Mid-Atlantic Koi Magazine September 2014

Mid~Atlantic KoiThe Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club September 2014

Page 2 Mid-Atlantic Koi September 2014

Mid-Atlantic Koi Deadlinesfor articles, meeting announcements and ads

October Issue Deadline: September 1Available Online: October 1

Nov/Dec Issue Deadline: October 15Available Online: November 15

The Membership Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club

Volume 28, Number 3 September 2014

Long IslandChapter

Pond Tour

Photo bySusan Levine

President’s Message . . . . . . . .4From the Editor’s Desk . . . . .6Sunshine Column . . . . . . . . .30MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers . . . . . . . .31

Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . .31F..A..S..T Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . .32Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

—MAKC News

Mid~Atlantic Koi

—Upcoming Events

Long Island Chapter Meeting . . . . . .31Saugerties Chapter Meeting . . . . . . .31

Beginner’s Corner – Power Failure . . . . .5Don Harrawood, SKAPA, KHA

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

Long Island Chapter Pond Tour . . . . . .8Susan Levine

Introducing Sakai Koi Farm . . . . . . . . .14Courtesy of Hikari USA

Why Quarantine? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Ed Keene (DCAS)

Stop Koi Myths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20G. Todd Williams, Washington

Summer Pond Tips – Part 3 . . . . . . . . .22Ray Jordan, Texas

Floating Salad Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Lisa Burns, Backyard Getaway

Different Styles of Air Pumps . . . . . . .26Linda Montgomery, KHA, Oregon

On the Road to a Koi Event . . . . . . . . . .30

Picture to Share - More Pond Tour . . . .34Susan Levine, New York

MAKC Membership Application . . . . .35

September 2014 Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 3

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

Chuk Nixon (301) 717-7702 [email protected]

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 35.


President’s Messageby Joann Mead

[email protected]

It's hard to believe that it is alreadySeptember! The subtle seasonal changesstarted mid-August at my bird feeder withthe male American Goldfinch changingcolors from the brilliant yellow and shiny

black with a bit of white to their drab olive wintercoloring . The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak who use tofrequent my bird feeder has headed back to

Central and South American to its winter feeding grounds.

I would like to clarify some questions that havebeen raised regarding Yahoo/Facebook. We wouldnever require members to have a Facebookaccount in order to be in the Club. Koi/pondownership is mostly linked to home ownership.Most current home owners are Baby Boomers andGen X's. The Millennials, who are the mostsocially tech savvy in general but few are homeowners right now. So we will be communicatingwith members via email and Facebook so we canreach both audiences. If you change your emailaddress please let us know.

On July 20, 2014 the LI Chapter hosted theirannual pond tour. This could not have been donewithout Bruce Levine's orchestration. I reallyenjoyed the beautiful pictures Susan Levine shared

with the club. Thank youBruce and Susan!I know that summer is avery busy time for many ofus and I really appreciatethe members who opentheir homes to host Clubmeetings.

Lastly, I would like toencourage everyone to shopat all of our sponsors andvendors that support us. Itwould be really nice to showour appreciation byshopping at their business.

Joann Mead


QuestionWhat should I do if there is an electrical power failure?

AnswerAnswered by Don Harrawood

SKAPA - KHAA pond owner can lose all their koi due to anelectrical outage during a thunderstorm. Theelectricity at the pond can go off and be unno-ticed for a period of several hours causing aninadequate supply of oxygen in the water. Most

commonly electrical interrup-tions during a rainstorm arecaused by the tripping of aground fault interrupter (GFI)that protects the pond fromelectrical problems. If GFIs getdamp, they will shut off the elec-trical circuit to the pond pump.

GFI’s can be reset by pushing the reset buttonafter a failure; however, if a pond owner is notaware of the circuit failure, pond water can gowithout aeration and ammonia removal forseveral hours before the failure is noticed. Pondwater in summer months is about 80°F tempera-ture or more. Warm water contains very littleoxygen and needs to be continually aerated inorder for koi to survive. When electricity goesoff, water flow stops and aeration ceases. Somesafeguards for electrical failures are listed below:

• If the pond has more than one pump, put thepumps on separate electrical circuits. Thedual system will increase safety.

• If the pond has a waterfall, add an electricaldriven aerator and put these on separateelectrical circuits.

• During power failures, one can use a portablegasoline driven generator to provide elec-

Beginner’s Corner - Power FailureAsk a question and we will get you an answer.

Wanted – Your QuestionsPlease email your questions to

[email protected].

We look forward to hearing from you!

tricity during the power failure. Thesesmall generators can be purchased at Lowes,Home Depot, and Automobile parts stores.

• An audible alarm can be installed to notify thepond owner when water flow stops.

