Mid~Atlantic Koi The Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club
June 2015
Mid~Atlantic Koi The Membership Magazine of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club
Volume 28, Number 10
June 2015
—Upcoming Events Central Chapter Meetings . . . . . . . . .47 Long Island Chapter Meetings . . . . .47 Saugerties Chapter Meetings . . . . . .47 South Chapter Meetings . . . . . . . . . .47
Beginner’s Corner - Chlorine . . . . . . . . .7 MAKC Corporate Members . . . . . . . . . .8 Introducing Narita Koi Farms Japan . . .9 Courtesy of Hikari USA
Koi Anatomy – Part 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
—MAKC News President’s Message . . . . . . . .4 MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers . . . . . . . . .4 From the Editor’s Desk . . . . .6 Sunshine Column . . . . . . . . .45 Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . .46 F..A..S..T Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Spike Cover , California
Pond Spotlight: Bill and Linda Montgomery . . . . . . . . .21 Linda Montgomery, Oregon
Copper Toxicity in Ponds . . . . . . . . . . .24 Meyer Jordan
Evolution of a Koi Keeper: One Man’s Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Steve Childers, AKJA Judge
Mid-Atlantic Koi Deadlines for Articles, Meeting Announcements and Ads July Issue Deadline: Available Online:
June 1 July 1
Versatile Plants from Your Water Garden to Your Landscape . . . . .32 Lisa Burns, Backyard Getaway
Fish Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Ed Keene, DCAS
August Issue Deadline: Available Online:
July 1 August 1
Ozone and Its Uses in Koi Keeping . . .37 Malcolm Green, England
Fan Tail Fish Goldfish . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 American Goldfish Association
On the Road to a Koi Event . . . . . . . . . .46 Pond Spotlight Page 21
Picture to Share -Horoscope . . . . . . . . .50 MAKC Membership Application . . . . .51
Photo Linda Montgomery
Page 2 Mid-Atlantic Koi
MAKC Ballot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
June 2015
P r e s i d e n t ’s Message by Joann Mead
MAKC Ballot on Page 52
Suggestions4MAKC@gmail.com t is election month for the new 2015/2106 Executive Committee! We will be emailing the ballots to all Club members. This way anyone who cannot attend the Annual meeting in Long Island on Sunday June 14, 2015 at Club member’s Bernie Szer’s home can still participate in the election process. We are only as strong as our members!
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Sunday, June 8, 1986, the first meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Koi Club (MAKC) was held at John and Helen File's home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On June 8, 2016 MAKC will be 30 years old! This makes us one of the oldest running Koi clubs on the east coast and it will be our diamond jubilee anniversary! To celebrate this we are going to have a Koi Show in 2016 at Quality Koi, in Carneys Point, NJ. We are in the early stages of planning and when more information becomes available we will notify everyone.
Joann MAKC’s website has been updated. Have you taken a look yet?
www.makc.com Page 4 Mid-Atlantic Koi
Be sure to vote for your club’s leadership and remember we always appreciate your help.
Raffle August 16th Reef Radiance has generously donated a Seneye Pond Monitor and Web Server with WIFI Module to the Club and we are going to raffle the whole system, a $429.00 value! The raffle tickets are $10.00 each and the drawing will be held on Sunday, August 16, 2015 at the Saugerties Chapter meeting. http://reefradiance.com/seneye.html
MAKC Health Hotline Volunteers Tom Burton Jan & Bill Fogle Terri Janas Jeff Nicholson
Middletown, NJ Wayne, PA Ashburn, VA Odenton, MD
732-671-7045 610-687-3105 703-729-2988 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.
June 2015
MAKC Executive Committee President Joann Mead
(845) 389-5712
jo_mead@earthlink.net
Vice-President Herb Ehrich
(845) 247-7105
koiking15@yahoo.com
Secretary Looking for a Volunteer Treasurer Anthony Vitale
(516) 420-0740
nyssba96@aol.com
Central Chapter Vice-President Bruce Damme (302) 598-8431 Drbdamme@windcrestanimal.com
Remember to Renew Your Membership
Long Island Chapter Vice-President Bruce Levine
(516) 735-2644
bruce@li-koi.com
Saugerties (NY) Chapter Vice-President Herb Ehrich Alan Mickelson
(845) 247-7105
koiking15@yahoo.com
South Chapter Vice-President (301) 332-7042 alanmickelson@msn.com
Standing Committees Richard Douglass
Membership (845) 723-4373
pvsherow@gmail.com
MAKC Sales Looking for a Volunteer MAKC Notice Group Manager Michael Snyder Sarah Johnson
(301) 762-2059 makc@imsnyder.com WebMaster (732) 567-6678 sarranna@yahoo.com
Executive Board Advisor y C ommittee Joe Zuritsky (215) 575-4001 Eric Wilson
jzuritsky@parkwaycorp.com
(443) 203-6486
wilseric@comcast.net
Don’t Wait – Do it Today. Renewal form you can print out is on page 51.
MAKC Home Page: http://www.makc.com
Production: Cindy Graham, NextUp Creations
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. June 2015
Mid-Atlantic Koi Magazine Editor, Carolyn Weise
(239) 573-6650 x105 makcmag@makc.com
Advertising Editor, Joann Mead
(845) 389-5712
Meeting/Events Editor, Carolyn Weise
(239) 573-6650 x105
FAST Ads Editor, Joann Mead
( 845) 389-5712
jo_mead@earthlink.net
makcmag@makc.co jo_mead@earthlink.net
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 5
From the Editor’s Desk by Carolyn Weise makcmag@makc.com
his issue illustrates just how fascinating and intricate the Koi hobby can be. In last month’s issue, we enjoyed Herb Ehrich’s journey into the hobby and viewed Barry Hixson’s lovely pond. This month we have true stories from Steve Childers and Linda Montgomery as they share what they have learned about Koi keeping.
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Malcolm Green discusses his venture into adding ozone filtration to his two ponds, which is fascinating. Being only human, I want to experience everything in the hobby and only want the best for my fish. Maybe ozone could be next, who knows? If you are not up for ozone yet, maybe adding more plants to your pond or stream is
the answer to balancing the system. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Please patronize our sponsors and advertisers. One day we may even have a printed magazine again. Show them you care. And send me your thoughts, your questions and your photos to share. Enjoy your June issue, enjoy your pond and get the most out of your Koi! Yours in Koi! Carolyn
Ozone System Installed in Florida Page 6 Mid-Atlantic Koi
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Beginner’s Corner – Chlorine (a Deadly Koi Killer) Ask a question and we will get you an answer. Remember any questions you have are welcome, Just send them in to the editor.
Q. A.
What will Chlorine do to my Koi?
Answer provided by Don Harrawood, Southwest Koi and Pond Association
Measurement Chlorine (Cl), measured in parts per million (ppm), is a gas which has been added to tap water to control harmful bacteria. City provided tap water is normally found to have 0.5 to 3.0 ppm, but higher surges are sometimes observed. Some city water supplies can still be found that either do not require chlorination or may have the chlorine removed before the water is distributed. Chlorine would not be of concern to those who take their water directly from a private well. Droplet and pill test kits are available to test for chlorine. Recommended test kit range is 0 - 4 ppm. A chlorine test kit is not considered necessary for the average pond once established. Acceptable concentration 0f Chlorine: Zero (0)
Effects Chlorine is a quick killer in fairly low concentrations (less than 0.5 ppm). Even in very small concentrations, it burns the edges of the gills with long term after effects. It also can be deadly to the bio-converter bacteria.
Treatment In an open container, water will release about 1/4 of the chlorine concentration per day to the air . June 2015
Water that has set in an open container for a week or just for a couple days if aerated, is normally safe to use or better yet, pre-treat tap water with one of the commercial chemical products such as sodium thiosulfate. Most Frequent Koi deaths by chlorine occur when the pond owner refills their pond or tank during a water change with chlorinated water and allows the system to overfill. An example of this is leaving a hose running and forgetting to shut it off. This seems to happen to most everyone sometime during their term as a Koi hobbyist. This same overfilling process can kill good bacteria inside filters if left running during the refilling process. When refilling, it is advisable to set an alarm or to use a water metering device that allows only a selected amount of water to pass before shutting the water supply off. If you have overfilled, add de-chlorinator as soon as possible in an attempt to save the fish. Even though no fish die immediately as a result of over chlorinating, the after effect of damaged gills caused by chlorine can cause fish to die later. ! Note: This column offers suggestions only; the ultimate care of your pond and fish is up to you.
Wanted – Your Questions Please email your questions to makcmag@makc.com. Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 7
MAKC
Corporate
Members
Quality Koi Company Nisei Koi Farm 856-299-7564 info@qualitykoi.com
www.qualitykoi.com
www.mazuri.com
Interested in becoming a Corporate Member? 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 Joann Mead at 845-389-5712 or jo_mead@earthlink.net
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Introducing Narita Koi Farms Japan Courtesy of Hikari USA
his time we interviewed Mr. Ryuki Narita of Narita Koi Farms Japan which is one of the top dealers in the country. A large number of Koi Narita Koi Farms Japan have raised, have been winners at various Koi shows in and out of the country. We hope to get some insight in to their superior Koi raising skills.
