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Where has winter gone? It seems wither has skipped over southern Arizona this year. Here we are in mid February with temperatures in the high 70's and low 80's.Plants and trees are putting out new growth. The pond water temperatures is rising. So don't forget to Feed Your Fish. You should be checking your koi for anything out of the ordinary. Key your aquatic pets healthy. Prevention and early detection can save fishes life.

The Valley of the Sun Koi Club is proud to be holding its 3^rd annual Koi Show in conjunction with the City of Phoenix’s Matsuri, A Celebration of Japan on February 26 and 27, 2000 at Heritage Square in Downtown Phoenix.

This year we are moving the show venue back to Heritage Square to be held on the same weekend as the Matsuri event, positioning our show to be the centerpiece of the weekend’s events.

We are also honored to have both AKCA and Shinkokai Judges from Japan this year, which should make for a great learning experience for all participants.

Lastly, the club received a 20" show quality Kohaku by donation that will be raffled off at the awards banquet. All entrants will receive 1 raffle ticket for this fish as part of their entry fee, regardless of how many fish are entered.

We hope you will be able to participate in this show and help us make this yet another successful event for the Koi keeping hobby.

Following are some details you will need along with contact information.

June 28 - July 2 2000

University Plaza Hotel and Trade Center

Contact:

Cheryl Briggs (417) 862-0176 or Linda Siler (417) 883-2399

A) Ozark Fisheries in Stoutland Missouri. 300 acres devoted to the production of Koi, Fancy Goldfish and Common Goldfish.

B) Site-seeing tour. Precious Moments Chapel and Art Gallery.

C)Vendors Booths open at 1:00 PM

Speakers Line Up

Helen Nash - How to Construct a Pond to Keep Water Plants

Paula Biles - Water Plants, repotting and dividing

Granville Watson - Manufactured Bacteria - do they really work

Ben Chu - Designing a Japanese Garden

Dr Erik Johnson - Medications and their Treatments

Jeff Spillars - How to maintain Water Quality and Correct if necessary

Ray Abel - How to select Koi from Infancy to Maturity

Bob Bon Girorno - Biological Filtration

Dr Conrad Kleinholtz - Which System is Best for You.

Joe Cuny - How to Properly Set up a Koi Pond ad Establish Water Quality

Rob Hildreth - Working with a Microscope in Treating Parasites

Dr Bill Sadler - Koi Nutrition: How to read the labels.

Dr Eric Johnson - How to set up a Quarantine Tank and Maintain it.

Pond Tour - 6 special ponds. Buses will leave the hotel at 8AM and return by 2PM.

Take some extra time to tour beautiful Springfield

Plumbing your water feature can be the easiest or worst part of construction and maintenance. This article attempts to avoid the two most common plumbing pitfalls, under planning and poor construction.

Planning:

First, in any design,planning should be given the utmost attention to achieve the desired results. That is, what will the final effect be? Quantity and quality of sights, sounds and utility can be achieved only with adequate planning. Plumbing is frequently a sore area in this regard. In designing your water feature give thought to the following plumbing lines:

I) Intake(s)

2) Discharge(s)

3) Filter and Pump

4) Drain(s)

5) Overflow

6) Fill line

Before discussing these plumbing lines, we will discuss some beliefs, facts, attitudes and methods regarding plumbing.

Materials:

Thank goodness this is the nineties! Hurrah for plastic pipe! Most of the plumbing you will do on your water feature may be done with PVC (poly vinyl chloride) pipe. I suggest schedule forty for adequate strength and thickness. Hot on the scene is the use of flexible pvc pipe that may be joined to the rigid type with a special solvent. Pipe and fittings are readily available and easy to use.Cutting tools are available for low cost or rental except for the standby hacksaw or friction-string trick. Ask your dealer about solvents that are appropriate for use. There are many that require no primer and work well under less than ideal conditions around dirt and moisture.

Pipe Size: Commonly pipelines are undersized and only occasionally oversized. As a rule of thumb, never use pipe smaller than the intake or discharge of the pump. Among other ills, this practice will reduce flow and motor life and increase energy costs. In other words, don't do it! Overflow and drain lines should be way oversized. Anything smaller than 1*" is a bad joke especially if there is a long run with any number of turns.