• A non-mechanical solution is to add 0.03%Hydrogen Peroxide to the pond water tosupply oxygen. Apply 0.03% HydrogenPeroxide at the rate of ONE QUART toFIVE THOUSAND GALLONS of pondwater. Dilute this in a large container ofpond water and spread along the edges ofthe pond. Agitate the water with a stick orpaddle to spread the concentration ofHydrogen Peroxide as evenly as possible.An alternative is to pour some of themixture in the water every few minutesrather than all at once. Keep it away fromthe fish as much as possible since thisconcentration when not mixed well with thewater can be caustic to fish gills. Thisconcentration should supply adequateoxygen for 3 to 4 hours. A quart of 0.03%Hydrogen Peroxide is handy to have onhand just for this type of emergency. If koiare starving for oxygen, they can be seen atthe surface gulping for air.

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

Where is this summergoing! One of my favoritesummer events has alwaysbeen the pond tour.Where it usually started at

my pond when I lived on Long Island, now I get to see it in photos. This month we have Susan Levine's beautiful photography.It's almost like being there! In fact, Ken &Carole G. have my lovely large golden

butterfly swimming in their pond and I'vejust gotten to enjoy Goldie again.

In this issue we are reminded about theimportance of quarantine when bringing

new fish into the family. Thank you, Ed Keene. And G. Todd Williams gives us some wonderful views of longstanding Koi Myths that need to be debunked, now!Help us to spread the word.

Take a look at what you can do with edibleplants in the pond. Thanks to Lisa Burns ofBackyard Getaway, Myakka City, FL for thisarticle. She reminds me of when I used totake friends and visitors on a tour of myyard and offer them chamomille, watermint, and so many other edible plants to eatas we walked through the gardens.

Linda Montgomery, KHA in WashingtonState is one of my favorite resources and sois Ray Jordan in Texas, when it comes tolearning about keeping ponds healthy. Wewill really miss Ray! Check out their articles.They always have valuable info for all of us.And Hikari has another wonderful article onKoi breeders in Japan! We are so lucky!

Please send any news from your pond, yourarea, your weather or whatever you have tome. Send me photos, I love photos, andwe'll get them into the magazine. We'llmake you famous. See you next month, be safe and enjoy the remainder of your summer.

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 Interested in becoming a becoming a

Corporate Member?Corporate Member?

Reasonable one time fee for theReasonable one time fee for theyear year –– includes a includes a

Business Card size ad in all issuesBusiness Card size ad in all issuesin this section and in this section and

on the MAKC website. on the MAKC website.

Contact Joann Mead at

845-389-5712 [email protected]

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Quality Koi Company

Nisei Koi Farm

[email protected]

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East Coast – Patio Ponds, LTD301-874-8440West Coast – Laguna Koi Ponds949-494-5107

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Long Island Chapter Pond TourJuly 20, 2014

article and photos by Susan Levine

On July 20, the Long Island Chapterof MAKC held our annual pondtour. We traveled 184 miles onLong Island from Sagaponack toRosedale Queens. It was a great

day with beautiful ponds, gardens, birds, turtles,bonsai and trains.

Each pond offered a unique view of the ownerslove for Koi and other living creatures.

At Jim K’s pond we were invited to walk throughhis woodland yard which he shares with his Koiand birds.

Ken G’s pond a huge natural formed pond withbeautiful fish and foliage. His Koi share this spacewith his horses, goat and chickens.

Page 8 Mid-Atlantic Koi August 2014

Jim K’s Pond

Steve and Nancy B’s pond a delight for all thesenses. Their Koi share this space with anamazing train display as well as beautifullymanicured Bonsai trees. The yard is alive with activity.

Mike and Joan B’s pond is whimsical and fun.Their Koi share this space with water turtles andtwo large land turtles. A fun place to spend arelaxing afternoon.

Dalton R’s pond is a beautiful oasis away fromthe world with decking and comfortable loungesto relax away any afternoon.

Enjoy these photos of some of the highlights ofour tour. Thank you to all that opened theirponds and homes.

August 2014 Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 9

Long Island Chapter Pond Tour

Ken and Carole G’s Pond



Steve and Nancy B’s Pond



Mike and Joan B’s Pond



Dalton R’s PondSee page 34 - Pictures to Share for additional photos.

www.pentairaes.com

Introducing Sakai Fish FarmCourtesy of Hikari USA

Continuing ourconversations with leadingJapanese Koi breeders thistime we visited Sakai FishFarm, the largest producer

of high quality Koi in Japan and thebreeder of five of the last 10 All JapanKoi Show Champions. We interviewedMr. Kentaro Sakai to get his thoughts

on their very technical approach to Koibreeding.

I. About Sakai Fish FarmHistoryThe farm began growing “Magoi”around 1897 in Hiroshima which theyhave helped develop into the one of thetwo largest Koi breeding regions inJapan. Their Nishikigoi breedingstarted in 1955. Today, “Gosanke” vari-eties are their main focus, but a largevariety of other types of Koi are alsogrown in about 90 ponds covering


five cho (+/-12.25 acres) areas for young Koi, 80 ponds 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 Koifarms 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-volume

aeration 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


Water Quality Control House

River water filtration/ disinfection facilityRiver Water --> Sand Strainer-->Sedimentation Settler --> 1st Sand FiltrationTank--> 2nd Sand Filtration Tank --> UV Sterilizer = 300 tons of river water istreated daily.

