watertight.

THE PURIFICATION SYSTEM
As discussed under the basic pond. the purification system is the biological filter. The most important emphasis is that its size must be adequate. To reiterate, the surface area of the biological filter should be at least one third that of the surface area of the pond. Taking this to the point of being ridiculous, ideal would be that the filter should be the same size as the pond! Do I make my point? Everyone initially makes the error of having too small of a filter. A small filter will be inadequate for maintaining the water quality and your once gorgeous koi will deteriorate: you will get discouraged and want to get out of the hobby.

OXYGEN SOURCE Again, as in the basic pond. the more the water-flow, the greater the oxygenation of the water. A waterfall is the simplest and most attractive source of this oxygenation. (See the previous discussion on Basic Pond.)

SIZE
Ideally, the size of a koi pond should be as large as one can spare in the space provided. Without exception, everyone, after two to three years, finds the size of their pond inadequate. I repeat, without exception the first pond is not large enough!
Three points to remember:

* 1. Do not make it so large that cleaning the pond. catching the koi, or viewing the koi are impractical.
* 2. Leave room for the biological filter. At least one quarter of the space should be for the filter, even though probably hidden from view.
* 3. Put the pond in an ideal location for viewing, i.e., not so far from the house that you cannot keep an eye on it. Also, not in the front yard where it can be easily vandalized.

DEPTH
It is ideal to have the pond depth at least six feet at its deepest area. If this is not possible, at least go deeper than three feet. The major reason for depth is the health of your koi. There is less temperature variance during extremes in hot and cold weather, especially between day and night. Koi in deeper ponds get much more growth and bulk. Koi are physically comfortable in deep water. Shallow ponds also invite predators, i.e., blue herons, which simply walk in and spear the koi. There is no logical reason to have different levels of depth, as the koi should be able to swim unimpeded. My pond has a shallow swimway connecting two ponds: the koi tend to scrape their anal fins which becomes an entry point for aeromonas.

Shape of Koi Pond
A koi pond may be any shape which one wishes to design. The most important limiting factor is that there should always be water movement in every portion of the pond. That is, there should be no dead areas! These are areas where there is static water - great breeding grounds for serious disease-causing bacteria. Dead areas are also areas where debris collects.

Thus, in your design plan, always be sure that the water is moving in all areas of the pond, from the waterfall at one end of the pond to the oulet drain and skimmer at the other end.

Corners & the Bottom
The junction of the sides, or corners, of the pond should not be square, but should be rounded. This prevents debris from collecting in these "dead areas." Also, the bottom should never be flat. How often are you going to walk in your a koi pond? The bottom needs to slope 20 to 40 degrees toward the bottom drains, so that the wastes collect in an underlying sump or distal settlement tank.

NO SHARP OBJECTS
Please, never, never put anything sharp in the pond on which your beloved koi may injure themselves. Sure, nice rocks jutting out of the pond may look attractive, but you will soon see many cuts, laceration and bruises on the kol. This includes no sharp rocks around the edge of the pond which the koi may jump out of the water and strike. Any pipes which end in the pond water will also be a hazard to the koi.

All Pipes Need Valves
A good rule of thumb is to put a valve on every pipe in the pond. This may seem excessive, but you may later wish you had done so. One needs the ability to isolate every pipe in case of a break or malfunction. In fact. major drain pipes could use two valves in case one fails. When you design your pond, lay out all the pipes before ever proceeding, especially before cementing. Plan where to put each valve.

PIPE FOR ADDING WATER
A one half to three quarter inch pipe from a water source emptying at the top of the waterfall, hidden from view, is an ideal convenient way to add water to your pond. Flow must be controlled by valves, ideally two of them: one at the beginning of the watersource and the other at the waterfall end. This is superior to adding water with a garden hose and is less likely to result in forgetful overfilling of the pond, if left at a slow trickle. Adding fresh water in a slow trickle is tolerated by the koi. They adjust to such a trickle of water and the water first flowing over the rocks of the stram or waterfall helps to remove the chlorine by exposing it to air.

Prior to water being tainted with chlorine/chloramine, or if one is blessed with well water, it used to be recommended to have the daily ratio of fresh water to filtered to be 15 to 20% fresh - 80 to 85% filtered. Japanese breeders advise the following:

* 1. to hasten the growth of the koi increase fresh water to 25%;
* 2. for better coloring, decrease fresh water to 10%., that is used or filtered water is better.

SKIMMER
Every pond needs a means of removing surface debris. There are two set-ups which may accomplish this:

* 1. A standard swimming pool skimmer with a trap So that small koi do not get sucked in.
* 2. Or a four inch pipe vertically, whose edge is at the water surface in the pond. In either case, both need to feed into the waterpipe that takes the pond water to the settlement tank (or to the filter). As in all other pipes, it needs to have a valve in order to turn it off when the need arises.

OVERFLOW
An overflow pipe draining out into the garden. slightly higher than the skimmer level, keeps the pond water from rising to the edge of the pond and carrying the fish over the sides. One can use either a vertical standpipe or a horizontal pipe through the side of the edge of the pond, placed at the optimum height of the water level. As stated previously, this level should be six inches from the top of the pond. A grid must be placed over the horizontal pipe to avoid losing small koi through it.

Bottom Drain
As in a basic pond, every koi pond should have a bottom drain. Such a drain needs to be able to function in one or all of the following three capacities:

* 1. Simply a bottom drain with a grate over it so that one can drain the bottom water (dirtiest water) out of the pond when one desires.
* 2. Continuously take the pond water to the filter, particularly if it goes through the settlement tanks first.
* 3. Or in the case where the water going to the filter is being removed from the pond one to two feet above the pond bottom, then a sump should be beneath the bottom drain so that every morning (and evening) sump out the bottom water which contains ammonia and wastes.

Ideally, all three possibilities in one pond is best.

The following is recommended for a bottom drain:

* 1. Put at the opposite end of the pond from the water inlet. i.e., the waterfall, so that all debris flows toward the bottom drain.
* 2. Drains must be at the deepest part of the pond with the bottom sloping toward it at 20 to 40 degrees.
* 3. The minimum number of bottom drains: every 10 feet apart. Maximum would be every six feet apart.
* 4. Each drain should have a separate drain pipe, otherwise if one connects two drains to a common outlet, the effective pulling suction power is cut in half for each individual bottom drain.
* 5. Outlet drain pipes should be no less than three inches in diameter.
* 6. Drain pipe covers should be a grate or a dome. The former can be purchased, made of PVC or iron. The latter can be made from cement, using a garbage can lid as a mold and putting four 1/2 inch feet on them.

WATER OUTLET: RETURNING TO FILTER
The optimum is to remove the solid wastes returning to the filter so that the biological filter is noe overburden and can work on removing the tiny partices and invisible wates, such as ammonia. The last thing you want is to have the pond act as a settlement tank and leave all the wastes, debris and ammonia at the bottom of the pond. So they must be removed from the pond but not taken directly to the functional part of the biological filter.

