Louisville Koi Club - Lexington, KY Pond Tour

[mulberryjen]

Ok, then you move on to the pumphouse. I don't know the square footage, but I believe the building would cost about $500,000 in Northern California money.

As you come to the door, you notice that it has its own address.

You enter the "Fish Geek Playroom," where one would obviously spend a great deal of time. There is also a well-stocked refrigerator at the end of the bar with libations for humans and treats for koi.

Then you see two glass door leading to the filter room. A trickle tower sits on the landing between the doors. The door behind the tower opens to the stairs to the main filtration.

[mulberryjen]

For those of you that really love to talk about filtration, here are some pictures:

View from landing: 2 nexus units filled with kaldnes media, 2 vortex chambers - one settling tank, one converted for more kaldnes. I think those are Answers inside nexus units. (have to clarify with Dale - get them mixed up with EZ from top)

2 UV lights on a timer, pumps, air pumps on the landing behind the nexus at the back for dual spin drifter bottom drains. These can be turned on and off with remote.

If Dale made me stay to clean the filters, I wouldn't even get wet! Just have to turn some valves and drink a beer.

[mulberryjen]

A shot that shows the lower and upper ponds. Lower pond has lilies and taro plant and several goldfish, as well as a few small koi. There is another bottom drain & a skimmer in lower pond.

Dale has an underwater video camera with a feed to the house, so he can enjoy his koi all year long.

Here is another shot of koi and the lone longfin of his collection.

Pond setup also includes hidden outdoor speakers and landscape & underwater lighting.

I think he may have been involved in the as-of-yet-unaired public access show, "Pimp My Pond." It's a daggone nice setup all the way around.

[mulberryjen]

trouble with file size......here we go. Post some of the other ponds later on. Very enjoyable day.

[Dale Torok]

Quote: Originally Posted by mulberryjen trouble with file size......here we go. Post some of the other ponds later on. Very enjoyable day.

I'm glad you had a good time Jen. I'll be looking for the rest of your pictures. Especially Randy's if you took some there.

.....regarding the pump house, it seems the favorite feature in the building of my koi buddies that visit is the little box in the corner. When Brady Brandwood was here it was his favorite thing........just kept going back to look in it and see if he could help me control the beer inventory.

Dale

[aquitori]

Dale cool setup you got, fish are happy whatelse can you ask for...you have a pond I wish I had..

[Dale Torok]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori Dale cool setup you got, fish are happy whatelse can you ask for...you have a pond I wish I had..

aquitori,

Thank you. With a perfectly flat back yard here, the only way to get any elevation was to build up somehow, so a wall was built around the back side of the waterfall of the upper pond. Here's a view of the wall around the back and a picture of the pond on the other side.

Dale

[dinh]

Mjen, thanks much for the pond tour info and pictures. I think you will be an excellent koi reporter or koi writer for any magazine/publication such as KoiUSA or KB. Seems like you guys spent 1/2 of the pond tour day at Dale's place b/c I see a lot of beer in the filter house.

Dale, i wish i have a filter house like you. Here in CA, it is top to have a house filter like that. You have a good pond and seems like a lot of quality koi too. I like the girin ochiba and shiro utsuri in the pictures.

Here in NorCal, the Santa Clara Valley Koi club has aunnual pond tour too.
This is one of the great success event of the club. And I love this event.
Wonderful to view many beautiful ponds. In CA, seems like many good ponds do not have high qaulity koi? But seems like KY is a different story.

Thanks,
--Dinh

[keokoi]

Jen thanks for taking pics and taking the time to post them.. Looks like you had a full weekend of koi.. Much appreciated..

Dale, Nice setup very clean and well put together. No doubt you get hours of enjoyment out of your pond and it shows.. I can see it now
"Dale kicken it KY Style" Glad the pond tour was a success.

Question what kinda rock is that yo used for the wall of the fall? and is it dry stacked.?

I think that filter house is as big as my house. Got my head spinning now how I can do such a thing.. LOL


Joe

[Regenmeneer]

"I think that filter house is as big as my house. Got my head spinning now how I can do such a thing.. LOL"


Maybe you can convert your bedroom into the filter chamber. I always wanted a waterbed

Thanks for the pics and the report.

Regenmeneer