Enzyme Machine

Automatic Feeding Machine

II. The Production Style of Sakai Fish Farm

Q: What is your breeding policy?

We are keenly focused on the appearance of ourfish and their chances of winning a major Koishow. We feel there are five principal require-ments; state-of-the-art equipment, high qualitywater, good Koi parents, data use to improveresults and the use of a high quality diet.

Q: Could you give us more specificbreeding methods?

Breeding Koi in a cement pond with centralizedcontrol and clear pond water is easier than in a

field pond. Cement pond breeding can becompared to training camp for top athletes,where promising players are able to achieveimproved results by getting in shape. Keeping thefish in a cement pond helps us control the timingof a Koi's optimal condition based on its Koishow schedule. On the contrary, if we want togrow out two or three year old, young Koi using afield pond enables us to get the rapid growth wedesire. We choose the best method according tothe purpose and the age of the Koi.

Merits of cement pond breeding• Direct observation of the Koi enables us to

control their physical condition and adjustthe amount of food to obtain the growthwe require.

• The Koi are not subject to the weather condi-tion impact.

• The Koi suffer fewer accidents than those keptin the field pond.

The ideal body conformation and dignifiedappearance of this Koi is a Sakai signature.

It won the grand championship at the 42nd AllJapan Combined Nishikigoi Show in 2011 (Size90bu), fed Saki-Hikari®.

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 finishing Koi weintend to enter in the All Japan Koi Showannually. The 70 ton water volume and addi-tional length is our minimum requirement tomake the Koi work out properly. The long andnarrow pond enables us to easily use a scoop net.It is equipped with an independent filtrationsystem so that we can adjust the water quality asnecessary.

III. Brief Advice About How to GrowBeautiful 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. Regularmeasurement of water tempera-ture and pH helps identify anychange in water quality. Qualitywater is a key to bringing out thefull potential of a Koi.• Choose a diet that is proven to beof high quality. Your Koi shouldeat the food aggressively, wesuggest the Sakai's brand andKyorin's Saki-Hikari®, these arethe diets we use and know producean outstanding result. Remember,no matter how good all the otherbreeding conditions are, poorquality food can spoil the growthof your Koi and eliminate theirchances of winning a show. We feelthe importance of diet comprises30 to 40 percent of the ultimategrow out success.• Decide the amount of food based

on the weight of your fish. Considerwatertemper-atureandcondi-tion aswell asthecondi-tion ofyourKoi todevelopthe idealamount.Don'timpul-sivelychangethe typeor amount of food, as this also impacts the result.


70 ton Pond

Temperature Control Box

Have you ever heard of anyone whohad a very well established pondwith beautiful, happy, and healthyKoi? Well one day they decided togo acquire another fish to add to

their collection. They brought it home and afterhaving gone through the new fish acclamationprocess, added it directly to their pond. Withinthe first week several fish had died and severalothers were looking pretty bad. Turns out adisease was running wild in the pond and it alloriginated from the newly acquired fish. Thisscenario happens often, more especially withbeginning hobbyists. This problem can beprevented and one of the best ways is by the use of a quarantine system.


Why Quarantine?by Ed Keene (DCAS) Adapted for Ponds by Carolyn Weise

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

One of the main purposes of the quarantine tankis to hold newly purchased or otherwise acquiredfish in isolation for a period of 2 to 4 weeks.Keeping a fish separated from any future pondmates allows for easy disease detection and otherobservation. Many times an infected fish will notshow any signs of the disease for 10 to 14 days.By keeping a fish in a quarantine tank you allowfor the disease to proceed through its cycle andfinally show itself. If during the quarantineperiod, the fish should show signs of parasites orother disease, you can medicate it with absolutelyno risk of impacting the fish in your pond. It isalso very cost effective to medically treat a small quarantine set-up rather than a muchlarger pond.

Quarantine Room at Laguna Koi Ponds

The size of your quarantine tank will be basedupon the size of fish you are going to acquire. Forthe average sized tosai, say up to 4 or 5 inches, a10-20 gallon aquarium will serve the purposewell. Otherwise, for a larger Koi, a kiddie poolmight be more appropriate. The quarantine tankdoes not have to have the best and the fanciestequipment on it.

Keep it simple! The standard equipment for thequarantine aquarium is the aquarium with acover of some type, a heater, a low tech filterwithout carbon, and a light. This is all you need.It is basically a bare aquarium - no gravel, noplants, no nothing - other than what I previouslymentioned. Keep in mind the quarantine tank isestablished to aid in the cure of any fish whichmight be infected with some type of disease. It isnot one which is being entered into the world'sgreatest looking aquarium contest.

Most any type of filter is adequate providedcarbon or charcoal is not used. Remember,carbon adsorbs chemicals in the water, i.e.medication. If you end up medically treating thequarantine aquarium, the carbon will defeat yourattempts. Power filters, corner box filters, evencanister filters can be used. Just remember - nocarbon. Because several of the aforementionedtypes of filters are expensive and not really beingused to their full potential, many hobbyists turnto sponge filters for quarantine tank use. Thesponges are inexpensive and will provide goodbacterial filtration. The sponge filter can beoperated with an air pump or with a power headattached to it.

