Mid~Atlantic Koi The Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club
January/February 2013
Page 2 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2013
Mid~Atlantic Koi The Membership Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club
Volume 26, Number 6
January/Februay 2013
—Upcoming Events Saugerties Chapter Message . . . . . . .30 3 MAKC Club Events . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Beginner’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Seminar, Dr. Tepper
MAKC Corporate Members . . . . . . . . . . .7
Seminar, Mr Saito
My Winter Project – Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Diana Lynn Rehn, Washington
MAKC Koi Show
Koi Appreciation – How Do We Evaluate a Koi? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
—MAKC News From the Editor’s Desk . . . . . .5 MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers . . . . . . . .28 Sunshine Column . . . . . . . . .30 Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . . .31 F..A..S..T Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Bryan Bateman, Koi Judge and Member of MPKS
Skin: the Most Overlooked Aspect of Koi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Matthew Corino, Sugar Loaf Koi Farm
Water Chemicals/Treatments . . . . . . . .16 Linda Montgomery, KHA
Hydrogen Sulfide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Linda Montgomery, KHA
Mid-Atlantic Koi Deadlines for articles, meeting announcements and ads March Issue Deadline: Available Online:
February 1 March 1
Common Water Testing Errors . . . . . . .22 Ken Austin, Certified Koi Keeper - Koi Organisation International
Filtration Blues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Carolyn Weise, Florida
April Issue Deadline: Available Online:
March 1 April 1
The Dancing Mist of Winter . . . . . . . . .26 Norman Call, Oregon
New Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 On the Road to a Koi Event . . . . . . . . . .28
January/February 2013
Showa!
Saugerties Chapter Gathering . . . . . . . .29
Photo by Carolyn Weise
Picture to Share . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
RoseMarie Ehrich, New York
MAKC Membership Application . . . . . .35
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 3
President’s Message by Philip Gray
Upcoming Events I am pleased to announce that we will be welcoming Dr. Tepper for an upcoming seminar on February 16th, discussing the topic of Koi Health: Winter to Spring.
Suggestions4MAKC@gmail.com Hello All, I hope this letter finds you happy and healthy after a joyous Holiday Season. The last couple of months have not been without trials, as I wish all members who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy the very best. I know that after such a tremendous event the holiday season spent with my loved ones this year struck a larger chord to hold those near to me a little tighter. I wish all club members a Happy and prosperous New Year. I am very pleased to announce that Kodama Koi Farm located in Saddle River New Jersey has graciously agreed to host this year’s 2013 Koi Show, which will be held in September. I look forward to bringing more information to you in the next coming months. We are still looking for candidates for a Show Chair.
The event will be held at my home at 211 South Ocean Ave, Freeport NY 11520. There will be a $20 entrance fee to the seminar and all funds raised will be used to support club initiatives. I am also excited to announce that on May 19th, the club will be hosting a seminar with key speaker Mr. Saito. Mr. Saito is visiting us from the Shintaro Koi Farm in Japan; Mr. Saito will be conducting a seminar on the development of Quality Koi. He is also bringing with him two Koi that will be raffled off at a later date in support of our 2013 Koi Show. I am very excited for this visit and look forward to seeing you all there. We will also be hosting a dinner in honor of Mr. Saito and tickets will be $25.00 per plate, all proceeds will go to supporting the MAKC Koi Show.
Is your pond surrounded by snow? Take a picture and send it to us! makcmag@makc.com Page 4 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2013
MAKC Executive Committee
From the Editor’s Desk
Philip Gray
by Carolyn Weise makcmag@makc.com
Bernie Szer
Vice-President (516) 241-4655
gasssman246@aol.com
Dinah Bwint
Secretary (610) 287-9178
sanke@verizon.net
Carolyn Broussard
(703) 491-4921
H
i! Whew we made it through the holidays, and I’m sure we have time to relax a bit now. In fact, it’s a little of a let-down after all the hoopla is over, the pond is quiet and there’s not much to do. One Koi friend, Diana Lynn Rehn, has a winter project that could be something you might enjoy doing next year. Take a look at her ongoing series as we watch the development of these little Koi fry Diana’s raising. And to have something to base it on, we’ve got Bryan Bateman’s article on Koi Appreciation (& evaluation) and a great article by Matt Corino on Skin (quality), the most overlooked aspect of Koi.
President (516) 486-5163 philiegray@mac.com Cell (516) 967-4966
Treasurer lynlee4@verizon.net
Central Chapter Vice-President Looking for a Volunteer Long Island Chapter Vice-President Bruce Levine
(516) 735-2644
bruce@li-koi.com
North Chapter Vice-President Dan Bitcon
(973) 699-2186
DanVideo@aol.com
Saugerties (NY) Chapter Vice-President Herb Ehrich
(845) 247-7105
HerbEhrich05@yahoo.com
South Chapter Vice-President Chuk Nixon
(301) 717-7702
chuknixon@aol.com
Standing Committe es
Then we get into the myriad of chemical applications most pond owners use in the ponds to treat fish or algae. How safe are they? You won’t want to miss Linda Montgomery’s article about Water Chemiclas/Treatments in this issue! Linda also discusses the use of Hydrogen Peroxide as a water conditioner which is another very interesting concept. We have more about Filtration Blues and Common Water Testing Errors made by pond keepers. I hope you will enjoy this issue of Mid-Atlantic Koi and will send some winter pictures of your pond. I’d also like to collect some photos of your favorite fish, if you have one! Stay warm and dry… enjoy the rest of your winter.
Membership Barry Hixson
(610) 262-5184 makcmembers@verizon.net AKCA Representative
Philip Gray
(516) 486-3807
philiegray@mac.com
ZNA Club Representative Nicole Lembke
(410) 867-0270
nlembke@aol.com
MAKC Sales Ruth & Gene Rice
(304) 725-2333
sew4Koi@comcast.net
MAKC Notice Group Manager Michael Snyder
(301) 762-2059
makc@imsnyder.com
WebMaster Wayne Orchard
(828) 693-3851 waynesorchard@gmail.com Japanese Cultural Coordinator
Floyd Broussard
(703) 491-4921 fbrou2801@verizon.net
Exe cut ive B o ard Adv is or y Committe e
Your Koi Friend, Carolyn
Wayne Orchard Joe Zuritsky
Mid-Atlantic Koi Magazine Editor, Carolyn Weise
makcmag@makc.com
(239) 573-6650 x105
Advertising Editor, Philip Gray
(516) 486-5163
philiegray@mac.com
Meeting/Events Editor, Joyce Spears (856) 478-2952 gjs63@comcast.net FAST Ads Editor, Ellie Cooper (610) 865-1163
mamakoi@verizon.net
Billing and Collections, Floyd Broussard (703) 491-4921
fbrou2801@verizon.net
(828) 693-3851 waynesorchard@gmail.com (215) 575-4001 jzuritsky@parkwaycorp.com
Betty Roemer
(828) 697-2692
roroemer@mchsi.com
Art Lembke
(410) 867-0270
artsKoi1@aol.com
Mike Riordan
(732) 747-6089
Koidog1@verizon.net
Gene Rice
(304) 725-2333
RiceGene@comcast.net
Eric Wilson
(613) 421-7890
wilseric@rogers.com
Susan Boland
(828) 693-3851
makcmag@gmail.com
Ellie Cooper
(610) 865-1163
mamakoi@verizon.net
Ja p a n es e Cul tur a l Adv is er
Mid-Atlantic Koi is the magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club. Material is selected for its interest to Koi keepers. MAKC accepts no responsibility for accuracy of content. Reproduction of uncopyrighted articles is permitted as long as this magazine is credited as the source. January/February 2013
Misa Sitterly
(703) 490-0770
sitterly@comcast.net
MAKC Home Page: http://www.makc.com
Production: Cindy Graham, TC Publishing, Inc.
