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What a fantastic meeting last month! Nice to see so many members especially the new ones. Hope you all enjoyed "Pond 2000".
It's hard to believe the year is at the half way mark. Time sure slips by. Pond temperatures should be getting warmer and you KOI are hungry all the time. Feed them, this is their growing time. Home in the West we are fortunate to have a very long growing season. Just look at the size of our KOI and your food bill. Ha! Ha! How lucky we are.
On the flip side though parasites and bacteria can attack our fish. Don't let the water get too warm. Try to provide shade where possible, or if building a new pond make it deeper so your fish have a place to cool off. If you like plants they can help by providing shade to the pond surface and sun protection. As always, spend time with your fish. Let them get to know you. Once they do you might notice them following you around your pond and eating out of your hand. Ever have a KOI suck your finger? Let them get to know you and it could happen.
I have to say our club members are very creative on ways to cut the cost of building and maintaining a pond. Did you know (for those of you using masonry to construct their pond) masonry or block contractors when building buy block of different colors they only use on that job? They store the
unused and sometimes use them for fillers on other jobs where it will not be seen. If you talk with them they will usually give you a great deal on it. That way they do not have to store so much. Even check out surplus building material places or building material liquidators. You would be amazed at what you can find. Small tubs to large tanks, filter media and even pumps. So give them a try in your area. I did. What a savings, I found.
"Pond 2000" is no virgin anymore. Just one day after introducing KOI to the pond they began spawning. Now with the filter up and running the water has cleared and wah-la one and a half to three inch babies all over the place. What a thrill to see! The colors are outstanding, some unique. It will be so exciting to watch them grow and change as they mature. The next grand champion could be there. Can't wait! Eat your hearts out. Ha! Ha!
Pond 2000's filter is a 3200-gallon, four chamber up flow. It has one settling chamber and three filter chambers. It is filled with surplus strapping ribbons. Tons of surface areas for beautiful bacteria to grow. In just about a week and a half after filling the filter with additional media, Pond 2000 became clear. I love it. At this time there is no UV light. The filter is doing a great job.
Next meeting is at Kurt and Lisa Organ's house in Hereford, AZ. This is our annual potluck. Hope to see you all there for a day of relaxation and fun.
Bob Panter
SAKA President
Last month we talked about why you have a filter, what a proper filter will do for your pond. The serious koi keeper wants to have a filter on their pond. Otherwise your pond becomes a pond with koi, rather than a koi pond. The most basic sort of filter is a biological filter- either up flow or down flow. An up flow filter has water that flows up to the top, the down flow has water that flows to the bottom. Up and down. Pretty simple in concept, and actually quite simple to create in basics. Both an up-flow and a down flow operate in the same way, the differences only become apparent when we talk about pumps and cleaning, so let’s get the generalities out of the way first.
A typical inexpensive upflow filter is a barrel filter. Water comes in the bottom of the barrel and raises to the top of the barrel where it flows off to create a waterfall or stream. Some upflow barrel filters put the water in the top down a pipe to the bottom rather than in the bottom directly.
At the bottom of that barrel will be an empty layer of barrel. Think of it a slice of the barrel off the bottom. In an upflow this becomes the "settling" area" where solids such as uneaten food and leaves drop to the bottom of the filter to be drained off during maintenance. Next slice of the barrel is the filter media -- probably a fairly large slice. This is where the "good" bacteria live and thrive on all the waste the fish put out --liquid wastes and solid wastes. And the top slice will be the purified water welling to the top of the filter media and flowing back into the pond. In a down flow filter, the process is reversed - water comes in the top and percolates to the bottom where it flows back into the pond. Now I said the main difference between the two boiled down to pump and cleaning. In a down flow, the bottom of Niagara Falls, The leaves and crud have been trapped on the top of the filter media, you need to reach in and skim it out. Or maybe change a piece of batting or netting that you have put over the top to catch those dead leaves. In a down flow the dead leaves have the potential of clogging the filter as the water is coming in. Dead leaves, dead algae any of that stuff that settles out in the bottom of an upflow.
In an upflow all that solid stuff settles at the bottom. It still has to be removed, and just as urgently, for what doesn’t clog will pollute the water perhaps beyond the strength of those little bacteria to filter out. And it is much more difficult to clean the bottom of a barrel than to skim off the top.
