mid-atlantic koi magazine november/december 2014

Mid~Atlantic KoiThe Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club November/December 2014

Mid-Atlantic Koi November/December 2014

Mid-Atlantic Koi Deadlinesfor articles, meeting announcements and ads

Jan/Feb Issue Deadline: December 15Available Online: January 15

March Issue Deadline: February 1Available Online: March 1

The Membership Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club

Volume 28, Number 5 November/December 2014

Happy KoiHolidays

Photo by Joann Mead

President’s Message . . . . . . . .4From the Editor’s Desk . . . . .6Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . .33MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers . . . . . . . .33Sunshine Column . . . . . . . . .33F..A..S..T Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . .34Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

—MAKC News

Mid~Atlantic Koi

—Upcoming Events

Long Island Chapter Meeting . . . . . .32Saugerties Chapter Meeting . . . . . . .32

Beginner’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

MAKC Corporate Members . . . . . . . . . .7

Designing a Pond with Maintenance in Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Ken Austin, Koi Organisation International

Pond Lighting for All Budget . . . . . . . .10

Fall Pond Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Jan Goldfield, Greater Louisville Koi

and Goldfish Society

Control Valve Maintenance and Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Don Harrawood, SKAPA - KHA

MAKC Drawing - April 2015 . . . . . . . .16

Water Chemistry? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Ed Keene (DCAS)

Sakai Fish Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Courtesy of Hikari USA

Pump Problems (nobody told me about) . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Carolyn Weise, Florida

What is a Settling Chamber? . . . . . . . .27Courtesy of Simi Koi

Saddle River on a Saturday . . . . . . . . . .30Herb Ehrich, New York

On the Road to a Koi Event . . . . . . . . . .32

Koi’s Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Picture to Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

MAKC Membership Application . . . . .37

November/December 2014 Mid-Atlantic Koi

Production: Cindy Graham, NextUp Creations

MAKC Home Page: http://www.makc.com

MAKC Executive CommitteePresident

Joann Mead (845) 389-5712 [email protected]

Vice-President

Herb Ehrich (845) 247-7105 [email protected]

Secretary

Looking for a Volunteer

Treasurer

Anthony Vitale (516) 420-0740 [email protected]

Central Chapter Vice-President


Long Island Chapter Vice-President

Bruce Levine (516) 735-2644 [email protected]

Saugerties (NY) Chapter Vice-President

Herb Ehrich (845) 247-7105 [email protected]

South Chapter Vice-President


S t a n d i n g C o m m i t t e e sMembership

Richard Douglass (845) 723-4373 [email protected]

MAKC Sales


MAKC Notice Group Manager

Michael Snyder (301) 762-2059 [email protected]

WebMasterSarah Johnson (732) 567-6678 [email protected]

E x e c u t i v e B o a r d A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e

Joe Zuritsky (215) 575-4001 [email protected]

Eric Wilson (443) 203-6486 [email protected]

Mid-Atlantic Koi is the magazine of theMid-Atlantic Koi Club. Material isselected for its interest to Koi keepers.MAKC accepts no responsibility foraccuracy of content. Reproduction ofuncopyrighted articles is permitted aslong as this magazine is credited as the source.

Mid-Atlantic Koi MagazineEditor, Carolyn Weise (239) 573-6650 x105 [email protected]

Advertising Editor, Joann Mead (845) 389-5712 [email protected]

Meeting/Events Editor, Carolyn Weise (239) 573-6650 x105 [email protected]

FAST Ads Editor, Carolyn Weise (239) 573-6650 x105 [email protected]

Remember toRenew YourMembership

Don’t Wait – Do it Today.

Renewal form you can print out is on page 37.

www.makc.com

worth of product so far. I am expecting a check inthe amount of $5,600.00 in the next few weeks.The remaining balance of $6,745.00 is uncollec-table. Ads were running in the magazine withoutmany vendors’ knowledge.

I have been talking to our vendors and many haveexpressed the opinion that the industry has beenhit hard by the economic downturn in the pastfew years. We will be reviewing our current adrates for the online magazine in the comingmonths.

There have been a few requests asking to reinstatethe discount for a pre-paid membership of fouryears for $100.00, which is a savings of $20.00. Weare going to reinstate this discount.

Remember, I am always open to suggestions, evencomplaints, because this is your Club and I wantto make it something you enjoy participating in.

Joann


P r e s i d e n t ’ s M e s s a g eby Joann Mead

[email protected]

The trees have shed their last leaves andsnow is on the ground already forsome of our members. The Holidaysare fast approaching and it is the timefor families and friends to gather

together and reflect on our blessings of the past year.

The saga of the trailer continues: in order for it tobe registered in NYS the Club has to own a truckto pull the trailer due to its size. At this time theClub does not have the funds to purchase a truck.If you or someone you know would be interestedin donating a vehicle that can pull the trailerplease have them contact me. The Club has status503 (C) (3) so the donation is tax deductible. Thetrailer was previously registered in Virginia,which does not have that type of restriction.

We have been approached by a Canadian Koiclub interested in joining the MAKC. TheExecutive Board has requested some paperworkfrom the Club and our Club accountant islooking into the possibility of any tax implica-tions for MAKC. Our Club insurance policy from the AKCA would cover a Canadian MAKC Chapter.

The Club has been receiving many inquiriesasking if we are going to host a show in 2015. Atthis point in time we are not in the position tohost a show. However, the Club has offered itsservices in helping the Tri-State ZNA with theirshow in 2015.

Regarding the ad accounts for the MAKCmagazine there is $17,845.00 of outstandingreceivables on the books since January 2013. Wehave collected $4,000.00 in cash and $1,500.00

MAKC ContestSee Page 16 for Details


QuestionLast month you discussed pond shutdown. Whatabout the plants?

Answer Plants are pretty simple: First

Hardy LiliesHardy Lilies should be cut back to the crownsand lowered to the bottom of the pond. If youhave large Koi put some hardware wire over thetop of the pots. (Remember to remove it early in spring.)

Tropical LiliesTropical lilies are very hard and complicated tokeep over winter. Remove from pond in fall when dead.

MarginalsHardy varieties can be left in place. Most grassesdon’t have to be cut back. Iris should be cut backto about a foot high. Other marginals can be cutback to the crown.