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 5
Beginner’s Corner Ask a question and we will get you an answer.
Question: Where are your questions?
Answer: This is the start of a new year, and guess what? I don’t have any new “Questions.” In the past year we have covered the following subjects: NOV. Cleaning and shutting down the pond. OCT. Finding a leak in your pond.
Wanted – Your Questions Please email your questions to makcmag@makc.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Need to Change Your email or Home Address? Have Questions about your Membership Status?
SEPT. Anchor worm and Lernea. Contact:
AUG. Pesticides and herbicides around the pond. JULY Fish with an ulcer. JUNE Fish spawning. MAY Large change in water temperature kills fish. APRIL When to open the pond.
Barry Hixson 5465 Towanda Dr. Bethlehem, PA 18017 610-262-5184 or makcmembers@verizon.net Renew Your MAKC Membership Online with a credit card?
Go to Credit Card Payments at www.makc.com
If anyone has a new or old question it will be answered in the next magazine. Email questions to makcmag@makc.com. You can also ask your Chapter Vice President to forward you question. Don’t forget to do 10 % water changes over the winter once a month. Note: This column offers suggestions only; the ultimate care of your pond and fish is up to you.
Page 6 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2013
M A KC
Corporate
Members
www.mazuri.com
Quality Koi Company Nisei Koi Farm 856-299-7564 info@qualitykoi.com
www.qualitykoi.com
Interested in becoming a Corporate Member?
East Coast – Patio Ponds, LTD 301-874-8440 West Coast – Laguna Koi Ponds 949-494-5107
www.MatalaUSA.com January/February 2013
Reasonable one time fee for the year – includes a Business Card size ad in all issues in this section and on the MAKC website. Contact Barry Hixson at 610-262-5184 or makcmembers@verizon.net Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 7
My Winter Project or How Do Koi Grow and Change Their Spots Part 2 by Diana Lynn Rehn, Washington
Just so you can see the side view. (Taken with some help from my cat!)
FOOD So, what do you feed baby Koi? Some are ¾˝ long and others are 2˝. I have read many articles on Koi food. Most of the time the articles I have read is about the food that Koi breeders feed to Koi by Koi breeders; food which based on the breeders wanting the Koi to grow fast to get them to market. After all, they are in the business to sell Koi. I don’t necessarily want these babies to grow fast. I just want them to grow slow and steady with them not stressing their bodies by growing too fast or perhaps weakening the colors that I expect to come up in them. So, I decided to feed them a Page 8 Mid-Atlantic Koi
mix of high protein diet (49%) to help them build their muscles (which will help with conformation) and a lower protein diet (35%) as it also had spirulina in it along with some great vitamins. The kibble size (the size of each pellet) of the higher protein food was quite large, over ¼˝ in diameter, a small marble for sure. The size of the lower protein was much smaller, but still not small enough to feed to mouths that are so small you cannot see the barbells coming off the sides yet. Those mouths are so tiny, about the size of this mark “_”, so how was I going to do this?
January/February 2013
Ha! I took that food and smashed it with a meat mallet (the flat side). See, I got two things out of it, various sizes of smashed kibble and I got to have fun smashing it while my grandson watched! He thought it was hilarious, which made me smile and laugh. Yes, truly a pleasure. I guess I will have to smash more things around my grandson. Stress relief for sure!
One Tancho likes to take a piece of the plant and carry it around in his mouth like a bone! The piece is about 5˝ long and he (I will call it a he as it seems like a “he” would do such a thing, you know, keeping his property close) has it in his mouth, occasionally stops and picks a leaf or two and continues to carry it further, stops again. See, nutrition on the go!
So, now I have about 2 cups total of the mixture (about 70/30). I did not want to add too much of the spirulina food as I did not want the whites to turn yellowish, although I wasn’t sure that would
The stem is practically nude so it looks like a long green, segmented worm that is fuzzy on one end. There seems to be a lot of nude stems floating around, but new growth keeps popping
Champion Kohaku in the making?!
happen at all. I will report next time as to how that food is doing and if I have to make changes.
up on the stems so I let them float around. After all that Tancho likes his “worms”!
EATING THE PLANTS
I also put in two water hyacinths. The babies love to pick at those roots and hide in them too. One Koi (the only platinum Ogon?) likes to snuggle right in amongst the roots almost like blankets on his body! Maybe I should heat the tank?
I felt that I should have plants for the babies to nibble on since they came from a pond where they had survived on their own by eating algae for a few weeks. So, I bought some plants from a local pet store. I made sure to put it in some potassium permanganate to kill any bacteria it may contain (I was told by a local Koi and water garden dealer that they did this with all their plants). They started only taking small nibbles at first, some completely ignoring it, but they all sure like to hide in it. Then they discovered a taste for it. January/February 2013
SNACKS So with the plants came snails. They were pretty small, maybe the size of this capital “O.” I didn’t worry about them as they weren’t hurting anything and if they could survive the Potassium Permanganate dip, well, then they deserved to live.
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 9
Brutus is the largest, but look who is catching up
Well, those snails grew! Now they are about the size of a coin, a nickel-sized shell. Some are dark brown and some are really reddish-orange, both the shell and the bodies. They are also constantly breeding and laying eggs in the corners of the aquarium. (What is this with these snails…they NEVER STOP.) So, a couple of the Tanchos have developed a taste for snail eggs – escargot without having to dig it out of the snails! One tancho literally follows the snail up the side of the aquarium sucking up every egg that snail lays. I don’t think I will worry about being overrun by snails, that is for sure. I saw lots of snail eggs one day and hardly any the next. I hope they help those baby Koi grow and develop good muscles. Protein!
DISCOVERY Black (sumi) had developed on a tail tube, just one spot! That one spot has now turned to two! Turning really deep black..hmmm. The rest of Page 10 Mid-Atlantic Koi
this Koi’s body looks like a Yamabuki so I am a little confused as to what this Koi is. Is this how a Showa develops? Do these Koi that sort of look like Yamabuki’s turn darker or lighter? I do see some variations in the body color as it is not totally yellow. Time will tell for sure. Dang, being a Koi breeder is definitely an advantage in identifying these tiny babies!