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About Narita Koi Farms Japan History and Business Background Since they started their Nishikigoi business in 1971 they have become an industry leader. Mr. Ryuki Narita, president of the firm, personally visits Koi breeders throughout the country in an effort to find the most promising Koi to add to their offering. He keeps a keen eye for promising Koi, which when raised with the special care they can provide, have the potential to truly excite Koi lovers when they first see them. Their June 2015
eye for promising Koi is so special that they have come to be known as "Narita the connoisseur of Koi." They have developed several Koi raising skills, which help them easily meet the various demands of even the most discriminating Koi lovers. Furthermore, they have established a special bond with many of the leading Koi breeders that they are frequently allowed to see their secret Koi; those special Koi the breeders reserve for only their very best customers. Narita Koi Farms Japan holds a Koi auction twice a year, each spring and fall, providing an occasion Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 9
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Narita Raised Grand Champions at the All Japan Koi Shows
The 37th Show, 2006
The 38th Show, 2007
Breeder: Sakai Fish Farm
Breeder: Dainichi Koi Farm
Owner: Mr. Martin Plows & Mr. Mark Crampton
Owner: Mr. Katsuo Shibayama
This is the first Narita-raised Koi to win Grand Championship.
This is the second consecutive year that a Narita-raised Koi won Grand Championship.
for Koi breeders and Koi lovers to meet face to face. Many amateur Koi keepers enjoy bidding at auction while the breeders of the prized entries watch. The breeders also have an opportunity to discuss the strong points of their Koi with the June 2015
potential buyers by personally answering their questions. Narita Koi Farms Japan does not breed Koi themselves, but are rearing experts who can Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 11
Narita Raised Grand Champions at the All Japan Koi Shows
The 41st Show, 2010
The 43rd Show, 2012
Breeder: Dainichi Koi Farm
Breeder: Dainichi Koi Farm
Owner: Mr. Masao Kato
Owner: Mr. Jitsuro Takagi
A Niigata-born Koi wins at a Niigata held All Japan Koi Show.
Once again a Narita-raised Koi wins Grand Championship.
transform ordinary Koi in to award winners with great consistency. They work diligently to maintain an adequate stock of Koi from renowned breeders so they can consistently offer excellent quality Koi to their customers. They continually strive to strike a good balance between the Koi breeders expectations and Koi lovers demands.
Koi Developmental Specialist and Dealer
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The name of Narita Koi Farms Japan name is often commonly mentioned at Koi shows. If a Koi breeder is the parent of a Koi, a company like Narita Koi Farms Japan is the foster parent. At the 43rd All Japan Koi Show 2012, Narita Koi June 2015
Farms Japan had more than 230 Koi raised at their facility on display. At this show they had the largest number of entries and they swept most awards.
Future of Koi Keeping as a Hobby Q: Please let us know your vision as a Koi dealer-rearer We are pursuing our main business of maintaining a stock of promising Koi and tending to them in order to win awards at Koi shows. At the same time I am concerned that the value of Koi in the eyes of the judges has become cut and dried. I feel strongly that we should offer Koi lovers a variety of Nishikigoi to allow them to maximize their enjoyment and allow them to choose their own way when deciding which fish to keep. We sell very reasonably priced Koi, as well as high class Koi such as Gosanke and offer more than 70 other varieties. No Koi has the same markings and each Koi lover can find a Koi to fit their own unique taste. On the Internet we offer Koi with very unique markings, which always sell well. We also want to convey the charm of smaller-size Koi, which can be kept in regular home aquariums.
award. This line is a very useful and reliable food with predictable quality and efficient ingredients. You don't need to add any other nutrients to find success. We use a number of the Saki-Hikari速 varieties by blending them according to the season. The exact ratio of the mixture for each time of year is part of our special expertise. ! Narita Koi Farm Co., LTD http://www.narita-koi.com
Daily feeding and putting our finishing touches on the Koi Q: Do you think what the Koi is fed has an effect on its ultimate development? Yes, the food has a significant impact. I recommend the Saki-Hikari速 series food for those looking to have a chance to win a Koi show June 2015
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Koi Anatomy – Part 3 by Spike Cover , California
Lateral Line The lateral line runs along the side of the Koi about midway down the side of the fish. Holes in the scales lead to a canal beneath the surface that contains neuromast cells. Water movement in any direction striking the sides of the fish will cause the mucous in the canal to vibrate. These vibrations stimulate the neuromast cells that are linked to the periphery nerve system and provide one the most effective perceptions for survival (flight reaction). The lateral line is an important landmark. It is at approximately the same level as the spine, which has a blood vessel that runs along the length of the spine just ventral (underneath) to the spine and will be important for locating the blood vessel.
Olfaction
that directs water into the forward opening of the nare as the Koi moves forward in the water. The movement of substances through the nares is aided by diffusion and by the motion of small hairs-like structures (cilia) within the nares. The following illustration is slightly modified and reprinted with the kind permission of Koi Carp Magazine.
Taste: Taste buds are numerous in and around the lips, mouth and tips of the barbels. Koi have two pairs of barbels. Three hundred years ago they had three pairs.
The olfactory organs (used to smell) are located at the base of the nostrils called nares. Water does not flow to any other part of the body from the nares. They are exclusively used for olfaction (smelling), are paired and located between the eyes and the mouth. They are shaped like and can be thought of as small U-tubes into which water enters through the leading or forward hole and exits through the rear port or opening. Just behind the forward opening there is a flap of skin Page 16 Mid-Atlantic Koi
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Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 17
Internal Anatomy The internal organs are placed approximately as shown in the illustration page 17 (reproduced with the kind permission of the authors of Living Jewels). While it is generally accepted that Koi do not have a stomach (a wide hollow organ that functions to mix food with mucus, acid and digestive enzymes), the first portion of the gut is elastic and can be used to store food.
The Koi Skeleton drawing page 17 is taken from the Tetra Encyclopedia of Koi and reproduced with the kind permission of Interpet Publishing Ltd. It was redrawn from the book by Duncan Griffiths.
Muscle Generally two types of muscle exists in Teleost fish, white and dark muscle. The white muscle is thought to be for fast quick swimming and the dark muscle, located directly under the skin if for sustained swimming.
Bones Carp are Teleost fish which means literally “bony skeleton� and carp are one of the boniest fresh water fishes. Fish bones are thin and light weight with no bone marrow in the center. A light weight skeleton is advantageous to an animals that needs to be buoyant to live in a water environment.
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The clinical significance of these different types of muscle is that there is much different drug kinetics when injections are made into them. It is generally accepted that red muscle is well vascularized (has a good blood supply), which would facilitate absorption of medicines into the blood faster than white muscle, and sustain the release since the blood flow is likewise sustained in
June 2015
comparison to white muscle which can create an oxygen debt and requires a recovery period.
The gills also have specialized mucus-producing cells, and chloride cells which function in mucus production and osmoregulation, respectively.
Gills The gills are a complex system made up of both bony and cartilaginous stiffened arches. Each side of the fish has four gill arches. On the exterior side of the gill arch are the gill filaments, which are made up of lamallae and secondary lamellae structures, the latter being only 2µ thick. It is these structures that are responsible for the exchange of gases (O2/CO2) through the epithelial cells. The epithelial cells are the direct link between the O2 in the water and the fish’s blood stream. The illustrations, on this page, were reproduced with the kind permission of Paul Maslin.
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Covering the gill arches on the outside of the fish is the operculum or gill cover. This is a multipurpose part of the Koi’s anatomy with the primary function being to help control the pressure of the water taken in through the mouth and passed along the gill filaments. Also found on the gill arches, but more to the inside or anterior part of the arch, are the gill rakers which act as food filters. Clogged rakers are often the cause of flashing or head shaking as the fish attempts to clear the gills of excess food after eating. Read more about Koi anatomy in the next issue. !
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 19
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Pond Spotlight: Bill and Linda Montgomery by Linda Montgomery, Oregon
eaders have requested hearing about other members ponds, so I thought I could start it off by sharing my pond building experience. We have had our pond for over 20 years now but I can still remember how terribly clueless and totally naïve we were in thinking that we were going to have many years of tranquility and relaxation in our backyard paradise!
