Koi Photo, Broxandvals tank

Hi All
We have been promising everyone a look at our koi tank and at last here we have it .
The tank is 10mm plate all round exept the base which is 20mm plate and messures 6 x 2 x 2.5 with filters it holds 200 gallon, whilst without 187 and houses 14 koi of varying sizes


rgrds
broxandval

Hi Guys
Here is the second photo, the cat asleep on the tank is Dusty who sadly passed away last July aged 18 years and a grand old lady.



rgrds
broxandval

Broxandval

??? I don't quite get the measurement. Is that the thickness of the glass? If so, do you mean 10mm and 20mm? In the US, ml is the abbreviation for milliliter, mm for millimeter.

Also, I don't know anything at all about Koi, but is this a temporary container for winter or isn't this a bit crowded for the numbers and sizes of fish involved? Just curious. Again, I know nothing of keeping Koi.

Don

By the way, the water is beautifully clear. What type of filter system are you using? Your numbers show that 13 gallons of water are in the filter. That's pretty good size. How does it function?

Don

Hi Maestro loco
In answer to the first question mm is correct sorry did this post UK local time of 0530 am this morning after a sleepless night (Pain problems) Second the 14 koi are not stressed in anyway by the numbers the larger koi in the photo's were sold on.
New smaller fish take their place, (we grow from small to large then sell to a new home) it's a system that has worked for us for all of our 20 years of keeping Koi and being both disabled it is easier to clean than a pond. .
The Gravel is vacuumed once a month by the use of a Ehiem 2217 converted for use as a vacuum cleaner (we look at it as a scaled down pond with glass sides).
The water is kept crystal clear by an Eheim proffesional III , 2080. 445 gallons per/hr and the Fluvel FX5 505 gallons per/ hr a total of 950 gals/per hr.
The PH levels are kept constant at 7.5 by the use of Crushed oyster shell and the tank is filtered 7 time's per/hr passing though 7 beds of various mediums.
Next we have a 15 watt sterilizer unit.
Then there is an Airtec e 40 supplying 6 airstones.
Last but not least (in the summer), a Chiller supplies water chilled down to 16c (in the winter the temperature is a constant 22-24 c
rgrds
broxandval

Hi All
We should be able to post a few more photo's in a day or two, newt tank included.
rgrds
broxandval

That's some serious water flow. No wonder it stays crystal clear.

How long does it take for one of the small koi to grow to the large sized? Do you purchase smaller specimens and then raise them or do you actually breed them?

Sorry about all the questions, but just one more. If you keep the water at 22-24C in the summer, why not keep the same temperature in the winter and save some energy costs, or is there a reason for the temperature differential?

Those big guys must be beautifully graceful to watch swim back and forth. I have large goldfish in my pond, but I only get to see them from the top. I am going shopping today at the sporting store called Cabella's. They have a walk-through aquarium with large, native species. Whilst the DW shops, I sit and watch the fish. Very relaxing and much easier on my bum knee. I'll take some pictures or video and post them later.

Don Perry

Hi Maestro loco
No in the summer we chill the water down, this is to match up with the outside temperature and allows us to attend our Koi Club's (of which Val and I are founding Fathers ) Closed show, Carkeel Cornwall an event we have never missed thanks to our good friend Steve who does all the lifting and shifting for us.
We believe Koi to be beautiful not only from the top but from the side too and it's something more and more pond keepers are coming to realize!!!....
The Chiller an Aqua One 400 which pulls 300 watts but isn't that much more in cost and once up to speed is highly efficient in what it does.
With the Koi we like to buy in small and grow on (we never breed) when a koi gets to the 22 inch mark it is then sold on either for a few more small fish or food, or equipment and it has turned our Hobby into something that is self perpetuating in that it pay's for itself, all Koi are sold on to ponds , inspected by us first.
rgrds
broxandval

That's quite a set-up! The fish look very healthy. Thanks for posting the pictures.
Just curious ... does the water level stay where it is in the photo? Do you ever fill it to the top?

PG

Hi Pool Guy
In answer to your question no the water level is never any higher than it is in the Photo, the water level that it's at makes for plenty of surface movement allowing any Nitrate to gas off.
Thanks for the coment on the koi's health we try to do what we can to give them optimum water conditions to live in .
The large looking Doitsu (end of the tank nearest on photo two) is testiment to this as he is the only koi Val wont part with and we have had him for 20 years now.
as is the smaller Orange and black koi bellow him (but that one never grew).
Hope the answers were of help to you.
rgrds
broxandval

Nice tank. It looks to be crowded to me but you have been getting by with it for a very long time.
I have some questions. Why do you wait until the fish are 22" long? Is there a reason that you don't find them homes sooner? It would seem that if they were smaller then everyone would have a little more room?
Tia

Btw, I'm moving this to the General section

Hi tlc
We wait till 22 inches to get the best return on the koi, glad you like the tank and we hope you like the koi too, which you have to admit are in imaculate condition.
You think the tank a little crowded ?.
We could as you say get smaller fish but that would mean cramming it to the lid to get the same return. the way you see them in a dealerships)
It's all about the pride you get from turning out a nice Koi at the larger end, that you also know will be KHV free and doesn't cost a person the earth
They get the best of care from us, Val says they even eat better than us as well .
We have a rigorous cleaning routine (never skimped on), this includes both filter and equipment and the gravel is vacuumed on a monthly basis they recieve 10% water changes on once a fortnight. If looked after it's amazing how long equipment lasts the Ehiem 2217 we use as a vacuum cleaner is still going after 20 years as is the spare we use on the Hospital/quarantine setup.
The gravel clean is the fortnight after with a 40% water change. Water tests every other week.
All light tubes are admitted a little old!!!... but the U/V steralizer is changed once a year as with makers instructions
We hope this has answered your questions.
rgrds
broxandval

That's a very nice tank B&V!! Do you return them to the store or give them away? I couldn't imagine giving my two koi which I've grown VERY fond of away to the petstore or someone who doesn't care for them like I do. I am half-tempted to give away the goldfish though...I'm soaked from head to toe from the pump spraying my because I forgot to turn it off!!

It's a testament to your dedication and hard work that a setup that for all intents and purposes shouldn't be viable seems to be thriving. The koi are beautiful.

Hi Robyn, Kenny
Thanks for the complement it makes all our hard work worth while. these photo's are old as most of the koi have now been sold on and to answer your question Kenny to other Koi enthusiasts. or whould that be nut's
We will post some recent ones it's just we like to show what we have grown on the Chagoi and the Ochiba we are very proud of bringing them on from small.
They were sold £100 each and with the proceeds we bought a new chiller, it takes a while to do it but the end result can be eye catching
rgrds
broxandval
PS whatever you do don't ask about the ping pong ball