There are two alternatives on where in your pond to put the water outlets, taking the pond water back to the filter. Which you use depends on if you use a sump or a settlement tank, that is, how you rid your solid wastes:

* 1. If you return pond water directly to the filter without the benefit of a settlement tank, then the best place for the outlet exiting is from the bottom half or third of the pond. In this case one must have a sump under the bottom drain and sump out the debris and ammonia collected on the bottom daily. Better yet, sump off the bottom water twice daily. This water will be brown and smell of ammonia. Sump it out until it clears (at least 30 seconds). An added safety feature: If the outlet pipe breaks, the pond will not completely drain, since the pipe is one third the way from the pond bottom.
* 2. Better yet is to have a settlement tank or two or three. Thus, the water from the pond goes through these chambers so that the wastes settle out before they reach the biological filter. In this way, debris and ammonia never get a chance to sit on the bottom of your pond if built correctly. With settlement tanks, the outlet should be on the bottom of the pond. By the pond water going to the settlement tanks before going to the biological filters, both the koi and the biological filter have the cleanest water possible at all times.

To prevent accidental pond drainage, bring the pipe from the bottom drain up about two feet at right angles before leveling off again, then going to the settlement chambers. Now if there is a break in the system there will still be two feet of water in the pond. It is best to have the capability to filter off either bottom water or the middle water, so that you may do either or both. Bottom water returning to the filter is particularly best when the nitrifying bacteria of the biological filter is low, as when starting a pond or in the hot spring months.

SUMP
Every bottom drain should have a collecting chamber. i.e.. sump beneath it to collect all debris so it may be drained out every morning, if not also evening. In the case of the pond having settlement tanks before the biological filters, then these tanks also need sumps on their bottoms. Remember, your pond is the biggest settlement chamber that you have. A sump is a means of getting the wastes out of your pond before they get to your filter, thereby improving the water quality. Bottom water contains ammonia, fish wastes, uneaten food, dirt and leaves, all of which allow the bad anaerobic bacteria to grow in your pond and filter andcause disease.

Make the sump one to two feet in diameter out of concrete, funneled down to the drainpipe. It would be ideal to put two valves on each drainpipe to prevent accidental drainage of the pond. Likewise, as indicated above, the drainpipe should be brought up about two feet at right angles from the level of the bottom to prevent accidental drainage.

STANDPIPE CHAMBER
Another alternative set-up to allow drainage of bottom water yet prevent accidental drainage is the standpipe chamber. In this system, the drainpipe is taken to a chamber the same depth and level as the pond. A pipe is inserted over the drainpipe which comes into the standpipe chamber at right angles. This removable pipe rises to just above the height of the water in the pond. Simply by removing this pipe, with no valves involved, the bottom water from the pond floods into the much smaller standpipe chamber until it reaches the height of the pond (or until the vertical pipe is placed back onto the drainpipe). This acts as a sump which has a built-in safety factor preventing accidental drainage. Each bottom drain should go separately into the standpipe chamber, each with its own vertical removeable pipe. Then there should be a pipe which drains out this water to the surrounding garden after the vertical pipes are put back into place.

SETTLEMENT TANKS
These will be discussed in a future article on biological filters, as they are to be built outside of the pond. In fact, generally they are part of the filter, so that the pond water goes through them first to allow settling out of the solid wastes. Ideally, after the water goes through one to three settlement chambers, it then goes through a mechanical filter, and finally to the biological filters.
Each settlement chamber has three requirements:
o 1. The pond water must enter the settlement tanks near the middle but leave the chamber from near the top from the opposite side.
o 2. There must be a bevel to slow down the flow of the water to allow the solids to sink to the bottom.
o 3. Each settlement tank should have a v-sloped hottom with a bottom drain tomact as a sump, thereby flushed out every morning.

WATER JETS
When I built my second pond, something all addicted koi hobbyists do, I was talked out of water jets. A mistake! Here we are taking a fish whose natural habitat is a running stream, so we should do everything possi ble to simulate the natural state in our artificial conditions. With a water current provided by jets, the koi swim more, building up their strength, thereby improving their shape (conformation), their health, and their resistance to disease. It also minimizes dead areas, plus pushes debris toward the bottom drains.

These jets are in addition to the waterfall. To make a jet, T-off a one half to one inch flexible PVC pipe from the pipe returning filtered water to the waterfall, distal to the pump. Put in a valve to control the amount of flow on each pipe going to a jet. It is ideal to have at least two jets, one 18 inches deep and one elsewhere at a deeper level. A pond four feet deep or more should have a bottom jet. In the winter, when koi are inactive, shut off the deep water jets.

The jets need to be pointed in the same direction so that water current all flows in the same direction. The experts contend that ko all tend to swim counterclockwise. therefore this is the best direction to direct the jets. Coordinate this with the waterfall so that the two are not opposing each other. Now some say that the direction of the jets should be adjustable, so some of the time run them in an opposite or clockwise direction. The feeling being that koi swimming in the same direction always will begin to get lordosis, or curvature of the spine, if not alternated.

VENTURI VALVES
A venturi valve may be placed on one of these jets for the purpose of putting more oxygen in the water. A venturi valve is the same as a water jet with an air supply pipe to cause bubbles, as in a spa. So not only do you get a jet of water but also an added abundance of air providing more oxygen for your koi.

KEEPING KOI IN
Koi tend to jump at times. This is especially true when:
o 1. Koi are new
o 2. New koi are put in the pond in the evening
o 3. Koi have parasites
o 4. Water quality is poor irritating their exteriorsor gills.

We have all gone out in the morning and found a stiff koi on the lawn. Koi can be revived even after out of the water more than an hour. I have revived koi merely by working their gills under the waterfall after finding them looking very dead, stiff and dry.

The following encourages koi to stay in the pond even if they do jump:
o 1. Keep the water level six inches down from the top of the pond edge.
o 2. Do not slope the sides of the pond but have them go straight down for at least the first two feet of depth. This prevents a running start by the koi.
o 3. Some even put a lip overlapping the edge of the pond so that if the koi do zoom along the sides and jump, they will hit the lip and stay in the pond.
o 4. If koi do jump out, they do try to flop back in.
Thus, the two factors which I recommended to keep drainage water out would act to prevent the koi from jumping back into the pond. So, you want to minimize the elevation of the pond edge, keeping the surrounding water out but still allowing an errant koi to flop back into the pond. Likewise. minimize the slop

Source : By Galen Hansen, M.D., Reprinted from KOI USA

Veggie Filter For Koi Pond

2011-06-25T14:26:00.001+07:00

Veggie Filter, Photo http://www.atlantakoiclub.org

A Veggie Filter have a beneficial effect on the water conditions in fish tanks. Because Veggie Filter absorb minerals including some metabolic waste products from the water, converting these into plant mass. A veggie filter (natural biofilter) is a separate water feature about 1 to 1 1/2 feet deep that is home to lots of aquatic plants (pond plants) that are deliberately starved of nutrients.In order to survive they absorb the nutrients directly from the pond water. These nutrients (nitrates) are present due to the activities of the Nitrogen Cycle, taking place in the fish pond.

How Veggie Filter Work

The simplest refuge for freshwater plants is just adding another tank, with water exchange between the two. The arrangement I have used most often has taken advantage of those commercial tank stands holding one tank at normal seated viewing level, and a second tank (usually of the same footprint but lesser height) below it. It is this arrangement that I will discuss as an example, but many others are possible.

Once the dirty pond water has passed from the pond into the bog filter and then back into the water garden it has been purified. A plant filter is both cheaper to purchase and to run than a UV biofilter and it provides a natural eco system for your goldfish, koi and other fish to live in. It is however much more difficult to maintain.