BIG AND LITTLE Big black and yellow is now called Brutus…well, it is the biggest. Okay so I keep calling this a Ki Utsuri..but maybe it is not, maybe it is a Yamabuki! I say this as I cannot tell if Brutus is getting more sumi or less. I think the yellow is getting brighter, but maybe the sumi is subsiding and the yellow (ki) is getting wider on its body. Is this how an Utsuri develops? Does it start out dark and then change colors?…another “I wonder” question to learn from by watching. January/February 2013
See the sumi starting on the peduncle
And since the smallest (now called PeeWee) looks like it is also a Ki Utsuri, I can compare the two as they grow. However, I think there might be something wrong with PeeWee. It has been over a month and I swear he hasn’t grown at all. I see him eat, but he is not growing. Maybe he is my very own “bonsai” Koi.
COLORS Some of the colors are changing…yellows are more deep yellow, reds more vibrant red. One looks to be a Platinum Ogon. Two Tancho...but who knows about that. I don’t operate on mine to get that perfect circle. We shall see what they end up to be. I really don’t care what I end up with, but I do think there are about five Yamabuki. Maybe my friends will want to adopt January/February 2013
one in the spring as I know I don’t want that many Yamabuki. I haven’t even thought that far ahead as to what to do with these baby Koi. I just know I am so very much enjoying watching them grow and change on a daily basis. The more I watch them the more I realize that each of these baby Koi has its own personality and likes and dislikes. I know one Tancho does not like PeeWee and will chase him away anytime he comes close...what a brat that Tancho is, just because he is bigger...what a bully…maybe I will call him “Bull”! Okay, more next time in my adventure with baby Koi!
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 11
Koi Appreciation – How Do We Evaluate a Koi? by Bryan Bateman, Koi Judge and Member of MPKS
of lots of water, natural foods, and the fresh, open air. On Saturday afternoon, a small group of us were standing around a vat containing six large Koi, mostly Sanke. One in particular had captured the interest of an individual in our group, who was asking the opinions of the others, particularly as regards to the pattern, which was mostly red in the front portion of the fish.
Vat of Koi Courtesy of Kodama Koi Farm
ome of the most enjoyable Koi conversations occur when looking down at a group of Koi swimming in a vat. To me it’s almost as relaxing as sitting around a camp fire. Your mind wanders as your eye moves from one Koi to another, trying to pick your favorite of the group, or looking for something that attracts your fancy. Someone might say “What do you think about that one? – I really like the pattern.” “Yes, but just look at the conformation on that Koi there!”
S
Many such conversations occurred this past Fall at the Koi Acres Harvest, near Minneapolis, Minnesota. Many hobbyists were enjoying the weekend helping and/or watching the Koi being pulled from the mud ponds; where they had spent the summer months enjoying the benefits Page 12 Mid-Atlantic Koi
“I just really, really like that Koi” he said. This brings up a very interesting point. What is it that attracts one person to a Koi, and maybe not so much another person? We can too often make the mistake of listening to others’ opinions as to what consists of beauty in a Koi. On the same token, however, there are certain “rules” that should be followed when selecting a Koi for our pond. As judges (and when you think of it, we are all judges when it comes to picking our favorite Koi), we are taught that there are three primary criteria to consider when evaluating a Koi. These are Conformation, Quality, and Pattern. The relative importance of each of these three can vary somewhat, but most consider Conformation as the most important –up to 50% of the total evaluation. After this comes Quality – a broad term that includes the quality of the skin, the colors, and the pattern edging (kiwa). Quality is normally considered about 30% of the total, leaving the final 20% to Pattern. So going back to our friends’ Sanke, we discussed the above criteria one at a time. It had a near perfect body line – wide at the shoulder and tapering back gradually to a strong caudal January/February 2013
peduncle. The fins were balanced and of the proper proportion to the body, and there were no faults to the head area (looking at the eyes, the mouth, the shape of the forehead, etc.). This Koi would score very high on the Conformation portion of evaluation – 49 points out of 50. Next we looked at the Quality. The beni (red) was thick and even, the white was bright and lustrous – like porcelain. The sumi (black), though not ‘finished,’ was of a good quality. The skin was healthy and vibrant. The kiwa was clean and sharp. The Quality rating on this Koi could be considered in the range of 26 out of 30 points. At this point, we have considered 80% of the Koi, and we have not even looked at the pattern yet! When we are able to evaluate a Koi in this matter – looking first at Conformation and then at Quality – we can consider ourselves well on the way to becoming “wise consumers,” or judges of Koi.
January/February 2013
How did this particular story end? Our friend, though he may not have consciously considered it in the manner described above, had recognized the high quality of this Koi, in spite of what some may consider as a “top heavy” pattern. Whereas Conformation and Quality fall under the category of “objective criteria,” or quantitative evaluation points, Pattern is largely subjective, or qualitative, in nature. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There are of course certain standards to consider when evaluating pattern, but we must turn to the artist, or the poet in us, when it comes to selecting a Koi that we will enjoy looking at in our pond for years to come. Someone else bought that Sanke – someone who saw the same qualities as our friend. But as I told him on Sunday morning, “You have advanced to the next level. This one got away, but there will always be another Koi.”
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 13
For most of my customers and friends, have heard me talk of fukurin, shiroji, beni, and luster. But all these things are nothing without the quality skin. Let’s look at Koi as what they truly are: living paintings. Imagine I paint a picture with flat paint. It’s a nice picture but doesn’t do anything for you. Now let me paint the same picture and use gloss paint, and make the paint thicker to help accent colors, vivid colors that have depth and seem to jump off the canvas. That is the difference skin makes. People who know me know that I am very shy at first. I am very quiet and let people talk. Once you know me though, I can’t stop talking. How this has helped me is that when I go to Koi shows I hear a lot of talk about Koi, but many never bring up the
Reprinted from POND Trade Magazine by Matthew Corino Sugar Loaf Koi Farm
e all know a pretty pattern when we see it. And most of us can easily pick out the grand champion of a Koi show. But very few people can explain skin in a way that the average hobbyist can understand it.
W
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January/February 2013
skin quality. Why? Were they never taught about it? Were they told it doesn’t matter? I have over the years spoken to many people about the importance of skin quality in high-class Koi. Some Koi judges and hobbyists are starting to listen. I see judging at Koi shows getting better because of the influence of the American dealers bringing in better Koi, and the breeders helping educate the customer. So, how do I teach you skin quality in one short article? 3-D... that’s right, you heard it here first. It took me years to figure it out. I was in the movies with my kids watching a 3D cartoon 2 years ago when it hit me.... all the colors look like they are on separate levels. On a great Sanke the shiroji (white background) is at the first level, the beni (red) is at the next level, and the sumi (black) is at the top level. When you start looking for highclass skin, you can eliminate 99% of the Koi you will be looking at. About 1% of Koi possess this awesome trait. There is an American hobbyist who is doing some great background research on this. I am happy to call him my friend, Phillip Gray. Phillip last year went to Japan in search of skin quality and why it is so important. January/February 2013
He did awesome interviews on how it develops, and the importance the breeders put on it. Broken beni and skin quality: Earlier this year an advanced hobbyist received a shipment of very high class tategoi tosai (great potential one season old Koi). He called to announce that the Koi's beni was "Breaking Down." He read somewhere and saw Online that when there is white in between the scales of red, it means the red is breaking and fading away. After many calming phone calls and me taking the breeder to see the guy, we left it as a "wait and see" thing. Well here we are six months later and the Koi are not breaking down anymore. You see what happened was that the Koi were outgrowing their beni! They were growing so fast that the beni could not catch up. Good skin helps correct this and condensed the beni on the Koi and made it strong looking again. The other thing skin quality will do is cover blemishes. I have seen many Koi with a little niban hi (secondary red that comes up on a scale where you don’t want it) and the breeders don’t worry because the shiroji will actually thicken to cover it. This applies to the leading edge on beni (the sashi) as well. When a Koi is young, the leading edge will be faded red, which is ok as the Koi skin matures, and it will thicken and cover the pinkish leading edge. Take a look at the pictures in this article as examples of quality skin. About the Author Matt Corino is the owner of Sugar Loaf Koi – NYKOI.com. He has been in business for over 18 years. Matt started in Koi when he was only 14 years old, studying Koi at one of England’s largest Koi centers. At 18 he took his first trip to Japan, where he studied under Sakai Isawa, then Shintaro.