The other factor is the pump and its placement in relationship to the filter. If at all possible a pump should be located so that it is pumping filtered water, not pond water. Think about that. Ben Plonsky of Laguna Koi Ponds elegantly put it once that a filter worked better if it was filtering whole turds instead of ground up ones. Also most pumps are designed to pull water rather than push it. Pay attention to the "head" of a pump, which tells you just how high a pump will push your water efficiently.
Both types of filters work well - upflow and down flow. Your pond situation is going to determine which is best for you as you plan your layouts.
We’ve mentioned filter media as a blanket phrase perhaps too often without definition. Filter media is simply the stuff you put in the filter to house all those "good" bacteria that create good water out of bad. My first filter media was red lava rock. Cheap, lots of friendly little holes for homes, efficient.
After five years of satisfactory filtration I hauled all the lava rock out and replaced it with biobale. Not because the lava rock was not working, but because the lava rock was too heavy to clean thoroughly more often than that.
Bio bale looks like shredded newspaper or the excess from a factory that makes those little plastic strapping things that defy most scissors. It is light, provides lots of friendly little holes for the bacteria, is efficient, but costs more than lava rock. To clean my filter now, however, I scoop it out (more like trying to gather bed sheets), slosh it in fresh pond water, and stuff it back in. The little strippy strappy things can be duplicated by the real strappy things, plastic forks, and other commercial material.
Please notice that the sole reason for changing from the lava rock was ease of cleaning and that when I cleaned I cleaned in pond water, not fresh hose water. The hose water is full of chlorine - the same sort of stuff we use chemicals to negate when we add it to our ponds. It also will kill the "good" bacteria, The purpose of cleaning a filter is to make it more efficient, not start it over from scratch.
As you come to the ponds at the meetings, pay attention to the filter portion of the ponds. No two are going to be exactly alike in form, although they all will work well. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or steal an idea. The best ponds are put together from inspiration from many sources. A good filter is like a good engine in a car. You seldom look under the hood to tinker with it, but without it the car is close to worthless.
OXYGENATING GRASSES - these plants grow submerged in the water and produce needed oxygen, through the process known as photosynthesis, and absorbs carbon dioxide making it more difficult for algae to grow. They release oxygen into the water, which is essential to the balance of the pool. You can often see tiny bubbles of oxygen rising to the surface from these plants. The foliage also serves as a bed to receive the spawn or eggs of fish and provide protection for young fish until they can fend for themselves. Koi sometimes feed on the grasses or just go rooting in the soil. If this becomes a problem and they are uprooting it faster than it grows, make a dome of 1/2" mesh wire about 6 to 8" in diameter and place it over each container of grass. The grass will grow through the wire and the fish can feed on the plants without destroying them. If the pond has green water, raise the containers so the leaves are near the surface to get light. As the pond clears, lower the plants until they are on the bottom.
WATER SNAILS- Water snails or scavengers do an important job in every water garden. These snails, unlike the garden variety, will not feed on decorative plants. They will not leave the pool. Snails are small time gardeners in your pond. They eat the algae off the walls of the pond and help keep algae off the plants. If snails are flourishing only in your filter, it could be because the koi are eating them, or because they lay their eggs on the underside of lily leaves. If you groom your plants more than once a month, odds are you are throwing away snail eggs. Snails also do not reproduce in ponds that are badly out of balance.
WATER LILIES - these wonderful plants provide surface coverage of the water with their pads, preventing loss of oxygen through the water’s surface and keeping the water cooler. Your fish waste directly fertilizes the lilies eliminating the need to add more fertilizer. Once again, koi will root among the lily soil not because they are seeking food, but just because it is their nature to do so. Cover the soil of the pot with a generous layer of smooth river rocks - of a size too large for the koi to pick up. The lilies will grow up among them, and the koi will not be able to disturb the roots as much. Young koi introduced into a pond that has existing plants are less likely to disturb the lilies -- perhaps the sort of "I don’t eat my friends" that one sees among some house pets raised together?