If medical treatment of your fish is necessary,you should allow for another 2 to 3 week periodof quarantine after your last treatment. This willassure that a subsequent disease cycle is not inprogress. Once this period has been completed,you can begin the acclamation process of movingyour fish to your pond.

In ConclusionIf you have the space available for a quarantinetank, it would be a wise decision on your part tohave one and put all future fish acquisitionsthrough the quarantine process. Of course on theother hand, if you reject the idea of a quarantinetank and a disease completely terminates the lifeof all your prize fish, you have the dubiousdistinction of being able to go out and spend lotsof money to purchase all brand new fish! Thechoice is yours.


www.longislandfishhospital.com

www.kloubeckoi.com

Myths and Half-truthsThey are everywhere. Only humans can take asmall nugget of truth and twist it into somethingentirely different. And we all like rules-of-thumbs. They help us simplify a world with lotsof information. But these can get out of hand. I find this to be very true with Koi ponds. I'vecompiled a list of often stated "facts."

Ponds can take a max of 1˝ of Koi per 100 gallons

Not only is a rule for this misleading but usinginches over weight is ridiculous. How can four ofmy 6˝ inch fish possibly equal a 24˝? The latter'sweight is 500% more! But it gets worse, even ifwe used pounds, there are simply too many otherfactors to have a rule-of-thumb on this topic.We've all seen ponds twice as big as your ownthat can only handle half the fish. Things likepond water turn-over, proper balance, filtration,number of plants and type of plants all matter.Bottom line: I say just don't use any rule ofthumb on this topic. Conclusion: Myth.

How Fast Do Koi Grow?Once again I think it's misleading to even give anumber. It seems that most Koi experts presumeyou live in the warmer half of the U.S. But why? I live only a few miles from the Canadian border.My pond water is only above 70°F for maybe 10-12 weeks a year. That is when Koi eat moreand grow more. I've been surprised pond peopledon't simply give answers to this legit questionusing regions i.e. plant zones. Conclusion: HalfTruth only if you qualify the answer by zone. Buteven then there are variables for growth.

Stop Koi MythsStop Koi MythsG. Todd Williams, Washington

Stop Feeding Koi After Five MinutesSay what? This reminds me of people who areconcerned about burning their plants fromwatering them. I've seen people not water theiryard for days when it's hot as thinking waterwould do more harm than good. Think of it likea baby. They eat slow; some slower than others. I must admit I can't back this one up with anyscience except this just does not make intuitivesense. On one website it says, "whatever food isuneaten after five minutes will likely not geteaten." That is true! On another website it says"Don't feed them for more than five minutes."Mmmm. Did a fact get twisted into a myth? Ifyou have time, it's quite OK to let your Koinibble over time. Like a baby, you can tell whenthey get satisfied. Conclusion: Myth.

Don't Ever, Ever, Ever Put Your Hose Directly in the Pond

The chlorine could kill the fish. It's best to havethe water spray in the air and "release" thechlorine gasses. I am certainly no chemist. Butthis never totally added up to me (and I have apool so the whole chlorine thing is not new tome). In my town the water report says we have 6 chlorine parts-per-million immediately afterwater processed.

People often get confused by large numbers. Howlong would it take you to count to a millionusing one second per number? Over 11 days! Sixseconds of chlorine over 11 days isn't hurtinganything. But, for the sake of discussion let's say6 ppm is harmful. It never made sense to me thatletting the water "hit air" for literally one secondwould make the water safer. Guess what? Itdoesn't. To verify I called my local water


treatment plant. This guy's job is to process andtest city water. I told him the rule of thumb. Hisresponse makes perfectly logical sense. He said"Chlorine does dissipate with time. However,tossing a cup of water in the air will not make thePPM-count lower by time it comes down."

If filling up a pond from scratch, it would be 100times more important to wait a day or two beforeadding fish than to have the hose not be in directcontact with the water. Meaning, aquariumpeople are correct to let water sit out for a day ifthey are doing a complete water change. If youare topping off your pond, go ahead and betterbe safe than sorry. Leave the hose out. But yourconcern would be much better served bychecking chemicals regularly. And to add aninteresting twist. My pool repair guy alwaysreminds me to not put the hose directly in thepool. And in a pool we want chlorine. Why?Because you can easily forget and leave the hoserunning in the pool overnight causing manyproblems. But when you leave the hose out and


have it splash in, you have a much better chanceof hearing or seeing the water, thus avoiding aproblem. Conclusion: True on hose rule, but amyth on the reason why.

Presuming Koi Food Left in Pond isSame as Fish Waste

Let's just say that is silly. What goes in a cow iscertainly not what comes out. Think of it anotherway; Koi food does not give plants nutrients. Fishwaste does. Conclusion: Myth.

So enjoy your pond. And next time someonestates a fact, it's OK to "ponder" if it's really true.

