Fall Weather

The leaves are falling and the raptors want to bulk up for the long flight south for the winter. I had some kind of raptor, possibly an owl, make an aerial attack on the upper pond one morning. I heard an owl type hoot just before sunrise though it could have been anything. When I went out I found part of my leaf net had been ripped at a tie down but it held. In the center was a lonely feather. Looked like a down type feather. The koi were fine. I suppose the scream of defeat is better than silence and the alternative.

Now that the leaves are falling and birds are attacking, I've come to realize that the cheap econo nets we all buy to keep leaves out are just too thin and cheap. Do yourself a favor and buy the deluxe nets. They cost a bit more but are much better at warding off a diving hawk or a blind heron. Try not to let them float on the water. It's best if you can keep them tight about 12" off the water. If they float, the koi will be pushing them up to search for food and they will abrade the nose and scales. You will want to keep them down tight around the edges with rocks or bricks. I've found a slant to work well 12" to 24" high along the back hanging down and anchored at the rear and slope to the front of the pond and anchor with rocks along the sides and front. This makes it easier to get rid of leaves as they will tend to accumulate near the front bottom or the wind will just blow them off the net.

Simple wooden poles or 1x2's hammered into the ground in back of the pond should be enough to hold it elevated. It's important to make sure there are no openings. First you want to keep out as many leaves as possible and you also don't want a bird or squirrel to get trapped inside and not be able to get out. No openings at all. Leaves will find a way in if you have even the smallest hole.

The sick koi have been doing well. I've left the salinity in the QT pond at .3%. Nitrites are a little high but the salt will detoxify it...for a while. Hopefully the filter will mature before I need to shut it down. If not I will transfer a media bag from the lower pond waterfall to the upper filter and let it run for a week or so until nitrites are zero. When I cleaned the upper pond, I also cleaned the filter due to parasites so it had to mature all over again. Fortunately I have media from the other pond I can use before winter sets in. This is one of the reasons why I have two pumps and two filters and now two ponds. Always, ALWAYS have a plan B when it comes to Koi keeping.

Real World Example

I used the below method to calculate the volume of my top pond.

0.28% change = 2.8 Parts per thousand (PPT)

(17.5 lbs of salt / 2.8 PPT change ) X 120 = 750 gallons

Close to what I expected but I was still off by 200 gallons. That's a lot, about 25% off or so. That would easily make a difference if I were to dose the pond with meds while fish are in there.

It's very easy to over estimate capacity and put your fish at risk. Always know your pond capacity for emergencies.

Pond Volume Calculation

Not many of us can afford a gallon flow meter to connect to our water supply when filling our ponds. There is another way to calculate the volume of water in your pond by adding salt. Koi are very tolerant to salt it seems and it has a lot of benefits. The salinity range should be about 0.1% to 0.3% as a long term bath but you can increase it to 0.6% for several days, 0.7% for about 1 day and even carefully up to 0.9% for about 10 minutes to kill parasites, bacteria and protozoa. Don't leave your fish in water over 0.3% for months and months. Parasites will grow resistant to salt and next time you will have to treat with a higher concentration.

Benefits of Salt in the Koi Pond

• Increases protective slime coat - 0.1% - 0.3% concentration
• Aids in absorption of oxygen through the gills - 0.2%
• Will kill many forms of parasites and protozoa - 0.6% or higher up to 0.9% (Carefully)
• Increases Koi's buoyancy making it easier for them to swim
• Decreases osmosis in the fish so their kidneys don't have to work as hard
• Slightly decreases the freezing temperature of the water allowing it to absorb oxygen easier during the winter by reducing ice buildup.

You will need to buy a salt meter that can measure salinity in % or Parts per thousand (PPT) up to 1% and you will need to buy a 40lb bag or two of Solar salt used in water conditioning systems. It's better to completely dissolve some of the salt in a bucket with some pond water. Solid salt can burn gills and fins and if not completely dissolved its easy to overdose your pond possibly killing your fish.

The formula as a starting point is that it takes 1 lb of salt per 100 gallons of water to raise the salinity to .12%. So if you "Think" your pond is about 1000 gallons you will need 10 lbs of salt to bring it up to .12% salinity. Well we don't know the volume exactly but the above will let you know how many bags to buy to get to the desired salinity level.

