yamma koi kichi - About the Club

http://www.socokoi.org
YAMMA
KOI KICHI
FEBRUARY 2013
NEWSLETTER OF THE
SOUTHERN COLORADO KOI CLUB
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
INSIDE THIS EDITION !!
Next meeting - Water Gardens vs Koi Ponds!
Article - Wintertime Ponderings by Phil Goulding - page 2
“How To Article” - Using a Tank Heater as a DeIcer - pages 5 & 6
New club and website features - Pharmacy and Tool Exchange - page e
UE ... nd
D
E
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Group Buys! Save you money! - page 3
A
le a
DUES your profi like!
Last meeting wrap up - page 6
d
k
C h e c l i n e i f yo u ’
Plans for this year! - page 8
n
o
pay
NEXT MEETING -!
Wednesday, March 6 - 7 pm - Rockrimmon Library 832 Village Center Drive, CS 80919
PROGRAM: WATER GARDENS vs KOI PONDS WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
DEMO: Testing for Ammonia - when and how
DRAWING FOR TOSAI - numbers drawn determine which koi you get!
Need not be present to get a number - we’ll draw for you. This is all random koi will be assigned a number and photographed upon arrival, and later matched
to the draw list.
DISCUSSION: Koi Food Buy for this year
We are looking at several brands - from good and low priced to excellent and higher priced.
We can get Kodama Koi Food at 10% off and free shipping *IF* we get orders for 200 lbs total.
If we get orders for 400 lbs, the discount is 30%.
This is excellent food - comes in wheat germ and color up - check his website here for details ! http://www.kodamakoifarm.com/lover/supply_kkfood2.php
We have several other brands in mind, but are still trying to find the best deal for our members.
!
Please let us know what you are looking for and about how much you would use over one
!
season. The best way to save money on this order is by getting a lot all at once ...
http://www.socokoi.org!
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Wintertime Ponderings
by Phil Goulding
Since this is the first year I’ve had the current design of my pond, I’ve had to pay a9en:on to a number of processes going on. I have my main pump, pre filter, Nexus, UV, waterfall, and sand and gravel (S&G) filter going all winter. This is also the first year I’ve had air pumps going from bo9om drains. Except for the very cold spell we had in January, everything has worked as expected. In the deep cold, my S&G did freeze up and overflowed a bit, but not very much. I couldn’t find where it froze, so I’m not sure what the problem was. I’m wai:ng for another deep freeze to figure out what to do to prevent the overflow. Because all my pipes are exposed to outside temperatures, I feel I need to keep everything going and flowing. For the most part I think that is the correct choice aOer 3 months of freezing temperatures. I did run an experiment with the air pumps. Up un:l mid to late December my air pumps were outside my cover, exposed to the ambient air temperatures. The pond stayed fairly steady around 40 degrees, geTng down to 38 at one point. I put the pumps inside the cover so they would draw the warmer air there. Except for the deep freeze in January, the pond has stayed between 45 and 47 degrees, just about right. I felt the pumps had to be turned off during the deep freeze when the pond temperature reached 37 degrees. I knew the chances were good the temperature would drop even more, and I wasn’t willing to test that. The water surface on the Nexus did freeze, but the water con:nued to flow underneath. The ice melted quickly as soon as I turned the air back on. The experiment showed that the warmer the air is that is going through the pump and into the bo9om of the pond, the warmer the pond will stay. Last year when I just had an air stone going on the plant ledge, the water never got below 40. If possible, the pumps should be place so they can get warm air from somewhere. It might even be worth puTng them in a black “tent” that could super heat the air. Since the sun heats the inside of my cover into the 70s that should keep the pond plenty warm. I’ve also considered running only one pump but that would require doing some pipe work in the cold now so I’ll wait un:l it is warm before geTng that set for next year.
I’ve done some research online and found that there are people who are using hot tub heaters with their ponds. The cri:cal issue is finding a heater that is stainless steel. Copper can leach out into the pond and possibly cause metal poisoning. If our winters con:nue to stay mild then I’m not sure hea:ng the pond is necessary as long as it is covered. Taro Kodama men:oned in one of the sessions he did that we should allow our pond temperature to drop into the mid 40’s for part of the winter.