Sugar Loaf Koi is a family owned business located near New York City in Campbell Hall, NY. For more information 845-294-5162 – sugarloafkoi@yahoo.com
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 15
Keep Your Fish Safe Water Chemicals/Treatments by Linda Montgomery, KHA , Northwest Koi and Goldfish Club hris and Len Gordon were kind enough to send in a great question. The question was in regard to chemicals used in a Koi pond and their effect on our environment. As many hobbyists believe in treating their fish and pond for parasites as part of a maintenance protocol, this was a great question. I personally do not do that, I only treat them if I find they have parasites, but many Koi hobbyists swear by doing this and it is a matter of personal choice.
C
Here is their question: Hi Dear Linda, I've wondered about the effect of dumping our pond meds/treatments. Is there an approved disposal method? It seems to me some would be harmful to the environment. Page 16 Mid-Atlantic Koi
Answer: Needless to say, I am not a biochemist so I needed to contact a couple of my Koi Gurus to help me. One of them was my Koi health mentor, Spike Cover. The other person I contacted was Dr. Roddy Conrad, who is a rocket scientist (no joke!) and a world class expert on a vast field of environmental water quality issues, including having invented several useful and practical devices, processes, and high tech instruments for water quality issues on the industrial scale. I asked him his opinion on specific chemicals that we occasionally use in our Koi ponds and what he felt the environmental concerns would be in using them. Here is a list of the chemicals and Dr. Roddy Conrad’s comments on them. • Formalin: This is very reactive and is quickly gone when released to the environment. January/February 2013
• Potassium Permanganate: The spent form of PP, manganese dioxide, is not a toxin and also not an environmental issue. • Hydrogen peroxide: This is sold as Baquacil oxidizer for use in swimming pools; if it is released to the environment, it is quickly used up, if not, the amount from a pond is trivial versus the amounts used in swimming pools. Also, various forms of hydrogen peroxide are used in detergents for washing clothes and cleaning the house; if releasing hydrogen peroxide to the environment was a problem, those products would not be legal. • Malachite Green: This chemical is persistent and not degraded easily. The color only goes away because the form of Malachite Green changes with pH and time, the Malachite Green is still there. So it is a persistent toxin. But the formalin portion of the Malachite Green/Formalin combination is not an environmental issue, since formalin (formaldehyde) is sufficiently reactive to have a very short half life. In fact, when the concentration of formaldehyde is measured on line in ponds when treating fish, it is all gone in a few hours anyway, and is basically never released to the environment from the pond. Not so for Malachite Green. My preference has been to buy the generic formalin, which is a factor of 3 cheaper than the brand name stuff containing formalin, and leave the Malachite Green treatment out of my fish ponds. If treating in a small isolation tank, and pumping the water to the yard and soil afterward, I would not have a problem using Malachite Green. If Malachite Green is used for a series of treatments, plan on a large water change sometime soon after the treatments are concluded. • Simazine: This is a very safe algaecide, and will not hurt anything but algae, read about it at the link: http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/simazine.htm The government's regulatory statement is: January/February 2013
Simazine is a General Use Pesticide (GUP). It is in EPA toxicity class IV - practically nontoxic. • Dimilin: This will kill certain aquatic insects, that is why it is so useful to kill out fish lice, and the small release of Dimilin from a normal pond is insufficient to cause any environmental damage downstream to crabs. I keep a 5 pound bag of Dimilin around for the normal fish lice issues, I highly recommend it, Dimilin is practically non-toxic to desirable pond aquatic life except crabs, and is of course toxic to undesirable pond insects such as fish lice (and various other possible insects that visit ponds). Note: Spike mentioned that he thought Dimilin is reported to have a bad effect on honey bees if it gets into the environment. In Erik Johnson’s Koi Health and Disease book he states that “Dimilin is a restricted use pesticide with a specific spectrum against insects and crustaceans. Dimilin is toxic to invertebrates, so don’t let it run into rivers or creeks.” Below is what Roddy wrote to me when I asked him these questions about environmental concerns with our pond chemicals. I wanted to make sure his concerns were addressed and included in this article. “I gave up on the public aspects of the Koi hobby several years ago when it got so very nasty in public, and at the time I was having even more serious health problems than the present ones (meaning personal health issues). Also, I am still working full time at age 71, and there is only so much energy to go around for various tasks. For some weird reason today, I chose to take the time to answer your questions, please feel absolutely free to copy and paste as long as you do NOT change any wording whatsoever, and say it was me that gave this information. Do be aware, if you copy and paste the information, to please say it was me for your own self-protection, "you have no idea whether it is right," otherwise you will get attacked Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 17
for simply thinking something I said is worth repeating. From your old rocket scientist, Roddy Conrad The information below was taken from various websites and sources, not from Dr. Roddy Conrad: • Organophosphates (Trichlorfon/Masoten, Fluke tabs, Malathion, Dylox): These chemicals are used to treat monogenean flukes, Gyrodactylus (skin fluke) and Dactylogyrus (gill fluke), as well as fish lice, leeches, and anchor worm. They work by interfering with the nervous system and thus affect vital physiological processes. They are potentially dangerous to both fish and humans and, for a variety of reasons, their use in fish disease control has been banned in many countries. One website states that there are currently safer alternatives being developed, but these are liable to be very expensive for hobbyists. • Sodium Thiosulfate (dechlor): Spike Cover states that he believes that the fire departments add sodium thiosulfate to the water they dump into the runoff when they flush the hydrants - to neutralize the chlorine. When I researched sodium thiosulfate, I could find nothing that would indicate that it is harmful to the environment. • Sodium Chloride (Salt): On this subject I have had some personal experience, and by that I mean killing off some plants/trees. After treating with salt the only way to get the salt back out is by water change outs and if you are just draining the pond water onto your landscape this can be a concern. I have killed some plants and small trees in my yard before I realized that the drain line I was using to flush out the water broke and was draining into the landscape. Some plants are very salt sensitive and you do have to be aware of the environment when draining the salt out of your pond. Page 18 Mid-Atlantic Koi
I would like to thank Chris and Len for submitting this question, we so often don’t even think about what we are ‘dumping’ into our environment. Not just with the chemicals that we use in our Koi ponds, but also the fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides that we use on our lawns and gardens all the time. It certainly is something to be concerned about and I appreciate that they made me look at it a little closer. I would like to thank Dr. Roddy Conrad for his willingness to share some of his vast knowledge with us in this article; I have read his articles for years and learned so much from him. And last but not least, thanks to Spike Cover, who is such a gift to all of us trying to learn about Koi health, if he doesn’t know the answer (which isn’t too often), he at least can point us in the right direction to find it!