Beginner’s CornerAsk a question and we will get you an answer.

In MemoriamDouglas G. Drennan II

MAKC members wish tooffer their condolencesto the wife and family of a long-standingadvertiser and strongsupporter of theAquaculture industry,Douglas GrahamDrennan II, who left usthis past July. Prayers forthe family.

Mr. Douglas Graham Drennan II, 52, diedSunday, July 20, 2014. Mr. Drennan was a life-long resident of New Orleans.

In 1995, he founded Aquaculture SystemsTechnologies, LLC. Until the time of his death,he served as Managing Member and President of Aquaculture Systems Technologies, LLC andas General Manager of Aquaculture Supply, LLC

Tropical PlantsTaro, Canna and Umbrella Palm will die if left inthe pond over winter in most cold regions. Thesecan be taken indoors and kept in a sunnywindow. Water Lettuce and Water Hyacinth willdie even if you bring them inside. But you can tryif you have the space and a sun lamp.Well if all else fails spring could bring the chal-lenge of finding new and intriguing plants.

Note: This column offers suggestions only; theultimate care of your pond and fish is up to you.

Wanted – Your Questions

Please email your questions [email protected].

I’d like to wish you all HappyHolidays (and I do not meanthat in the generic sense butwant to include everythingwe will experience during

this combined issue time frame!)

In some areas, winter has already shown itsface, but in others, we are ready for her.

My old friend, Jan Goldfield has shared herFall Pond Care knowledge with you in thisissue. Rather than focus on buying andjudging fish this time, I picked articles thatfocus on the maintenance of good healthywater and thus, healthy fish. Sure, I threw insome of my experience with recent pumps,but all is running well today.

Lisa Burns of Backyard Getaway (here inFlorida) is also a friend of mine. She hasshared some good articles with you. Thisone is on pond lighting that will helpdetermine which you should choose foryour own pond next spring, should you decide to upgrade. Then we have Ken Austin’s excellent pond designarticle. If we design the pond with main-tenance rather than “art” in mind, lifecan be much more enjoyable and much less work.

I’d like to personally and publicly thankDon Harrawood for his Control ValveMaintenance & Repair article. I havestruggled for a couple of years with thisexact issue and nobody had been able tofigure out the problem. This is the veryreason I love being a member of a club!

All the information published in themagazine is important and will be valuableto somebody. If you have something toshare, please do.

Thank you to Cindy Graham who hasworked very hard behind the scenes to getthis publication out, on time, every monthfor us. Without Cindy, there would be no magazine.

And thanks to Jo Mead and Herb Ehrich fortheir tireless efforts in bringing back theexcitement of the club’s outside engage-ments! I look forward to more of that.

Have a good Thanksgiving, Christmas, andall the rest! See you next year.

Yours in Koi!Carolyn


From the Editor’s Deskby Carolyn [email protected]


M A K C C o r p o r a t e M e m b e r s

Interested in becoming a Corporate Member?Interested in becoming a Corporate Member?Reasonable one time fee for the year Reasonable one time fee for the year –– includes a Business Card size adincludes a Business Card size ad

in all issues in this section and on the MAKC website. in all issues in this section and on the MAKC website.

Contact Joann Mead at 845-389-5712 or

[email protected]

www.mazuri.com

Quality Koi Company

Nisei Koi Farm

[email protected]

www.qualitykoi.com

www.hikariusa.com

www.kodamakoifarm.com

www.mazuri.com

www.pentairaes.com

www.qualitykoi.com

http://www.shokoi.com/


• Select filtration equipment that does not havepads or other media that must be cleanedby physically handling it.

Accumulation of solids on the bottom of pond:• Properly design and locate waterfalls, jets,

water returns, bottom drains with aerationdomes, skimmers, and streams (anythingthat aids circulation of the pond water).

• Design shape of the pond without complexshapes that include peninsulas, coves or anytortuous contours that will create interfer-ence with the circulation pattern.

• Eliminate rocks and plants so that the pondcan be completely filtered and cleaned.

• For smooth bottom ponds, a cleaning robotcan be used.

Pump not working:• Provide multiple pumps to circulate water

thus ensuring some circulation even if onepump stops.

Designing a Pond with Maintenance in Mindby Ken Austin, Certified Koi Keeper

Koi Organisation International

Keeping your pond in the bestcondition to ensure that it remains ahealthy habitat for the fish is one ofthe responsibilities pond ownerstake on the day they decide to build

a pond. A small system, heavily stocked with fishand plants, will require more work than a largelightly stocked system, but all ponds need somekind of maintenance.

Water quality management is a key issue andthere are problems to be addressed at differenttimes of the year. During design and construc-tion, consider the following solutions to theproblems listed below and then future mainte-nance tasks will be easier.

Filter pads or other media clogged with solids:• Provide easy access to filter chambers, a wash-

hose and a means to easily dispose ofwastewater; or

• Provide easy access to pumps.• Provide easy means to disconnect pumps

for maintenance.

Accumulation of leaves and other plant debris:• Avoid building pond in close proximity to

trees or bushes.• Provide easy access around pond so a net can

be installed over it in autumn when leavesstart to fall. (Note: prevent net from sagginginto water).

• Trim and remove dead vegetation in or nearpond as often as needed.

Monitoring fish health and manage over stocking:

• Create a zone of open water in the pondwhere Koi can be easily viewed (this mayalso be the area where Koi are typically fed).

• Provide access around the pond so that netsand seines can be easily used to capturefish.

• Provide an area at the water's edge where fishcan be easily bowled.

Application of chemicals or medications:• Have access to a hospital tank for the

treatment of sick fish.• Provide means to bypass the bioconverter, yet

still provide aeration to pond water duringwater treatments.

• Have specific and accurate knowledge ofpond volume.

Overgrown or excessive amounts of pond plants:

• Do not put any plants in the pond.• Keep plants in containers that can easily be

removed so plants can be thinned andtrimmed.

• Thin and trim potted pond plants at leastonce or twice per year. This would includedividing a fibrous root mass and onlyreplanting a small portion of it.

Water change outs:• Provide piping and conveniently located

valves necessary to bring in source waterand dispose of wastewater.

• Add water to the system (w/o draining first)and allow the excess to overflow to someacceptable location.