Step By Step Design Veggie Filter

Step 1: Calculate the pond volume - Length x Width x Depth e.g. 10 ft x 10 ft x 10 ft = 1000 cu ft.

Step 2: Convert to gallons by multiplying by 7.48 - 1000 cu ft x 7.48 = 7480 gallon.

Step 3: As a general rule of thumb the volume of your veggie filter must be at least 10% of the volume of your water garden or fish pond. If your pond is 1000 gallon then you need a plant filter that is 100 gallon . obviously a bigger veggie filter of say (150%) or 150 gallon would be better if you have fairly large fish loads, particularly koi.

Source:
http://www.garden-pond-filters.com/veggiebio.htm
Photo, http://www.atlantakoiclub.org
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article69.html

How To Choose Good Koi Fish

2011-06-24T16:18:00.000+07:00

This article is simple guideline to choose Good Koi Fish for newbie. After we have clear known difference between Koi and Nishikigoi in the previous article. In the other article we have talk about koi types. As a Koi keeper you need to decide what level of Koi quality, you are looking for Pond Quality koi, Ornamental Quality or Show Quality Koi. Before you start choose koi you must prepare koi pond before. Best way don't place over quota of koi in pond. Make sure koi pond filter running well and water in mature condition.

To chose koi fish you must determine the amount of money you would like to spend. Many Koi keepers don't want to spend much, but want the very best and this is almost impossible. Each Koi has different possibilities, size, and quality. A Koi which achieves its best condition while still small will not, usually, maintain this quality as it grows. Some of you may have experienced owning a small Koi, a winner in competition, that later on has started to lose pattern and color.

Before you spent money for Koi fish , this simple Guidline For Good Koi ,there are three basic factors for every Koi types evaluation, Form, Color and Pattern. According to the contest screening standard, Koi are evaluated on Form 50%, Color 30%, and Patterns 20%.

1.Form
Well shaped Nishikigoi with proper height and width that look healthy and powerful are rated high. Attracted by beautiful color and exquisite patterns, bodily defects are sometimes overlooked.

2.Color
The vivid red, deep charcoal-black patterns, even colors and beautiful in hue. Evenly colored, free from shading, such as white snow ones are highly rated.

3.Pattern
Well balanced patterns, symmetrical on either sides are highly rated. Clear patterned-edges (Kiwa) and uniformly colored on top (Sashi) are more highly.

3.Shine
Not cloudy on the head or on the body, and shining wholly are rated well.

4.Dignity and aroma
Unbalanced patterns, but bestowed with dignity or aroma of its own are well rated.
Your own taste will anyway play an important role in judging the most appropriate for you.
Try to find out the attractive one of originality, not always finding a fault.

5.Female and male
Female: white fair skin, plump belly and larger size. Male: quick in swimming. Finish is fast and very beautiful, allowing participation in the contest during juvenile.

Reference:
1. Japan Koi

Disolved Oxygen in The Koi Pond

2011-06-23T15:57:00.000+07:00

Oxygen is essential for koi growth, More fish die from a lack of oxygen than any other cause. Koi Keeper should always monitor the actual disolved oxygen in the water every time. Disolved oxygen in the water should 't less than the required by koi fish. Oxygen levels can only be determined by measurement with a water test kit or an oxygen meter like as Ammonia test kit. Submerged plants and algae take oxygen out of the water at night. Their effect can be significant when you have green water in the koi pond. In Warm water koi increased consume oxygen.

During daylight, plants do photosynthesis. This is the reaction of taking in CO2 and expelling O2. Sounds perfect for our pets. But at night, the reverse happens – respiration. The plants take up O2 and expel CO2. So run your pumps 24/7. Do Not Turn Off The Pump At Night, THE KOI’S LIFE DEPENDS ON IT, As the night passes and daylight is on the horizon, the buildup of CO2 is at its highest point. This CO2 combines with the free hydrogen ions in the water and becomes acidic, driving the pH down.
Oxygen Levels in the koi pond

* Warm water saturation is about 8 ppm
* Continuous healthy minimum is about 6 ppm
* Low level stress and poor feeding response 4-5 ppm
* Acute stress, no feeding, inactivity 2-4 ppm
* Death 1-2 ppm
Solution to increased disolved oxygen in the koi pond

Aeration is the term that we use to mean adding air to the water. Since air contains 22% oxygen, aeration adds oxygen to the water. Anything that assists the transfer of oxygen into water could be called an aerator. Add as much air to your pond as you can using air pumps and air stones to distribute the air (highly recommended for ponds that are heavily stocked). You can add the air directly to the pond, the filter, the waterfall and anywhere else you can think of.

Reference:
- Akca Library
- UEKoi

Selecting Kohaku Koi Type

2011-06-23T00:54:00.001+07:00

One of the most quoted phrases in koi keeping is that the hobbyist begins with Kohaku and ends with Kohaku. In fact, many new hobbyists overlook the Kohaku koi in preference for the brightly colored Ogon and other metallic koi because they feel that Kohaku look too much like goldfish! However, as they begin to appreciate the colors and patterns of koi, hobbyists often turn to Kohaku because of their simplicity and elegance.

When looking at a large number of kohakus, perhaps hundreds at a time, the first thing I look for is a white tip at the front and back of the fish. It is preferable to have the red on the head of a kohaku to only go down about as far as the nostrils. Also, the head must have red on it. Don't pick a kohaku with an all white head. Red over the eyes of the koi used to be looked down upon, but in modern times it may come down over the eye. However, I think it is better if the red only comes down over one eye, not both eyes at the same time.

The head is generally one of the most important parts in an early koi. Now that you have several koi with acceptable head patterns, I look at the rest of the body. As I said earlier, I also look to see if there is a white patch right before the tail. If at all possible, I would like one there, but if all the rest of the koi has positive characteristics, this is not as important as the head.

For the body, I look for red that is balanced side to side and covers 70% of the body. This is so that as the koi grows up, and the white comes up, there is still adequate red on the body. The red on the body can be in a zig_zag pattern (inazuma), a three or four step pattern, or anything else that looks eye catching. If the red is straight with no signs of breaking, the pattern may be uninteresting as the koi grows. I also look for koi that are broad at the shoulders, have a large skull, and have relatively large pectoral fins. This generally means the koi will grow larger to compete in shows.
Colors

Kohaku are white koi with red (hi) markings. Ideally, the hi should have a good depth of color but, more importantly, the color should be of a uniform shade and the edge of the hi pattern should be well defined. This definition between white and hi markings is known as "kiwa". There appear to be two types of coloration.

The purplish red hi is dark and does not fade easily. This color is considered to lack elegance and tends to splatter over the koi. Brownish red hi can produce a very fine, almost translucent, color but tends to fade easily. The white should be the color of fresh snow and free from blemishes. A poor white, which can be dirty yellow in appearance, will spoil an otherwise good Kohaku because the hi pattern will not stand out.The unity and balance of color and pattern on a Kohaku are of the utmost importance. As a general guideline, the hi should cover between 50 and 70 percent of the koi.

Patterns
Because Kohaku appears as such a simple koi in terms of coloration, the criteria by which they are judged is severe. The pattern is the last thing to consider when the koi is being judged but is probably the most discussed. Balance over the whole of the koi's body is the key to any pattern.