So to calculate volume you use the following formula:

V=(P/C)x120

V=Volume in gallons
P=Pounds of salt added
C=Change in salinity in PPT (or 10 times the % change)

For example,

I think my pond is about 2000 gallons but I'm not sure. Using the salinity tester measure the salinity of the pond before you start. In my case it was 0.0%. I measured my bags of salt on a bathroom scale and found them to be exactly 40 lbs each.

Slowly dissolve about 1/4 of a bag at a time into a 5 gallon bucket of pond water and using a small aquarium pump, circulate the water until it's all dissolved. Then pour it into the pond around the edges but not directly on your fish. Do this three more times until the entire bag has been dissolved. Let the water circulate through your pond pumps for a while and after a few hours or even the next day, measure the salinity of pond.

In the example I used, I dissolved the entire 40 pound bag. The change in salinity was 0.29%.

So using our formula, V=(40lbs/2.9)x120 = 1655 gallons

Wow, I was off by about 350 gallons!

This is important to know when and if you ever have to dose your pond with medication. An error in the dosing could cause you to overdose and kill all of your fish.

You can salt the pond slowly over time but you have to weigh the salt you put in each time and add it all up when you are done. Don't add water or you will mess up the calculation. Always use pond water to dissolve the salt.

Salt will not evaporate so to reduce the concentration you will need to perform water changes. Concentrations over 0.3% should not be pumped into your lawn. You will have to pump into your toilet and let the sanitation company deal with it. Also remember that two 0.3% water changes are additive to your lawn and could kill your grass. Make sure you water your lawn real good before the second one or wait until after it rains.

Salt is cheap and beneficial to your Koi and at small concentrations of 0.2% or less can be used year round to help your Koi ward of bacterial infections and absorb oxygen easier duirng cold winter months or during the hottest of summer days.

3 Koi Released into the Pond

Tonight I released the 3 Koi that were sick in QT for the last 10 days.  All signs of infection are gone and they have been eating.  I released them into the upper pond just in case and they will stay there until next year.  I am salting the pond slightly to help them build up their slime coat and get adjusted to being outside in the cold.  Water temps have dropped to 65 degrees.  Hopefully they will survive what winter throws at us this year.

Upper Pond Cleaned and Filled

Yesterday I cleaned out the upper pond and reset some of the stones along the back edge which had fallen and become unstable. I sucked out all of the muck with a shop vac then filled with water.

Today I rinsed off the plants put them back in the pond and then treated with a strong dose of Potassium Permanganate. No fish in there yet so I doubled the recommended dose. 5 hours of treatment and I will deactivate it with hydrogen peroxide.

Tonight I will oxygenate the water and put a fish in. I still need to slowly bring down the temp on the QT tank to this pond's temperature.

Almost Done

I'm at the last two days of treatment. The meds are finished and now they are soaking in .2% salt water. Sat and Sun to go at 86 degrees then I will work the temp down to pond temperature. They are doing very well. All fins are out and clear and they are chasing bubbles at the surface trying to eat them.

Tomorrow I will pump out the water from the upper pond and see if I can get it cleaned up and new water put in. Hopefully Sunday or Monday morning I can Zap it with Potassium Permanganate and get the fish in a few days later. Need to bring the temperature down slowly to match the pond water temperature.

Fish Doing Much Better

Midway through the treatment the 3 Koi are doing much better. Their color is better and they seem to be making it through the ordeal. 3 more days at 86 degrees then I start working them down to pond temperature. My friend suggested I clean out the upper pond and prepare it for the 3 for the fall and winter. There they will be less stressed out and able to recover without being bothered by other fish.

This Sunday I plan to begin that task by draining the pond, cleaning out the muck on the bottom, cleaning out the filter, then fill it back up. I'll then "nuke" the bad stuff with potassium permanganate then clear it all with hydrogen peroxide. Another small water change and some salt and it will be ready for new residents. The upper pond still needs some work but it should be fine as is for a temporary shelter for these three.

New Arrivals Have Come Down With KHV!