Todd is a hobbyist with pond-grade Koi. He(barely) got C's in science. But he does thinkabout a lot of things while enjoying his pond. He was considering a Twitter campaign of#StopKoiMythsNow. But his family threatened to kidnap his Koi if he did.

www.kodamakoifarm.com

Summer Pond Tips (for Warmer Climates)Part 3

by Ray Jordan, Texas


Pond and Filter MaintenanceBecause of higher temperatures fish waste andwind blown trash decompose faster in thesummer. To compensate you will need to increasethe amount and frequency of water changes andfilter cleaning. Do not forget to use adequatedechlor. Chlorine is likely still the #1 reason forKoi deaths. I recommend you avoid auto filldevices if you use chlorinated water. Sooner or later these devices fail and dead fish are the result.

A sign of a healthy Koi pond is a thriving growthof short filamentous algae on pond surfaces. This

beneficial type of algae helps balance the pond byutilizing pond nutrients and removing thembefore planktonic algae starts to increase inpopulation and create green water.

Dissolved Organic compoundsAre often shortened to DOCS. DOCS are theresult of too much pollution in your pond fromover stocking, over feeding, under filtering, andunder maintaining the filters and water changes.No water testing needed here as DOCS are easilydetected when a foamy scum is observed on yourpond’s surface or in the skimmer.

Higher levels of decaying organic compoundscreates population explosions of disease causingbacteria and undesirable algae. High levels ofDOCS create a hostile environment for beneficialbacteria and algae species by consuming signifi-cant amounts of dissolved oxygen which createsadditional stress on your Koi.

Remember how earlier I said many of theseissues are interrelated? DOCS indicate a tickingtime bomb for your Koi’s future health. Thesolution to high DOCS is a combination ofincreasing aeration, increasing filtration, increas-ing water changes, reducing fish load, andreducing feeding.

FeedingMost people feed their Koi way too much. I doand I bet that you do also. If your Koi are shapedmore like footballs than spindles you need toreduce the amount of food you feed.

In the summer it is better to feed early in themorning when the water temperature is lower.Remember optimum water temperature for Koiand Goldfish is between 68 and 74°F.

When your water temperature rises above 80°Fover feeding causes additional problems includ-ing increased water pollution, oxygen depletion,and algae growth.

At water temperatures over 85°F I would reducefeeding to a very small amount every other dayor every 3rd day.

At water temperatures approaching 90°F I wouldstop feeding or feed very lightly only once aweek. At these high temperatures very littlenutrition can be obtained by your Koi from thefood passing through their systems anyway. Asthe water starts to cool down healthy Koi willmake up for any growth they might have missedduring the hottest part of the summer.

Hot summers are the price we pay in the southfor our snow free winters. I hope that this articlehas given you a few ideas to help your Koi have ahealthier and less stressful summer. Makingseveral small improvements in your ponddynamics this summer can add up to healthierless stressed Koi.

This concludes our three part series on SummerPond Tips.


Reading this on issuu.com?Reading this on issuu.com?Be sure to join our club. You do not haveto live in the Mid-Atlantic area; we havemembers across the country. We hope

you will join today. A membership form can be

found on page 35.

http://www.microbelift.com

Have you ever thought aboutgrowing your own veggie andherb garden but decided against itbecause you thought it would betoo much work or you wouldn't

have time to care for it? Aquatic gardening is justthe answer. Aquatic plants are some of the easiestplants to grow and just think you never have towater them.

A pond or water garden can be more than just ahabitat for wildlife, Koi and beautiful WaterLilies; it can be a floating salad bar too. I'm sureyou are familiar with Water lilies and Lotus but

Floating Salad Barby Lisa Burns, Backyard Getaway

did you know that there are over two dozendifferent aquatic plants that are edible including the Lotus!

Following is just a few of both some commonand exotic aquatics that will not only add beautyto your water garden but can be useful as well.Please remember if you are going to eat plantsfrom your pond that you do not add algaecidesor other chemicals to the pond water. Yuck!

We'll start with the Lotus (Nelumbo sp).Thisplant is almost entirely edible from the seeds tothe tubers. The Tubers are the "root" of the plantand are similar to sweet potatoes. The seeds havea nutty flavor to them and can be eaten peeled orwhole. In Japan there is a traditional Lotusceremony where wine is drunk from the hollowstem of a lotus flower.

A couple of common or more well know aquaticplants are Taro (Colocasia spp.) and WaterChestnut (Eleoricharis spp.). Go to any health


Aquatic Mint

Taro

food store and you will find Taro chips. Ofcourse if you go to a Chinese restaurant they willhave water chestnut in many of their dishes. Howabout Wasabi, yes it's an aquatic. Water Cress(Nasturtium officinale) and Bog Cranberry(Oxycoccus) also aquatics, and can be found inyour grocery store.

A few of my favorites bog plants are Aquaticmint, Water Celery and Lemon Bacopa. Aquaticmint is very similar to the mint you grow in yourherb garden but with a different root system. Theleaves can be added to cake, ice cream and ofcourse mint juleps. Boy does it smell good! WaterCelery (Oenanthe javanica) is a bit different. The

leaves of this small plant are beautiful changingfrom green to pink and add a peppery taste to a salad. Lemon Bacopa (Bacopa caroliniana) isused as a seasoning and you guessed it, it has a lemony taste to it.