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Now, I don’t mean to be negative but I don’t think that a Koi pond can ever be described as June 2015
tranquil and relaxing…if you are not worried about some predator after your beautiful Koi, then you most likely are worried about a multitude of other issues; poor water quality, parasites, a disease outbreak, the strange behavior of your Koi, a leak, upgrading your filter…and the list goes on and on. Koi ponds are definitely not for the weak of heart and certainly do separate the men from the boys! This does not mean that we would not have built a Koi pond if we had known what we were Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 21
getting into, in fact I (now notice that I said “I” not “we”) have never regretted getting into this wonderful hobby. The fish are so beautiful and fun to watch, you are always learning new and interesting things , and you meet so many wonderful people. But I would really advise anyone thinking of getting into the hobby to really learn as much as possible and to become a member of a Koi club before building a pond. We started our pond well before we even knew of any Koi clubs and had no idea what we were getting into… It all started over 22 years ago, with Bill and I taking a trip to Builders Square (a local building supply business similar to Home Depot), to get some plants for the yard. In the garden section they had this wonderful display of pre-formed Page 22 Mid-Atlantic Koi
garden pools and one black plastic 3-step waterfall— and our ‘vision’ of a backyard paradise materialized right in front of us… “Oh Bill, wouldn’t that be just perfect for our yard!” But before making the big $300.00 move to purchase our ideal waterfeature, we decided to read up and do a little (very little) research on exactly what we were getting into…HA! Then ‘the real world of ponding’ slapped us with all the other expenses (and boy did these add up- $150.00-$200.00 worth), we thought that as long as we were going to spend this much money, why not make it a little larger…”Oh Bill, wouldn’t it be fun to have a small pond with a little stream that goes into another pond?” Looking back I realize now that the poor boy really didn’t know what he was getting into, but then neither did I. If only we could go back to those earlier times, when we were both so blissfully clueless and so wonderfully out of debt---we fondly refer to those times as B.P. (Before Pond). After that it just got crazier and crazier and before we knew it, our little backyard weekend project evolved into taking bids from contractors for a large Koi pond, complete with filtration, U.V. Lights and a plant budget—and life as we June 2015
#5. Never trust a water meter when filling your pond…we didn’t figure out that the one we borrowed kept starting and stopping until the lower pond filled and we said “That can’t be right, I know that it is more than 4,000 gallons!” (our lower pond is ~ 10,000 gallons). #6. And always remember, it’s not just a pond, it’s a lifestyle! Or as Bill always says “Why build a pond? Just dig a hole and throw your wallet in!” knew it was forever changed! It took over three months to complete the pond and many more months to fill in the landscaping, but it was well worth it. And of course we had lots of fun and our share of what-not-to-do experiences in getting there so here is a list of our pond Dos and Don’ts: #1. The obvious: Join a Koi Club and learn as much as possible before starting to build a pond. #2. Know where your sewer line is, for if it can be broken once, it can be broken twice in the same day! #3. Don’t trust your contractor-they are evil (except Tony, of course!). Do not leave those guys alone for a minute or fall for their ploys to get rid of you for a couple of hours…such a cheap trick! Mine even told me to stop reading those books, that information is old…you don’t need a bottom drain, or an out of pond pump, or a skimmer, or even a pad for your pond liner for that matter.
#7 You may not want to read anymore pond spotlights or you may decide to chuck the whole idea! But on an up-note…through all the headaches and problems in building a pond one fact remains-when it is finished and your water finally clears, so you can actually see and enjoy your fish, all that you went through to get to that point seems insignificant. And in our case, if it hadn’t been for the Koi clubs and the special people in them, I have no doubt that our pond would not be functioning at all (or at least the Koi wouldn’t be!). When we joined the Koi club (about half-way through our construction) we never imagined meeting such a wonderful group of giving and sharing people and we’ve made friends that we are sure will be with us the rest of our lives…if they can take us that long! !
#4. Never think that you have enough rocks, and speaking of rocks never think that you can’t drop a half-ton boulder on your pond liner…thank goodness the track hoe took most of the punishment! June 2015
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Copper Toxicity in Ponds by Meyer Jordan
Are Pond Ionizers Safe? You be the Judge Certain manufacturers of Pond equipment decided to borrow a technology from the Swimming Pool industry and, with maybe some minor tweaks, promote it as an exciting breakthrough in controlling Pond algae. Presenting the IONIZER! Through the controlled release of Copper, Zinc and Silver ions into the pond’s water column, algae growth can be controlled and in many cases eliminated. This, on the surface, is great news for Pondkeepers. No longer is it necessary to use expensive and hard-to-correctly-measure chemicals. Just set the Ionizer to the desired level and algae disappears. Sounds great! However, there is more to be considered than just what the advertisements claim. What are the other potential and likely results from use of this device that the manufacturers are not telling us? Let’s look at some of the manufacturers’ claims as regards Ionizers.
Company #1 Destroys Bacteria Kills Algae Reduces chemical cost Eliminates chemical odors Reduces maintenance Environmentally Friendly Costs pennies per month Helps reduce filtration Fish safe Includes 2˝ T Fitting
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Company #2 Safe for fish and plants Low maintenance Clears water without the use of harsh chemicals Easily installed in any new or existing water feature Treats ponds up to 25,000 gallons Level of mineralization is controlled by the LED panel Cast mineral anodes are self-cleaning 1 year warranty
Company #3 Drastically reduces pond maintenance Crystal clear water without the use of chemicals Eliminates unsightly water conditions Simple to install Safe for fish and plants Not toxic to animals that may drink from the pond Energy efficient (less than $ 1 a month in electricity cost) Treats ponds up to 25,000 gallons Understandably, the first concern of a Pondkeeper is whether a product or treatment is safe for fish. All three (3) of these manufacturers declare that the (proper) use of this device is safe for fish. Let’s take a closer look at this claim. All Three (3) manufacturers include test strips for monitoring Copper levels with Two (2) of the manufacturers recommending maximum Copper levels at 0.25 mg/L and the remaining manufacturer recommending 0.30 mg/L as the maximum level of Copper.
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Copper is a heavy metal and in low concentrations can be toxic. In addition, like other heavy metals, such as Mercury, it is a bio-accumulate. This means that once it is ingested by an organism it remains in that organism for an extended period of time, in many cases, for life. Any additional ingestion only increases the level that is already present in the organism until eventually a certain level of toxicity is reached. For terrestrial organisms, this level is determined primarily by the ingestion of food and water, but for aquatic organisms, if the Copper is in suspension as ions, it may be ingested during the respiration process also, as is the case with fish, juvenile amphibians, certain insect larvae, true aquatic invertebrates and bacteria as well as the target taxa of algae. In the case of fish, it causes increased mucous production on the skin and the gills where it eventually interferes with the respiration process by blocking the absorption of Oxygen. In assessing the potential toxicity of any substance to any organism, two (2) distinct levels must be determined, acute (immediate short term) and chronic (long term). Heavy metals have long been known to play an important beneficial and crucial role in animal and plant physiology, but at levels so low that they are undetectable by standard testing. Considerably greater attention has been given, in recent years, to the effect of Heavy Metals and other chemical compounds on the environment. Research is ongoing in both the public and private sector. This research has resulted in some universally accepted toxicity levels as regards Heavy Metals. The focus here will be on Copper. Copper, after Mercury, is the most toxic of the Heavy Metals. Copper’s toxicity is greatly influenced by water Hardness and pH. As water Hardness and ph increase, the toxicity of Copper is reduced. Here is an example of a couple of simple formulae that June 2015
are used to define the accepted level of Copper in fresh water. Maximum Copper levels (in micrograms) at any time—0.094(hardness)+2 (where water Hardness is reported as mg/L CaCO3. 30 day average Copper levels (in micrograms)—0.04 average hardness (where water Hardness is reported as mg/L CaCO3. (Environmental Protection Division, Ministry of Environment, Government of British Columbia) Note - There are other formulas used by different government entities worldwide, but the final accepted levels of Copper vary by only a few micrograms. Using these two (2) formulae, in water with a Hardness of 120 ppm for example, we find the recommended Copper levels to be 13 micrograms/L at any one time and the 30 day average should not exceed 5 micrograms/L Knowing that one milligram equals 1000 micrograms, these results expressed in mg/L would be 0.013 mg/L and 0.05 mg/L. These results appear to be on the conservative side, but considering the fact that some aquatic organisms have a very low tolerance to Copper, these formulae are quite appropriate. These are the Metal Safe Limit levels as defined in the Textbook of Fish Health: Copper 0.014mg/l More toxic in soft water; Zinc exacerbates toxicity; Combined both are dangerous; Zinc 0.01mg/l Synergistic with copper; 0.15mg/l In hard Water; Cadmium 0.03mg/l; Chromium 0.10mg/l; Lead 0.01mg/l In soft Water; 4.00mg/l In hard Water; Silver 0.03mg/l (mg/l is the same as ppm). The author was unable to find any scientifically set copper toxicity levels for Koi, but several anecdotal sources were found that stated that Koi begin to show copper toxicity at 0.03 ppm along Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 25