Head
On any Kohaku the hi pattern begins on the head. The traditional head pattern for the hi is a large U shape, which should reach down as far as the eyes. If the hi does not reach the eyes, the pattern can be balanced by "kuchibeni" or lipstick like markings. A hi marking that reaches the mouth is know as "hanatsuki" and a pattern that spreads over the face is called "menkaburi". Recently, koi keepers have begun to appreciate Kohaku with interesting or irregular shaped marking on the head.

Body
Large hi markings are preferred to small hi markings. A break in the pattern is preferred between the back of the head and the shoulder. Variation is also important. Koi grow from the abdomen, so when selecting a young Kohaku, look for a large pattern of hi. Balance of pattern over the body of the koi is most important. A Kohaku that has most of its hi pattern at the front of its body lacks balance and elegance.

Patterns
Inazuma: This is a continuous pattern, extending from the head to the tail, but with a zig zag look. Inazuma literally means lightning.
Nidan: Nidan means two and this koi has two hi markings.
Sandan This Koi has three hi markings.
Yondan: This Kohaku has four hi markings.
Goten-zakura: This koi has a cherry-blossom pattern. The hi is dappled and looks like clusters of grapes.
Kanoko: This fish actually is classified in the Kawarimono class and not Kohaku in shows. The head hi is solid but the body hi is dappled.

Tail
The end of the pattern is as important as the beginning. On a perfectly marked Kohaku, the hi pattern ends just before the tail joint.

Fins
Snow white fins are the perfect accompaniment to the red on white pattern of a large koi. As a general rule, hi extending into the fins is considered detrimental to the koi's markings. Hi in the pelvic fins is not a problem because it cannot be seen when the koi is judged.

Scalation
Scalation should be even all over the body of the koi. The Japanese prefer hi that is strong enough to disguise the individual scales. Scales that are visible because the hi is thin are known as "kokesuki". A Kohaku of any pattern with scales only along the dorsal and lateral lines is known as a Doitsu Kohaku.

When buying young kohakus, don't worry too much about the color. The white should preferably be snow white but may also be pink if it was color fed before shipping. Avoid kohakus with a dirty grayish_white. As for the red, it may be either bright red or orange_red. Many orange_red young kohakus turn a pretty red as they grow. Next make sure there are no red or black marks on any of the fins. A small red patch at the base of the pectorals may be okay. Also, make sure there are no black marks on the body. All red on the body should also be in sizeable patches, not in single scale areas (ie. small red spots).

Last, but not least, take the koi out in a show tub and check for any body defects or any signs of disease. If these exist, do not buy the fish no matter how nice it looks. I hope this information can give you some help in selecting kohakus. Who knows? In 7 years you may have a grand champion.

REFERENCE
AKCA Library
Japan Online

Amount Of Fish In the Koi Pond

2011-06-22T05:34:00.000+07:00

New Koi keeper habits place the fish in the koi pond in the number of lots.This is not a good habit, because too many fish in the pond will not grow well and can even die. The number of fish that inhabit in the pond will affect to the pond water quality. Good Pond Water quality will support koi fish grow to the optimum. Poor pond water quality make fish do not grow to the optimum condition. In addition to the number of fish,the other factors that affect to the quality of pond water are water filter, water pump and foods. In this opportunity we will study the number of fish in the pond.

To determine the amount of koi fish in the pond can be used formula as follows:

Number of fish = l x w: Fish Size: 150
l = Pond length (cm)
w = Pond Width (cm)

The size of the fish we will enter for example 10 cm
=
200 x 100: 10: 150

Number of Koi Fish = 13

Or with the table as follows:

Age of Koi(Year) Lenght of Koi (cm) depth of pond (cm) Amount Of Koi/4m2(fish)
1 +- 15 20-40 40
2 +- 30 30 10
3-5 more than 40 30-45 2-5

This Terms not fixed standard,With good water filter, good pump system , and good pond design can be load in the amount more fish and stay with the optimal growth. Adding a waterfalls in the pond will improve water quality, because the waterfalls would result in more oxygen which is very useful for the koi fish.

How To Select Taishio Sanshoku/Sanke

2011-06-21T12:20:00.000+07:00

Sanke or Taishio Sansoku is one of Koi Type from Gosanke Class, other type in gosanke are Kohaku and Showa.The word Sanke literally means tri-color, the three colors being red, white and black. in Japanese Characters, the word Sanke is also read Sanshoku, the term used in early works on Koi.Selecting a good sanke is very similar to selecting a good kohaku koi Fish.

Basic Sanke Colors
Sanke is a three colored fish with hi (red) and sumi (black) markings on a white body.
- As with the Kohaku, the depth of these colors is very important. The white should be the color of snow - a yellowish white does not give a good background for the pattern to stand out and gives the fish a dull appearance.

The head of the sanke, as in all varieties of koi, is one of the most important things to look at.

The head should be the exact same head as kohaku. There must be red on the head and the red should go down to the nostrils.

The nose is better if it is white.

One eye may be covered in red as long as the red is not over-powering. Red is too over-powering when it covers both eyes.
There Must Not Be Any Black On the head.

Next look for an interesting pattern of red all the way down the body. Do not pick a koi with only red on the front half or on the back half of the body.

The hi should of sanke koi be of the same quality as on a good Kohaku. It should be of deep hue and of uniform shade.

The proportion of red to white should, again, be the same as on a good Kohaku. The base of any good Sanke pattern is a good Kohaku pattern.

The sumi of a Sanke should be fine, uniform in shade and with good depth of color. It should be shiny in appearance. As sumi should overlay the Kohaku-style pattern, the markings need to be clearly defined in order to stand out.

Sumi can appear and disappear over the lifetime of a koi, and sumi of poor quality may be affected by water quality, temperature change and change of environment. Sumi markings on Sanke are also described by their position on the pattern of the koi, so sumi that appears on the white skin is known as "tsubo" sumi, while sumi that appears on the hi is known as "Kasane" sumi.

First black spot is on the shoulder (not on the head). If there is no black until further back on the fish, the head can look too elongated. The rest of the black further back on the fish should be in a nice pattern that is balanced and preferably in the white areas rather than on the red. Some black on the red pattern is alright but the more black in the white the better. The black spots are better if not much larger than a quarter and should not distract from the red pattern.

Modern sankes are basically kohakus with a few small black spots placed in the white field. Red should take up about 70% of the fish, the black about 10%, and the rest white.
At an early stage, look for a fish with a lot of interesting red and very little black. Black tends to come out later and if you start with too much black, the black may be too powerful later. The red may be bright red or orange-red because the red can improve with age. The white should be snow white or slightly pink white. Black develops later, so pick one with only a little black that is balanced now. Avoid any sanke that has a lot of small, black, peppery like spots. Pepper like spots can be a sign of poor quality.

The fins on the sanke should be either all white or white with black stripes. There should be no red in any of the fins. Be careful buying an early sanke with many black stripes in the pectoral fins. These sometimes develop too much black at a later stage.

Sanke Patterns
Although Sanke differ from Kohaku in that they have three colors, the criteria by which the two varieties are judged are very similar.

Sanke Head
There should be no sumi on the head of the Sanke. The head pattern required is the same as on a Kohaku: that is a large U shaped hi marking, which should not extend down over the whole face. Unusual shaped head patterns are not so easily tolerated as on Kohaku, possibly because there is an extra color on the fish and a "busy" pattern lacks elegance and visual impact.

