The Pond Digger Grow Out Stats

[The Pond Digger]

Koi Info

Koi 1 Pick 27 - #53

Koi 1 size when received: 9"
Koi 1 size between 6/1/08 and 7/1/08:
Koi 1 size between 2/1/09 and 3/1/09:

Koi2 Pick 116 - #108

Koi 2 size when received: 7"
Koi 2 size between 6/1/08 and 7/1/08:
Koi 2 size between 2/1/09 and 3/1/09:

Koi 3 Pick 119 - # 135

Koi 3 size when received: 7.25"
Koi 3 size between 6/1/08 and 7/1/08:
Koi 3 size between 2/1/09 and 3/1/09:

Temperature Info
Pond temp when received:
Pond temp at 6 month photo:
Pond temp at final photo:

Pond Info
Gallons: 3000 Gallons
Stocking rate: 7 to 10 TOSAI
Filtration:
- 4" Gravity Fed Aearated Bottom Drain to Cetus Sieve
- 3" Gravity Mid-Water Drain Fed to Wave 24 with Static Pre-Filter
- 3" Gravity Fed Danner Skimmer with Horizontal Fish Guards Fed to the Wave 24 with Static Pre-Filter
- Generic Bead Filter ran in line into one single TPR (Beads - To be determined)
- FR3500 FlowRanger Back Flushable Waterfall Filter with aeratored 36" Round variable density Matala Media.
- Wave 40 U.V. Sterelizer
- 6000 Gallon Sequence Pump

Liner Type: EPDM Liner
Turnover rate: 1 1/2 to 2 times per hour
Dimensions: 12' Diameter, 3' verticals bowled to 48" depth. Half in ground, half above ground.
Water changes per week: To be determined
Amount of water changed %: To be determined

Food Info
Brand and Type fed: Private Label Cold Temperature Wheat Germ Formula when temperatures are between 50 & 65 degrees. Private Label Growth Formula and All Season Formula when temperatures range 65 and above.

I will switch to a brand of EA fish food a approximately 60 days before final photo shoot attempting to brighten the SHIROJI.

Owner Info
Years in hobby: I have enjoyed the hobby of keeping fish for two decades
Years buying show koi: 11 days
Zone: 7 to 10
State:California

Fun Stuff
Koi 1 sex guess when received:
Koi 2 sex guess when received:
Koi 3 sex guess when received:
Koi 1 name:
Koi 2 name:
Koi 3 name:

[The Pond Digger]

Here are some photos of the structure of the pond I am using in the Koi Grow Out Contest.

The Pond Digger

[The Pond Digger]

Here are some photos of plumbing and pre-filters on my grow out pond.

The Pond Digger

[The Pond Digger]

Water Changes will be performed frequently. The pond water will be pumped to my orchard. Orange trees on fish poop!

The Pond Digger

[The Pond Digger]

Here are some close ups of the Flowranger FR3500 back flushable waterfall filter. The water will come into the filter at a tangent. The drain out of the filter come out the side but as you can see from one of the photos we have modified the drain to draw from the bottom center of the filter. I have the drain plumbed into the blue 55 gallon drum (notice photo in water change thread) that is pumped to the orchard for cleaning the filter.

The large manifold assembly is the airboil system. In most applications the FR3500 is used as both a mechanical and biological filter so typically, this airboil feature is for back flush assistance but in this application since I am using a SIEVE and a W. Lim's Wave 24 with Kent Wallace's Static Pre-Filter assembly the filter will be primarily serve as a biological filter. I will keep the filter aerated at all times for maximum beneficial bacteria growth. The airboil manifold also serves as a rack to hold 36" Matala Rounds. The FR3500 comes with two 36" Matala Rounds but I think if I modify the airboil manifold I can squeeze in a third Matala Round.


The Pond Digger

[Seefdro Tvneik]

It's nice to see your excitment for this grow-out....Looking forward to seeing your results.

[The Pond Digger]

Here are a couple of photos of my Wave 24 with the Accelarator Static Pre-Filter. This is on my skimmer and mid water curcuit. I don't have the final photo yet but there is basket that is filled with Bacti-Twist. See photo in earlier thread. I'm excited about the set up.

The Pond Digger

[The Pond Digger]

I am excited about my second pick, fish number 108. I believe that she was overlooked mostly because of the deep split in her left pectoral fin. Notice, I call her a SHE! I am willing her to be a female!



She is almost a polar opposite to my first pick which is laden with Sumi. I will be watching my first pick hoping for the Shiroji to expand and improve while I watch to see the Sumi reveal and improve in my second pick.

I will photograph her when I get her to display what kind of progress her fin has made in the healing process. She has been in 50 to 55 degree water in QT at Mystic Koi. If there is little to no progress in her healing I will keep her indoors in a heated aquarium environment to help speed up the healing process. If this is the case it will be interesting to see how much she will grow in a smaller body of warm water as opposed to the others in a large body of cold water.

Check out her deep Sumi that wants to reveal itself and the sharp Kiwa makes me smile! I believe with a little luck and some sharp husbandry she could surprise us. I am confident her fin will heal up nicely. If not, I name her NEMO!

The Pond Digger

[The Pond Digger]

Something about this koi is just plain fun! Yeah, it would appear she will not balance with the big blank area in her back but it will be fun to see. It is my hope, balanced or not, she will reward me with an interesting face that will bring much conversation. I just know Bob Winkler wants to kiss her.

My first two selections are text book choices, yet miles apart. As I stated earlier my first choice with heavy exposed sumi, checker board pattern, heavy black in the pectorals, potential for large shiroji in the shoulder, and call me rookie, but I think she has a nice thick tail base.

The second with what appears to be a potentially text book well balanced SU checker board pattern with most of the sumi suppressed yet waiting to pop. Lets hope the split fin on my second choice will not be a problem.

My third choice is strickly picked with emotion. Her face just kills me! It is my hope that the fish has personality, is charming and charismatic like in my imagination. I have a feeling I will bond with this fish differently than the others.



I would of really been upset if I missed out on her because I of course could of picked her before my text book choices. I took a risk that the fish would be still available for my last selection. That is the reason for my panic late in the round for my pick slot.

The Pond Digger

[PapaBear]

53 was pretty high on my original list, and likely for the same reasons as you.
The sumi that is up has an interesting pattern to it, so it is just a waiting game to see how it rises and falls over the next few years. If it becomes a tighter, cleaner version of its baby self it'll be a very good looking fish. I really liked the body on it, which is what put it toward the top right off the bat. My only concern is the shiroji. It may be a bit on the cottony side rather than silky texture, but from pictures is is tough to tell. I'll be looking forward to seeing how your pix turn out so we can get a better look.