with the copper toxicity level for Koi at 0.3 ppm., which is at or extremely close to the Maximum levels suggested by the manufacturers of these devices. It should be stressed that no scientific studies were found that substantiated these levels. In fact, one study reported that Koi fry were unaffected by Copper levels of 1.00 mg/L. It is important, however, to know the signs and symptoms of Copper toxicity in Koi. One of the earliest effects of too much copper is apparent fish hypoxia, the loss of ability to use oxygen. Common symptoms of initial acute toxicity are fish gasping, disoriented (ataxic) at the surface, due to copper's hemolytic (blood cell splitting) and mucus-producing effects. Copper is a proteinaceous precipitant; that is, it causes your fish to produce more mucus. This may aid the in the suffocation or sloughing off of parasites, but also interferes with respiration through their skin and gills. Of greater concern is the previously mentioned fact that all heavy metals are bio-accumulates. This accumulation leads to immunosuppression. Fish are often observed suffering from bacterial infections for no apparent reason. Water quality is optimum but low levels of copper and/or zinc are present. Metals are most toxic in low alkalinity and pH. This allows for a higher concentration of metal to remain dissolved. The accumulation over time immunosuppresses the fish and allows the normal pathogenic bacteria to gain the upper hand leading to ulceration and possible septicemia (bacteria in the bloodstream). In eco-system ponds, along with the fish, the toxicity of copper to all other aquatic organisms is of equal importance. Considerably more data is available on the effects of copper on fresh water fauna due to the fact that they are present in every natural waterway and their numbers and diversity are prime indicators of the health of any aquatic eco-system. Copper is extremely toxic to most invertebrates and the juvenile forms of most amphibians. Page 26 Mid-Atlantic Koi
“Northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of copper in water (control and 5, 25, and 100 microg/L, as CuSO4) in a static renewal system for 154 d from posthatch stage to metamorphosis. Tadpole survival, swimming performance, percent metamorphosis, time to metamorphosis, and survival during and time required for tail resorption were negatively affected in the 100-microg/L treatment.” -Adverse effects of chronic copper exposure in larval northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens). Chen TH, Gross JA, Karasov WH. Available toxicity data on amphibians indicate copper 96 h LC50 values calculated in tadpoles ranged from 0.04 to 5.38 mg/L. Studies of other aquatic organisms show 96 h LC50 values ranging from 0.06 to 6.68 mg/L. Representative toxicity levels for some other fresh water organisms are - Most snails – 8 41 micrograms/L; Cladocerans (including Daphnia) 5 - 213 micrograms/L; Amphipods 8 87 micrograms/L Although the Mayfly is fairly sensitive to Copper, the majority of insects that have aquatic larval stages are tolerant, most notable Damselflies and Dragonflies, which are always expected visitors to any aquatic venue. These Odonates have the ability to store heavy metals in their exoskeletons where it remains harmless. The inhibition, reduction or elimination of any member group of the aquatic food chain will have negative effects on the overall health of the eco-system to a lesser or greater degree depending on which species are residents of that particular eco-system and their relative position in the food web.. Nevertheless, any negative effect on an aquatic eco-system’s food chain and/or diversity will have deleterious effects on the entire system. The only organisms that have not been discussed are the bacteria, in particular, the nitrifying June 2015
bacteria. The results of studies on the toxic effects of Copper are quite surprising. Copper and Zinc appear to be the least toxic of the metals tested. Copper, at low levels, actually stimulates activity in Nitrobacter. At levels up to 0 50 mg/L the Copper ion has no toxic effect on Nitrobacter. Instead, the stimulatory effect is readily apparent...Apparently. At 0 50 mg/L Copper has not reached the crossover point where a chemical shows neither stimulatory nor inhibitory effects. This, unfortunately, is not true of Nitrosomonas. Growth of Nitrosomonas is greatly inhibited (about 60%) by Copper concentrations of 0.20 ppm. Growth of Nitrosomonas europaea in batch and continuous culture (Skinner & Walker 1960) Copper was also found to be one of the most toxic metals to heterotrophic bacteria in aquatic environments. Sadly, company #1 is partially correct in claiming that their ionizer “destroys bacteria.”
In Conclusion Based on the above data, we arrive at these facts-
The effects of relatively low (.20 ppm) Copper levels on one of the main species involved in Nitrogen conversion has the potential to cause major problems in the form of Ammonia spikes. Considering the whole picture regarding the impact that an Ionizer may have on an aquatic eco-system, this author has no intention of availing himself of its use. There are other effective and absolutely safe ways of controlling and/or eliminating algae. You, the reader, may feel differently. After all, it’s your Pond and your fish. You be the judge! ! Update Nov. 29, 2012 There has long been a dearth of information regarding the toxicity level of Copper in Koi (Cyprinus carpio). Finally some figures are being established by scientific research. According to a recent research paper (Dietary tryptophan changes serum stress markers, enzyme activity, and ions concentration of wild common carp Cyprinus carpio exposed to ambient copper
Ionizers can indeed control and, in some instances, eliminate many species of algae.
Fish Physiology and Biochemistry (2012) 38: 1419-1426 , October 01, 2012
Within the manufacturers’ suggested range of use, 0 – 25/30 mg/L, neither Koi or Goldfish should exhibit any immediate effects of Copper toxicity. It has been shown that Koi fry can tolerate levels of 1.00 mg/L. Due to lack of any meaningful research, long term (chronic) effects are unknown.
By Hoseini, Seyyed Morteza; Hosseini, Seyed Abbas;Soudagar, Mohammad), Carp exposed to 10 mg/L Copper exhibited mortality rates of 21.7 ± 7.6 % at 120 hours and 61.7 ± 10.4 % at 168 hours. Although this level of Copper is 40 times the (claimed) maximum levels generated by ionizers, I feel that it is safe to infer, because Cu is a bio-accumulate, that depending on the usage (level settings and duration of these settings) of ionizers, that Koi/Carp would exhibit physiological and behavioral signs of toxicity much quicker than was originally thought…months instead of years. Hopefully more definitive figures will be forthcoming. !
Copper at low levels is extremely toxic to aquatic stages of most amphibians. Most microorganisms exhibit toxic effects of Copper at extremely low levels and, where mortality does not occur, the effects are compounded in second generations. June 2015
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Evolution of a Koi Keeper: One Man’s Journey by Steve Childers, former Editor of KOI USA and current AKJA Judge
ell, let’s just go to the garden center and build a Koi pond! Most Koi keepers start out as water gardeners; buy one of those books from the local garden center that says building a pond is easier than it looks. Lie number 1. It isn’t easy.
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Digging cubic yards from the ground and wheel barrowing it around is tough work. Hauling in rock for the edging is just as tough. After a trip to the ER for cuts and back strain(s), you have a nice little pond, complete with shelves for pretty plants. Now we attempt to add an electrical outlet (more digging for the trench and we use buryable cable). Now we drop in the submersible and bucket filter and plug it in. The waterfall isn’t what we pictured in our minds, not enough flow even though the “expert” at the garden center said the pump was perfect for what we told him we wanted. Oh well, time to go back to the garden center for some plants anyway. Back home with 3 lilies, another pump and bucket filter and some marginal plants, oh and a couple of goldfish and a funny little 6" fish with whiskers. In they all go and it looks great, enough water over the waterfall, pretty plants and fish to feed and look at. Inside we go to get cleaned up. Just think, just over a couple of weeks and we have a pond! After cleaning up we go outside to feed our fish. Oh Page 28 Mid-Atlantic Koi
no! All 3 are “belly up”! We scoop up the 3 dead fish and place them in a bag and head back to the garden center. The “expert” at the garden center asks if we “de-chlorinated” the water? Huh, de-chlorinate? He sells us some powdery stuff and 3 more fish (2 goldfish and one of those 6˝ fish with “whiskers” labeled as “coy”). Home we go, throw in some of that powdery stuff and place the fish in the pond. Next weekend we decide to do some planting around the pond. The first shovel of dirt and the waterfall quits. Oops, should have used conduit to bury that electrical line! 3 more dead fish because no one told us to use a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). Back to the garden center (Am I enjoying Koi keeping yet?). After a couple of weeks the water turns green and the new fish are nowhere to be seen. Back to the garden center. Another cash outlay and I have this magical concoction that the “expert” says will clear the pond up in a jiffy. The next day it’s semi clear and I can see the fish.... a little. Another week and its green again. After about 6 more weeks and 4 more trips to the garden center for more of that magical concoction, the water mystically clears over night. But now the water over the waterfall has slowed to a trickle. Looking at the bottom of the pond, I see all of this “gunk” on the bottom and on the filter pads. The pads are easy to clean after we finally get the buckets out of the pond. June 2015
Back to the garden center to find out how to get all of that “pond pudding” out of the bottom. The expert says to drain the pond and scoop it out. We drain the pond, and catch the fish and put them in a bucket. We scoop out the nasty smelling pond pudding (are we enjoying the pond yet?). After scrubbing all of that green stuff off of the sides (got to make sure its really clean) we refill the pond. Oh, don’t forget that de-chlor stuff. Another couple of weeks and the pond goes pea green again, back to the garden center for that clarifier stuff. Another 4 to 6 weeks and that clarifier stuff finally kicks in and the water is clear. Now we can see little things hanging from the sides and dorsal of the fish and that 6˝ fish with whiskers is now 10˝ with a huge hole in its side. Back to the garden center to talk to the “expert”. He sells some medicated food and some medicine to put in the pond that will kill the parasites. A few weeks go by and the goldfish are fine but the cute little fish with whiskers has died from the infection caused by the parasites. Back to the garden center for another one of those cute little fish with whiskers called “coy.” Fall is setting in and its time to clean the pond again…another 5 inches of pond pudding has built up in the bottom and the filters and pumps are clogged solid. The fish sit on the bottom all winter and when spring begins to warm things a little, we start feeding, not knowing that the water temp is only 40 degrees still. A few weeks go by and that cute little “coy” puffs up like a balloon and then dies. Taking it back to the garden center the “expert” (it’s a new expert because the previous one went back to school the previous spring). The new expert asks if the “coy” had been fed recently and what the water temp was. After the answer, he explains that the June 2015