A Cattail (Typha latifolia) is probably not a plantyou would think about eating, but believe it ornot all of it is edible. The pollen, shoots, hearts,

young spike heads and seeds can all be cookedand eaten. How about Duckweed (Lemnaminor)? The small floating plant you see coveringthe surface of many natural lakes and ponds, it isa perfect garnish on a salad.

Some aquatics are even used for medicinalpurposes like the Marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis). It is used as a cough suppressant,immune system booster and as a wound healant.Pennywort (Hydrocotyle spp.) is used for arthritis relief.

I could go on and on but I'm starting to gethungry. I think I'll go out and have a snack,maybe a couple of Odorata Water Lily flowersand some mint tea, yummy!

Lisa Burns, Backyard Getaway, is located inFlorida. Their website is backyardgetaway.net.


Cattail and Papyrus

Cardinal and Mint

Water Celery and Snowball

reprinted from NKGC 4/2014 Newsletter

The question this month is from DonWinn and he is asking about airpumps. This is not an area I amfamiliar with, so I had to do lots ofresearch. Of course, like many Koi

hobbyists I have always had an air pump for mypond and quarantine tank, but I have never reallydone any comparisons on the differencesbetween them. Both of my current air pumpshave been on my pond for many years (at least 6)and I hate to admit it, but with absolutely nomaintenance on my part. So obviously a lowmaintenance air pump would be very high up onmy list of priorities for a good air pump. Here isDon’s question:

Bubbles Question: An ad in KOI USA for aMatala rotary vane pump (air pump) got methinking how little I know about air pumps. Ialso looked at a 2009 copy I had of an AquaticEco-Systems catalog which also talked aboutlinear, diaphragm, and piston air pumps whichhad varying airflows and pressures.

How do you know how much airflow you need atthe bottom of your pond? Some pumps listed thewattage used but most didn't. Warranties werefrom 1-3 years but how long should you expectthem to last? Also, are the linear pumps thequietest? Any help you can give would be appreciated! Thanks, Don Winn.

Answer: Do you really need an air pump?Absolutely! The air pump is one of the mostimportant parts of your pond and filtrationequipment that provides oxygen to both thepond and the filtration units themselves. Youmay be able to get away without having an air

Different Styles of Air Pumpsby Linda Montgomery, KHA, Oregon

pump for several years, but as the fish grow andyou add more fish your pond will eventually starthaving problems. The fish will start having healthissues or start dying.

They may not have any visible signs or marks onthem, which can, very likely, be due to lowoxygen levels, which are far below the require-ments for your fish and pond. I have often heardpond owners comment that they don’t feel thatthey need added aeration because they have awaterfall or have oxygenating plants. It is truethat the waterfall and plants do generate a certainamount of oxygen in the pond. However, theplants will generate oxygen in the daytime butduring the evenings they will take oxygen out ofthe water, which may leave very little for your Koiwhen they need it the most. Another importantconsideration is that one of the main reasons toadd an air pump is to break the surface tensionof the water, which plants cannot obviously do.

A Koi pond will be a healthy environment foryour fish if you keep in mind the three secretingredients to a healthy pond; water, fish andoxygen. Just as we need oxygen to survive, so doour Koi, and they need beneficial bacteria thatkeep the water healthy for them. An aeratorsupplies air to the water so that the water doesnot stagnate and the fish will have oxygen.Considering that the air we breathe has 22%oxygen, it is pretty easy to understand thatadding air to the pond water will be very benefi-cial to the fish and the biological microorganismsin your filter.

Where is the best place to add air or oxygen inthe pond system? It is generally agreed by mostpond experts that the best place to add air is intothe biofilter or as close as possible to where the


bacteria are. I also believe in adding air in thewinter. I keep air stones in the biofilter and thepond throughout the year.

Types of Air Pumps: This was a bit overwhelm-ing for me trying to filter through all the different of types of air pumps on the internet, so I finally called Ryan at Pentair AquaticEcosystems. He was able to simplify the differenttypes of air pumps for me. There are basically 4 different types of air pumps that we wouldconsider using in our Koi ponds.

• Rotary Vane- These are usually used fordeeper larger systems such as lakes or verylarge ponds. These are generally very noisyand expensive ($500-$1000). These pumpsrequire less maintenance but over time willstill require replacing parts. Rotary vanepumps do generate heat which warms theoutput air, which is nice in the winter, butnot so great in the heat of the summer.

• Diaphragm air pumps- These pumps aregenerally quiet and have a lower initial costof $100-400). There is some maintenanceinvolved in replacing the diaphragm everyfew years, which has a cost of $50 or so.However, I have had two diaphragm pumpson my pond and quarantine tank for atleast 6 years and have not had to replace thediaphragms yet.

• Linear Piston- These air pumps are veryquiet and generally energy efficient. Theirinitial cost is reasonable ($ 200-$700). Theyare considered to need less maintenancethan the diaphragm air pumps. The pistonmechanism is easily re-buildable when thetime comes.