High water temperatures (with subsequent low dissolved oxygen levels):

• Provide multi-speed pumps or multiplepumps so that the flow to the waterfall orother aeration device can be increased

• Provide additional aeration devices (e.g. spraybars, venturis, fountains, etc.) that can beturned on when needed

• Provide shade structures or shade cloths overpond.

• Refrigeration units known as chillers can beused to reduce pond water temperature.

Green water:• Properly size the bioconverter and have an

appropriate flow rate through the biocon-verter for the amount of fish food put intothe pond each day (at least 60 gpm for eachpound of food per day).

• Include a properly sized UV unit, plumbedafter the filter, if needed.

• Provide a raised lip at the edge of the pond toprevent runoff from surrounding areasgetting into pond.

• Locate the pond such that any fertilizer orpesticide applied to the adjacent landscap-ing (even from the neighbor's yard) doesnot get into pond.

• Provide shade over the pond, particularly inthe lower latitudes where ponds areexposed to numerous hours of intensesunlight each day.

• Ensure that the shape of the pond does notcreate any stagnant areas where there ispoor water circulation.



purchased singly or in sets and with or without atransformer or photocell. For a small pond theseare great. You can purchase a small kit with three10w lights, timer & photocell for around $60.Halogen bulbs do not last long so you will haveto reach into the water to change the bulb, becareful to make sure the light cap is on securelyotherwise water will enter the light & blow thebulb again.

LEDNewer technology that can be used submersed orexternal. Place them under a waterfall or in a treepointing down at the falls. Most companies offeronly white light but some, like Alpine, offer color& color changing LED. They also come in avariety of wattage sizes and are available with orwithout transformers. The upside is that the bulbwill not only last longer it will use less wattagewhen compared to the halogen. For example a1.5watt LED is comparable to a 10W Halogenand a 3watt LED is expected to last approxi-mately 50,000 hours while the 20w Halogen last

P o n d L i g h t i n g f o r A l l B u d g e t sby Lisa Burns, Backyard Getaway

Photos by Bart Boewe, Owner of Moonlit Gallery Outdoor Lighting

Pond lighting has come a long way inthe past few years. We've gone fromhaving only submersible halogenlights to having the choice of halogen,LED & Fiber Optic. There are low

voltage lights & solar lights, submersed lights,external lights, floating lights, spotlights,pinpoint lights & even rope lights. All make greatadditions to your pond viewing pleasure.

With all these choices it makes it difficult toknow what would work best in your pond. Whatyou decide to use will depend on what you aretrying to achieve, if you are Eco-conscious & ofcourse, how much you want to invest. Here is acomparison of some of the most popular choices.

Halogen LightsThese are the most economical lights as far asinitial purchase. They are available in a variety ofwattage sizes including 10w, 20w, 50w up to150w, are low voltage, can be simple white lightor add a colored lens for special effect, can be

only 2000 hours. LED is a bit more expensivethan the halogen for initial purchase but will costless to run & maintain.

SolarThese are great if you don't have electric availablenear your pond. You can find small decorativefloating lights or elaborate systems with separatesolar panels.

Fiber OpticThis is the grand daddy of pond lighting. Whatmakes this light source unique is that it uses onesingle light bulb (halogen or halide) in a box thatsits outside the pond making it easy to changethe bulb. Up to sixteen separate fiber optic lightcables are bundled together at one end into acommon fitting and placed in front of the lightsource. Light shines into the end of the fiberoptic cables, travels through the cables, and outthe other end, illuminating whatever the designer

wishes to light up. Light fixtures as small as a pencap attached to the end of the cables can beplaced underwater, next to the water, in betweenrocks, or almost anywhere in or out of the pond.No heat or electricity travels through the fibers,making fiber safe for many environments. Acolor wheel can be placed between the lightsource and the fiber to create single or changingcolored light. Of course this is also the mostexpensive option with small 4 light kits startingaround $750.00 but boy is it beautiful.

Author: Lisa Burns, Backyard Getaway, ourwebsite is backyardgetaway.net.


http://www.shokoi.com/

Fall Pond CareCourtesy of Jan Goldfield

Greater Louisville Koi and Goldfish Society

Special fall pond care is necessary whenour plants and fish begin goingdormant in cooler weather. Whentemperatures start dropping and weknow that Indian Summer is just

around the corner, our pond requires that weslow down or stop many things we did daily orweekly in the hot summer.

Water LiliesOur water lilies’ pads are getting smaller and theyare blooming less and less. Water lilies respond totemperatures and length of daylight. Stop feedingyour lilies in the fall and allow them to go intodormancy. If you stimulate growth now, youcould lose the lily when winter freezes hit yourpart of the country. Lower them to the bottom of

the pond if they are not there already. They willover winter better there where the water iswarmer. If they are hardy lilies, they will be finein freezes. If they are tropical special care isneeded to keep them through the winter.

Bog PlantsIf your bog plants are tropical you can bringthem in the house and hope they will survive.Many of them, like taro, callas and cyperus donot require being in water and will do well in soilor sand. Bring them in the house, keep them inmedium light and they should do fine. If yourplants are hardy, just cut them back to make surenone of the emergent vegetation freezes, dies andfouls the pond. The hardy bog plants will comeback in the spring bigger and better.


Remove Japanese Iris and Lobelia cardinalis andplant it in the ground if it freezes where you live.Mulch it up good and they should survive nicelyand be ready to put back in the pond in thespring. Remove canna rhizomes from their pots.Store them in a pot in peat in a basement. Keepthe peat damp.

Submerged PlantsIf your pond is below the freeze line in your partof the country, your submerged plants should dojust fine. If not and your pond freezes solid, bringthem in the house right before the freeze andkeep them in an aquarium with aquariumlighting.

Fish FeedingIf you feed your fish, when the temperatures startto drop below 60 degrees F, ease up on thefeeding. Feed no more than two or three timesweekly. Fish are cold blooded animals whosebody temperatures are the same as ambienttemperatures, therefore their metabolisms are

slowing down as temperatures drop. Whenmetabolisms slow, digestion slows as well. If you feed the fish too much, they cannot digest it and may die. When the temperatures drop to50 degrees F, stop feeding completely.