“coy” couldn’t digest the food in that cold of water and it died from an internal infection. Luckily a new shipment of “coy” have just arrived...from Japan! Although the price is 5 times that of the previous “coy” (which have all died), it is much prettier and out comes the charge card. After a few weeks, the water warms and turns that terrible pea green color again. Back to the garden center for that clarifier stuff. This time another customer asks why that stuff is being used. “To clear up the water, Duh”! With a chuckle the other customer explains the filtering cycle time is about 6 weeks…time for the good bacteria to grow and deal with the ammonia and nitrites/ nitrates. He further explains the benefit of a UV light. Out comes the charge card again! After re-plumbing the pond for the UV light, it’s time to plug it in. The pumps shut down and the UV light doesn’t come on. After checking the breakers, it’s determined that the breaker is only 15 amps and the 2 pumps and UV exceed that amount. Off to the hardware store for a 20 amp GFCI breaker. The assistant there stops to see if help is needed. It’s determined that the wire size for the circuit isn’t big enough for a 20-amp circuit so new wire (and conduit this time) are needed. Out comes the charge card again. Another weekend is spent running new electrical lines. Are we enjoying the pond yet? Finally, a clear pond! Time for some more of those cute Japanese fish with whiskers called “coy.” But first, time to clean the filter pads and the pond pudding from the bottom again. What a stinky mess; perhaps there is something at the garden center to vacuum this gunk up with. Back to the garden center and sure enough, there is a pond vac and as long as we’re here, a few more of those cute little Japanese “coy” with whiskers. Summer sets in and all of these “coy” are growing like weeds and its time to expand the pond. Back to the garden center for a bigger liner. Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 29
While we’re there the expert sells us on a “bead filter and a swimming pool pump,” explaining that they are easier to clean. A couple of months of digging, plumbing, and re-landscaping go by. After a day or two, the bead filter clogs and it’s time to backwash. Backwashing becomes a daily chore through the summer and the pond bottom still has to be vacuumed once a month to keep the pond pudding at bay. The next time at the garden center there is a flyer about a “Koi Show” sponsored by the local “Koi club”. The “expert” is asked what a “Koi” is and we feel stupid that they are the same as “coy”. The “expert” suggests a couple of books to read, “Tetra Koi Encyclopedia,” for $24.95 and “Koi Kichi” for $110. We opt for the cheaper one and are thrilled reading it cover to cover. A couple more weeks of back flushing the filter everyday and it’s time to go see a Koi show. We
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are awed at the beauty of the fish, just like the ones in the book. Vendors are there and we opt for a couple more Koi…of course, more expensive, out comes the charge card. Information is obtained on the Koi club and we pay our membership, determined to get to the next meeting in 2 weeks. About a week goes by and the new fish look sick and are “itching” on the bottom. The older fish are starting to do the same. By the time of the Koi club meeting, they all have sores and appear to be on death’s door. Arriving at the club meeting at a member’s house, we see a beautiful pond, about the same size as ours except much deeper…. 4 – 6´ compared to our 2 •••´. Although our water is clear, its nowhere near as clear as this pond. We stand in awe over it. We ask the owner how he keeps his water so clear and he shows us his filters, a simple square sediment chamber,
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additional chambers with matting, then a pump. After looking intently the question arises, “How does the water get to the sediment chamber”? He looks puzzled and says, “from the bottom drain”. “Huh, bottom drain, what’s that?” we ask. We go back to the pond and see in the bottom of the pond a dome and he produces that expensive book “ Koi Kichi” from his library and shows me a diagram of his filtration system. We explain our fish problems and being very kind he offers to come and see the fish and pond the next day.
expand it and made it bigger. We wouldn’t have ever had to clean the pond pudding off of the bottom or spent countless hours cleaning filter pads. We also wouldn’t have had to back flush filters every day through the summer, but simply open a valve to discharge the vortex and all of the sediment. We wouldn’t have wasted our money on clarifiers that didn’t do anything. We would still have all the money we wasted on all of the fish we killed. The hours spent could have been spent “enjoying the Koi pond.”
Being very polite upon his arrival, he asks for a net to catch the fish with. We don’t have one but offer to drain the pond to catch them for him. He produces a net from his truck and another large plastic storage box. We catch the fish and he sedates them one by one and gives them injections, pointing out that 2 are beyond any hope and offers to put them to sleep permanently. He also takes some scrapes and looks under the microscope that he has with him and identifies “gill flukes” as being the culprit. He turns my pond purple with something … Potassium per…ate and says that should do the trick. If not, he has some other more expensive stuff. He again recommends that expensive book. Are we enjoying the pond yet?
If a person wants a water garden, great. Fill it with plants and their pots that can scrape the sides of Koi. They breed bacteria and parasites, just waiting to attack Koi. They are too shallow for Koi and the lack of bottom drains just multiply all the rest of their problems for Koi. If someone wants a Koi pond, then read a good book, “Koi Kichi” being the best, plan on making the pond twice as large as what you think you want because if you don’t you will wish you had and its cheaper to do it right the first time.
Later that day (after back flushing the filter), it’s back to the garden center for that expensive book, “Koi Kichi.” We realize then, that we do not have a “Koi” pond, and also realize why we have killed so many fish in just 2 short summers. Gee, have we enjoyed the pond yet?
When someone of knowledge makes a suggestion for you, listen and learn. Don’t try and justify keeping Koi in a bad pond, just remember what you learn and promise to do it right the next time, because eventually you’ll want to ENJOY YOUR POND instead of laboring over it. ! Author’s Note: The examples stated above are only a portion of the true horror stories compiled over the last 10 years from friends and myself.
Let’s see, for a start, if we had spent the extra money on a good Koi book instead of a cheap book on how to build a pond that said “It’s easier than you think,” we could have had bottom drain(s), settlement chambers (vortex), bio chambers and an efficiency pool style pump. We could have dug it to a proper depth (at least 4´, preferably at least 6´), we wouldn’t have had to
June 2015
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Versatile Plants from Your Water Garden to Your Landscape by Lisa Burns, Backyard Getaway
id you know some of your favorite garden plants can be added to your water garden and that some of the most common water garden plants can be planted in your landscape?
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Here are some of my favorites that I use in both: Papyrus (Cyperus): This is one of the easiest plants to grow in a water garden & is usually the first plant a pond installer will put in your pond. It is a beautiful tall plant that makes a nice backdrop for a tropical garden. Papyrus can be a bit over powering in a pond, especially the Umbrella and Egyptian varieties. Papyrus spreads quickly so you will need to keep an eye on it. Taro (Colocasia) or Elephant ear is another large plant with many varieties. Both Colocasia & Alocasia will do well in the ground or in the water. The key is to keep them in very shallow water. Mexican Petunia (Ruellia brittoniana) I use this in my garden as a hedge and as a bog plant in my pond. They will spread quickly too. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) has a beautiful red flower on top of a reddish green stalk.A nice touch of color for your pond or garden, they will die back in
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cooler weather but come back easily the next season. Iris: There are over 260 species of Iris; many are true aquatic plants while others can be used in both situations like the blue flag. Yellow flag Iris are often used in natural ponds for water purification. They are very aggressive growers and can grow to 6' tall so be careful in your water garden. Canna is one of my favorites with large broad leaves & bright yellow, orange, red and even striped flowers. Bengal tiger (striped flower), Endeavor and flaccida work wonderfully in both the garden & water garden. Society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) a low bunching plant with lovely lavender flowers. Also helps to repel biting bugs in your garden.
Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) is a fun plant. It is called obedient plant because you can move each flower on its stalk to whichever direction you like & it will stay. Chameleon plant (houttuynia cordata) lovely low plant with color changing leaves. As the weather cools, the leaves turn a dark maroon-purple. This is a nice plant for a container garden. Calla Lily (Zantedeschia) is a tender plant that is hardy to zone 6. Some varieties do not do well in the pond. The spotted leaf variety with white flower does beautifully in water garden or as a house plant. ! Lisa Burns of Backyard Getaway our website is backyardgetaway.net.
Butterfly ginger (Hydychium coronatium) is a tall plant with large white flowers that smell like ginger. They do well in full and part sun and are a wonderful addition to your butterfly garden. Hibiscus has many varieties that will work equally well in the garden and pond. The marsh mallow has large pink flowers and loves moist soil. Horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) is one of my favorites. Tall black banded green stalks that resemble a small bamboo. This is an aggressive spreader too & is best kept in a pot but can also be used as a hedge or border. Crinum (Crinum sp) grows from a bulb is also known as bog lily, spider lily or swamp lily. They do well in the garden but should be kept moist. They will not do well in colder climates. June 2015
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It's as easy as A B C . . . Pond Basic Concepts . . .