One of the wonderful things about koi keeping is the fact that it offers the hobbyist so many different avenues of pursuit. Some become captivated with the excitement of the show, while others enjoy the more leisurely activity of landscaping and pond maintenance. Others try their hand at breeding a " homegrown" grand champion. For me, the study of water quality is the hook. I have enjoyed incorporating ideas from many sources into a single, efficient filtration system.
As I designed my system, I tried to incorporate three universal filtration concepts: 1) mechanical/sump; 2) biological filtration; 3) chemical/other support devices.
Mechanical filtration and sump tanks struck me as concepts that worked well for others, so I made no attempt to depart from conventional wisdom. The principle of trapping and removing debris on a regular basis before it decomposes seemed sound. Since cylindrical sumps are unavailable in my area, I opted for a long ten foot, in ground, rectangular sump with a pitched bottom. Water enters in the deepest end, then baffles are used to slow down water movement and allow debris to settle out of suspension. Further along, screens and brushes accumulate any floating particles. At the shallow end, water exits through one-and-a-half inch pick-ups, which are covered with removable foam sleeves.
As pleased as I was with the conventional sump, I found I was very disappointed with the gravel and lava rock biofilters that are commonly recommended. The side effects of such a system were unacceptable. Limited surface space, channeling problems. Low oxygen levels, anaerobic activity, hydrogen sulfide gas release and high maintenance were all problems I hoped to avoid. I eventually settled on a plastic media used extensively in many state-of-the-art fish hatcheries and public aquariums in the U.S.A. This one-inch sphere, called a bioball is the heart of my bio-filter. I further enhanced its performance by incorporating a trickle tower portion to the submerged biofilter. I did this because, when oxygen levels are low, decay is accomplished anaerobically. This recirculation system guarantees an oxygen rich environment for maximum aerobic activity. For those not familiar with the new generation of plastic media, it is superior to traditional media in many ways:
1) Plastic is lightweight, which makes it easy to transport and work with. At a pinch, media can be transferred to another pond or isolation vat to create an instant biofilter.
2) Plastic media has a tremendous surface space - 105 sq. ft. per cubic foot for bacteria to grow on, as opposed to gravel with about 18 sq. ft. per cubic foot. More
importantly, this media offers bacteria space to grow on, not in. This is the key point, I believe, when one is interested in maximum gas exchange and no clogging.3) Excellent void space (92%). Due to the configuration of this material, natural void space is created. This allows for maximum flow rates and good delivery of oxygen molecules to the bacteria. Channeling and clogging are no longer issues because debris is not trapped as easily as in stone media, the need for frequent cleaning, and the inevitable disruption of the bacteria bed that results can be avoided.
The actual choice between the various plastic and glass materials on the market was narrowed down by a comparison of surface space, void space and packing properties. Packing properties is another important criteria. Some have tried using plastic hair curlers, PVC chips and pot scrubbers as substitutes for the plastic media designed specifically for aqua culture purposes, but when pieces of homemade products are placed together in a container, and the force of moving water is applied, these materials tend to pack too tightly. This encourages trapping of solids and the channeling of just the things we are trying to avoid. As the trapping of solids continues, oxygen levels in the filter drop and the bacteria count is reduced.
There are a few adjustments one must make when using plastic media. Since plastic provides for faster flow rates, bacteria tend to take longer to affix itself. Once diatoms have stained the plastic surface, bacteria will establish itself. I have also found it necessary to split the flow rate into two spray bars to avoid water sheer. The force of water pouring on to the media can actually wash away bacteria. By using a thin layer of mattridge and a drip plate design, I have avoided the effects of water sheer. At the same time the darkened environment created by the mattridge cover encourage good bacteria growth. I should point out that the mattridge is in no way utilized for its biological filter properties. If anything, it is used as an additional pre-filter and is changed/cleaned weekly. The spray bars and drip plate also serve to distribute water evenly over the filter surface, ensuring that no part of the filter is unused. As for drawbacks of bioballs, I can only point out one. Due to excellent void spaces, bioballs have little or no ability continued next page continued from previous page to This problem can be dealt with by the use of foam fractionators and an additional pre-filter in the mechanical section of the filter.
Early in the system's design I decided that if the biofilter was efficient, any other device should only function as an aid to create a synergistic effect on overall water quality. In pursuing this goal, I included a series of foam fractionators as a watch dog device. Three counter-current venturi foam fractionators do an excellent job of removing algae, food particles and other organic matter before they have a chance to breakdown and reduce oxygen levels, thereby putting an extra burden on the biofilter.