PredatorsYour floating plants are getting smaller andsmaller, so cruising herons and egrets can seeyour fish more easily. To protect your fish makeplaces for them to hide. You can buy “castles”commercially or you can turn some clay pondson their sides.

Another good hiding place is a large flat rockplaced on top of a couple of chunky rocks makes a great spot for fish to get away fromhungry birds.

Leaf netting will keep the predators away as wellas keep debris out of the pond.

CleaningIt’s time to get all the falling leaves, debris, sticks,dead and decomposing organic material and fishpoop off the bottom, in the waterfall cracks andsides. You can do a total cleanout, use a pond vacor a siphon if you can. No matter how you do it,the pond has to be clean and it sure is easier todo it now than the night before a hard freeze.

If you have a skimmer, it will not remove theleaves. It is made to remove the occasional leaf,not a tree full. You can cover your pond with leafnetting. You can buy it at most nurseries or makeit from nylon net available in most big box stores.

I have known some folks to pound stakes aroundtheir ponds and cover the entire pond withvisqueen, making a pond greenhouse. This willadd at least 10 degrees to the temperature insideyour greenhouse. Putting lights under there willadd even more heat and keep leaves and otherdebris out of the water. Just make sure air can getin and out.

See the heron waiting for his lunch?


www.pentairaes.com


To minimize contamination of these valves, it isrecommended that the pond owner cover thevalve with a shower cap, plastic bag, or someother item in order to prevent sand from blowinginto the valve cavity.

If it is found that when running in the filterposition, water is also coming out of the wasteline, this indicates that the filter seal is torn, outof place, or has debris (rocks) under the seal.This repair generally requires that the sealassembly be replaced.

If any of the above conditions are present, havethe pond service person to make the repairs.

Control Valve Maintenance and Repairby Don Harrawood, SKAPA - KHA

An atmosphere of wind and blowingsand can result in contamination offilter control valves. When controlvalves become excessively hard toturn from position to position, this

means the valve mechanism is contaminatedwith sand or other forms of debris.

If this condition is not corrected, continual usemay result in worn parts or broken handles.With a little effort, these valves can be disassem-bled, cleaned, lubricated and reassembled at littlecost. If parts need to be replaced due to wear orbreakage, larger costs may occur.


Win a Free MAKC Membership for the 2015/2016 Year!

So how do you enter to win a free MAKC membership for the2015/2016 year? Just mail in an original sale receipt dated from

June 1, 2014 thru March 31, 2015 for any products or services from any of the vendors who advertise

in the MAKC magazine!

Mail the original receipts along with your name, address,phone number and email address to:

MAKCPO Box 91

Ulster Park, NY 12487

There is NO limit to thenumber of entries you cansubmit! Entries must be

postmarked by April 5, 2015 in order to be eligible.

The drawing will be held onSunday, April 19, 2015.


Should I care about water chemistry?Good question and the answer is a bigyes!! The reason is that in nature watercontains all kinds of stuff - impurities,buffers, iron, manganese, nutrients,

phosphates, salt, etc. The exact contents of thewater and the percentage of each will vary greatlydepending upon what city, state, or country youare in. The fish you maintain will require specificwater chemistry and, as a hobbyist, it becomesyour duty to provide it.

To maintain fish in any type of water chemistrywhich is different from their natural environ-ment will lead to stress and the possible death ofyour fish. Most good fish books will indicate thebest water chemistry range for any given fish youare contemplating keeping. Koi have anoptimum water temperature range of 60-77°F

and prefer pH between 7.0 and 8.6 but this is notto say they can’t live outside these ranges. Theywill obviously do best within these ranges.

So what happens when my faucet water does notmatch what the fish require? Another goodquestion. There are a couple of avenues ofapproach we can take as a hobbyist. The easiestwould be to simply keep fish whose water chem-istry requirements match that of the watercoming out of our faucets. However, the fish youreally desire to keep might not fit into thosecriteria. Now you are facing avenue number two.This avenue is more involved, but not too diffi-cult, even for the beginner. Basically, you have tochange the chemistry of your water to match theoptimal requirements of the fish you will bekeeping. The bottom line here is that water

It's as easy as A B C . . . Pond Basic Concepts . . .

Water Chemistry?by Ed Keene (DCAS) Adapted for Ponds by Carolyn Weise


can purchase at your local fish store. Severalbrands of additives are available which will loweror raise the pH. These are not multi-purposeadditives. They either do one or the other.

Another way to reduce the pH is to use a C02(carbon dioxide) injection system. These systemsare widely used in aquariums with live plants asit stimulates the plant growth. When the C02dissolves in the water, it creates carbonic acidwhich in turn lowers the pH. However, as soon asthe C02 leaves the water, the pH will rise again.Therefore, if a C02 system is used to lower thepH, there must be a continuous supply. C02systems are extremely expensive and not worththe cost if you only use it to lower the pH. A lessexpensive way of lowering the pH is by addingacetic acid (vinegar). Unless you know what youare doing, I would not suggest you try thismethod directly in the pond. Too much acid atone time will virtually burn up your fish. Foranyone using this method, I'd suggest you addthe acid to water in a bucket first, and whenproperly mixed, add the water to the pond.

An additional way to increase the pH value is byusing buffers. Buffers can be purchased in mostfish stores. When dissolved in water, they raisethe pH value by virtue of actually raising what isknown as the carbonate hardness (KH). Somebuffers will raise both the pH and KH whileothers will raise only the KH. Another term youshould be familiar with is 'buffering capacity',also known as 'buffering action'. Bufferingcapacity is the ability of the water to maintain itspH value as acids are added. If the water hasample buffering capacity, the buffering capacitycan absorb and neutralize the added acid in thewater without significantly changing the pH.Think of buffers as a type of vacuum cleaner.Buffers suck up any acids in the water and at thesame time change the pH very little. Just like avacuum cleaner, buffers get full and cannot suckup anything else. If the buffers have used up theirbuffering capacity, acid will build up and the pHwill drop as the water turns acidic. In this case,

chemistry is extremely important to the health ofthe fish and you must know a little about it.