Fish Nutrition by Ed Keene (DCAS) Adapted for Ponds by Carolyn Weise
efore we talk about specific fish foods and the various ways they are offered, i.e. flake, pellet, frozen, etc., a discussion of fish nutrition in general is in order. Despite all of the scientific research and books which have been published on this topic, there is a great deal of information we still do not know about fish nutrition. Scientists have only researched a couple dozen fish in great detail to determine their nutritional requirements. For the rest of the fish, they are in part simply guessing.
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nutritional foods for the type of fish I keep, how in the world can I?" Quite honestly, you can't. However, there are multiple things which you can do in your attempt to feed your fish the best of most everything they want - and the best news here is that you do not even have to get your 'scientist's degree'. Mayhaps, the best words of advice I can give you would be to feed as wide of a variety of foods as possible including flakes, pellets, frozen, live, and homemade recipes. There are, however, several items to consider when it comes down to selecting foods.
Whenever fish are caught in the wild for scientific studies, the content of their stomach is tested to determine what they have recently eaten. Therein lies a great deal of the problem. Scientists can only determine the most recent foods taken in by the fish and cannot determine everything they eat in nature. And to compound matters, different fish eat different things. All of which makes it near impossible to determine exactly what their nutritional requirements are. However, by studying many, many fish over the course of time, scientists have come up with a fairly good idea of the basic food requirements for many species of fish, although some cannot yet be determined. You will find many different types of fish food available on the store shelves and a good portion of them will be geared toward salt water or fresh water fish in general or a particular species of fish in particular. This is based upon the scientific research being done. If you have salt water fish, feed them only salt water foods. Likewise, feed fresh water fish only fresh water foods.
When selecting fish food, read the labels on the containers and pay particular attention to the contents. Among other things the label should list the water, ash, protein, vitamin, and mineral contents. Of these contents, the ash and water contents are most important - actually, the lack thereof is most important! Ash will not be digested by the fish nor will they gain any nutrition from it - in other words, it is a waste. Therefore, purchase food which has minimal ash content.
Well now, I suppose by now you are saying to yourself "if the scientists can't determine the best Page 34 Mid-Atlantic Koi
Water is also something you want to avoid. Just about all flake and/or pellet foods are made with water as one of their mixing ingredients and it cannot be eliminated during the manufacturing process. Obviously the water content is of absolutely no value, so select foods which have a minimal amount of water content. Depending upon the fish you maintain, protein content is very important. Just like you and I burn protein, fish burn protein too. Simply by swimming around and being active the fish burn protein. The more active they are, the more they burn. Some fish are generally less active. They burn protein at a much slower rate, however, they June 2015
burn it none-the-less. If your fish are of the more active variety, and the water temperature is right, you want to purchase foods which have the highest protein content. Fish which are kept in water with higher temperatures burn more protein and at a faster rate, while fish kept in lower temperatures burn less. If your fish is kept at the higher temperatures you should feed it as much protein as possible. One final note about protein: If you are planning to breed your fish, high protein foods are highly recommended, as this will increase the quality of their reproductive output. Many foods these days are made to include vitamins. All fish require vitamins of some type(s), but not necessarily all vitamins which are available. The two highly required vitamins which most fish need are vitamins C and D. Although the food labels might indicate they are vitamin enriched and/or list the vitamin contents, in most cases, that is not the vitamin level you actually receive in the food. Please don't misinterpret the previous statement. No one is trying to cheat you. The vitamin content stated is more than likely very accurate, at least at the start of the manufacturing process. Unfortunately, much of the vitamin content is lost during the processing. Despite the loss, this type of food is better than one which does not have a ny vitamins. The best way to give your fish vitamins or to supplement the vitamin enriched foods is to purchase vitamins for them. They are available in liquid, tablet, and powder forms. Make sure you purchase these fish vitamins from a fish store not your corner drug store. Fish vitamins, although they are A, B. C, etc., just like ours, are much different than human vitamins. When using supplemental vitamins, don't add them to the water even though many times these are the instructions from the manufacturer. To ensure the fish get the vitamins inside their bodies and get the most benefit from them, soak the food in the vitamins just prior to feeding it to the fish. June 2015
How do you know if your fish are going to like the food you purchase? Well, you never know for sure, however, there are ways to help avoid wasting your money on food which the fish will totally ignore. Basically, it is called research. Read anything you can get your hands on about the fish you keep. Go to the library and investigate your fish. Go to the book section of your local fish store and purchase magazines, books, etc. Talk to other hobbyists about your fish and see if they can supply any feeding particularities concerning your fish. Seek out a Koi club in your area and speak to the members and/or solicit information from your local pond store owner and their employees. The more you research, the more likely it is that you will be successful in your quest to find some of the favorite and/or preferred foods of the fish you maintain. One thing you want to make sure of when buying fish food is that you always purchase the freshest. Don't buy food which has been sitting on the store shelf indefinitely, as food will lose its nutritional value over the course of time.
In conclusion Going back to an earlier statement I made, the best words of advice would be to feed as wide of a variety of foods as possible including flakes, pellets, frozen, live, and homemade recipes. In doing so, you will almost guarantee that you are giving your fish most of, if not all of, the proteins and vitamins they require. (And do not overfeed!) !
Find club event/meeting information, pay dues, this magazine and more on our website www.makc.com Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 35
Ozone and Its Uses in Koi Keeping by Malcolm Green, England
Koi about 5 feet deep in a 12 foot pond.
decided invest in the installation of Ozone generation systems on my two largest ponds for a number of reasons. Firstly I am investing considerable sums in new Koi imports every six months and a large number of increasingly valuable fish are being stocked together. The health risks associated with continual new imports are clearly a risk despite the quarantine regimes in place. So, to me, the expense of Ozone generation systems was more than offset by the potential savings of valuable Koi stocks.
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With my own private Koi collection, I have like many of us built up a fairly valuable collection over many years with which one obviously becomes sentimentally attached. This year I have been unfortunate enough to lose several long term members of my collection to bacterial disease which I am convinced was originally brought in Autumn 2000 when I housed a number of new Koi in with my own collection through restrictions on water space. I have experienced problems on and off since then culminating in the loss of my all time best Kohaku this Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 37
spring, although thankfully I now appear to be over the problems. This finally convinced me to take the plunge. Whilst not a Utopia, since even with the use of Ozone Koi can still need individual medication and treatment if required, Ozone systems currently provide the ultimate weapon in the Koi keepers armoury in the constant fight against disease and the struggle to maintain superb water quality. We have seen many advancements in Koi system filtration – new media, new ‘gizmos’, and organic cure alls designed to improve water quality and filtration and thereby ultimately Koi health. None however comes close to delivering the benefits of Ozone systems, the benefits of which have long been recognised by the marine camp and like so many other great ideas, only now being accepted in the Koi world.
What is Ozone? Ozone occurs naturally in the atmosphere. When a molecule of Oxygen, O², is bound to a third
oxygen atom, it becomes ozone, or 0³. Ozone is an unstable bluish water-soluble gas with a characteristic smell. In low levels it makes the air smell fresh and its colour makes the sky blue. Ozone is the 2nd strongest known oxidiser known to man and the most powerful readily available water sanitiser. It kills bacteria and viruses 3,125 times faster and is a 50% stronger oxidiser than chlorine. It is unsurpassed for control of many types of common bacteria such as E. Coli and fecal coliforms as well as the de-activation of virus, fungus, mould, mildew and cysts, and is not carcinogenic.
How Does it Work? Ozone is nature's way of purifying the air we breathe. As ozone circulates and comes into contact with airborne pathogens, one of the three oxygen atoms detaches itself from the ozone molecule, attaches itself to the cell structure and oxidises it and effectively destroys the cell and thereby kills living organisms. Ozone is nature's way of self-cleaning our environment.