Sanke Body
Large hi markings are preferred down the length of the Sanke's body, complemented by sumi markings, which should also extend the length of the body. Sumi marks should start at the shoulder. Sumi markings should be small in number - an excessive amount of small sumi markings gives the koi an untidy appearance. AKA Sanke - This is a Sanke whose hi markings extends the length of the body. Maruten Sanke - This is a Sanke with a separate hi marking on the head.

REFERENCE:
1.Pic From Narita Koi
2.Akca Library

Selecting Showa Koi

2011-06-16T05:59:00.001+07:00

Showa is also a Kohaku koi type, that has a black pattern on top. They are in gosanke koi classification. Select showa must start with that perfect Kokaku. The word, Kohaku, sure comes up a lot.Take the perfect Kohaku and add the black in the right places and you have Showa. Showa is koi type with combination of a good Kohaku and a good Shiro Utsuri koi type. Showa go through many changes as they grow. Many times the black is very deep and only comes out as the fish grows. For this reason, if you see gray areas, it might not be poor quality white but deep black that will appear later.

The sumi on the showa should be strong. It should look like it emanates from the bottom of the fish and properly wrap the body. It is this wrapping of color that gives the Showa the look of strength. There is no more powerful fish than a good Showa. It has double power in the wrapping of red and black. It also has the high contrast of three colors. After the head, the rest of the sumi should be bold and balanced. Look closely at body conformation because of all the black. The black can hide defects in body, mouth and head.

Showa Head

The head of showa should have all 3 colors (red, black and white), preferably in equal mounts. The head on a Showa is very important. This time the head must have black on it. In fact it must have all three colors on it. The shoulder area of the showa should have all three colors and the Ozuke, tail region, should also have all three Best would be to have a good kohaku head with either a lightening stripe or a v-shape in black on the top of the head. Many showas don't develop this until later, so just try to pick one that has good red and white with some black coming out. Classic head patterns start with a good Kohaku face. Then black comes either down the face to divide it, or down the face and across the shoulder to form a Y.This is called Hachiware

Showa Body

Good Kohaku pattern in the body is good showa ,it should be balanced and be placed all through the body. if black is either present or coming up all over the body. Don't worry if the black is of poor quality at an early age. Black develops later in most good quality showa. It is also okay to have an orange-red at this point because the red gets better as the fish grows. Good showa body conformation is like kohaku koi type.

Pectoral Fins

Ideally Showa Koi , almost all of the pectoral fins, except for the outermost tips, should be black. As the pectoral fins grow out, the black seems to stay the same and the white area on the outside seems to spread out. If the pectoral fins are all black at this time, it is often alright, as this too can grow out to have good showa fins.
Fins that are not acceptable are fins with any red, all white fins, or fins with very little black at the base. All other fins should preferably be white, but some black is acceptable. Red is not acceptable in the fins. Pectoral fins should have Sumi at the base, up against the body. This is called Motoguru.

Ideally it should come out about one third of the pectoral length. Also the most perfect motoguru is surrounded by white. The front ray of the pectoral is white. The sumi does not go to the tip and the back ray is white. Strong motoguru is an indication that the sumi will be stable as the showa Koi grows. Dorsal fin is best in white as is the tail, but black in them can be fine. Avoid brush sumi pectorals, which looks more like stripes, or solid black pectorals. Even on young koi, the pectorals should start having the sumi pull back.

Some modern Showa have clear fins, as Kohakus are bred back in the crosses to righten the red. See you must get back to that perfect Kohaku always. Nose sumi also adds to the elegance of Showa and makes it more powerful.

Percentage of 3 Color

Showa koi have 3 color ,another thing to look for in this particular fish is the percentage of the 3 colors to the total fish. The classic showas koi type used to be about 40% black, 40% red, and 20% white. The modern showas koi type , that many judges like, have equal amounts of all 3 colors.
As you can see, the showa are one of the most difficult koi to select at a young age because they change so much as they grow. It is this complexity that makes this one of my favorites of the varieties of koi.

Reference:

AKca Library

How to Make Koi Grow Well

2011-06-14T03:24:00.001+07:00

Koi Pond depth also needs to be defined. A pond 2 meters deep is considered deep. A pond 3 meters deep is considered a tourist attraction. A pond 1 meter deep is considered shallow by many enthusiasts. Ponds below 50cm should not have Koi in them. I agree, however, there are many Koi keepers who have ponds and water features that are 50cm deep. They have Koi living quite happily in them.
We can confidently define a deep pond as a pond that is 2 meters or deeper. Shallow ponds are defined as 80cm - 1.2 meters in depth. Anything in between is a medium depth pond.

What is a problem with temperature, and this has been widely published in the UK, is the length of winters. In order to bring some relief to Koi in long, cold winters, deep ponds are made. At 4*C a peculiar thing happens to water, an inversion takes place. The "colder" water rises and the "warmer" water sinks. This is why ice floats. The middle water is then drawn to keep the lower levels stable and undisturbed. Koi Fish can settle in the lower regions and wait out the winter months in a state of semi-hibernation.

Koi Pond Depth Affect Koi Body Shape

The other information regarding depth and growth is split into camps of different opinions. One claims that the vertical swimming provided by depth is very important for growth and body shape. Another camp claims that it is the increased water pressure of deep ponds that influences body shape during growth. And another opinion is that the air bladder needs depth - i.e. pressure. There is one further theory I have come across about depth - Koi fish need depth because they have to stand on their tails to feed. The exponents of this latter theory claim that because Koi cannot stand on their tails in shallow ponds they cannot feed properly and consequently do not grow (??!).

Koi Pond Depth will affect koi body shape to a certain degree, as the muscles exercise against the pressure. Depth will possibly strengthen the air bladder but can someone please explain the theory of vertical swimming having an influence on body shape and growth? Exactly how does swimming vertically improve body shape? Even in the east there does not seem to be consensus on depth amongst enthusiasts as Takayuki Izeki made a statement in Nichirin - " if water is deeper (2 meters) the water pressure hinders growth and a good body shape cannot be hoped for."

Another factor not mentioned with regard to pond depth is that, in some countries, it is much cheaper to dig down an extra meter to increase water capacity than it is to extend the surface area for the same purpose.

Perhaps we should reach common ground. Is water temperature essential for growth? Yes. We know Koi do not grow in low water temperature. It is easy to see that there will be no growth in a deep pond with a water temperature of 5*C. However, there will be growth in a shallow pond with water temperature of 25*C. Common ground has been reached. Temperature is essential for growth.

Water Quality and Oxygen Required For Koi Growth

Is oxygen essentiatl for growth? Yes. The examples in the above paragraph apply here as well. I have come across an interesting claim that it is very difficult to grow jumbo Koi on the high veldt in South Africa (6,000 feet above sea level). If I recall correctly, this persons definition of a jumbo Koi was 75cm or bigger. It was maintained that we cannot get enough oxygen into the water. About 20% less oxygen can be dissolved into water on the high veldt than at the coast. Couple this with the high water temperatures we get in our ponds and he could very well be right. (both altitude and temperature affect oxygen levels in water).

Is water quality essential for growth. Yes. If the water quality is poor your Koi will probably not be growing because they are dead. Jokes aside, water quality is applicable in all circumstances.

Is Koi food, or more specifically nutrition, essential for growth? Yes. A group of Koi in a deep pond that never receive any food will not grow. Koi in a shallow pond that do receive food will grow.