So without any further ado, let's look deeper intowater chemistry. You do not need to know all thedetails about water chemistry, however, as a fishhobbyist, you should definitely know about pH,buffers, and water hardness.

pHpH is a measure of the 'power of hydrogen' orthe water acidity or alkalinity. The pH scaleranges from 1 (extremely acid) through 7(considered neutral) to 14 (extremely alkaline).Ocean water normally has a pH of approximately8.3 while fresh water pH ranges from 5.0 to 8.0,depending upon where in this world you arelocated. Water having a pH under 7.0 is consid-ered to be acidic while water with a pH over 7.0is considered alkaline.

Most good fish books will tell you the requiredpH range for any particular type of fish. Thecenter of the specified range would be its‘optimal’ pH. The major portion of pond fishcan be maintained in a pH which is between 6.5and 9.0. If your faucet water is within that range,there is a wide selection of pond fish available toyou without having to make major pH changesto your water.

If you need to make a major change to the pHlevel, either up or down, there are relatively easyways to accomplish this. First a word of cautionwhen changing the pH value. Changing the pHlevel too rapidly will stress out the fish, if not killthem. pH level changes need to done slowly andin no more than .5 step intervals. Increasing thepH level is done the same way - no more than .5change per day and once reached, maintain it 12hours before making the next change. The closeryou can get the pH to the optimal pH require-ment of the fish, the better.

There are several ways to adjust the pH. Theeasiest way is by the use of additives which you


it is time to perform a water change and addmore buffer.

General HardnessGeneral hardness (GH) refers to the amount ofdissolved magnesium and calcium ions in thewater. When fish are said to prefer 'soft' or 'hard'water, it is GH that is being referred to, not theKH. Many people often confuse soft water with alow pH and consider them to be one-and-the-same. They are not the same thing, howevergenerally you cannot change one without itaffecting the other. In fact, GH falls into the samecategory. Any modification to GH, KH, or pHwill invariably affect the other two.

GH water test kits are available to measure thedegrees hardness (dH) and/or parts per million(ppm). Some test kits will measure one or theother while some measure both. Although differ-ent measurements, dH and ppm are synony-mous. When water is softened, magnesium andcalcium ions are removed from the water and,when hardened, just the opposite occurs.

If you want to raise the GH and KH naturally,you can add some sea shells, oyster shells, coralor limestone. If you crush them to fine chips, putthem inside of a filter bag of some type, andplace them inside your filter, they will work bestwith water flowing over them.

In turn, if you need to raise the KH withoutraising the GH, add a small amount of commonbaking soda. A 3/4 teaspoon full of baking sodawill raise the KH approximately 4 dH per 10gallons of water.

If you need to lower the GH, or soften the water,the easiest way is by using peat moss which iscommonly just referred to as peat. Peat is avail-able in most fish stores. Although you canpurchase peat at your local garden center, Iwould suggest you not do that unless you knowexactly what you are doing. The garden center

variety generally contains additives of some typewhich will prove catastrophic to your fish. Whatyou purchase in the fish store does not containany harmful additives, although you will paymore for it. If you want to keep the peat out ofsite, put it inside of a filter bag of some type, andplace it inside your filter. Peat works best if wateris flowing over it.

One drawback many hobbyists have againstusing peat is that it may, and in most cases will,turn your water a tea color -sometimes darkerthan others. The good news is that there is a wayto beat the tea coloration. I put a highlyabsorbent charcoal filter pad, which is availablein most good fish stores, inside of my filter. Thewater flowing through my filter, passes throughthe peat, then through the charcoal (or activatedcarbon) before it returns to the main pond. Thecharcoal captures all of the tea discoloration andthe pond water remains crystal clear. Thecharcoal cannot be washed out so I'd suggest youreplace it at the same time you clean your filter.

A much more effective way to lower the GH is bythe use of 'reverse osmosis' (R/O) water. You canpurchase a reverse osmosis unit at a good fishstore, but be prepared to spend several hundreddollars to get a fairly decent model - keep inmind I did not say one of the best models. Inaddition to lowering or softening the water, aR/O unit will also purify the water.

In ConclusionThere are many sources of information if youwant to learn more about water chemistry. Mostgood fish books talk about it to some degreewhile other books are dedicated solely to thesubject. We have only scratched the surface here -you have only been given an insight into thesubject. The insight I have given you, however,will prove to be an important beginning if you need to change the water chemistry in your pond.

Introducing Sakai Fish FarmCourtesy of Hikari USA

Continuing our conversations withleading Japanese Koi breeders thistime we visited Sakai Fish Farm, thelargest producer of high quality Koiin Japan and the breeder of five of

the last 10 All Japan Koi Show Champions. We interviewed Mr. Kentaro Sakai to get histhoughts on their very technical approach to Koi breeding.

About Sakai Fish FarmHistoryThe farm began growing “Magoi” around 1897in Hiroshima which they have helped develop into the one of the two largest Koi breeding regionsin Japan. Their Nishikigoi breeding started in1955. Today, “Gosanke” varieties are their mainfocus, but a large variety of other types of Koi arealso grown in about 90 ponds covering five cho(+/-12.25 acres) areas for young Koi, 80 ponds

10t Baby Koi Indoor Koi Pond



covering thirty cho (+/- 73.5 acres) areas for two-to five-year-old Koi and 14 indoor ponds.

EquipmentAs one of the most technologically advanced Koi farms in Japan, they introduced the heatedindoor pond, construction of artificial fieldponds, the use of modern and never-usedfarming equipment and the study of fish healthconditions in cooperation with specialized facili-ties to develop novel treatment procedures. Theyare synonymous with high level Nishikigoibreeding around the world.

Their farm primarily uses river water requiringtheir fresh water supply and water circulationprocesses be equipped with filtration and disin-fection devices that offer optimal water qualityconditions. Most of these processes have beendeveloped exclusively in-house.

Furthermore, their indoor ponds are equippedwith automatic feeding machines, high-leveloxygen generating equipment, high-volumeaeration equipment, temperature/pH monitors,UV sterilization and a number of other uniqueprocedures to maintain ultimate water quality.All the technical data collected through thesevarious processes is a key to their cultivation ofprize winning Koi.

(1) Automatic feeding machine(2) Oxygen generator(3) Pond water temperature recording station

River water filtration/ disinfection facilityRiver Water --> Sand Strainer--> SedimentationSettler --> 1st Sand Filtration Tank--> 2nd SandFiltration Tank --> UV Sterilizer = 300 tons ofriver water is treated daily.