Ozone System for a Pond in Florida Page 38 Mid-Atlantic Koi
Ozone is such a strong germicide that only a few micrograms per litre are required to demonstrate germicidal action; it destroys all pathogenic and saprophytic microbes in water. Factors like humidity, temperature, pH, ozone concentration levels, type of organism and time, determine the kill rate for pathogens, but its action in water is June 2015
KOIPHEN Monitoring System
instantaneous. After oxidation, ozone returns to its original form of oxygen, without leaving any toxic by-products or residues. Ozone is a natural disinfectant and steriliser and unlike chlorine, it does not produce trihalomethanes, chloroforms or any other detrimental bi-product in water. Without dispute, Ozone is the most effective natural bactericide and viricide of all the disinfecting agents. In our pond environment Ozone: • Is highly effective in removing organics, ammonia and nitrites. • Reverts back to oxygen quickly, leaving no detrimental residues when used correctly, but leaving the water saturated with oxygen • Is economical and non-polluting when used correctly. • Can be used as a sterilising agent to kill viruses, bacteria and other pathogens, before, during and after water is used for re-circulation. June 2015
• Improves biological and mechanical filtration by burning off proteins and ammonia straight to nitrates. • Lowers biological oxygen demand and raises REDOX potential in the water (the ability of the water to oxidise pathogens). • It can oxidise long chain molecules, such as hydrocarbons and other potential pond pollutants which cannot be achieved by any mechanical or biological filtration. For our Koi ponds, in order to dose the pond water with the correct amount of Ozone safely we have to install an Ozone generator and a method of introducing the Ozone thus generated into the water in order to achieve the correct level of disinfection. We then have to remove the Ozone from the water before it returns to the pond in order to prevent it coming into contact directly with our Koi – which would have lethal consequences. This is achieved by passing dry air through an electronic ‘gizmo’ that generates Ozone by Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 39
passing a high voltage electrical discharge through the air passing through the unit. The Ozone thus created is then drawn into a special protein skimmer especially designed for the purpose via a venturi and into a water flow which is pumped from the pond through the protein skimmer. When the Ozone comes into contact with the water it quickly ‘burns’ off polluting organic material and breaks down back into Oxygen. However even though this process takes only milliseconds to seconds the water is bubbled through around three metres of piping before it is returned to the pond to ensure that all the Ozone has done its job and reverted to Oxygen. As well as disinfecting the water and killing bacteria, viruses and free swimming parasites, the Ozone also kills blanket weed and algal cells. This means that the UV is no longer required and is redundant. Also the water returned to the pond is saturated with oxygen so that the biological filter is able to work at its full potential and strictly speaking, air pumps also therefore become redundant. Ozone is so powerful that it is like having a permanent and very strong dose of Chloramine T or Potassium Permanganate in the pond, without any of the side effects. As the Ozone also burns off proteins, organics and ammonia water clarity is improved enormously and the water sparkles to the point where the colour of the Koi is not impeded in any way by the depth of water, and Koi that have pure white skin at the surface also have pure white skin 6 feet down. For us as Koi keepers, the other major advantage of Ozone in our pond systems is that it virtually eliminates the risk of cross infection between Koi. So, even if a fish is introduced into the pond environment which itself is ill, or carrying a bacterial disease, this is much less likely to be transmitted to other Koi. Further, any treatment employed to an infected Koi has a much improved chance of working effectively as the Koi are living in a much cleaner environment, Page 40 Mid-Atlantic Koi
biologically speaking – i.e. in an environment containing very few harmful pathogens. This is especially noticeable when topically treating surface wounds, which once cleaned, heal much faster. Similarly if parasites were present on certain Koi, the water would still need to be medicated to eradicate the parasites on the body of the Koi affected. Any medication used however, will work more effectively as the pond water is maintained at a much higher quality, with a higher REDOX potential and with much less biological Oxygen demand (BOD). How do we measure the correct dosing of Ozone in the pond water? The ozone dosing is measured in millivolt terms and is expressed as the REDOX level of the water. Normal pond water will have a REDOX level of around 200mv. Sterile water has a REDOX level of around 600mv. The Ozone generator is designed to automatically regulate the ozone dosing to keep the REDOX level at around 380mv, so that the water is not sterile or anything like, since it could not then support life.
For the scientific among us What is a REDOX reaction? A chemical reaction in which electrons are removed from one atom (which is thereby oxidised) and added to another (which is thereby reduced).
What is Oxidization? Oxidization is the process that causes steel and iron to rust, a garden hose to dry up and crack and an apple to shrivel & go brown once cut open and is also responsible for the degeneration or ‘rusting’ of our bodies, causing cellular breakdown. Oxidization or oxidative stress has been linked to many degenerative and chronic diseases including heart disease and cancer. It is also responsible for premature ageing. Oxidization permanently disrupts and damages cell structure June 2015
What Causes Oxidization? Oxidization is caused by oxygen molecules that are missing an electron, making them unstable. Oxygen cannot exist in this unstable form and has to be stabilised. The molecules collide with healthy, stable molecules be they in metal, a hose, an apple or living cells and then ‘steal’ an electron in order to stabilize themselves. This damages and de-stabilizes the molecule that they have collided with leaving it now missing an electron itself. The formerly healthy molecule is now itself an unstable free radical and will also try to stabilise itself by colliding with another healthy molecule and ‘stealing’ one of its electrons. This creates a knock-on effect that damages and destroys living cellular structure, and in our pond environment this includes parasites, viruses, bacteria, algae or any other living organism. I have only had the units installed now for about 8 weeks and it is much too early to assess the full impact that the systems are having on the pond June 2015
environments. Initially on older systems, the Ozone has to burn off much of the pond detritus, algae, blanket weed etc., before it can achieve the desired water quality. It is therefore recommended that pond systems are cleaned out as much as possible in order to achieve ultimate performance in the shortest time. In both my systems where the units have been fitted, the water quality has fluctuated enormously as the units have been ‘cleaning’ the systems for me and only now am I beginning to experience the water clarity promised. In both systems however, there is still much weed growth to clean, and therefore there is still a large amount of suspended material in the water. Unfortunately, in my case it was not practical for me to move all the fish from these ponds to undertake a complete clean out when I installed these units, so I am going to have to be patient whilst the Ozone systems complete the clean up for me. !
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 41
Fantail Goldfish
• The Fantail is a double-tail goldfish, which possesses an egg-shaped, rather deep body and paired anal, ventral and pectoral fins. The dorsal fin is large, and should be carried erect. Fantails can grow quite large, with specimens of 10 -12˝ being reported. • The fantail comes in a variety of colors, including orange, yellow, red, white, olive or drab green, yellow-brown, calico and black. Fantails come in metallic, matte, and nacreous scales patterns.
body, and the high erect dorsal, which is expected to be from 1/3 to 1/2 the depth of the body. Typically, the caudal fin should be from 1/3 to 1/2 the length of the body, split for at least 75% of the length of the tail, with the remaining fins being proportional to the shape and size of the fish. Unsplit, or tripod tails are to be avoided, and will sometimes result in a disqualification at a show. • Scalation should be regular and even, and scales should not be missing.
• The primary identifying characteristics of this variety of goldfish are the paired fins (especially the caudal or tail fin), the deep Page 42 Mid-Atlantic Koi
June 2015
Single Color Fantail
June 2015
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 43
Calico Fantail
Description
Points
Body Style
25
Coloration
25
Deportment and Condition
25
Finnage
25
Special Characteristics – Finnage and coloration (aditional points)
0
American Goldfish Association 2014 Goldfish Standards Variety Name: Fantail Dorsal Fin: Y/N, Y Tail Type: Double Special Characteristic: N/A
Total
100
! Page 44 Mid-Atlantic Koi
June 2015
Sunshine Column
I remember when she got the idea to install a pond in the courtyard at the school where she worked. It was a kids’ project. And it was a beautiful pond, too. Andrea went from business to business collecting donated items (liner, rocks, pump, filter, etc) and even got the janitor to build it with the children. This is what Andrea was to all of us. Andrea made the world more beautiful.