Valves:

Valves should be:

I) Schedule 40

2) Plastic

3) Ball type

These will give long, dependable service with less induced drag (friction) than gate valves of any sort. Systems using plumbing greater than four inch should consider butterfly valves. Ball, flap and spring type check valves also should be plastic. The use of these valves is of such considerable importance that we will deal with them separately. Unions are special fittings that allow easier repair and replacement of plumbing without having to cut lines. With the possible exception of cost effectiveness, always use true unions, especially at valves and pump connections.

Layout:

It is understood that the best layout is the least complicated and conspicuous. If possible, plumbing entering the water holding basin(s)should he installed to eliminate any leak potential. This is especially true in concreted basins, particularly ones using a liner as a water impermeable membrane. Their plumbing may be installed down over the membrane or attached to the wire reinforcing mesh and covered by concrete. These lines may enter and exit the basin above the water line. If the plumbing is to be fitted through the basin below water level, care must be taken to prevent leaking. See the construction articles in this series. Plumbing should be buried at sufficient depth to prevent breakage. See the excavation article for checking local codes for guidelines.

Intakes:

Intake lines to pump(s) or other units should be as many and large of size as practical. For biological ponds, the intakes should be situated just off the bottom. So called bad water should be left below where it may be vented to waste via the drain line. If the intake is plumbed to the pond bottom then a settling basin should be installed between the pond and filtration system.

Pump And Filter Lines:

The size of intake line(s) to the pump may be reduced or bushed to the size of the intake right at the pump. As noted in the article concerning pumps, most are made to push, not pull. So care should be taken in designing and building the plumbing lines to reduce restriction on the intake side as much as possible. If the pump system is above water level, check valves and/or ball valves should be installed right before and after the pump. If the pump system is below water level, union ball valves will allow you to clean out your trap or make pump repair/removal with minimal water loss or flooding. While providing plumbing to the pump and filter, there arises a possibility of providing a vac-line. The specialty plumbing is appropriate in cases where there is inadequate self cleaning by design. Either through a pool designed skimmer system in the basin, two, two-way or one, three-way valve system with a hook up for a periodic vacuuming. This vac system is something you may want to provide for initially in design and installing the plumbing.

Discharge:

These lines should be as short as possible. There is generally not much to be gained by sizing up the discharge(s) beyond that of the size of the pump. Much pump efficiency is lost through extra turns and added length of pipe. Plan and measure twice, cut and glue once. Discharges should be non restricted at their ends. If possible, a discharge end should he left completely open. You may want an alternate discharge to vent water for irrigation, drainage or to dump the system.

Drains:

You will thank me and yourself later for installing a drain line or at least a definitely deeper area, possibly with a sump. A drain and/or sump will greatly simplfy

cleaning, partial water change and dumping. We have found it expedient to pre insert a drainage box (conduit) or in very small systems pour concrete and install a bucket with rocks to leave a depression in the deepest part when the bucket is removed. The concrete mix is troweled around this area to provide a fairly steep slope to direct the debris into the cavity. If possible, use gravity to drain the feature situating a ball valve for control in the most convenient, accessible area. Take care that this waste water goes where you want it to go and will do the least harm. It is often appropriate to connect the overflow line with the drain line and run them collectively to waste, saving cost and flushing. The simplest overflow is the lowest edge of the system. You might want to intentionally construct this area and provide it with a screen to keep livestock in and debris out. As previously stated, imagine a flood of biblical proportions when sizing your pipe - the bigger the better.

Fill Line:

All systems will benefit by an automatic refill or continuous drip make up system. You can provide one of these by tapping off a pressurized irrigation line or potable water line. There are a wide range of available types and costs, from simple mechanical ''toilet ball'' floats, to sophisticated electronic sensors and solenoid devices.

Conclusion:

It may seem from this discussion that you are going to have to become an engineer and plumber to build your water feature. Such is not so with new tools and materials and with ourselves and others for help.By following the advice presented here and in this series you will be able to plan properly, construct and maintain your feature with a minimum of hassle. Check Valves (or, I wish I had all the money in burnt out and flooded pumps... When using an emersed versus a submersed pump on a water feature there is a field of technology everyone should be familiar with--the use of check valves in plumbing. Check valves or one way valves are devices that hold water static in plumbing when the pump(s) are off. The lack of appropriate use of these valve's is the cause of much time loss and frustration in re-priming lines and replacing plumbing and flooded equipment. By judicious use of check valves a would-be waterscaper can keep his/her sanity by keeping the plumbing lines primed, i.e., full of water. Without check valves all manner of havoc is manifested by loss of prime, motors, pumps and more personal items like tearing of hair! So what are these magical devices, how do they work and when and where do you use them? Check valves help you keep your cool.