The Production Style of Sakai Fish FarmQ: What is your breeding policy?

We are keenly focused on the appearance of our

fish and their chancesof winning a majorKoi show. We feelthere are five principalrequirements: state-of-the-art equipment,high quality water,good Koi parents, dataused to improveresults and the use of a high quality diet.

Q: Could you give usmore specific breedingmethods?

Breeding Koi in acement pond with centralized control and clearpond water is easier than in a field pond. Cement

Automatic Feeding Machine

Oxygen Generator

Pond Water Temperature

Recording Station

pond breeding can becompared to training campfor top athletes, wherepromising players are able toachieve improved results bygetting in shape. Keeping thefish in a cement pond helpsus control the timing of aKoi's optimal conditionbased on its Koi showschedule. On the contrary, ifwe want to grow out two orthree year old young Koiusing a field pond, enablesus to get the rapid growthwe desire. We choose thebest method according tothe purpose and the age of the Koi.

Merits of Cement PondBreeding

* Direct observation ofthe Koi enables us tocontrol their physicalcondition and adjustthe amount of food toobtain the growth werequire.

* The Koi are not subjectto the weather condi-tion impact.

* The Koi suffer feweraccidents than thosekept in the field pond.

The ideal body conforma-tion and dignified appear-ance of this Koi is a Sakaisignature.

It won the grand champi-onship at the 42nd All JapanCombined Nishikigoi Showin 2011 (Size 90bu), fedSaki-Hikari®.

Water Quality Control House

70-ton Grand Champion Pond



In this 10-ton pond, the 28th All Japan YoungShow's Grand Champion, a 63 Bu Kohaku, wasfinished. It achieved three consecutive wins, afirst in show history. Kyorin's Saki-Hikari®

“Deep Red™” worked extremely well to enhancethe “Hi” while Saki-Hikari® “Pure White™”helped develop a very nice “Shiroji”. Using Saki-Hikari® we now fully realize the importance dietcan play.

This 70-ton pond is used to finish Koi we intendto enter in the All Japan Koi Show annually. The70-ton water volume and additional length is ourminimum requirement to make the Koi work outproperly. The long and narrow pond enables usto easily use a scoop net. It is equipped with anindependent filtration system so that we canadjust the water quality as necessary.

Brief Advice About How to Grow Beautiful Koi

* Choose Koi with a quality bloodline. Mostchampion-grade Koi are of prestigiouslineages. Purchase those Koi, such as Sakai-bred Koi, through reliable Koi dealers.

* Focus on water quality. Regular measurementof water temperature and pH helps identifyany change in water quality. Quality wateris a key to bringing out the full potential ofa Koi.

* Choose a diet that is proven to be of highquality. Your Koi should eat the foodaggressively, we suggest the Sakai's brandand Kyorin's Saki-Hikari®, these are thediets we use and know produce anoutstanding result. Remember, no matterhow good all the other breeding conditionsare, poor quality food can spoil the growthof your Koi and eliminate their chances ofwinning a show. We feel the importance ofdiet comprises 30 to 40 percent of theultimate grow out success.

* Decide the amount of food based on theweight of your fish. Consider water temper-ature and condition as well as the conditionof your Koi to develop the ideal amount.Don't impulsively change the type oramount of food, as this also impacts the result.


Pump Problems (nobody told me about)by Carolyn Weise, Florida

I’ve had a pond, one place or another, fornearly 30 years. But until recently I havenever experienced the amount of pondpump maintenance that has been required.What I’ve had to do with this one is not

normal, nor should it be anticipated in a Koipond. I bought a very good pump or would havehad to replace it long ago, perhaps many times inthe past 2 years. But here’s the tale of woe:

As they say, always expect the unexpected. It’sMurphy’s Law. I still didn’t think they weretalking about my Koi pond. But from the initialinstallation, every small thing that can go wrong,pretty much has gone wrong. I prepared forhurricanes, flooding, power outages, extremeheat, and a host of predators that have called thishome a long time before I did.

What I did not expect was a “different” way ofconstructing ponds, since the water table isalmost equal to the road surface and seems toshift from season to season. The workers didn’tgauge the level of the pond in relation to thedepth of the filtration system, as far as I canfigure, so the pump continues to lose primewhen backwashed and nothing seems to circum-vent this. It’s a frustrating situation.

Many calls to the filtration Manufacturer havenot helped. Combining numerous visits from theinstaller and having the manufacturer on thephone simultaneously, and still nothing has beenresolved. Reconfiguring the filtration on thepond�end only served to created many cracks in the pond walls. Yes, it’s Murphy’s Law, aliveand well…

Once we had the cracks, even though they werevery small cracks, a small amount of waterescaped from each, daily. When you have a multi-tude of tiny cracks leaking tiny amounts of waterdaily, it can amount to something noticeable bythe end of the week, eventually. And eventually I did notice.

I also noticed that the cracks were spreading,growing, and becoming longer. What was about12˝ was now almost the 4´ side of the pond, fromtop to bottom. This was not in the plans. Butbeing a good pinch�hitter, I got the pond fixed!


The heavy weight of a revised “bakki”system on top, which had weighed theside down and caused these cracks, wasremoved and the pond relined with liquidEPDM (at great cost!) And this doesn’teven come close to the labor involved inmoving 8 very large (24-36˝ Koi) fromtheir pond into my swimming pool, andback, with only one fatality.

Well, here comes the PUMP PROBLEM! I thought we were finished. I thought allthe problems were fixed… NOPE. Not yet.

The liquid liner started bubbling up offthe bottom within SIX WEEKS after itwas applied. Whether the fish werepicking at it or not, pieces began goinginto the bottom drains. From there, somepieces went through the pre-pumpstrainer, into the IMPELLER. It doesn’ttake too much to stop up the impeller.Oh, it runs a long time like that, but itdoes take a toll on the pump. All it takes isa quick POWER�OUTAGE to stop the

pump and I have no filtration… again! Everytime that happens, it costs me $75 for the man atthe pump place to fix (clean) the impeller andput it back together again. Every time it happens,I have to have someone take the pump apart forme. Every time this happens, the water in mybead filter goes septic in about 4 hours. Andevery time it happens, I have to be on hand whenthe system is turned back on again so the fish arenot subjected to the septic (hydrogen sulfide andfilthy water) being pumped back into the pond.Fish are killed this way.