Nutrition from birth is possibly the most critical factor in achieving growth other than genetics. Plus the closely interconnecting factors of oxygen, water quality and temperature. I request readers to re-read some of the statements I made in the article on Koi nutrition. One of the most important was - people are underfeeding their collections on quality food, which is one of the main reasons why they do not get growth.

It is a fact that Koi keepers are growing Koi to 70 and 80cm, with very reasonable body shapes, in "shallow" ponds of about one meter. It is a fact that jumbo Koi of above 70 - 75 cm are rare, both here and in Japan. Yes, some society members have visited very wealthy Koi keepers in the east with ponds full of high quality jumbo Koi, but relative to the total numbers of Koi in the world and relative to what we can afford in South Africa, jumbo Koi are rare. Recent personal discussions with Takeda san produced the following reply to the question - how many good quality jumbo Koi are there in Japan? The reply - maybe a thousand.

This brings us to the crux of the matter - my statement - I have never considered depth to be critical in achieving growth (size). Depth may have a minor influence on body shape of some Koi. Depth may have a minor influence on the rate of growth in some well fed Koi. But a deep pond cannot and will not guarantee you size. In most cases depth can easily be compensated for by exercising the Koi against a current to achieve the ideal body shape. While it is wonderful to have the best - i.e. a pond of 2 or 3 meters deep, is this pond depth critical to the growth of the fish? The answer is no. There are other factors that can be classified as critical to growth.

At some point we must ask ourselves - do we want to attract people to the hobby with reason and reality? Not everyone wants or can afford a tourist attraction. Not everyone wants a pond with hundreds of thousands of litres of water. We therefore, have to weigh up the pros and cons of recommendations on pond specifications from a practical point of view that will accommodate the wishes, needs and budgets of the vast majority of Koi keepers.

Reference:
1.http://www.japanese-koi-fish.com/chris%20on%20koi/koi%20pond%20depth%20part%202%20facts.htm
2.http://www.raleighlandscape.com/Watergardens%20&%20Koi%20ponds.htm

How To Get Desired Baby Koi

2011-06-13T13:46:00.000+07:00

Collecting a tropical fish is a delight for fish enthusiasts and professional breeders especially when they see their pets swimming around the pond or an aquarium. Like any other fish enthusiasts, Japanese Koi enthusiasts feels the same way, seeing their koi fish swimming around their koi pond gives them the relaxation that they need after a long and tiring day at work. Aside from being a stress reliever, koi fish can be beneficial to professional breeders since koi fish can produce a lot of baby koi, thus giving them more potential of making money if they intend to sell it.

Koi breeding is not as easy as it looks. It takes a lot of time, effort and patience in doing it. It is quite hard to select breeding partners to get the result that they want especially on how the baby koi may result into. Spawning, is the term used in breeding the baby koi, and it takes time to learn the art of doing this. Since the breeding period of koi fish depend on their metabolism and appetite, ideally, it is best to have them mate during the summer or from the months of April to July.

Here are some tips that you may want to try if you intend to go into koi fish breeding.

Research and Consult the professional- do extensive research and planning before conducting the breeding. Since the color combination, scales and patterns of baby koi may entirely depend on the combination parents, better ask and consult professionals for better results. This will not only save your time but as money as well and you will be sure that the offspring that your koi parents is what you really wanted to begin with.

Quality breeding pond- before getting your fish ready into mating, make sure that you have the best quality of pond water with high quality of pH level, good water oxygenation and filtration as these will play a big factor in your breeding success. It is also advised to separate the mating fish from the other fish as this may cause confusion. Moreover, put something into the water that the female koi can use to lay her eggs into such as underwater plant or other materials that are viable for the eggs to be safe when they are hatched.

Pick out the koi variety you want to breed- get the best and healthiest koi available in your pond. Try breeding a female koi with two male koi as this yields better results and most number of eggs.

Isolate the eggs- isolate the eggs from their parents to prevent cannibalism. It is best to take this kind of precaution to ensure that the eggs are safe.

These are some of the tips that you might need in your koi fish breeding. It may take some time to get everything right. Just make sure that when you do it, do it with constant care and precision so you can get your desired baby koi fish.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4648867

Green Water Problem

2011-06-13T13:42:00.001+07:00

Green water in the koi pond is the scourge of outdoor pond owners. Green water is caused by a population explosion of algae in the koi pond. Algae are microscopic, single-celled plants, which can easily multiply to a density of as much as 7,000-15,000 per milliliter. With that many of them in the water, it's no wonder that the water turns green. Koi ponds can get high concentrations of phosphates from food decomposition, and nitrates from the nitrification cycle. High concentrations of phosphates and nitrates are the food for pond algae, along with some iron as a catalyst. So high ammonia in the koi pond will make koi pond green.

Green water in the koi pond can't reduce with mechanical filtration because size of algae very small. The ideal conditions for algae to grow rapidly in number are:
1. Warm water pond, Algae grow well in warm temperatures. In warm temperature water in the koi pond potential to become green.
2. Well-lighted water, plant (algae) photosynthesis need Sunlight.
3. An abundance of nutrients.
4. Koi Feces produce amonia.

If whole or part of condition is fulfilled, algae in the koi pond grow well and water become green.

The key to 'clearing up' green water, therefore, is to prevent the algae from multiplying by removing the ideal conditions for their growth.
Algae Control in The Koi Pond

We Can Control Algae in the koi pond with several way. We Can choose proper way or combination of way. Follow the way to reduce green water in the koi pond :

1. Shade The Pond
Warmth of the water and the availability of light for photosynthesis is modulated by sunlight. Shade the pond will reduce sunlight in the pond. If koi pond shade sunligt can't access pond and algae can't grow well.

2. Remove sources of organic matter.
Removing all harmful compounds from the pond water is proper water filtration. Physically Filtration removes most of the decaying organic matter in the pond. Koi Pond filter must have a water capacity of no less than 10% of Koi pond volume and filter pump must be capable of turning over the entire volume of your pond in one hour. Idealy Filter must 30% of koi pond volume.

3. Remove Koi Feces from the pond.
Koi Feces produce ammonia, Ammonia and nitrites are extremely harmful, and even deadly to koi. Remove koi feces will reduce disolved ammonia in the koi pond. Remove Koi Feces can do with good filtration system.

In Biological filter chamber Certain bacteria convert these ammonia into nitrites, which are further converted by other bacteria into nitrates. Nitrates are less harmful than these two, but they are powerful fertilizers for all plants in the pond, including algae. Coupled with warm water, a suitable pH, carbonate hardness, and the presence of other nutrients like phosphates, nitrates are a sure-fire way of multiplying algae in large numbers.

4. Give Water Cleaner
Water Cleaner use chemical method to control algae. Chemical control usually means the use of algaecides, a chemical which kills or inhibits all types of algae to a greater or lessor degree. Water cleaner can remove green water in the koi pond in short times. Caution must be exercised with these chemicals as overdosing can kill fish.

5. Put other plants in the pond/Filter
Many plants have voracious appetites for pond water nutrients, so having them in the Koi pond will deprive the algae of nutrients.

6. Install UV (Ultra Violet ) system
Ultraviolet lamp systems designed to kill algae and make them clump together. You can put the uv lamp assembly before your main filter, so that the dead algae will not be returned to the koi pond. Ultraviolet systems will effectively kill planktonic algae with the proper size unit for koi pond. UV effectively eliminate green water in the koi pond in a short time.