January/February 2013
Hydrogen Sulfide by Linda Montgomery, KHA , Northwest Koi and Goldfish Club
forming, how can we detect it (other than a sulfide test kit if possible), how can we get rid of the problem, etc.? I have this one area in my pond that has to be watched very carefully (bad design) so it is something I deal with each water change and sometimes twice a week. I try for the prevention end with elimination of organic materials but have had to use PP in that one area to neutralize. Steve
Does it smell like rotten eggs? It may be Hydrogen Sulfide
his is the time of year that most of us are putting our ponds to rest for the winter. Doing all that fun stuff like getting any leaves/debris off the bottom of the pond, cleaning filters, by-passing waterfalls, cleaning up water plants, etc. So when club members Steve and Kathy Eckard sent in some questions on hydrogen sulfide, I thought what appropriate timing!
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Since hydrogen sulfide often results from the bacterial breakdown of organic matter (such as waste accumulation in filters and/or leaves/sediment in bottom of ponds or bog areas) these questions are excellent for supporting how important it is to have a clean pond going into winter. Here are the questions from Steve and Kathy: Hi Linda, I have some questions for you. Hydrogen Sulfide. What is it, how does it accumulate in our ponds, how can we prevent it from January/February 2013
In answer to the first part of the question: What is hydrogen sulfide (H2S)? In the simplest terms it is a gas produced in an anaerobic (oxygen starved) environment (in our case in our ponds) and it smells like rotten eggs. Without Oxygen, some bacteria can respire by using Sulfur, and this creates Hydrogen Sulfide. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a maximum acceptable level of H2S for fish and aquatic life is 0.002 ppm. Less than 5.3 milligrams per liter will kill Koi and less than 0.4 milligrams per litre has sub-lethal effects such as gill damage and stress. This definition was taken from Wikipedia: Hydrogen sulfide (British English: hydrogen sulphide) is the chemical compound with the formula H2S. It is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. It often results from the bacterial breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen, such as in swamps and sewers; this process is commonly known as anaerobic digestion. It also occurs in volcanic gases, natural gas, and some well waters. The human body produces small amounts of H2S and uses it as a signaling molecule. Now for the next part of Steve’s question… how does it accumulate in our ponds and can we Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 19
prevent it from forming? The single most important element in order to keep hydrogen sulfide out of a pond is by good pond design and decreasing any dead or stagnant areas. Hydrogen sulfide can accumulate in your pond when there is a build-up of dirt and decaying organic matter (such as leaves and fish waste). Pond keepers usually refer to this as mulm and it can accumulate in bog areas, filters, pockets of debris among the rocks surrounding a pond, low flow or low oxygenated areas, and even in water lily plantings. Hydrogen sulfide can be produced anywhere that there are oxygen starved deep pockets of gravel, sand, debris or sediment. Good pond design that eliminates any ‘dead’ areas and incorporates bottom drains can prevent this build-up. It is also important to do regular maintenance and flush the filters to prevent any buildup of mulm/debris in the filter chambers. If you do regular flushing of your filters, regularly clean the bottom of your pond, and annually divide and re-pot water plants then you should not accumulate hydrogen sulfide in your pond and should prevent it from forming. In my pond system, I have a long streambed and if I neglect to keep the plant growth under control I have noticed that the plants can hinder water flow as well as encouraging the buildup of trapped particles and debris. Occasionally when I clean some neglected pockets I will smell hydrogen sulfide. In some areas well water can also contain concentrations of hydrogen sulfide. This mainly occurs in areas where wells are drilled through shale or sandstone, or near coal or peat deposits or oil fields. It also occurs naturally in some groundwater when underground deposits of organic matter such as decaying plant material decomposes. The last part of Steve’s hydrogen sulfide question was concerning the detection of and testing for H2S. The most obvious way of determining whether or not you are dealing with hydrogen sulfide gas is the rotten egg smell, however, that is not always evident. Several companies produce Page 20 Mid-Atlantic Koi
hydrogen sulfide test kits, and on the internet I found the prices ranging from $178.00 for a Hach to a $134.00 LaMotte test kit to a $16.00 Ben Meadows test kit. It is important to realize that hydrogen sulfide is affected by pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. It is the most toxic at lower pH levels (lower than 6.5). Also very low levels of H2S can be toxic with increased temperatures. In the summer the H2S concentrations, which in the winter are relatively harmless, can cause significant damage and mortalities of fish within a very short period of time. Dissolved oxygen also has a large role to play in the damaging effects of H2S. As the toxicity of H2S increases at higher temperatures, oxygen converts it to a nontoxic form. When ponds are well oxygenated, hydrogen sulfide will not escape from sediments unless they are disturbed (i.e. by plantings, cleaning a bog or cleaning an under-gravel filter). What are the symptoms of hydrogen sulfide poisoning? When I have visited ponds with hydrogen sulfide poisoning I have observed the fish looking oxygen starved, listing at the surface or hanging near waterfalls or aerators seeking oxygen. Some fish may die immediately but it may also take days or weeks for them to die from the damage from the poisoning (mainly to the damage to their gills). Those that survive may become thin from being off feed and sickly due January/February 2013
to an increased susceptibility to common parasites and diseases. As Steve mentioned in the last part of his question, you can treat for hydrogen sulfide by low doses of potassium permanganate (1-2ppm). But this should be used only as a temporary/emergency solution as PP can also be damaging to the fish (especially to the gills). It is much better to add aeration and to dilute the hydrogen sulfide by frequent water change outs, accomplished by flushing old water from the bottom of the pond and replacing with new water. Issues with hydrogen sulfide affecting water quality are no different than any other water quality issue‌the old adages still apply good Koi keeping is good water keeping! And cleanliness is next to Godliness! Thank you Steve and Kathy Eckard for sending in your questions on hydrogen sulfide! ď ś
January/February 2013
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 21
Common Water Testing Errors by Ken Austin, Certified Koi Keeper - Koi Organisation International
interface. This can make the water in that zone slightly different than most of the pond water. The same is true of water close to the point where circulating water returns to the pond such as streams, waterfalls and jets. Draw your sample away from such locations and at a depth of 6 inches or more.
The Person Doing the Testing
Sample of a Liquid Test for Ammonia
ll fish keepers should test the tank or pond water their fish live in. This is key to maintaining a healthy environment for your pets. It is not difficult to do, but needs to be done correctly for good results. This guideline covers the common mistakes that should be avoided.
