2018 Great Koi Round Up Results

[Tula]

25 verses 47 in 2017 !!!! I attribute the lower numbers to my Parrots Feather dying, so there were less plants in the pond for the young ones to hide.

We really lowered the water before I got in with my waders, but it was still difficult. There is always one that defies every attempt to be caught flipping and flying through the air !

It did give me an opportunity to inspect the pond, remove organics and clean the pumps and waterfall. I've lifted the lily pots for now and will work on them over the next few days. I never ran my UV light this year and frankly didn't do much maintenance except back wash the sand & gravel filter weekly and clean the skimmer leaf basket and filter pads every few days. I think hanging the net over the pond , while unsightly, kept a lot of debris from getting in the pond.

Refilling the pond and waiting for the nursery to open, so I can take the 25 youngins to their new home....good to be done !

 

[j.w]

Yahoo ride um cowgirl...............or fishgirl actually! You gotter done and lived to tell about it,lol!

 

[Tula]

Well, the babies are in their new home The "Fab Four" aka the parents, are calmly swimming about without the frenzy of their off spring It's interesting to me, to watch how slow and calm the adult koi are compared to the little ones.

 

[MajorDan]

Any pictures of them?

 

[Tula]

Any pictures of them?

Sorry, no pics taken today. I'll try for some good ones with my nice camera tomorrow

 

[Tula]

I think I have a love - hate relationship with my water lilies ! Last Spring I didn't divide and repot them, figured I'd let them go this year.......big mistake! I have them covered in deer fencing ( total PITA ) to keep koi from destroying them and the lilies had grown through and into the netting, out the pots and in some cases through the pots!

I was dirty and exhausted trying to disentangle the whole mess, so stopped after 2 pots to call it a day. I'll work on them more today.....but thinking of reducing the amount of lily pots I have in the pond for next year.

Does anyone have a simpler method of koi proving their lilies? I've tried rocks on top without success in the past.

 

[Lisak1]

Does anyone have a simpler method of koi proving their lilies? I've tried rocks on top without success in the past.

I don't have any great suggestions @Tula - my koi leave my lilies alone for the most part. They are curious about them when they first get repotted, but once they get rooted they leave them alone. Someone needs to design a pot for this purpose. I'm imagining a snap on or lock on lid that's like a grid for the lilies to grow through that will keep those nosy little critters out!

 

[cas]

I decided to leave the 4 babies that made it this year alone for now. I am concerned that soon I will lose some of the older goldfish (they are 12 and 13 years old) and I like having some orange fish in the pond with the white and yellow koi. I hope I don't regret it next year.

 

[mrsclem]

I use the snow fencing, larger holes.

 

[Gemma]

@Tula were those babies Chagoi?

@cas "soon I will lose some of the older goldfish (they are 12 and 13 years old) "
My 2 Shubbies are about that age, is a little over a decade all they're expected to live?

 

[j.w]

Wow I have heard goldfish can live for 20 yrs or more! I have had some of mine for about 15yrs. One goldfish I heard lived for 45 yrs!

 

[Tula]

@Lisak1 I think we should develop and patent a lily pot with a clam like top ! Do you think I can add fertilizer in the fall with lilies as I repot them or must I wait till Spring....trying to avoid getting in pond multiple times.

@Gemma three of them appeared to be chagoi, the rest were multicolored or dark.

@mrsclem , thank you for the idea of snow fencing, I think I'll try it. Where do you buy your fencing? I'm also wondering if snow fencing would work?

@cas If you only have four, I wouldn't worry, I had way more !

It is not a great day....besides doing battle with the lilies, the tree people were here to take a couple trees down and then the tile lady came to begin work on what was supposed to be a small job. Well, it's turned ugly and my house is now covered with white dust.

I've taken to my bed

 

[mrsclem]

@Lisak1 I think we should develop and patent a lily pot with a clam like top ! Do you think I can add fertilizer in the fall with lilies as I repot them or must I wait till Spring....trying to avoid getting in pond multiple times.

@Gemma three of them appeared to be chagoi, the rest were multicolored or dark.

@mrsclem , thank you for the idea of snow fencing, I think I'll try it. Where do you buy your fencing? I'm also wondering if snow fencing would work?

@cas If you only have four, I wouldn't worry, I had way more !

It is not a great day....besides doing battle with the lilies, the tree people were here to take a couple trees down and then the tile lady came to begin work on what was supposed to be a small job. Well, it's turned ugly and my house is now covered with white dust.

I've taken to my bed

Tenax Snow Guard 100-ft x 48-in Green Sand and Snow Fence. I got it at Lowes.

 

[Lisak1]

Do you think I can add fertilizer in the fall with lilies as I repot them or must I wait till Spring..

Do it now! I've done both with equally good results.

I feel you on the white dust - we've been living through a whole house renovation since June. Every day there's more dust. I've given up!

 

[j.w]

I feel you on the white dust - we've been living through a whole house renovation since June. Every day there's more dust. I've given up!

Ah heck just let some spiders and cobwebs move in along side the dust and call it Halloween Decorations,
..............be like me