The one thing fractionators will not remove is the yellow/brown tinge sometimes found in ponds. The sources of givin, as it is frequently called, are open to debate. Some feel that it may actually be a by-product of normal bacterial activity in the presence of carbohydrates. Others believe it is the product of algae and waste decomposition. Whatever the cause, the only two ways I have found to remove it is by chemical filtration, such as polyfilters.
The only other device I rely on is ultraviolet light. The unit I use consists of four 30-watt bulbs, which allow for maximum kill. This device, along with the foam fractionator, insures against early spring algae blooms and aids in the reduction of free floating bacteria populations.
I am very encouraged by the results of my filtration system. My koi are growing well and the colors are good. I have attempted to duplicate the major principles of my large filter into a homemade all in one unit for my indoor pond. I should point out that as pleased as I am with this filter design, I still remain a strong believer in water changes. Approximately a ten- percent water change is done on a weekly basis, in addition to daily draining of the sump
Honey, you always complain that I don't show enough interest in the fishpond. So while you were at work, I cleaned it out for you. Scrubbed it good too! That rubber liner shines like the day you bought it. And while I was at it, I cleaned the filter as well. You won't have to clean those pads again for weeks, because I soaked them in bleach all day. Aren't you proud of me?
Do you scream in bloody anger, or burn sole marks in the carpet as you head out the back door, road runner style, to check on your pets that you so fondly value as much as your children.
Well, this is definitely grounds for exile if not divorce, and in fact a true story. I have to laugh as I write this because I know that there are those of you out there calling your wife or hubby right now and saying "come here and read this", so that you can remind their already sore pride of all the frantic rushing around figuring out what to do about the ammonia and nitrite levels, that is if the he or she who cleaned the pond remembered to add the declor before adding your prized collection back to the squeaky clean pond. If not, the undertakers have to make a living too.
Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are the two primary bacteria that live in your pond to biodegrade fish waste products. These two bacteria are naturally occurring and need surface area to grow on and good water circulation to thrive. N1 and N2 are very efficient at consuming waste products if there is enough surface area for them to grow on in significant quantities (billions) to support your fish load. What most folks do not realize is that the filter that they bought at the store that said it was good for 2000 gallons, might mechanically filter 2000 gallons as long as there are only a few fish living within (the filter will go unnamed, but applies to most depot type filters). But what the marketing people rely on is naturally occurring bacteria to cycle the pond, which normally takes from 4 to 6 weeks. Does this bacteria grow on the filter? Yes. Depending on the size of the pond, only about 1% of the bacteria needed will grow on their filter. Where does the rest of it grow? You guessed it. On the liner and inside the pond plumbing. That awful slime coat, as some people call it is the very life support system for most ponds. I call it green gold.
When draining and cleaning your pond, never scrub the liner with a bristle brush. Simply use a garden hose set on about a 1 to 2 foot diameter spray pattern, and let the hose run full force to wash down the liner of the pond. The bacteria is fairly resilient, so you do not have to treat it as if it were going to die at the least disturbance. As long as the bacteria is not killed by excessive drying or chemical cleansing, it will regenerate very rapidly even from a stunted state. If you keep large numbers, or expensive fish, in your pond, it is best to use a well designed biological filter system that contains within it, media that provides significant surface area for billions of bacteria to grow on, and be biological sentinels for the waste products that your pond produces. Most good filter systems are not cheap. I supposed that one could also say that all expensive filter systems are not good either. But I would always tell you the factual truth about any system that you were to inquire about. Buying a filter system is like buying an insurance policy. There are inexpensive policies that protect you on a limited basis, and assure you that whatever is being protected, will at least not vanish
from disaster. And there are more expensive policies, which give you great assurance that your tangible life will not be greatly affected by a disaster. Whichever you choose, be educated about the function of bacteria, and rationalize on how much effort you want to put into maintaining a filter. There is a rule of thumb that applies to most filter systems. You will either expend time or money on a filter system. On the one hand, you can purchase a reasonably inexpensive (there's a relative term for you), filter system and spend quite a bit of time cleaning or changing filter pads (I actually know folks today that have to clean their filters daily to keep them from clogging up). Or you can spend a bit more initially, and have a trouble free system that you only have to sweat over for a whopping 5 or 10 minutes a week (depending on which brand of filter you buy). - - - -