To Andrea Lynn Duggan If you never met her, you have missed a lot. There are people you cannot forget and Andrea is one. Always smiling, always full of pep, she was one of the Metropolitan Chapter members who drove long distances from the east end of Long Island to meet once a month in the middle with those of us from Nassau County or making the trek out to the Suffolk Chapter when we eventually moved out there. Andrea was sharp as a tack! She had something to say and jumped right in when something needed to be done. She and I clicked right away. I needed her to keep me from being a sometimes bad actor. A short fuse was not my best attribute. Andrea would constantly remind me “We’re having fun” when I started getting too serious about somebody forgetting to bring something as important as the coffee pot. She would kick me under the table when I opened my mouth, just for good luck and a reminder that in any club, there are no bosses. “If it isn’t enjoyable, then it will cease to be.” Andrea was a wise and beautiful teacher in and out of the classroom. Her generosity and strength were her greatest blessings and she shared them with all of us. June 2015
When she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, we were devastated, all of us. Nobody who knew Andrea was unaffected by the news. She asked us to pray. She sent out emails and notices on Facebook to reassure us all that she was “still standing.” Hundreds of family and friends waited anxiously for each update. Days, months and years went by and she got a clean bill of health. We thought we were out of the woods. She asked us to keep praying because the results of her chemo treatment had done some damage to vital organs. She always knew what was happening and she was always there to support US! As strange as that sounds, hundreds or maybe thousands of people who have known and loved Andrea have just lost a very important figure in their lives. We have walked through every step with her in this terrible illness. I am just one of them from MAKC. Thank you, Andrea! Your pain is over. May you rest in peace. Passed away April 25, 2015, age 60 Please send submissions for our Sunshine Column to - Carolyn Weise, Editor makcmag@makc.com ❖ Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 45
On the Road to a Koi Event June 12 - 14 14th Oregon Koi & Watergarden Society Roseburg, OR website: www.oregonkoiandwatergardensociety.com Contact Norman Call at ncall@centurytel.net
June 19 – 21 PNKCA Convention (Pacific Northwest Koi Clubs Association)
31st Annual Convention and Pond Tour and Koi Organisation International 1st Ever Wet Lab and Get Together Held at the Red Lion River Inn Spokane, Washington Hosted by Inland Empire Water Garden & Koi Society. Updated information see our website www.pnkca.com
June 26-28 Midwest Pond & Koi Society Koi and Goldfish Show & Tradeshow Held at the Darien Sportsplex. http://www.mpks.org/
July 10-12 Tri-State ZNA Koi Show/Anniversary Event Held at Kodama Koi Garden Kodama in Saddle River, New Jersey. http://tristateznakoi.com/
July 17- 19 Puget Sound Koi Club 17th Annual Young Koi Show Hoshi Koi in Tacoma, WA website: www.pskc.us Contact Maggie Post at russell761@aol.com or Monte McQuade at montwila@comcast.net
September 11-13 ZNA Potomac Koi Show Held at Meadowlark Gardens, Virginia; for Page 46 Mid-Atlantic Koi
Treasurer’s Report Submitted by Anthony Vitale, New York Beginning Balance March 2015 Income Advertising Sponsor Membership Total Income
$16,210.22
$475.00 30.00 210.00 $715.00
Ending Balance April 2015
$16,925.22
Saving Balance Club Total Balance As if April 2015
$6,327.15 $23,252.37 ❖
information see our website http://www.znapotomac.org/show.htm
September 25–27 35th Annual Koi Show Northwest Koi & Goldfish Club (ZNA NW Chapter) Held at Uwajimaya’s, Beaverton, OR, in conjunction with the Festival of Japan. Contact: Daren Beck, Show Chair @ beckoi65@gmail.com or 503-507-8510 Joel Rutledge. For more information visit the club’s website: www.nwkg.org Have an upcoming Koi event, please send the information to 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. 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. ❖ June 2015
M A KC Me e t i ng s an d Eve nt s Central Chapter Meetings Sunday, June 7 Bridgewater, N Future meetings • July 12 Newark, DE-maybe a summer BBQ • August 2 or 9 Bethlehem, PA- guest speaker Dr. Brian Palmerio • September -open • October 4 in Allentown, PA !
• Sunday September 20, Open • Sunday October 18, at Herb’s pond • Sunday November 15, at Masonic Lodge in Saugerties • Sunday December 13, at Holiday Dinner at Roe and Herb’s Contact Herb Ehrich for further information about upcoming meetings - email Herb at koiking15@yahoo.com ❖
South Chapter Long Island Chapter Meetings • June we’ll host the Annual MAKC meeting at Bernie’s. Club members will also vote for Officers for the 2015/2016 year. The date is not set yet. We will be raffling Koi related items and we will be selling raffles for the Seneye Pond Monitoring System drawing in August. We will be bringing down Herb Ehrich, Saugerties Chapter VP, to act as "Raffle Master." • Pond Tour July 19, 2015, this will be an event for all current members of MAKC and members at large are also welcome to attend. • August BBQ looking for a host !
SAVE THE DAY Sunday, June 28 The South Region Chapter will hold a meet and greet meeting on Sunday, June 28, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia, from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. (Details will be sent via email to members who are coming.) Come and enjoy a Japanese style garden and Koi. We will share Koi stories, socialize, and exchange ideas about future possible club activities. A light lunch will be served so we need a headcount. Please RSVP to: alanmickelson@msn.com !
Saugerties Chapter Meetings
Remember! MAKC members may attend meetings in any Chapter.
Sunday, June 14 3:00 pm John and Jan’s Pond
Send your meeting and event information to Carolyn Weise
Future meetings • Sunday July 19 at Paul and Harriet’s pond • Sunday August 16, Open June 2015
makcmag@makc.com Deadline June 3rd for the July 2015 issue. Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 47
F..A..S..T.. Ads – June 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 Joann 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).
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 Joann Mead 845-389-5712 jo_mead@earthlink.net
Page 48 Mid-Atlantic Koi
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. Part-time, competitive pay. Outstanding employee discounts! Call John at Blue Ribbon Koi Products. 703-753-7566. MAKC SECRETARY AND MAKC SALES POSITIONS – are open; please contact club president Joann Mead for more information on how you can fill one of these positions. Joann Mead 845-389-5713 or e-mail jo_mead@earthlink.net. !
June 2015
Mid-Atlantic Koi Ad Index ABC Pond Book . . . . . . . . . .23
Next issue learn about the Goldfish variety the Ryukin.
Pentair Aquatic
Hikari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3, 8
Eco-Systems, Inc. . . . . . 8, 36
Kodama Koi Farm . . . . . . 8, 18
Quality Koi Company . . . 8, 30
Koi Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Rainbow Koi . . . . . . . . . . .8, 20
Mazuri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8, 15
Smart Koi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Microbe-Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Total Koi Food . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Nisei Koi Farm . . . . . . . . . 8, 30
Tri-State ZNA Koi Show . . . .14
Advertise in Mid-Atlantic Koi!
Join or Renew Your Membership Submit Your MAKC Membership Form by printing out page 51 and mailing it in. Do it today, it only takes a couple of minutes.
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 Joann Mead at 845-389-5712 (leave message) or e-mail: jo_mead@earthlink.net to request information on our advertiser packages and/or a copy of our ad rate sheet. *With an annual 10 issue contract.
June 2015
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 49
Picture to Share – Koi Horoscope
Inland Koi Society Develops New Horoscope 12 Animals Replaced by 12 Koi Varieties Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Japanese, working with the Inland Koi Society, had gotten hold of the lunar calendar before the Chinese did? What if the 12 months were created using Koi varieties for your horoscope? There would be no ox, rat, snake, tiger, dog, dragon, sheep, monkey, rooster, pig, rabbit, or even a horse – just Koi varieties. What sign are you in this imaginary Koi horoscope?
Do you have a picture to share? Please send them to the Editor, Carolyn Weise. makcmag@makc.com Page 50 Mid-Atlantic Koi
June 2015
Mid-Atlantic Koi Club (MAKC) Individual/Family Application Mid-Atlantic Koi Club (MAKC) is an association of Koi, goldfish and watergarden enthusiasts who gather to expand their knowledge and appreciation of the hobby. The club meets at convenient regional locations in the Mid-Atlantic area. We also publish an informative monthly online magazine (bi-monthly in Nov/Dec & Jan/Feb). The Family/Individual Membership dues are $30 per year. Membership renewal date is one year after membership application has been accepted. You will be notified when your membership is up for renewal. Please provide the following information: Date ___________ New Member _____ Renewing Member ____ Name_______________________________________________________ Address _________________________ City ___________________ State _____Zip _______ Phone _______________ E-mail____________________________________________ Please check all subjects in the following list that interest you, or that you would be able to assist the club with: _____ Have a Club meeting at your home _____ Pond construction, maintenance, filtration theory and practice _____ How to select Koi – their diseases and treatment _____ Feature your pond for members to visit or be featured on a Pond Tour _____ Share a special skill or knowledge at a meeting _____ Volunteer in the club (circle choices) President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, Marketing _____ Are there any fish or pond related problems you need help with? If so, what kind? ____________________________________________________________________________ We do not sell/offer/trade/distribute member information to outside enterprises Please mail membership application along with a check (payable to MAKC) to our Membership Secretary or bring it to any meeting. You can also pay via credit card at www.Paypal.com. Our PayPal account email address is kgwgclub@earthlink.net You will be notified when your membership is up for renewal. Do not wish to have name published in Membership Directory please check box _______ MAKC PO Box 91 Ulster Park, NY 12487 Phone Number (845) 389-5712 E-mail: kgwgclub@earthlink.net June 2015
Mid-Atlantic Koi Page 51
Ballot 2015-2016 MAKC Officers For each Office, vote for the nominated candidate by placing a check in the box or by writing in your vote in the space provided PRESIDENT Joann Mead (Incumbent) ___________________________ (Write-In) VICE PRESIDENT Herb Ehrich (Incumbent) ___________________________ (Write-In) SECRETARY ___________________________ (Write-In) TREASURER Anthony Vitale (Incumbent) ___________________________ (Write-In) CENTRAL CHAPTER VICE PRESIDENT Bruce Damme (Current VP) Leonard Kuker LONG ISLAND VICE PRESIDENT Bruce Levine (Current VP) ___________________________ (Write-In) SAUGERTIES/NORTH CHAPTER VICE PRESIDENT Herb Ehrich (Current VP) ___________________________ (Write-In) SOUTH CHAPTER VICE PRESIDENT Alan Mickelson (Current VP) ___________________________ (Write-In) Signature: _______________________________ Date: ____________________ Only one vote per MAKC membership: email: kgwgclub@earthlink.net
Or snail mail: MAKC, PO Box 91, Ulster Park, NY 12487
Ballot must be recieved by Friday, June 12, 2015