7. Change Partial Water regulary.

Change 10-30% water regulary, if needed you can change everyday. If not you can change water pond every week.

Theese step can reduce and remove green water in your pond.

Reference:

- Laguna Koi
- KoiAndPond

How To choose Koi

2011-06-07T13:01:00.005+07:00

People said "Koi" as a general term. There is a difference between "Koi" and "Nishikigoi." "Koi" (common carp) are found in rivers and lakes. These carp are used as food. "Nishikigoi" are a spedal breed of carp, which is adrrired solely for their beauty. Nishikigoi, known as "living jewelry," originated in Niigata. It is this breed of fish that will be discussed although, to conform to general understanding the term "Koi" also will be used in this text to describe "Nishikigoi."

Throughout the years, the breed has been improved and is broken into several categories such as "Kohaku," "Taishio Sanshoku", "Showa-Sanshoku" and many others.

There is no set price for the Nishikigoi. The seller and the buyer decide a price depending upon the knowledge of both. The price also varies according to their size, quality, and condition.

Many times, an expensive Koi will change in the course of its growth and become a worthless one. Likewise an inexpensive Nishikigoi, sometimes, could change into a champion. The knowledge of dealers and Koi keepers determine the future of the fish. Pond environment can change the condition of the Nishikigoi. An expensive and beautiful fish can lose its color in six months because of a poorly conditioned pond. In a pond with a good system, the color will deepen and become beautiful.

QUALITY LEVELS FOR KOI
1. Pond Quality
Pond quality Koi can be purchased at local pet shops and breeders. Mostly this type of Koi is bred locally with a mixed blood line and no previous record. Often it is not known who did the breeding and most are not suitable for competition. However, they are very inexpensive to buy and enjoyable in the pond.

2. Ornamental Quality
Ornamental Koi are not bad quality. They may have been bred from good quality parents, have good blood lines, good conformation, and beautiful color. The only difference between ornamental and show quality Koi is the pattern. In most show quality Koi, the very important in addition to the body conformation, Jihada (skin), Kiwa (edge of pattern) and evenness of color. Most ornamental types have an unbalanced pattern with many faults, however, they are very beautiful and can be bought inexpensively. Some may even be used as breeding parents.

3.Show Quality

There are many requirements to be considered when selecting show quality Koi. Good Koi Show should have:
1. Good body conformation.

2.Good shiny skin.

3. Sharp pattern edge (Kiwa).

4. Evenness of color in the pattern.

5. Overall well balanced patterns.

The experts consider bloodline to be an extremely important element and are sure that most show quality Koi are bred from parents with a good blood line.

Breeding Koi In Japan

The breeding season in Japan runs from April until the early part of June. In the early spring the female can lay 200,000 to 400,000 eggs. The small fry begin to display colors as early as 3 weeks. There is a continual sorting and culling operation during the summertime, in which the Koi that show most promise are separated from the culls. Culls usually are destroyed. Some breeders cook the culls and feed them to the young fish for high protein.

Many very young fry are discarded because their genes have been strongly influenced by their original hereditary color. For example, the Kohaku originated from both white and red colored carp. Many Kohaku fry display single white, red and even dark gray colors.

Selected young Koi are released in a mud pond which is very rich in natural food. Of course they are provided additional food too. They grow rapidly under these conditions until October when they are caught. The first year Koi or "Tosai" are 5 to 6 inches long. They are only 6 months old when they have a chance to see the world, that is, the first time they are netted by the breeder from the mud ponds.

"Tategoi" or potential Koi are kept in mud ponds for further growth although some are bought by large wholesale dealers for future investment. The best Tategoi, roughly 500 to 1,000 or more, will stay in the ponds until the following October. Then the best Koi, those that are in excellent condition with good patterns and color for competition, will be sold to the Koi dealer or the individual Koi keeper at an unbelievably high price.

The following year, again in October, the breeders and wholesale dealers drain the mud pond where the "Tosai-Tategoi" have been kept. Those "Tategoi" that are ready with good pattern and color will be sold. The young potential fish that are not ready but have a good pattern will be returned to the mud ponds for another year. The rest of the Koi that are not considered in the Tategoi category anymore because of undesirable pattern or color, willbe sold at auction.

Many Koi keepers think that "Tategoi" means only small Koi,but for the dealer "Tategoi" means Koi of any size, from three inches to more than thirty inches, that have potential to become beautiful in the future. Each Koi has a different quality, personality, and character and each will grow to a different size.

One could become beautiful, another worthless and others could attain top condition when they are only six inches in size. Alternatively, others only achieve top condition when they grow to about thirty inches. Although a dealer may have many years of experience and the best knowledge, when he picks more than a thousand "Tosai-Tategoi," he realizes only a few percent will reach his expectations.

Many Koi keepers ask the question "Why is Nishikigoi so expensive?" Being fully aware of the many problems that face the breeders, wholesalers and dealers, the dedicated hard work spread out over several years plus the costs involved it is understandable why Show quality Koi are expensive.

Each Koi has different possibilities, size, and quality. A Koi which achieves its best condition while still small will not, usually, maintain this quality as it grows. Some of you may have experienced owning a small Koi, a winner in competition, that later on has started to lose pattern and color. In past Koi competitions in Japan as well as in the United States, a small Koi (under 10 inches) that has won a high prize usually will not maintain the same condition and win another high prize when it becomes larger (more than 28 inches).

On the other hand, if a large Koi (more than 26 inches) becomes beautiful and in top condition it will normally keep the same condition for a long time, unless placed in a bad environment. In the past, in Japan, some of the large Koi, (more than 30 inches), that took Grand Champion in the All Japan Koi Competition have come back the next year to win Grand Champion again. Maybe this next time they are entered in a larger size category or under a new owner's name.

Choosing Koi

As a Koi keeper, you need to decide what level of Koi quality you are looking for i.e.. pond quality, ornamental quality, or show quality. Show quality can be very expensive, however, if not interested in Koi competitions, you do not have to spend a lot of money to enjoy beautiful fish. Do not expect to get show quality pattern with pond type of fish. If you are thinking about competing in a Koi show, you must consider an entirely different selection process. All show quality Nishikigoi are not expensive, but most are.

First determine the amount of money you would like to spend. Many Koi keepers do not want to spend much, but want the very best and this is almost impossible. However, if the Koi you select is not polished or in the best color condition, it will not be as expensive as one that is polished. With a well maintained pond and a good filter system, it is possible you could improve and polish a good quality Koi. Normally, small Koi are less expensive than large ones but, sometimes, polished small Koi are more expensive than unpolished large. Some knowledge regarding potential is required when buying small Koi because they will change drastically during a six month period. If you can predict the changes in a small Koi within 6 months to a year, then you must be very good at selection.

Very often good quality, medium to large Koi that have not been polished, or have been damaged by either bad water conditions or excessive transportation will be sold for a reduced price. By putting them into a good pond environment with a good filter system this type of Koi could be improved.

Unless the intention is to enter the fish in a competition immediately it is not wise to purchase a polished small Koi at a high price. The Koi keepers in Japan say, "The person who buys expensive "Tosai" is a fool and the dealer who sells expensive "Tosai" is also a fool." The only way to acquire the skills to pick small Koi for the future is to buy many small ones and watch how they change. Observe how pattern and colors change with body growth. For example: if the size of the red pattern does not keep up with the growth of the body then, later; the red pattern will be diminished by the body. On the other hand, be aware of the size of the black pattern, most of the time, will increase when the Koi gets bigger.