Back to the liners > Although you do not generally want to scrub your liner. Depending on the level of maintenance you perform on your pond, you may want to scrub portions of your liner in a cycle, if it has been more than a season since your last major pond cleaning. A septic condition can occur on a liner or the bottom of a concrete pond where new colonies of beneficial bacteria and algae grow over old colonies as they die off. This can cause fungus and detrimental bacteria to grow in the septic anaerobic thin layer. This condition is quite common in ponds, which receive little cleaning and are not in direct sunlight. One of the most common types of problems from this condition is the proliferation of Branchiomyces, which generally occurs in water over 80 degrees. The symptomology of Branchiomyces is the fish will swim around slowly, isolated from the other fish. Sometimes the fish will hang around the waterfall, and frequently gasp for air. Although this is a common characteristic behavior of most any fish suffering from pathogenic organisms, a dead giveaway to Branchiomyces is that the fishes gills will have macroscopic (visible to the naked eye) green striations within the red gill villi. If you ever suspect Branchiomyces in your pond, you can easily clear it by lowering the water temperature to around 70-75 degrees and treat the pond with formaline.
If you would like to maintain a healthy slime coat on your pond liner, simply scrub small portions of the liner at a time to break up any anaerobic conditions that might exist. Never scrub the entire liner unless you have a very good fully cycled biological filter. Remember, most smaller ponds get greater biological filtration through exposed water contact surfaces, rather than a small supposedly biological filters that come from depot type stores.
I wish you much success in your search for a filter at a price that fits your budget. Typically I will suggest that you intend to spend about half of what you spend on your pond, including stone and liner, for a pump and filter system. Any "pond wise" pond installer will tell you the very same. And as you may have to catch your breath at the price of some filters, remember it's either time, or money, and the filter is the most important part of your pond.
Humor? You are either dedicated to your Koi, or an idiot, when you dig up both your gas and water line with a backhoe at 10PM while you are trying to get out just one more shovel full before dark!
It’s hard to believe that we are now entering the third year of Beginners' Class. Throughout the aim has been to try and dispel some of the old-fashioned ideas of Koi-keeping and to introduce simple, common sense advice. By deliberately repeating ourselves we have tried to emphasize that the great majority of common fish health problems can be avoided by good fish-keeping practice.
Fish health problems abound in the hobby. But why?
Koi do not spend their entire lives looking for reasons to die - in fact, it is quite difficult to kill them. The fact that problems and fatalities are so common in the hobby just confirms, in my opinion, that many Koi-keeping notions and practices - despite their failure - are still practiced with almost sacred reverence! I believe the most important aspect of successful Koi-keeping is to recognize that it requires some degree of skill and knowledge, and we should be realistic about our individual capabilities, especially when it comes to stocking. My experience of helping Koi-keepers with problems is that while almost all of them acknowledge the importance of environmental conditions, the basics of water quality, stocking levels and pond husbandry are still not applied in all cases. Whether this is because the basics are not fully understood or because most koi-keepers believe they don't apply to them, I don't know.
Over the past two years we have covered many of the basics of successful Koi-keeping, from buying fish to installing a filter. It is easy to look at these aspects in isolation and yet fail to see how they all link together. I suspect this is often the case and, despite feeling that he or she has done everything right, problems still occur. At this point, frustration and disappointment can set in and it is easy to see why some Koi-keepers adopt the view that problems and losses are inevitable. But in most cases, it is not the preventive approach, which has failed them; it is simply that they did not adopt it properly in the first place. Over the next few issues I shall try to clarify the importance of the various aspects we have covered and show how they fit together. While it may seem that we are going over old ground, another look from a slightly different viewpoint will hopefully underline just how important these basics are.
