Dubuque Arboretum lost 300 koi & need more; Can your club help?

[B.Scott]

I get a vage feeling that the "pump" may just have been pumping well water which kept the temperature elevated and the fish from freezing. If this pond had lots of organics and then froze solid I could esily see it going anerobic pretty fast.
B.Scott

[gregbickal]

Quote: i guess anyone in colder climes who can't afford to heat their pond can't have koi. why do they even try?

They can raise koi, but give them realistic expectations that koi left outside to endure those conditions, they might loose none, some, most, or all of them depending on the severity of winters. Let them make informed decisions.

What does it cost to catch your fish and bring them inside for the winter? An indoor tank can be constructed fairly cheap, if you have the room for it.

[joe bauer]

an indoor tank!


how many gallons for twenty 24" koi? and what kind of filtration?

[gregbickal]

Quote: how many gallons for twenty 24" koi? and what kind of filtration?

Depends on what the goal is. Survive or thrive.

Lets talk survive, cause they sure arent thriving out under the ice. So at a heavy 15lbs apeice, thats 300lbs of koi. The most I have crammed inside in my basement pond is 200lbs of koi (about 60). Seen in second picture. Total volume is 1200 gallons, Filtration is a settling chamber, then brush chamber, then a 55 gallon barrel trickle tower. All circulated by a 3600gph sequence pump. Koi were fed half a pound a day or less. In these conditions for about 5 months. Ammoina and Nitrite at 0ppm after filters cycled. 10% water changes once a week.

Remember were talking survive. I would rather cram them into that tank then leave them outside.

[joe bauer]

200 pounds of koi in a 1200 gallon tank? and they thrive? i am not that good a koi keeper.


i think i'll leave mine outside, they do fine.

[gregbickal]

I didn't say thrive, I said SURVIVE. Yes, you can leave yours outside, its your choice. Mine will be inside in an environment were I can control ALL the variables.

I don't know where you live Joe, so I dont know what the weathers like there, but in my area, I would not risk leaving that many koi, of that size outside.

[cindy]

I think I have the right pond. I don't think the size and depth is what they think. Doesn't look like any filtration.

http://www.dubuquearboretum.com/index.htm

[joe bauer]

wow! how deep is it? it looks deep enough in that picture that the water in the bottom would never get cold enough to kill a koi, in fact they shoud be fine all winter!

[gregbickal]

If I understand cold water dynamics correctly, water can only get 39F at the bottom before it rises to the surface and colder water takes its place.

[B.Scott]

With respect to high winter stocking rates... Joe take a look at the stocking rates the Japanese breeders maintain in the koi houses after they have pulled the mud ponds! I'm willing to bet it is similar to what bickle does. It is often difficult to see the water for the fish! They are not fed though.

B.Scott