The last time I took the pump in, it needed newbearings. Next time, it will probably need awhole new pump. Well, the pump was all rightexcept for the liquid EPDM. How do you ratepumps for EPDM lining capture?? And, now I’mwondering if it wouldn’t have been cheaper andeasier to just build a whole new pond. Do youthink I should ask Mr. Murphy?


www.kodamakoifarm.com


pond connected by the underground pipe. Whendigging your own pond style settling chamber, besure to make it deep and as close to a cone shapeas possible to increase efficiency. This secondpond can also be filled with floating plants thatwill help consume the Koi waste creating addi-tional filtration. However this second "settlingpond" will need to be cleaned frequently since itis removing the majority of the solids from thelarger Koi pond. So keep this in mind whendesigning it.

One thing to keep in mind with a settlingchamber is flow rate. If the water flows throughthe SC too quickly, then the waste from the Koipond will not have time to settle out and it willsimply pass right though the pump. The effi-ciency of the SC is all about dwell time. Thelonger the water dwells in the tank, the better thesettling. As a general rule the SC needs to be 10%of the flow rate. So if you have a 4000 GPHpump, then your SC needs to be at least 400gallons. That's a pretty big tank! Many times, onlarger Koi ponds, all of the water does not flowthrough a single SC. Instead several lines arecreated, each with their own pump. For examplethe bottom drain flows into a smaller SC and asmaller pump sends it to a filter. Then a separatepump is used in the skimmer and sends it toanother filter. Having separate feeds like thisallows you to use smaller pumps and smallersized equipment, and when you add up the flowof all the pumps, you have enough circulation forthe size of the Koi pond.

Another way to get around the giant settlingchamber and still be effective is to use aMicroscreen. There are several versions of the

What is a Settling Chamber?Courtesy of Simi Koi

http://www.simikoi.com/subcat365.html

Many new hobbyists have a bit oftrouble understanding thesettling chamber withoutactually seeing one in action.Basically a settling chamber

(often referred to as an SC) is like a skimmer,except instead of water flowing from the top ofthe Koi pond, it flows from the bottom. An SC ispurely a mechanical filter designed to removesolids before the water is sent to the biologicalfilter. The reason for this is the bio filter will befar more effective if it doesn't have to deal withall the solid waste.

The SC is placed near the Koi pond and is an inground container or tank of some shape. Mostwill be a cone or cylinder shape and use a vortexmotion to aid in the settling. Water flows fromthe bottom of the Koi pond, through a bottomdrain, into the SC. The solid waste from the Koipond flows gently into the SC and settles at thebottom of the tank. A pump then pulls thecleaner water from the top of the SC and sends itto the bio filter. Usually a valve is placed at thebottom of the SC so you can simply open in anddrain away the settled waste. However somesettling chambers are buried flush with theground and instead of a valve, a sump pump, orsolids handling pump is used to clean out the SC.

The design of the SC can take many shapes. Themost effective is the cone shape. This design hasthe water entering in at an angle so the water canspin in the tank. This increases the settling effect.But a cone shape is not required. Some settlingchambers can take the form of a second smaller

microscreen on the market today. Basically thewater passes through a fine stainless steel mesh,usually 250 or 500 microns. The screen willquickly clog so various self cleaning systems havebeen developed. The most popular is the spraybar. The screen is designed like a round drum.(imagine a 5 gallon bucket and the walls of thebucket are the mesh. Water is pulled through apipe in the middle of the drum. The pipe comesup through the bottom center of the drum and itspins on this pipe.

Water after the pump is sent back to the center ofthe drum through small spray bars thatconstantly turn and spray the mesh clean. Usinga self cleaning microscreen such as this cangreatly increase the efficiency of a settlingchamber. You can send much higher volumes ofwater through a smaller tank and the micro-screen will prevent debris from passing throughto the pump and filter.


www.qualitykoi.com

www.longislandfishhospital.com

http://www.microbelift.com


Wishing you Happy Holidays and May All Your Big Koi Dreams for the

Next Year Come True.

Photo taken at Dainichi Koi Farm

From MAKC Staff

The Tri-State ZNA Third AnnualKoi Show was held on Saturday,July 12, 2014 at Kodama KoiFarm in Saddle River, New Jersey.

It was a beautiful dayto take the drivedown the New YorkThruway and over toour neighboring state,to view the beautifulKoi on display.

Everyone I spoke towas friendly and wellinformed, offeringsuggestions andadvice. In particular,Jim Reilly and BillStory offered to helpthe MAKC with our

Saddle River on a Saturday by Herb Ehrich, New York



shows. Jim is a well known Koi judge andBill is an experienced photographer andvery knowledgeable in benching.

Many thanks to Duc Nguyen and TaroKodama for their hospitality towards meand MAKC.

Planning for Next YearMarch 7-8, 2015Koi Club of San Diego 28th Koi ShowSan Diego, held at the Del Mar Fairgroundswww.koiclubofsandiego.org

March 13-15Central Florida Koi ShowHeld at the International Palms Resort &Conference Center on International Drive,Orlando, FL. http://cfks.org/

May 22-14Greater Louisville Koi & Goldfish SocietyAnnual ShowMemorial Day Weekendwww.louisvillekoiclub.com/annual_show.html

June 26-28Midwest Pond & Koi Society Koi and Gold-fish Show & TradeshowHeld at the Darien Sportsplex.See our website for upcoming eventshttp://www.mpks.org/

Have an upcoming Koi event, please send theinformation to [email protected]. We will beglad to include it in future articles.

Don’t forget your own MAKC Club has eventscoming up that can be found in our digitalmagazine or at www.makc.com. We always needvolunteers for meetings and shows. It is amazinghow much you can learn by helping. Takeadvantage of being an MAKC member andparticipate in the club events.

See you soon at a Koi event.

On the Road to aKoi Event


Send your meeting and event information to Carolyn Weise

[email protected] December 15th for the

January/February 2015 issue.

M A K C E v e n t s

Saugerties Chapter Meetings

Sunday, November 16Held at Bernie & Kathy CarrollSaugerties, New York

Contact Herb Ehrich for further informationabout upcoming meetings [email protected]

Future meeting December 14.