So far, we have not touched on a subject dear to many Koi-keepers' hearts - disease and treatments. This was deliberate, as I believe that the headlong rush to get involved with real "hands-on" Koi-keeping lies at the root of many a Koi health problem. The overwhelming majority of problems can be prevented by good pond husbandry and, with few exceptions, the remainder can usually be resolved by early detection and taking corrective action. The next, but equally important, stage in successful Koi-keeping is learning how to detect when something isn't right, and what to do before it becomes a serious problem. It would be easy to compile a checklist; similar to the one we drew up for buying healthy Koi (in Issue 1), in fact one similar to the type of list found in most hobbyist magazines. However, in my experience, while this is helpful in buying Koi, for a variety of reasons it is rarely fully adequate when it comes to disease prevention and treatment.
A very common problem in disease prevention is a simple failure to spot or confront a problem soon enough which of course means that it becomes harder to solve and often leads to other fish in the pond being affected. In many cases, Koi-keepers seem blind to problems which may be obvious once pointed out! My own theory is that while we spend a lot of time admiring our Koi, we spend very little time "examining" them. (To drawn an analogy, perhaps it's similar to the difference between judging a beauty contest and conducting a medical examination!) There is, of course, the added difficulty that we are often unsure about what we are supposed to be looking for. Another common failing in hobbyist fish-keeping is the tendency to underestimate the seriousness of an injury or lesion. For instance, bacterial ulcerations are often attributed to the fish knocking or cutting themselves, and the fish are left to "get better". In reality, the problem often worsens and spreads to other fish. There is also a failure to appreciate that the true extent of a problem is not always apparent when the fish is in the water, and almost always looks worse when the fish is examined close up in a bowl. I recall an occasion when I was asked to look at a cut on an Oki’s head, which it had had for several weeks. When we put it in a bowl we saw that the fish had an ulcer that had gone through to the skull, as well as severe ulceration on the underside of the body. It was kinder to put the fish down than to attempt to treat it.
We will look at the subject of diseases and treatments more fully later but it's essential to realize that chemicals are not magic potions, and the most important consideration in disease treatment is early detection. Invariably, when I am asked to help with a problem I end up finding other problems that the owner wasn't even aware of. The classic case this year was being asked to look at two fish with ulcer problems. A full examination of the pond revealed that out of 22 fish, 16 had bacterial problems! I wish I could say that this was the exception, but unfortunately it's all too common.
Determining the full extent of a problem, be it parasitic or bacterial has serious implications for the type and success of any treatment. It is this failure to establish how many fish are affected, and the magnitude of the problem, that leads to stories of people losing large numbers of fish over a period of months. When fish are lost in this way it gives the impression that a succession of fresh outbreaks has been caused (perhaps by some mystery superbug) when in fact all the deaths had the same original cause. Had the problem been diagnosed and treated originally the losses would probably not have occurred.
It is crucial for successful Koi-keeping that we Koi-keepers are aware of the condition of our fish, especially during spring and early summer. This means taking the time to have a critical look and carry out a systematic examination. Understandably, our eye is drawn to their colors pattern and graceful body shape as well as their appealing faces but it as all too easy to overlook the tell-tale signs on other parts of the body. Unfortunately, the charm and attraction of these living jewels can, in this instance, be to their undoing! In the next issue, just in time for spring, we will go through some critical Koi health checks. Until then my best wishes for some successful healthy Koi-keeping!
MARK YOUR CALENDERS RIGHT NOW! For the first time ever the AKCA Seminar will be held in Texas. The Associated Koi Clubs of America is a twenty-five year old national organization of about 100 koi clubs. Three of the nine Texas Koi clubs are working together to host the 2001 seminar in Houston. Our club along with Lone Star in Houston and the North Texas Koi & Water Gardening Society in Dallas are the three host clubs putting the 2001 seminar together. This is your best and least expensive opportunity to attend a national AKCA seminar. You will be able to select from a large list of educational programs. There will be formal lectures, workshops, and panel discussions to accelerate your pond knowledge learning curve. Topics will cover the entire spectrum of ponds, fish, and plants. You will be able to interact with over 600+ hobbyists and expert vendors from across the country and around the world. We are planning special programs for the beginning pond keeper. We are inviting speakers from around the world to discuss the latest and greatest techniques and equipment available. Fun social activities and special tours are planned to make your trip to the 2001 seminar that much more enjoyable. We will be making a special effort to get pond keepers that have never attended a national seminar. This is the equivalent of a "Master Pond Keeper" course. You owe it to yourself and your pond to be there.