A
Sampling Location The sample of water should representative of the pond water in general. Water within a few inches of the surface is affected by contact with the atmosphere and any air or water currents at that Page 22 Mid-Atlantic Koi
Yes, you too can be part of the problem. For example, did you read the instructions? Even for tests that you have done so many times that you have the procedure memorized, manufacturers often change the procedure and different manufacturers have different procedures. Other human errors such as letting the sample sit too long before running the test, the water level (meniscus) in the vial not exactly on the line, not mixing reagents correctly or for the correct amount of time, dirty test vials or covering the vial opening with your finger instead of a cap all contribute to bad sample results. Reagents can be spoiled by leaving the caps off for long periods of time or switching bottle caps on the dropper bottles. Always follow manufacturer's procedures and good lab procedures. Also be aware if you have any color blindness, as this can affect your interpretation of the test results.
The Lighting Many tests require matching the color of the water in the sample vial with the color on a chart or a color chip in a wheel or slide. This should not be done under artificial lighting and don't try to do this wearing tinted glasses. Go to a good source of natural light and take the sun glasses off. Daylight simulator lights can be used for running water tests indoors. January/February 2013
limited shelf life. The better manufacturers date stamp the test kits and reagents and provide guidelines on when they should be replaced. Replace any stained, faded, scratched or discolored test vials because that makes interpreting the sample color more difficult.
Test Strips Another Testing Tool Sample Master Test Kit
The Water Chemistry Remember, you are trying get a representative sample of your normal pond water. If you just added a water treatment chemical or a medication then that will change the water chemistry and that is not a good time to be testing the water. Water additives can also interfere with color development and cause the color comparison to be off.After adding water treatments, always wait at least two filtration cycles before testing the water. This would be the time it takes to run the entire volume of the pond through the filtration system twice.
The Testing Tools It is best to buy test kits and test equipment from reliable manufacturers. But each of these will have a limited sensitivity range. Let's say you buy a pH test kit that has a range of 6.0 - 7.6. That is not going to work very well in EI Paso municipal water that often has a pH of 8.0 or greater. Be aware that the liquids, powders, tablets and even vials from different manufacturers cannot be interchanged. Also note that reagents all have a January/February 2013
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 23
Filtration Blues by Carolyn Weise, Florida
n the spring of 2007, the pond was installed. I dealt with UV and gauge issues with the help of the manufacturer. I also called him on a regular basis because I couldn’t remember which way the valves should be pointing (there are a LOT of them!) and I’d lose track of which were turned during the process, and which still had to be turned. Welcome to the Golden Years! Then, the vivid memory of the explosion of that pressurized prefilter when it was first being installed (wrongly!) has left me with a great deal of respect (bordering on terror) for that particular piece of equipment. My hands also have no muscle strength, so I keep a pair of pliers in the shed so I can turn the thing on top which releases air (and eventually water) when backwashing it. Okay, after a while, I stopped backwashing the pressurized prefilter… too much trouble and I never saw
I
Page 24 Mid-Atlantic Koi
anything come out anyway. So, whatever went wrong, it’s my fault entirely! I know that. It’s been about 2 years (give or take?) since it’s been backwashed, or maybe I never did it properly since it was first installed. I’m still not sure. This brings us to the problem: by late 2012, I can’t even backwash my filter, let alone the pre-filter, without losing prime on the pump. I thought it was the damned pump. I had someone give it a kick (a professional pump guy) and then had it taken to a pump shop. They both pronounced it “healthy” and said “nothing wrong with it”… Oh. Then last week, my friend said it’s “air in the system”. Huh. How the heck does air get into the system?? I thought of all those pipes and the grid of PVC below ground, under concrete and gunnite and tons of water (pond). I thought this could mean a whole new system, January/February 2013
omg. What in the world would that cost? I just knew I couldn’t afford it. So, that was Wednesday evening. My friend, Alan, said he will take a look at it in the morning when he can see it better. Thursday: I explain to my boss: “In addition to a migraine that won’t quit, I’m also dealing with my pond’s pump & filter at home. I have my friend, Alan, working on finding the water and air leaks in the system- and fixing it. So, I was running late (couple of minutes this morning and a few minutes coming back from lunch.)” And yes, Alan was still working on it when I went home for lunch. He had taken the pump to the pump shop, gotten the clean bill of health, reinstalled it, refilled the pond, forgotten to shut the valve (I’m on well-water) and overflowed it into the yard. He said we can turn it on now. I told him about the dirt that washes back into the pond after I finish backwashing the system and that the fish absolutely are traumatized by it. He immediately knew how to fix that! When I got home from work, Alan had installed a drain (and 2 ball valves) on the return line. But I have to wait till tomorrow to test-drive it so the glue dries. Friday: Alan came to my door at 8am- he said he didn’t know if the glue he used was for PVC- he had two types of glue, both yellow, both looked the same and he didn’t notice which one he used. He’s not sure it’s going to hold. He has to go to Home Depot and ask if the other type will work on this application. Oh. Well, we went out to the shed and said, “Here goes nothing!” I plugged it in. I did another backwash for good measure. No, I didn’t get soaked, no pipes burst apart, and a LOT of filthy water washed out that drain-pipe when I moved it to “filter.”
coming from the pressurized pre-filter just would not stop draining water. We moved the valve that should shut it off. In the off position, it kept running. In the on position, it drained the water from the pump basket and we lost prime! That’s when we called the manufacturer. We needed to take ME out of the equation. It took the whole lunch hour with us futzing around in the filter shed, and Alan talking to the manufacturer about the system on my phone and we troubleshot the one leaking pipe (the drain pipe that won’t stop draining!) and he figured out the pressurized pre-filter is the place where the air-leak is happening. Before we left, I told Alan the pre-filter is most likely completely stuffed with pieces of that Swamp Fern that sits in the corner of my pond (the one the fish just will not leave alone!) And it’s probably got some of it stuck in the valve, too… So, I left for work and Alan left for Home Depot with a another plan in mind.
I went home for lunch and found that Alan had overflowed my pond (again). He refilled it after this morning, when we were backwashing the system again, and he forgot to come back to turn it off (again). Well, that’s not a problem really. The problem now is that the old drain pipe January/February 2013
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 25
The Dancing Mist of Winter The night was dark, cold and damp. A mist danced over the ground like a foreboding shroud. Swirling slowly here and there as if unforeseen creatures slithered under the guise of impunity. The erie silence was disturbed now and then by the faint rustle of leaves high in the trees. The quarter moon from time to time escaped quietly from behind the dark clouds. The mist danced slowly, as if alive, exposed in the brief silver slivers of light. A faint watery noise barely audible emanated from the mist when suddenly she appeared. A beautiful figure perfectly formed. She had pure white skin that shimmered iridescent in the moonlight. Then as suddenly as she appeared, she was gone with the moon in the dancing mist, and the pond was dark and quiet again. Aha winter...... I wish it were spring ..........Norman Call
Page 26 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2013
New Products Aqua Bella Designs' introduces our absolutely UNIQUE Stone and Glass Column Fountains!