In conclusion, if you are looking for inexpensive show quality Nishikigoi, learn as much as you can by getting active in organizations such as Koi dubs. In addition, attend as many Koi shows as possible, learn how and why the judges make their decisions, most judges do not mind if you ask questions. Some Koi keepers will tell you that the only way to learn is to make mistakes first.

This maybe true but don't make too many costly mistakes. One of the best ways to learn about Nishikigoi is to visit and talk to people who are knowledgeable. Another is to take pictures when you purchase your Koi then, if it is small, take pictures every month until it reaches top condition and you will see the changes. Medium and large Koi don't usually change as much as small ones, so take the pictures every three to six months. Of course, each Koi will grow differently, but certain categories such as Kohaku, Taisho-Sanshoku, Showa-Sanshoku change in a similar way.

REFERENCE:
1. Gratn Fujita. http://www.akca.org/library/tategoi3.htm
2. http://www.niigata-nishikigoi.com/
3. http://www.koi.com/

Koi Pond Fountain

2011-05-31T13:07:00.000+07:00

A pond fountain is an elegant and eye-catching feature that adds a great deal of character to the Koi pond. These devices are surprisingly easy to install. One can easily accomplish the task in a few hours and the procedure is simple enough that one can express their creativity quite easily provided they have even the most basic skills with tools.

The Pond Fountain Kit

The best way to get started with pond fountains is to use a kit. These contain the basic elements one needs. One will need a separate pump to power the fountain. These pumps need not be as powerful as the other pumps used in the pond. One will also need a filter. Even though the water coming out of a fountain is running, there is the risk that it will become a vector for algae and bacteria. One will also need hose and tubing to contain the electrical wiring for the device.

These kits are widely available and provide a way to make certain that one has all of the basic supplies.

The Pond Fountain

The pond fountain itself can be just about anything. There are premade designs which encompass the classic multiple bowl construction, simple spigots or more fanciful designs such as animals and plants. One can simply build their own structure, as well, out of rock or other materials.

There are also floating fountain designs available. These have some distinct advantages to them, particularly where deep ponds are concerned. Make certain that any non-floating fountain is tall enough to be above the waterline, of course.

A garden pond fountain can be either the central feature of a pond or merely an enhancement. Remember that a more powerful pump will be required for pond fountains which are larger and taller. If one wants a particularly large fountain, make certain to calculate the water flow required for the best aesthetic effect and to purchase a pump adequate to the task.

Pond Fountain Installation

To install a garden pond fountain, one needs only the simplest of materials and tools. A shovel will be needed if the bottom of the pond needs to be dredged out. If one has a pond liner, this is unnecessary. One will need a basin which can hold the fountain in place under the water. This basin will also need to accommodate the hoses from the pump and the cable from the electrical connection.

Start by locating the area in which the pond fountain will be situated and measure the depth. Next, drill out the basin so that the hoses and cords necessary to power the pump can be threaded through. The basin can be held under water with rocks or other weights. These should be added next. The cords and hoses are then run through the basin and attached to the pump and the fountain. The whole apparatus is then placed as desired, plugged in and, provided everything was hooked up correctly, the fountain will start spilling water into the pond.

For floating pond fountains, the procedure is slightly different.

One can use a cinderblock or other weight to hold a floating fountain in place. There is usually no need to use a basin for these devices. Using a chain, attach the floating fountain to the cinderblock and drop the block in the water. The chain will allow the pond fountain to move around a bit which is one of the most delightful features of these installations.

Remember to use a clean weight and chain to fasten pond fountains in place. Adding dirt or rust to the pond is certainly not advisable!

Solar Pond Fountains

There are pond fountains available which operate on solar power. Aside from being more "green", they also eliminate the need to install electrical wiring in the pond and, of course, a solar pond fountain cuts down on one's electrical bill. These options are available from most garden suppliers.

Pond Fountain Maintenance

Like any other feature in a pond, a fountain will require maintenance. The filter will make certain that bacteria, algae and other impurities are kept to a minimum but the filter itself must be maintained.

If a biological filter is included with the fountain kit, be sure to replace the active bacteria as the manufacturer recommends. Basket filters will need to be cleaned out from time to time to ensure that they're capturing as much debris as possible.

If the garden pond fountain has basins, these must be cleaned out to make certain that they don’t provide a habitat for algae. The same procedures used to clean algae from the pond as a whole can be used to clean these features. Of course, a pond fountain can be turned off which makes these every easily scrubbed out. Make certain that any agents used to clean out these devices are removed completely before water flow is restored. One would not want harsh cleaning agents coming into contact with their fish.

Some garden pond fountains have provisions for lights. If not, the lighting used on the pond at large can be refocused to emphasize the fountain. Lighting the actual flow of water that the fountain emits is a very popular way to make the feature stand out. Floating fountains have their own particular appeal. To make these devices stand out, choose a fountain that goes along with the look of the pond as a whole. Frogs, alligators and other water-dwelling creatures are very popular choices. Flowers are another popular area of design for floating pond fountains.

When installed correctly, the pond fountain provides a useful service to the pond: It aerates the water. This makes certain that the fish have enough oxygen to breathe and that the pond is a healthy environment. Along with a waterfall, a fountain can make a pond something truly beautiful. The ease of construction and installation make them all the more attractive. Make certain that proper attention is given to the installation of any wiring that extends from the house mains. There is generally tubing provided in pond fountain kits which provides another layer of insulation and, thus, safety for the extension cords used.

Source:
http://www.pond.com/pond-fountain

Self Cleaning Koi Pond

2011-05-24T10:10:00.000+07:00

Design your pond with straight walls and a sloping bottom. The vertical walls will not collect debris and they will also help keep predators out of the pond. Ideal water depth for a koi pond is 3 to 4 feet. The bottom should slope to centralized bottom drains. These drains will take the dirty water to your filter. Cement ponds can be vertical. Liner ponds may need an angled wall in order to prevent the soil from caving in. The liner wall can be a vertical wall for the first 18 to 24 inches depeding on the stability of your soil. The wall can then angle towards the floor to make up the additional depth needed to achieve 3 to 4 feet.

If you want aquatic plants you may add planter shelves in various artistic locations. Make the shelves at least 18 inches wide so the plant pots will be stable. The shelves need to be about 12 inches deep for bog type plants. This will put about 2 to 4 inches of water above the pot. Lilies need to be in 18 to 24 inches of water.

Remember however, that an 18" or less plant shelf will also be a place where predators like racoons and herons can stand. So keep these shallow shelves to minimum areas whereby if a predator does stand on it he cannot walk around the entire perimeter of the pond. Put these shelves in limited areas that will compliment the look of the pond but not create a walking zone for predators.

The diagram below shows a top view of different shapes that can be considered self cleaning. Notice the placement of the jets. The jets are positioned to flow the water along the perimeter of the pond walls. The jets do not point out to the middle like a swimming pool. The jets flow follows the contour of the pond walls and creates a toilet bowl effect funneling debris to the center drains.

Source:
http://www.lagunakoi.com/Filtration-Designs-c-9.html

Age of Koi(Year)	Lenght of Koi (cm)	depth of pond (cm)	Amount Of Koi/4m2(fish)
1	+- 15	20-40	40
2	+- 30	30	10
3-5	more than 40	30-45	2-5