What:

Check valves are specialized fittings that, attached in line with your plumbing, actuate when the water stops flowing and prevent the water from back-flowing. Most

often used and available are: Swing, spring and ball types.

How:

Swing, spring and ball type check valves function the same. The force of moving water unseats the check allowing flow through the valve. When flow stops, the weight of water (or in the spring check, with the additional ''push'' of the spring) closes the valve.

When and When:

So what's the big deal, you ask? Hah! How many of us have sucked on, put hoses in, swore at, begged. cried and prayed that our pump and drain lines would work and all for naught because you couldn't get enough liquid in them? Well, check valves can change all that! As explained in a previous article in this series, there are two possible spatial arrangements for a pump that is not underwater. These are above and below the water level of the lowest basin. In either case, the desire is to have the ability to clean the pump trap or filter, and do repair or removal of the pump and filter system without the loss of prime or flooding. If your water feature's pump and filter system is below water level, you will want to have a shut-off valve before the pump to stop water flow while you are working on the system. Similarly, you will want to provide a shut-off or check valve immediately after pump and filter to prevent the line from back siphoning and thereby dewatering the upper basin and discharge line. A shut-off valve may be used on the discharge line rather than a check valve, but these are more expensive and flow restricting. In the second scenario where the pump/filter system is above water level, two check valves may be used instead of one check, and one shut-off. These will be cut in as per the previous illustration.

Choice:

Now my views regarding what types of check valves are best per given application. Most commonly available are brass and PVC bodied check valves. The PVC are more appropriate for systems with less than three inch plumbing. This is especially true with lower flow rate and low pump heads with PVC lines. For systems with fish or plants in them, swing-type, checks are the overwhelming favorites.. Various flotsam and jetsam will usually not clog a swing check as readily, are cheaper and have a longer service life. For biological and "poisoned'' systems with no life in them, a more preferred type may be low tension spring checks. These are especially useful in a low head situation where there is little difference between the highest and lowest water 1evels. With the added force of the spring, a positive seal is assured. What may be otherwise lost is some pressure and volume compared to a swing-type check valve.

Shut-off Valves:

As per our previous article, the best available,most appropriate technology in valves is plastic (usually PVC), schedule forty or rarely eighty, ball valves. True union valves that will allow easy removal of parts without cutting are strongly suggested.

Note:

With a submersed pump, you may still want to install a check valve on the discharge line to prevent back siphoning if the discharge point is below water level, Also Note: Many people believe their pumps are self priming or, "it will start after awhile,'' running dry. This belief is a dangerous notion. Do not run your pump dry. Running dry hurts the life of the motor, ruins the pump and can be extremely dangerous. If you discover your pump has been running without water in it, turn it off to

allow it to cool down. Discover the cause(s) of the problem. Cure the problem, re-prime the lines and then turn the pump back on.

One of the most frequent problems with our ponds is green water. As everyone knows, green water is the result of algae growth, this article will look at some of the basics about algae and how to eliminate them.

WHAT IS ALGAE?

Algae is one of many plants belonging to the subdivision thallophytes found in both salt and fresh water. Algae comes in many forms including both free-floating and anchored, or attached. Algae comes in many colors including green, brown, blue, and red. Algae is carried through the air by spores and may locate in any body of water.

ALGAE NEEDS

Algae has several basic needs. Understanding them and how to eliminate them are the key to having clean, clear water.

A. FOOD: Algae feeds primarily on nitrates and phosphates in water.

B. LIGHT: Algae needs light to grow and reproduce.

C. TEMPERATURE: Algae growth is faster in warmer water and slows as temperature decreases.

D. WATER QUALITY: There are many varieties of algae that exist under a large range of conditions. However, any water that is of such poor quality that it will not support algae growth will also not support fish life.

ALGAE CONTROLS-SOLUTIONS

The three basic ways to rid your pond of algae are:

A. ELIMINATE FOOD

B. ELIMINATE LIGHT,

C: KILL ALGAE.

Algae can be eliminated by removing either food or light. It is not necessary to remove both. To understand how to literally starve out algae we need to go to the basics of biological filtration and how algae food is produced. Bio-filters consist basically of a bed or strata on which bacteria grow. That's it. Don't let a lot of complicated systems or designs confuse you. That's what is really happening inside. Fish produce ammonia as a waste product. In the presence of an oxygen-rich environment, aerobic nitrosomona bacteria break ammonia down to nitrites. Nitrobacter bacteria break nitrites into nitrates. Nitrates are algae food.