The three new arrivals appear to have come down with a virus that is very deadly and very contagious. Kuan came by to give an opinion and it was not good. One fish was on its side and didn't look too good. The others had read streaked fins, sunken eyes, and sunken nose. The fish also had darkened in color. These were all signs of KHV.

Kuan and I treated the fish with furanase and began raising the temperature in the tub to 86 degrees. I expected to see three dead fish the next morning. To my surprise the fish that was listing on its side was upright and more active. They all still look very bad but I'm hopeful.

The treatment for KHV is 7 days at 86 degrees or higher and meds after if needed to treat bacterial infections. The fish if they live through this will be immune to KHV and supposedly will not transfer it to other fish.

Ill then have to sterilize EVERYTHING to avoid contamination.

So far my pond fish are ok and everyone is doing well.

Time to change some water in the quarantine tub...

Hospital Room

This morning I ran the salt up .68% for a few hours and I'm now in the process of changing out some water.  This picture shows my hospital room out back where I am currently treating my new arrivals.  3 days with anti bacterials and then 4 days of Fluke treatment at .6% salt.

I also discovered one Kohaku (hot lips) and my shiro utsuri are a little pink toward the rear.  After the treatment of the new arrivals I may need to treat those two.  Others seem fine.

Treatments Continue

The pond treatment is just about done. Last night I got the salt content to .56%. One last push tonight to get it to at least .6%. All of the Nishikigoi seem to be doing fine now and all will eat a little food. The filters are in need of backwashing but I must resist! No backwashing until this weekend to allow the Praziquantel sufficient time to do it's job. Forums say it's pretty much done after 4 days and others say to give it a week to be sure.

I think I am going to fabricate a vacuum out of PVC pipe and use a small mag drive pump to clear out crud that accumulates on the bottom. It wouldnt be for leaves or anything over about 1/4" in size but should help make quick work of sucking out the fish poop and uneaten food which is a major cause of bad bacteria in ponds and aquariums alike. I think I can fabricate something for maybe less than 10 bucks using an existing pump that would equal a commercial product selling for $300!

Salt Salt Salt

The pond is improving day by day. Most of the small koi are no longer clamping their fins. One small Kohaku looks a little red from irritation still. Local experts agree I should salt the pond to .6% over three days. I got it up to .32% last night and now I need to buy more salt. The high salt level has a medicinal effect on the fish and pond by killing most everything that is bad for the fish. I'm using Solar Salt from Home Depot. It's 99.5% pure and is used in water softening systems. I've been dissolving it in water first and dumping it slowly into the pond.

I also added more biological filtration and started an initial KoiZyme treatment.

So here is what I've done in summery:

1. Conducted an autopsy on my dead fish - discovered body flukes under the microscope
2. Separated the upper pond from the lower one (easier to deal with one pond at a time)
3. Treated the lower pond (2000 gallons) with 20g of Praziquantel
4. Set up a 25 gallon quarantine tub in case I have to treat individual fish with stronger medication
5. Increasing salt level to 0.6% measuring with a salt meter over 3 days
6. Begin pond treatment with KoiZyme

The upper pond I will likely have to drain, clean, and treat it and the plants with Potassium Permanganate. I really need to redo the entire upper pond. Trying to decide if I want to do this now or wait until spring. Minimally I should drain and clean it out and treat with Prazi so as not to even begin to contaminate the lower pond even by accident.

Pond is better this morning

Things are getting back to normal.  I aerated heavily overnight and most fish are now below the surface and schooling.  Some still might have some bacterial infections.  Bifurin plus is standing by in case I need to treat immediately. The fish really need to remain in the Prazi for at least 4 days and show no sign of respiratory stress to eradicate the Flukes and be fit for antibacterial treatments.

Fluke Infestation

One of my fish died as a result of flukes and a bacterial infection.  I scraped two of its wounds and its gills and examined under the microscope.  Definitely body flukes.  Unfortunately the one that dies is ALWAYS the most prized one, my Sakai Kohaku this time.