Meeting are held at 3 pm - 5 p.m.

All places of meeting will be determined Contact Herb for further [email protected]

Long Island Chapter Holiday Party

Sunday, December 7 NoonMilleridge Inn585 North Broadway,Jericho, NY 11753Phone: 516.931.2201

The Holiday Party is set. We will meet at theMillerridge Inn for their Holiday Brunch.

Feel free to call Bruce at cell 516-477-1823 oremail [email protected]

Happy Holidays & Stay Well

Send submissions for our Sunshine Column to -Carolyn Weise, Editor [email protected]

Sunshine Column

Balance as of June 30, 2014 $13,958.33

Income:Memberships 607.85Sponsorships 4,500.00

Total Income $5,107.85

Expenses:Printing/Publication 1,600.00Trailer Tires 800.00Host Fees (July) 196.82Trailer Repair 425.81Total Expenses $3,022.63

Balance as of October 30, 2014 $16,043.55

Reserve Account/Prepaid MembershipsSavings Bank Account 6,325.57Balance $6,325.57

Club Total BalanceAs if October 31, 2014 $22,369.12

Submitted by Anthony Vitale, New York

Treasurer’s Report


October Club RaffleOn Sunday, October 19, 2014 at the SaugertiesChapter meeting we raffled off, a 2.2 pound bag of Kodama Koi Wheat Germ food, a $28.00 value!

Kodama Koi Farm has been a long time supportof the MAKC. They have been serving the international Koi community for over 40 years.

So how does one enter this raffle? You just have tobe a member in good standing!

MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers

Tom Burton Middletown, NJ 732-671-7045

Jan & Bill Fogle Wayne, PA 610-687-3105

Terri Janas Ashburn, VA 703-729-2988

Jeff Nicholson Odenton, MD 301-912-1928

All members have microscopes and healthbooks. In the event of a recorded message,please suggest a time when you're home toreceive a return call or when you'd like to call back.

Please remember that advice is given basedon your input–the ultimate responsibilityand treatment must remain with you.

Disclaimer: MAKC and its officers assume noresponsibility for claims of advertisers or thequality/serviceability of goods offered.

MAKC Member Needs Your Help

F O R S A L E

Remember any MAKC member can list theirKoi, pond, or related items for sale here in yourmagazine at no charge. Please contact Joanntoday if you have something for sale.

BAMBOO. Winter hardy and tropical forindoors. Thinning collection. Reasonable prices.Call Ron Altman, NY 718-442-1673 (Office) or908-658-3055 (H).

W A N T E D

KOI. Foster Home. Large natural pond. Happy to accept your overgrown or unwanted“children.” Call Rich Menashe in Metuchen, NJ, 732-767-0720.

F..A..S..T.. Ads – November/December

F..A..S..T.. Ads Policy & DeadlinesF..A..S..T.. Ads are available FREE toMAKC members only; no commercial ads.Ads are limited to 10 items and mustinclude name, phone number, town andstate. Deadline is the 1st of each month. Help do you have an hour or two? We need a volunteer to manage this page.Please contactJoann Mead • [email protected]

KOI. Wanted Healthy Pond Grade KOI over 10˝.Will pay reasonable prices. I have a 750,000gallon pond and will adopt any unwanted KOI.Call Joseph Pollock in Virginia at 540-788-9222.

KOI. Wanted for large deep natural pond next tosoon to be built wine tasting room in winecountry of Northern Virginia. Happy to acceptany and all Koi of any size and color. Stop by andvisit them next year when our tasting roomopens. Call Mark Malick in Purcellville, VA, 540-270-3399 (cell).

KOI BITO MAGAZINES – in good condition.Send list with asking price, or call Roger Klocke701-491-2803, E-mail at [email protected] address: Roger Klocke,4805 Meadow Creek Dr., Fargo, ND 58104.

KOI STORE EMPLOYEE. Looking for a knowledgeable Koi and pond hobbyist. Part-time, competitive pay. Outstandingemployee discounts! Call John at Blue RibbonKoi Products. 703-753-7566.

MAKC CENTRAL CHAPTER VICE-PRESIDENT. Schedule 4 to 12 meetings per year.This includes making sure that the meetingannouncement is submitted to the magazine andthe MAKC website. Plenty of advice and supportare available. Your "compensation" .... knowingthat you have given back to MAKC and yourfellow members. Please don't wait for someoneelse to step forward! MAKC is a membershiporganization. If more than one person is interested, you can share the fun! E-mail Joann Mead at [email protected] or call 845-389-5712.


Hikari . . . . . . . . . 8, Back Cover

Kodama Koi Farm . . . . . . 8, 26

Long Island Fish Hospital . . 28

Matala USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Microbe-Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Nisei Koi Farm . . . . . . . . . 8, 28

Pentair Aquatic

Eco-Systems, Inc. . . . . . 8, 14

Quality Koi Company . . . 8, 28

Total Koi Food . . . . . . . . . .8, 11

Mid-Atlantic KoiAd Index

Advertise in Mid-Atlantic Koi!

Ad Rates from $15/issue* for a business card ad to $300/issue*

for a full page color ad.

Reach your target audience of Koikeepers & water gardeners each month

and leave your competition in the dust!!

Contact Joann Mead at

845-389-5712 (leave message) or e-mail:[email protected]

to request information on our advertiserpackages and/or a copy of

our ad rate sheet.

*With an annual 10 issue contract.

Join or RenewYour Membership

Submit Your MAKCMembership Form by printingout page 37 and mailing it in.

Do it today, it only takes a couple of minutes.

www.makc.com


Koi’s Age

How old is your Koi in Japanese? Here arethe first five years with some phoneticpronunciation help.

Tosai (toe’sigh) 1-year-old Koi

Nisai (knee’ sigh) 2-year-old Koi

Sansai (sahn’ sigh) 3-year-old Koi

Yonsai (yoo-hn’ sigh) 4-year-old Koi

Gosai (go’sigh) 5-year-old Koi

www.makc.com

Picture to Share –


www.hikariusa.com

mid-atlantic koi magazine november/december 2014

Documents

atlantic koi page

midatlantic koi clubvolume

koi event

koi keepers

atlantic koithe magazine

greater louisville koi

t t e ejoe zuritsky

volunteers t