These fountains were designed by our own artists and each one is constructed by our own craftsmen. Hand cut natural stone and colored luminescent glass is joined together to create an unprecedented look with running water and light. We can customize our Stone-Glass columns per your specifications regarding height and width or you can order from our pre-fabricated selection in stock. Stone-Glass Columns are 16˝ wide x 16˝ deep x 28˝ high and 15˝ wide x 15˝ deep x 38˝ high. Decorative colored glass can be customized for your project or you can use the beautiful selection that is in stock. Don't forget that Aqua Bella Designs can be found on CADdetails! You can easily use CAD drawings of our product in any of your designs.
EasyPro’s New 2013 Catalog Available
EasyPro Pond Products of Grant, Michigan has their new catalog available for 2013. We have increased our product line and offer you a large catalog packed with professional and do-it-yourself pond products. To request your full color catalog or for more information on EasyPro products call 800-448-3873 or visit our website easypropondproducts.com/catalog-request. January/February 2013
Aqua Bella Designs is always here to bring you innovative idea and elegant products, so check back soon for new inventory! We are wishing you a holiday season filled with joy and new exciting projects! Please call with any questions, help with a current project or to purchase a custom fountain feature at 800-617-5565 or you can email us at info@aquabelladesigns.com.
To see full product information please refer to the company’s website. This is for informational purposes only. Send new product information to cindy@tcpubinc.com
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 27
On the Road to a Koi Event February 23–24 Koi Club of San Diego 26th Annual Koi Show, held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Activity Center. Free Admission. Contact Matt Rhoades Show Chairman, matt@koisd.org. Vendors contact John Svelan at john@koisd.org. Website www.koiclubsandiego.org March 8–10 Central Florida Koi Show 2013 Held in Orlando at the International Palms Resort, 6515 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819 www.centralfloridakoishow.org March 17–18 39th Annual ZNA SoCal Open Koi Show Held at the Gardina Civic Center 1700 162rd St., Gardina, California 90247 Looking forward to seeing you all there. http://znasocal.org April 17–18 6th Annual ZNA NorCal Koi Show San Jose Airport Garden Hotel, 1740 North First St. San Jose, CA 95112. Contact Show Chair Dinh Nguyen (408) 309-9119 http://znanorcal.org/news.php Have information on an upcoming Koi event that you think others should hear about, please send the information to the editor at makcmag@makc.com. We will be glad to include it in future articles. Don’t forget your own MAKC Club has events coming up that can be found in our digital magazine or at www.makc.com. We always need volunteers for meetings and shows. We hope to Page 28 Mid-Atlantic Koi
see more of you visiting shows, attending club meetings, and volunteering to help at Koi events this year. It is amazing how much you can learn by helping. Take advantage of being an MAKC member and participate in the club events. See you soon at a Koi event.
MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers Tom Burton
Middletown, NJ
732-671-7045
Jan & Bill Fogle Wayne, PA
610-687-3105
Floyd Broussard Woodbridge, VA
703-491-4921
Terri Janas
Ashburn, VA
703-729-2988
Jeff Nicholson
Odenton, MD
301-912-1928
All members have microscopes and health books. In the event of a recorded message, please suggest a time when you're home to receive a return call or when you'd like to call back. Please remember that advice is given based on your input–the ultimate responsibility and treatment must remain with you.
January/February 2013
Saugerties Chapter Gathering by RoseMarie Ehrich, New York
he members of the Saugerties chapter gathered together on Sunday, December 9, at the home of Herb & RoseMarie Ehrich to celebrate the upcoming holidays.
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Herb thanked the members for their loyalty to the club and their friendship to him and each other. Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal and then participated in a Koi/pond related grab bag game. Frank & Peggy shared pictures of their newly expanded pond. Paul & Harriet talked about their newly constructed pump house deck. Herb brought us up-to-date on the progress of his pond construction. Suzanne shared with us a January/February 2013
story about her pond construction which occurred several years ago. It was obvious to all that our mutual love of the Koi hobby has brought us through another year. This was a year filled with many challenges, as we all reflected upon the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. At this holiday time, we keep Sandy’s victims in our hearts. Happy Holidays to all and to all a Koiful New Year!! P.S. our thoughts and our prayers are with the families who lost loved ones in Newton, CT. ď ś
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 29
In Memorium
M A KC E v e n t s
We are very saddened to inform you that Joy Stockmeyer passed away she was 86 years old.
Saugerties Chapter Message Saugerties Chapter Members wish all a happy and healthy 2013. After closing our ponds, and making sure all our koi are safe, and the "buddy system" in place, many of us are traveling south to various parts of our country (and beyond) where warmer weather prevails. Therefore, there will be no chapter meetings during the months of January, February and March. We will be back in April better than ever, place and date to be determined. Happy New Year! Contact Herb Ehrich at HerbEhrich05@yahoo.com
MAKC Upcoming Events February 16 Seminar – Koi Health: Winter to Spring Speaker Dr. Tepper Hosted by Philip Gray 211 South Ocean Ave Freeport, NY 11520 $20 Fee May 19 Seminar – The Development of Quality Koi Key Speaker Mr. Saito, Shintaro Koi Farm, Japan Dinner $25 (proceeds to support the MAKC Koi Show)
Joy was a wonderful MAKC member. She enjoyed coming to meetings and looked forward to having us at her house for the Pond Tour. She will be missed. Cards can be sent to: Fred Stockmeyer 126 Friends Lane Westbury, NY 11590 516-334-3766 Thank you, Bruce and Susan Levine kuba1953@aol.com
Sunshine Column Andrea Dugan had major surgery a couple of months ago, and can use a few prayers. Know someone to list in our Sunshine Column - Email Carolyn Weise, Editor makcmag@makc.com
September MAKC Koi Show Held at Kodama Koi Farm Saddle River, New Jersey
Send your meeting and event information to Joyce Spears 856-478-2952 or gjs63@comcast.net. Deadline February 1st for the March 2013 issue. Page 30 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2013
Treasurer’s Report Submitted by Carolyn Broussard, Virginia Balance as of October 5, 2012
$23,704.43
Income: Memberships Advertising Club Sales Raffles Total Income Expenses: Newsletter Production Young Koi Show 2012 Credit Card Fees Host Fees & Mtg Exp Total Expenses
Have a picture to share?
402.50 225.00 30.00 25.00 $682.50
800.00 1,507.05 184.65 47.50 $2,539.20
Balance as of December 7, 2012
$21,847.73
Reserve Account/Prepaid Memberships Balance as of April 30, 2012 $6,408.24 Interest Income 0.11 Maintenance Fee -85.00 Balance as of September 30, 2012 $6,323.35 Summary of Income & Expense Young Koi Show 2012 December 15, 2012 YTD Income $ 3,046.75 Vendor Refunds -621.25 Judge Air Fare Refund -351.20 December 15, 2012 YTD Expense $-2,658.25 Net YTD Income (Expense) Not Final $388.50
January/February 2013
Send your photos to the Editor, Carolyn Weise at makcmag@makc.com Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 31
F..A..S..T.. Ads – January/February Disclaimer: MAKC and its officers assume no responsibility for claims of advertisers or the quality/serviceability of goods offered.