I drove out to Blue Ribbon Koi and picked up some Prazi Plus.  Then did water change and backflushed my filter.  I them added the meds. Something went wrong and the O2 level dropped.  One Kujaku had to be removed and put in another pool that had more oxygen.  The rest I am babysitting to make sure they make it through the night.

Meanwhile the air pump is cranked up and I'm hoping for the best.

My Goshiki

This is a female Goshiki bred at Ogata Koi Farm in Japan. She is about 10-12" long and looks like it will become a very large fish. It's still pretty young (2 years?) and the "dirty" orange hi is normal for a young Goshiki. After 4 years old the orange will overtake the black and the result should be a vivid orange pattern on a fish net type background. The fishnet background is caused by the trailing edge of EVERY scale being black. As the fish ages more of the black edged scales will develop along the lower sides. Take a look at the Goshiki that won Grand Champion in my previous post about the 2010 ZNA Potomac Koi Show. That one is a mature Goshiki and is striking!


I like how the orange will wrap to the left and back to the right by the fins


Very nice three step pattern waiting to develope.



A closer look at the rear left side of the fish.

Here is my hand for size comparison. Maybe I should throw a ruler in next time.

2010 ZNA Potomac Koi Show

Last weekend I attended the ZNA Koi Show in Vienna, VA. If you didn't get to see the show this year you should go next year. It's open to the public. There were many great fish to view and purchase. Here are a few pictures from the show:


My personal favorite. A Goshiki. Grand Champion B


Lee's Kohaku - Grand Champion A


Judges discussing a very large Sanke

The show field at Meadowlark Gardens

A very nice Showa - Reserve Grand Champion

More Pictures of my Koi

Asagi


Matsuba Yamabuki Ogon - 23-24"


Maybe a Purachina Ogon? Still working on this

3 Sanke from Koda - Purchased from Eastern Koi at the 2010 ZNA Potomac Koi Show. A couple of these have REALLY good potential.

My wife releasing the Sanke into our pond.

New Koi Added

Here are some new Koi added recently


A Shiro Utsuri and a Kuchi Beni Kohaku


2 Showa, 2 Kujaku, 2 Kohaku. The 3 step in the middle died. :(



Shinoda Gin Rin Showa

Sakai Hiroshima Kohaku

2 Sushui, Gin Rin Asagi, 1 Mixed from K. Loh

Pond Expansion Complete - Technical Specs

Late May I completed the work on the pond expansion. I originally was going to work on the upper pond first but decided for my own pleasure and enjoyment to complete the lower one first. This gives me immediate satisfaction of being able to watch my Koi grow from the deck. I also scaled back my original plan due to technical issues with the retaining walls. Removing too much dirt on each end would weaken the supports and could cause a collapse. These two pictures show work in progress and the completed lower pond.


Here is a summary of the technical specifications.








Upper Pond

The upper pond is a dual level design with a 6” depth section for plants and other critters. Overall size is approximately 12’ x 6’ with a max depth of 3’.

Total volume running is 937 gallons.

Lower Pond

The lower pond has been dug out and new liner installed. Overall size is approximately 18.5’ x 5.1’ and is about 3’ deep.

Total volume running is 2118 gallons.

Total pond volume including filtration system is 3105 gallons or 12.94 tons.

Filtration

The total system comprises of three filtration systems on two pumps. Two pumps and filters are used in case of failure. There will be no scrambling trying to maintain flows and oxygen levels.

First System
Cyprio BioForce 2000 UV 9W with 4 Matala pads and biological media
Titan 1050 GPH submersible pump, 1¼” tubing

System pumps from lower pond through the filter and discharges into the upper pond directly.

Second System
Savio 24” Waterfall Filter with 2 Matala pads and 200 bioball media
Hayward 180T sand filter with 3mm sinking pellet media 2 Cu. Ft.
Cal Pump 36W UV Clarifier
Laguna Max Flow 2900 GPH submersible pump, 1¼” tubing

System pumps from lower pond directly to the sand filter. Clean water flows to the UV Clarifier and then to the Savio waterfall biological filter.

An Alita 40 Air pump with 9” bubble disk assists with oxygenation

Chemistry

Pond initially filled with municipal water and treated with Amquel plus per instructions to detoxify chlorine and chloramines.