On a couple other notes, if you have not read the ar:cle on feeding in the winter in Koi USA (November-­‐December 2012 by James Reilly; page 14) do so. For years I’ve had a hard :me believing much of what is wri9en about feeding because it seems to be based on old wives tales rather than on science. This ar:cle talks about what happens in cold weather and the consequences of feeding too soon (or too late). I’m convinced to be more cau:ous about winter-­‐:me feeding. I also received an email from a friend who is involved in planning and referenced some issues around water-­‐usage regula:ons star:ng in April. This is something we need to get some clarifica:on on. “The use of water in all
public and private water features is prohibited except those use (sic) recirculating water and
limited to fourteen hours per day, unless you have exotic fish!” I think this means we’re ok but we will need to keep water conserva:on in mind. With the ratche:ng effect, going over 2000 cubic feet in the month could get very expensive and could lead to other penal:es. If you are going to do a major water change, do it before the first of April. http://www.socokoi.org!
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Fish Pharmacy
Coming in March - we will have a supply of the most needed pond medications RIGHT HERE.
When you need them, you need them in a hurry. This is NOT a fundraiser for the club - the object
is to provide meds quickly in an emergency. More details to follow.
TOOL EXCHANGE
This will be an online feature - members only section of the website.
If you have tools you are willing to loan, contact socokoi@comcast.net
GROUP BUYS -- SAVE YOU $$
We have available:
Koi Clay - 6 lbs for $15 (price has gone up from $12)
Test kits - 6 different kits, $6 each
Sodium Thiosulfate - $4 per pound
Calendars of 2012 Pond Tour - $10 each
CONTACT SARAH AT 599-8349 or socokoi@comcast.net if you need anything!
More details and information available on the website.
LET ME KNOW EARLY AND I CAN BRING STUFF TO THE MARCH MEETING !
LET’S GET THE WORD OUT
about our club
All of us run across people who have koi or ponds, or want
to have koi or ponds, and don’t know our club exists! Maybe joining
a club isn’t for everyone, but we try very hard to make this one of the clubs that
people do want to join!
To help get the word out, we are going to try a couple of new things this spring - a
presence at two events and placing information at some area businesses.
The first event is the Pet Expo - April 20 & 21 - we will have a small tank with a few
big koi, thanks to sharing a booth with a business belonging to members - Go
Beyond the Grid. Then on June 1, we will spend a day at Phalen Gardens. We are
working on an informational brochure to hand out at these events.
If you can help out - we just need a couple of hours of your time to man these events
and answer questions about the club. Or volunteers to take the info to area
businesses and keep them supplied with brochures. If you want to help, please
email me at socokoi@comcast.net or call Sarah at 599-8349.
http://www.socokoi.org!
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LISTED BY MEMBERS
Have something you would like to sell?
Something you want to buy?
We will list it here for free !!
Just email me at socokoi@comcast.net
or call Sarah at 599-8349
WHAT TO DO ON VACATION .. FISH PEDICURE !
Thanks to Julie Foster - while on a long trip to Vietnam.
Wonder if our koi would do this for us? Maybe with some
shrimp smeared on our feet?
LETTER FROM the AMERICAN KOI JUDGES ASSOCIATION here is a small part of the letter ... you can read the entire letter here:
http://socokoi.org:80/resources/Documents/AKJA_Letter_to_clubs%20-%20Copy.pdf
The American Koi Judges Association was formed to become an independent organization in
2012, for the purpose of continuing to support American koi clubs as judges, speakers, and
advisors, and to promote the hobby on a national level. Some of the ways we plan to share
information are via our articles written for various publications on koi appreciation, health, and
general topics of interest to koi hobbyists. Our group consists of 25 well known and respected
certified and trainee judges which is the largest group of koi judges in America. You can find the
best contact information for our certified judges on our website at: AKJAOnline.org
We are also affiliated with two national Koi associations - websites linked here
AMERICAN KOI CLUB ASSOCIATION
The KOI SOCIETY
http://www.akca.org/
http://www.koisociety.org/
Lots of interesting information on both sites!
http://www.socokoi.org!
HOW TO USE A STOCK TANK HEATER AS A DE-ICER
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by Sarah Garrison
We know it is important to keep a hole open in the ice over the pond during the winter
for gas exchange …there are many ways to do this, including using an electric de-icer.
Most of the de-icers on the market for koi ponds are not adequate, however. With
brutal cold and ice, they can quickly burn out. The best thing to use is a stock tank
heater or de-icer. These can be found at feed or farm stores, and are usually less
expensive then the ones intended for a fish pond. This is the one I use:
They come in different sizes – this particular one comes in 1000 and 1500 watt. I
have used both, and see little difference.