• Rocking Piston- These pumps are noisy andcost about the same as the piston driven air pumps.

When evaluating what type of air pump, it is bestto compare the performance curve just like youdo when comparing water pumps. The pumpsare rated LPM (liters per minute) or CFM (cubicfeet per minute). So, when comparing the pumpsbe sure to note if they are rated at 0’ of waterdepth or 2’, 4’, or 6’ depth, etc. The max opera-tional depth is very important because if you godeeper than the suggested depth you may lose airor damage the diaphragm, and the life of thepump may be shortened. Also, take into consid-eration the overall cost of ownership. Thisincludes maintenance on the pump and the elec-trical consumption; also consider the reliabilityand reputation of the pump.

I found this chart on the Laguna Ponds web site,which is a great guide to go by. Just rememberthat it is a guideline and that it would vary with


Air TubeDiffuser

stocking levels. Also you need to factor in frictionloss in the system.

See Chart

Diffusers and Air Lines: ~ Membrane discdiffuser-These air disc diffusers and weightedbases are very easy to install and the Matala airbases are made with EPDM rubber. This type ofdiffuser has the lowest backpressure and exertsless than 6 inches of back pressure on the system.These are low maintenance. They range inprice from $77.00 for a single to $138 for adouble diffuser.

Air tube diffuser - These are designed for a dropin system. This one made by Matala has a rubbermembrane and creates less back pressure thanthe standard type of air tube or ceramic air stone.It is low maintenance. Cost is $42 for the 12˝ to$58 for the 24˝.

Ceramic and silica air stones - These types ofair stones are initially cheaper (they range from$2-$4) but they will require maintenance withregular cleaning. They also create more backpressure on the air pump.

Air Lines/tubing - Silicone tubing still seems tobe a good tubing. Usually 3/8˝ is good for mostapplications. There is also a black weightedtubing which is kink proof and puncture resist-ant. It is more expensive but seems to be worththe extra cost.

Note on installing an air pump: You shouldNEVER install an air pump BELOW water level!If at any time your power goes out to the airpump or is interrupted, water will back siphondown the delivery tube and flood the pumpworkings. This will make the pump inoperativenot to mention the danger of water and electric-ity coming in contact!

Air pumps that people on the Koi boards seem tothink very highly of are: Number one appears tobe Medo 45LPM. This is a piston pump that isquiet and moves a lot of air. The cost is a bitmore, but it seems to be worth it. The lifeexpectancy of the pump is 6 years. Other pumpsthat were highly recommended were the Hakko40 or 60LPM.

This article is certainly not everything you needto know about air pumps, just a very basic foun-dation of what is good to know about them. I amnot knowledgeable on this subject and so I didthe best I could researching this and hopefully Ianswered most of Don’s questions. Thanks somuch Don for sending in this month’s question.


Silica AirStone

PondVolume inGallons

1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10,000

Liters ofair/minre-quired tomaintainDissolvedOxygenat Koi SafeLevels

40 80 120 160 200 240 280 320 360 400


www.qualitykoi.com

www.beadfilters.com


On the Roadto a Koi Event

September 5-720th Annual ZNA Potomac Koi ShowHeld at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna VA. http://www.znapotomac.orgSeptember 6-7 - WK&WGS23rd Annual Koi & Water Garden ShowBothell, WA Contact Nancy Moore [email protected] www.washingtonkoi.orgSeptember 12-14Idaho Water Garden & Koi Society 21st Annual Koi ShowBoise, ID - Contact Sot Chimonas [email protected] • www.iwgks.orgSeptember 19-21Carolina Classic Koi ShowEast Coast Koi Imports, New Hill, NChttp://carolinaclassickoishow.comSeptember 19-21Dallas Koi Kichi Group's 12th Annual Koi Showwww.dallaskoikichi.org/show-site/September 20-21Northwest Koi & Goldfish Club 34th Annual Koi & Goldfish ShowUwajimaya—in conjunction with the Festival of Japan, Beaverton, OR Contact Daren Beck503-507-8510 or [email protected] 27-28 Central California Koi SocietyHeld at the Fig Garden Village, Fresno, CA www.cencalkoi.com or [email protected] 4-57th Annual Regional South Carolina Koi & Goldfish ShowSouth Carolina Koi & Water Garden Society’s Simpsonville, SC • http://sckwgs.org

MAKC President Joann Mead’s daughter, Rachel,was recently released from the hospital after ashort stay.

Carolyn Weise, MAK Editor, is continuing toheal; although slowly.

Cindy Graham, MAK Production, is moving tothe East Coast. She may even attend an MAKCmeeting in the near future.

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

Sunshine Column

October 24-2615th Annual Golden Empire Koi ShowThe Bakersfield Koi and Water Garden Society isholding its Koi Show in conjunction with the FallHarvest Home and Garden Show at the KernCounty Fairgrounds http://www.bkwgs.com andwww.ggshows.com

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.