THURSDAY, JUNE 28th: Two tours are offered. Both will end up at Joe’s Crab Shack on Galveston Bay south of Houston. Here the group can sit on the deck over the water and watch the sailboats as well as the local fishermen that mix here and add to the view. It’s very picturesque, with good and inexpensive seafood. The Boardwalk at Kemah offers small shops and other attractions as well as the water, seagulls, and people watching.
TOUR ONE explores Houston and will include a ride down the Houston Ship Channel on the City’s air-conditioned boat, the Sam Houston. This will take in the sights and sounds of our industry as well as the older history of the city. The downtown "oil capital" will also be visited as well as the Houston Medical Center (this is the largest medical center in the world and really much more interesting to drive through than it sounds). Finally, buses will drive through some of the residential areas of Houston such as the "jetsetters" play areas (where they hang their hat when not in Cannes or London). The twenty-minute ride down to Kemah for late lunch/early dinner will take us past the Space Center.
TOUR TWO will explore the NASA Space Center with experienced guides. On the way, the buses will pass the downtown "oil capital" and mostly industrial sites. We’ll then join the others for a late lunch/early dinner on the water.
VENDOR FAIR - June 28-July 1
A huge vendor exhibition will be conducted as part of this event. I would estimate that over 100 vendors from around the country and some from other countries will be displaying and answering questions about their products and services. Just about every product available for water gardens and ponds will be on display and for sale. Koi and goldfish from inexpensive pond quality to high priced potential Grand Champions will be on sale. A huge raffle will be conducted with thousands of dollars of prizes awarded daily. This is the place to see, compare, ask questions, and buy, just about every pond product available today.
FRIDAY, JUNE 29th: After enjoying the educational seminars all day, it will be time to kick up our heels with a special "Cowboy Heritage" event and entertainment. The programs are always wonderful and run the gamut from a live rodeo to western poetry to live music. There might even be a gunfight or two. This is one of those fun glimmers into the past and not to be missed.
SATURDAY, JUNE 30th: After a second day of educational seminars it’s time to enjoy our Spanish heritage. Yes, we will be bringing out the mariachis and dancers to lead you into the dinner/banquet Saturday night. After a "no host" cocktail party, a wonderful Mexican-styled dinner will be served. And this won’t be any beans and tacos on paper plate either. At the banquet, club AKCA Koi persons of the year will be recognized along with the AKCA Koi of the year awards.
SUNDAY, JULY 1st: A pond tour is hard to plan in a city as spread-out as Houston. We have decided to plan the tour for fewer ponds, but include the very best Houston can offer. We know you will like our choices. The busses will get you back to the hotel by 2:30 so that you will be able to get home by a reasonable hour Sunday evening.
The Oklahoma Koi Show and Water Garden Symposium will be Sept 2-3 in The Made in Oklahoma Building on the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City.
The show and activities will all be inside and air-conditioned. The show will be conducted English Style. Judges will be Art and Nicole Lembke, Debby Tibbetts and Larry Gill. We will be having seminars all day Saturday on water garden and Koi topics.
We will have 7 size divisions this year, as follows: Size 1 - less than 9", Size 2 - 9-12", Size 3 - 12-15", Size 4 - 15-18", Size 5 - 18-21", Size 6 - 21-24", Size 7 - over 24". There will also be a "Long Fin Koi" division with 2 size divisions, less than and greater than 16". For more information check out the Oklahoma Koi Society web site at:
For those of you that were unable to attend the Seminar this year in Springfield missed a great time as well as a change to get some real great information. One of the bonuses in attending t the Seminar this year is that we received a copy of the new Filter Guide by AKCA. Here are some pictures from the Seminar
Our next club meeting will be potluck. It will be held @ Mountain View Koi in Hereford, Arizona. The divisions of items to bring are as follows:
A-H Side dishes (Macaroni or Potato Salads)
I-Q Side Dish (Veggie, Salad or Rolls)
R-Z Deserts
The Club will provide the Sodas and Lisa & Kurt will provide BBQ Chicken, Hamburger & Hot Dogs. Could you please give Lisa or Kurt a call @ (520) 378-3710 by July 20, to tell them that you are coming, so they know how much food to order?