Through a similar process, phosphates are also produced. Phosphates are also algae food. By keeping nitrates and phosphates at low enough levels. Algae will starve. A good bio-filter keeps these algae foods under control. I know even a pond with a well- functioning bio-fllter may go through bouts of green water This is mainly caused by phosphates reaching levels where algae life can be supported. A healthy bio-filter will react by increasing bacteria that can consume phosphates and, in time, will clear itself, if the system is not overloaded. A regular program of 10% water changes each week helps keep nitrate and phosphate levels under control. However, filter size, fish load and the amount of fish food used all play a part in how well a system works. To summarize, a healthy, well maintained bio-filter that is large enough for the size of the pond, will go a long way toward keeping water clear. However, filters are slow to react, and changes in fish load or food load can cause filters to become out of balance causing levels of nitrates and phosphates to rise to the point where algae can grow. Regular water changes help keep nitrate and phosphate levels in check.

Algae also needs light to survive. By shading a pond, algae will not survive. This may be done in several ways. Water plants that have foliage on the surface will work, however it will take 50% to 75%, shading to achieve this. If watching fish is your main goal this may not be the answer. Plants also help control algae because they are a direct competitor for the same food as algae. Some systems have filters that return into a "plant" pond before returning to the main

pond. This may be an option. Another method is to construct a physical structure to cover

the pond. Shading may also improve the colors of your fish by preventing sun fading. Shading by placing dyes in the water may work to eliminate algae but generally leave the water an unnatural color and may be harmful to fish. Even though algae may not be growing in your pond due to shade, don't forget that high levels of nitrates, etc. may still be present in your water. Regular water changes are important, even if there is no algae bloom.

Yet another way to deal with the algae problem is to just let it grow and then kill it. This can be accomplished in two ways. One is by the use of algaecides, algae-killing chemicals in the water. While this may be a solution there are several problems with algaecides. They may not be safe for fish and those that are may not be safe for koi. Also, algaecides are really just a temporary answer and don't really solve the problem. The other way to kill algae is by the use of an ultraviolet sterilizer light. These work by killing algae as they pass by the light, and are to the filter system as the last stage. U.V. lights are a good permanent solution and also kill a lot of bacteria and parasites. However, they will have no effect on anchored or attached algae. They only kill what can pass in front of the light.

Temperature is a major variable in the growth of algae. While algae growth slows as the temperature drops, the activity of the bio-filter also slows down,

Which reduces its ability to handle waste material. At the same time, fish still eat and produce waste even in water temperatures in the fifties. These are times when water chemistry can get out of balance and produce algae blooms and other problems.

In nature, algae plays an important part in the water environment. It helps shade the fish from the sun and is a part of the natural food chain. Where clear water exists in nature it is due to plants shading the water and competing for food or spring fed waters-water changes! While algae may not be desirable in our ponds, it is a natural part of the water environment and to control it we must understand how it grows and what it needs.

FINAL NOTE

Algae produces oxygen during the daylight hours but reverses the process and consumes oxygen at night, thus reducing the oxygen level in the water. Fish found gasping early in the morning are a sign of the problem.

If you have fish in your pond, springtime brings on warmer weather, making it the most critical time of the year for your pond.

As the water temperature starts rising it puts our fish in the danger zone also referred to as Aeromonas Alley. During winter our fish have lost all of their immunity system and are weaker from not eating. They will not regain a fully-developed immunity system until the water temperature reaches approximately 72º. So, what's the problem?

In most states during the winter the water temperature drops below 50° which kills all the bacteria (good and bad) and most parasites become inactive. Our fish are not feeding and the pond goes into a period of dormancy. Spring's warmer daytime temperatures starts raising the water temperature but we still have cool nights that cause the water temperature to remain between 45° and 60° for an extended period of time.

Unfortunately these water temperatures are the most critical for our fish. It subjects them to rapid bacterial (aeramonas and psuedomonas) growth and also to several parasites (especially costia and flukes) that are very prolific in colder waters. During this time our fish have no established immunity system to help ward off bacteria and parasites. Ideally if we could raise the water temperature from 50° to 65° over a two-week period it would be great for our finny friends. Unfortunately, nature will not do it and it would be an expensive task to heat our ponds.