There are heaters that sink – I prefer the floating because I can see it and keep an eye
on it, and I don’t worry about stray electricity. I am also interesting in keeping the
surface free of ice, not heating large amounts of water. These WILL NOT heat your
pond, but they will heat a good size circle around the elements.
You will want one with a thermostat on it – this Allied product does have one, so that
the heater will not run all the time.
I honestly do not know how much electricity these heaters use – but I do not see any
dramatic increase in my bill when it is really cold and I know the heater is running a lot.
Their cords are usually short, so you will need a grounded heavy duty extension cord,
and should plug it into a GFI outlet. The heater should last for several years, especially
if you clean the element at the end of the season with vinegar,
When the GFI is tripped repeatedly, they are usually burned out and should be
replaced.
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http://www.socokoi.org!
These are meant for metallic tanks – since we are using them in ponds, usually with
liners, we need to make sure the heating element cannot touch the liner. I used pvc
pipe - because it’s what I had – laid across one end of the pond - but even a piece of
wood would work – and zip ties.
You want to secure the heater cord in such a way that it cannot float into the liner,
and the extension cord connection remains outside the pond! Leave enough slack so
that if the water level drops, the heater is still floating in water.
I have never seen a fish injured or burned by this heater – I guess they have more
sense than to lay on it! Even if a guard were in place, a fish could get inside a guard,
so I just have to believe it is quite safe for them.
Where to put it in the pond … I keep my skimmer running in the winter, so I place the
heater in front of the skimmer so that the water coming out of the skimmer is a little
warmer from the heat. It doesn’t really matter where you put it, tho a spot that gets
sun anyway will probably help keep the ice at bay. If you are also using an air diffuser,
placing the de-icer at the edge of the bubbles will probably help distribute the heat
better. Just be sure it cannot float over and touch the liner.
LAST MEETING recap
We had a good turnout at Southside Johnny’s on February 16, despite some illnesses, out of town
trips, and dog shows! Bob Winkler was there to talk about the tosai available, and did a great job
despite the lack of an internet connection to provide more pictures!
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http://www.socokoi.org!
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PUT YOUR AD HERE
and ON OUR WEBSITE
KOI OR POND RELATED
BUSINESS OR SERVICE
email for details
socokoi@comcast.net
www.BADGERKOIGARDENS.COM
GRACIOUS HOSTS FOR OUR ANNUAL KOI AUCTION !
4955 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
http://www.phelangardens.com/
PUT YOUR AD HERE
and ON OUR WEBSITE
KOI OR POND RELATED
BUSINESS OR SERVICE
email for details
socokoi@comcast.net
http://www.socokoi.org!
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OFFICERS 2013
PRESIDENT
Jerry Hunter ... 331-9537
VICE PRESIDENT
Earl Brown ... 596-4665
TREASURER
Sarah Garrison ... 599-8349
SECRETARY
Julie Foster ... 491-0194
MEMBERS AT LARGE
Barb Dawson ... 330-7041
Kika Ellingson ... 313-9834
Phil Goulding ... 632-0685
Felicia Ruths ... 265-5877
NATIONAL CLUB REP
Phil Goulding ... 632-0685
NEWSLETTER
Sarah Garrison ... 599-8349
WEBMASTER &
MEMBERSHIP RECORDS
Sarah Garrison ... 599-8349
LIBRARIAN
CALENDAR OF
UPCOMING EVENTS
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MARCH 6 - Regular Meeting at
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Rockrimmon Library
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Water Gardens vs Koi Ponds
!
What’s the big difference?
APRIL 3- Regular Meeting at
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Rockrimmon Library
APRIL 20 & 21 - CLUB BOOTH AT THE
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PET EXPO !!!
MAY 4 - PICKUP PARTY FOR TOSAI
JUNE 1 - CLUB OUTREACH AT!
PHELAN’S GARDENS
REHOMING AUCTION
JUNE 15 - ANNUAL KOI REHOMING AUCTION
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AT PHELAN’S GARDENS
ANNUAL POND TOUR
JULY 3? - Regular Meeting - TBD
AUGUST - ANNUAL MEMBERS POND TOUR
PHOTOGRAPHER
Gregg Steadman
email any of the above at
socokoi@comcast.net
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER - Annual Member Party