FOR SALE Remember any MAKC member can list their Koi, pond, or related items for sale here in your magazine at no charge. Please contact Ellie today if you have something for sale. BAMBOO. Winter hardy and tropical for indoors. Thinning collection. Reasonable prices. Call Ron Altman, NY 718-442-1673 (Office) or 908-658-3055 (H). HOUSE FOR SALE – SILVER SPRlNG, MD Spacious (3112 sf) 5 br/3ba rambler sited in center of cul de sac on 13530 sf private lot w/6000 gal unique grotto waterfall with intricate high-tech filter system stocked with big Japanese Koi. $425,000 Tish Ziner (Realty Force) 301-793-8474 or tishziner@mris.com
F..A..S..T.. Ads Policy & Deadlines F..A..S..T.. Ads are available FREE to MAKC members only; no commercial ads. Ads are limited to 10 items and must include name, phone number, town and state. Deadline is the 1st of each month. Help do you have an hour or two? We need a volunteer to manage this page. Please contact
Philip Gray • 516-486-5163 philiegray@mac.com
Page 32 Mid-Atlantic Koi
KOI FOR SALE. Overstocked at Millbrook Pond in Haverford, PA. Contact Tom East for less than wholesale pricing on beautiful and healthy Koi. tomeast21@gmail.com or 610-937-0321. PUMP. Performance Pro AP3/4-HF-C Pump with 4˝ fittings. Purchased a couple of months ago, never been out of the box. Retails over $800. I will sell it for $600.00 at my house here in Arnoldsville, GA or plus shipping if you can't pick it up here. Call 706-742-7418 or chamann@windstream.net
WANTED KOI. Foster Home. Large natural pond. Happy to accept your overgrown or unwanted “children.” Call Rich Menashe in Metuchen, NJ, 732-767-0720. KOI. Wanted Healthy Pond Grade KOI over 10˝. Will pay reasonable prices. I have a 750,000 gallon pond and will adopt any unwanted KOI. Call Joseph Pollock in Virginia at 540-788-9222. KOI. Wanted for large deep natural pond next to soon to be built wine tasting room in wine country of Northern Virginia. Happy to accept any and all Koi of any size and color. Stop by and visit them next year when our tasting room opens. Call Mark Malick in Purcellville, VA, 540-270-3399 (cell). KOI BITO MAGAZINES – in good condition. Send list with asking price, or call Roger Klocke 701-491-2803, E-mail at rklockejr@aol.com. Mailing address: Roger Klocke, 4805 Meadow Creek Dr., Fargo, ND 58104. KOI STORE EMPLOYEE. Looking for a knowledgeable Koi and pond hobbyist. January/February 2013
Part-time, competitive pay. Outstanding employee discounts! Call John at Blue Ribbon Koi Products. 703-753-7566. MAKC CENTRAL CHAPTER VICEPRESIDENT. Schedule 4 to 12 meetings per year. This includes making sure that the meeting announcement is submitted to the magazine and the MAKC website. Plenty of advice and support are available. Your "compensation" .... knowing that you have given back to MAKC and your fellow members. Please don't wait for someone else to step forward! MAKC is a membership organization. If more than one person is interested, you can share the fun! E-mail Philip Gray at philiegray@mac.com or call 516-486-5163.
Mid-Atlantic Koi Ad Index Aquaculture Bead
Kodama Koi Farm . . . . . . .7, 13
Filter Specialists . . . . . . .7, 21
Long Island Fish Hospital . . . .6
Aquatic Eco-Systems, Inc. . .23
Matala USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Aquatic Nutrition –
Mazuri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Blackwater Gold–N . . . . . . .21
Nisei Koi Farm . . . . . . . . . . .2, 7
Hikari . . . . . . . . . .7, Back Cover
Quality Koi Company . . . . .2, 7
Kloubec Koi Farm . . . . . . . . .18
Be sure to check our club website for the most current meeting information and more. Also check the MAKC Online Sales Store. Did you know you can buy a Koi purse?
Advertise in Mid-Atlantic Koi! Ad Rates from $15/issue* for a business card ad to $300/issue* for a full page color ad. Reach your target audience of Koi keepers & water gardeners each month and leave your competition in the dust!! Contact Philip Gray at 516-486-5163 (leave message) or e-mail: philiegray@mac.com to request information on our advertiser packages and/or a copy of our ad rate sheet.
www.makc.com January/February 2013
*With an annual 10 issue contract.
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 33
A Picture to Share
Cricket – by Jeffrey L. Hahn, MAKC Member. Have a picture to share? Send your photos to the Editor, Carolyn Weise at makcmag@makc.com.
Page 34 Mid-Atlantic Koi
January/February 2013
MAKC Membership Application
W
e are pleased that you have inquired about membership in the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club. The club meets monthly at convenient regional locations in the Mid-Atlantic area and also publishes an informative monthly magazine (bi-monthly in Nov/Dec & Jan/Feb).
Our dues are $30 per year, per family (includes $15.00 for a one-year subscription to Mid-Atlantic Koi Online Magazine). The club year runs June 1st through May 31st of the following year. (Dues are pro-rated per month. Those who join in January or after are also asked to join for the following year.) Join for 4 years for $100 and save - $20. Overseas Membership - $40 per year. Corporate Membership $275 per year which includes advertising and other benefits. Call Barry Hixson at 610-262-5184 or e-mail: makcmembers@verizon.net for details. Please consult the following chart for the proper amount and send your check (payable to the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club) to me, Barry Hixon, 5465 Towanda Dr., Bethlehem, PA 18017. Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
$42.50
$40
$37.50
$35
$32.50
$30
$27.50
$25
$22.50
$20
$17.50
$15
As soon as I receive your check, I will send you a "Welcome to MAKC" email and a list of upcoming meetings in your area. You will also be given the date of your membership expiration. Your email will be added to our MAKC Notice Group to allow you to receive MAKC news and up-to-date information. A great source of information is our MAKC website: www.makc.com. The MAKC membership list may be made available (upon approval by the MAKC Executive Committee) for the dissemination of Koi-related information.
Welcome to MAKC! I sincerely believe you will enjoy it as much as we all do. Barry Hixson Membership Committee Mid-Atlantic Koi Club
PLEASE PRINT (You may omit any information that may be sensitive such as unlisted phone numbers or email accounts.) LAST NAME ________________________ FIRST NAME(S) _________________________ (If Applicable) CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP NAME: ______________________________________ ADDRESS ______________________________ CITY__________________ STATE _____ ZIP______ TELEPHONE ______________________ E-MAIL ________________________________ OCCUPATION(S)______________________ Do you have a pond?____ Dimensions____________ Gallons________ Type filter________________ Do you keep Koi or Goldfish?__________ Type______________ Size___________ How Many? ______ Are there any Koi related problems you need help with?_________ If so, what kind?_______________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Do you have special talents, knowledge or interest you would be willing to share with us? _________ If so, what kind? __________________________________________________________________ Would you be willing to have a Koi Club meeting at your home? _______________________________ SIGNATURE ____________________________ DATE ____________ AMOUNT PAID ___________ January/February 2013
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 35