Recently, here in Georgia, for about 10 days at the last of January we set new records in high temperatures. Water temperatures were in the middle to high 50's. Fish were hungry and wanting to feed. During this 10-day period I had many calls regarding flashing (an indication of parasites) and several people have already lost fish due to ulcers and bacterial infections. This break in the weather was very pleasant to us but subjected our fish to the danger zone. We enjoy our great Georgia weather but because of this our fish stay in the danger zone almost all winter. It would be better if the water temperature dropped below 50° and stayed there until spring.

Some things we can do to help:

First, when another warm sunny day graces us, we should clean our ponds. Parasites and bad bacteria thrive in the leaves and mulm in the bottom of your pond. Remove the leaves and mulm with a wet-dry vac, being careful not to suck up your fish. It becomes an easier task if you partially drain your pond. Clean the filter. Hose off the media and backwash a bead filter. Clean all debris from stream beds.

Declor and refill your pond. When the water reaches 50° add salt - 3lbs of non-iodized salt with no trace minerals added. Don't forget to remove your plants before you salt the pond and place them in a holding tank for later treatment. Dose the salt in increments. 1 lb. per 100 gallons for 3 consecutive days. Leave the salt in for at least 3 weeks. Then the salt water can be diluted and eventually totally eliminated by water changes. By adding the salt you have killed costia and many other common parasites with the exception of flukes, anchor worms and fish lice.

When the water temperature reaches (and stays at) 55° you may start feeding your fish. I recommend only wheatgerm-based foods. Wheat germ is easily digested by your fish in colder water. Feed them sparingly, not nearly the amount you would normally feed them in summer.

Remember that your nitrifying bacteria go dormant also and will not begin to re-develop until the water temperature reaches approximately 62° . Overfeeding can cause an ammonia surge. Be sure to test and monitor closely.

When the water temperature reaches 60° I recommend an antibiotic food - a food that has been milled or coated with antibiotics known to be

effective with certain bacteria. Romet is a good choice. Last year I tested a triple antibiotic food. I top-coated wheat germ with oxolinic acid, kanamycin and ormetaprim sulfa. I sell this medicated food at our store and will be happy to supply the formula to anyone who would like to make it themselves. The purpose of the antibiotic food is to help booster the fish's immunity system since its immunity system is not yet fully developed. I can't stress enough the importance of feeding antibiotic foods.

During the period when water temperatures are between 50° and 65°, and after the 21 days of salting, you may still see your fish flash (rubbing or scratching themselves against the side or bottom of the pond). This may indicate flukes. Remember, flukes are immune to salt. Several Potassium Permanganate treatments would be in order. PP is safer in cold water because of the higher oxygen levels of colder water but will still require aeration. If the water temperature has warmed above 62° be sure to bypass your filter and aerate heavily. Potassium permanganate will kill any nitrifying bacteria present in your filter. If you have never used potassium permanganate please call for instructions or refer to usage instructions on Dr. Johnson's web page, www.koivet.com.

Remember the plants you took out of the pond prior to salting? They need to be treated and returned to your pond after the water changes have diluted the salt. Because it is early spring you may only have a stub of a plant or what looks like just a pot of dirt. These still need to be treated. To rid plants of possible parasites treat with 37% Formalin. Immerse the plants into a water bath of 3 cc's of Formalin per gallon of water for 24 hours. You may also use potassium permanganate at 20 ppm (hard to measure in small quantities of water). If I'm holding my plants in a 30-gallon plastic tote full of water I dissolve 1/2 tsp. of PP into a separate small container of pond water and mix well. Then I disperse the mixture all around the plant container. I leave the plants in the PP mixture for 24 hours. Before you return your plants to the pond be sure to

trim off all dead parts.

 

FEBURARY SAKA MEETING

@ Tom & Lynne Ayers house

6890 West Tombstone Way

February 20^, 2000

3:00 pm

Heritage Square In Downtown Phoenix

February 26-27, 2000

MARCH SAKA MEETING

@ Winton & Faye Hall's

6775 North Los Arboles Circle

March 26, 2000

Lone Star ZNA Show

Houston Marriott Westside

Houston Texas

April 1 & 2, 2000

19^th Annual AKCA Seminar

Springfield, MO

June 28 - July 2, 2000

Slate of Officers form the Nomination Committee

Bob Panter

Don Reece

Mike Siemens

Faye & Winton Hall

Tom Ayers

Debbie Tibbetts

Mike Siemens