Send your meeting and event information to Carolyn Weise

[email protected] September 5th for the

October 2014 issue.

M A K C E v e n t

Saugerties Chapter Meetings

Sunday, September 213:00 pm

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

This year’s meetings

October 19 November 16December 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 Meeting

Sunday, September TBD

The Chapter has openings for future Koimeetings. Please contact me.

Please call Bruce at cell 516-477-1823 or [email protected]

Balance as of June 30, 2014 $13,987.84

Income:Memberships 637.54

Total Income $637.54

Expenses:Printing/Publication 800.00Total Expenses $800.00

Balance as of June 30, 2014 $13,825.38

Reserve Account/Prepaid MembershipsSavings Bank Account 6,424.21Balance $6,424.21

Club Total BalanceAs if July 31, 2014 $20,249.59

Submitted by Anthony Vitale, New York

Treasurer’s Report

MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers

Tom Burton Middletown, NJ 732-671-7045Jan & Bill Fogle Wayne, PA 610-687-3105Terri 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

Non-fish-eating cats, won't hurt your pondfish! - LOVING CATS NEED GOOD HOMES.Passing of spouse forces me to find homes forboth inside and outside cats. All neutered.Phone 973-390-6490 with what you are lookingfor and we can match you with your new best friend.

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).

F..A..S..T.. Ads – September

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]

QUALITY SHOW KOI. Show quality Koi for sale. Need to thin out my pond [email protected].

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.

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 support


Aquaculture Bead

Filter Specialists . . . . . . 7, 29

Aquatic Nutrition –

Blackwater Gold–N . . . . . . 33

Hikari . . . . . . . . . 7, Back Cover

Kloubec Koi Farm . . . . . . . . 19

Kodama Koi Farm . . . . . . 7, 21

Long Island Fish Hospital . . 19

Matala USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Mazuri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Microbe-Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Nisei Koi Farm . . . . . . . . . 7, 29

Pentair Aquatic

Eco-Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . 13

Quality Koi Company . . . 7, 29

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] request information on our advertiser

packages and/or a copy of our ad rate sheet.

*With an annual 10 issue contract.

are 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.

Have YouRenewed YourMembershipRenew Your MAKC

Membership by printing outpage 35 and mailing it in. Do it today, it only takes

a couple of minutes.

www.makc.com

www.aquaticnutrition.com

www.makc.com


Other sights and sounds from the PondTour. Taken by Susan Levine, New York.

Have a picture to share? Send your photosto the Editor, Carolyn Weise [email protected].

Pictures to Share – Long Island Pond Tour


MAKC Membership Application

We are pleased that you have inquired about membership in the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club. The clubmeets monthly at convenient regional locations in the Mid-Atlantic area and also publishes aninformative monthly magazine (bi-monthly in Nov/Dec & Jan/Feb).

Our dues are $30 per year, per family (includes $15.00 for a one-year subscription to Mid-Atlantic KoiOnline Magazine). The club year runs June 1st through May 31st of the following year. (Dues are pro-rated per month. Those who join in January or after are also asked to join for the following year.)Join for 4 years for $100 and save - $20. Overseas Membership - $40 per year. Corporate Membership$275 per year which includes advertising and other benefits. Call Richard Douglass at 845-723-4373or e-mail: [email protected] for details.

Please consult the following chart for the proper amount and send your check (payable to the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club) to Richard Douglass, 34 Sherow Rd., Pleasant Valley, NY 12569.

As soon as I receive your check, I will send you a "Welcome to MAKC" email and a list of upcomingmeetings in your area. You will also be given the date of your membership expiration. Your email will be added to our MAKC Notice Group to allow you to receive MAKC news and up-to-date information. A great source of information is our MAKC website: www.makc.com. The MAKC membership list may be made available (upon approval by the MAKC Executive Committee) for the dissemination of Koi-related information.

Welcome to MAKC! I sincerely believe you will enjoy it as much as we all do. Membership Committee Mid-Atlantic Koi Club

PLEASE PRINT (You may omit any information that may be sensitive such as unlisted phone numbers or email accounts.)LAST NAME ________________________ FIRST NAME(S) _________________________(If Applicable) CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP NAME: ______________________________________ ADDRESS _____________________________ CITY__________________ STATE _____ ZIP______TELEPHONE ______________________ E-MAIL ________________________________ OCCUPATION(S)______________________ Do you have a pond?____ Dimensions____________ Gallons________ Type filter_______________Do you keep Koi or Goldfish?_________ Type_____________ Size___________ How Many? ______Are there any Koi related problems you need help with?________ If so, what kind?_____________________________________________________________________________________________Do you have special talents, knowledge or interest you would be willing to share with us? _________If so, what kind? __________________________________________________________________Would you be willing to have a Koi Club meeting at your home? ______________________________SIGNATURE ___________________________ DATE ____________ AMOUNT PAID ___________

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

$42.50 $40 $37.50 $35 $32.50 $30 $27.50 $25 $22.50 $20 $17.50 $15

www.hikariusa.com

Documents

Mid-Atlantic Koi Magazine September 2014