Hi! Everybody

I’m the new guy in the pond! Lehigh Valley, PA.

To start:
Who is the youngest and who is the oldest? Cathy

I’m only Twee an’ a have years old: times
(14.285714285714285714285714285714) = 50

I finally succumbed to the dreaded disease: Nishikigoi-itis, a.k.a.
Koi-itis, the insatiable desire to own $500.00+/lb Carp. It has been
incubating inside me for many years.

Early symptoms manifested themselves back when I was 17, baby sister won
a goldfish at the local fire company carnival. After one day alone Sis
thought it looked sad and needed a friend. So, off to the LFS, which was
at that time 2 Guys From Harrison (NJ), went Big Brother, with Little
Sister in tow.

TMALSS. A Big GF bowl did not look good to either of us. 10g starter kit
ON SALE. Thus started a 20 year addiction to TF. One 10g, led to 2-10g,
added a 20g, and another 20g, then a 55g and a 55g SW tank.(beginning of
the popularity of live reefs) upon the "DEATH" of my SW tank I packed it
in for 10 years. 5 years ago I bought my first house w/ 1.5 acres. I
started a 30 g TF tank, all died off but My 12" Pl*co who now resides
(happily) in the brack(ish) water of a swamp tank.

Three years ago the fever started, the virus incubated, as time allowed
I researched for information about Koi, ponds, filters, liners vs. clay,
all sorts of info. I was fine, (some people would debate that), until
some one gave me a 90g pre-formed. I couldn’t rest until I had it in the
ground, had water flowing, and 30 Feeder GF in it to “Jump Start” it.

Now a month and a half later:

25 of the 30 Feeders are still alive (being moved to QT to "Jump Start" it)

5 Koi added ( I know I’m overcrowded, working on bigger pond(s))
water chemistry, could not be better

5 WH added (now the bi*ch s have over 12 pups (in 1.5 months))

18"H X 24"W X 8"D waterwall added (so called as water trickles over the
stones layer by layer)

http://users.rcn.com/trooper2000/pic...llbareview.jpg

http://users.rcn.com/trooper2000/pic...erwallbare.jpg

http://users.rcn.com/trooper2000/pic...rallmossed.jpg

210 GPH pump swapped out to a 550 GPH pump
(not enough waterwall action and water noise)

16 g masons pan VF added, w/ WH, Watercress and BioMass

8 Cattails, 2 water lilies, 6 anacharis, 6 hornwort.

15 Irises, (temp. till plant holding tank is finished)

moss added to waterwall

300-watt heater added to minimize 10 – 15 degree water temperature
fluctuation (Eastern Pa. has not had much sun lately)

work in progress:
cutting down trees,(neglected for 30 years)
pulling stumps (instant half dug holes)
laying out 2-3 new ponds, stream, new 2 story garage, shed, deck, and
2nd story house addition

5 year plan:
this year - 2nd pond ,shed
yr 2 - 3rd & 4th pond and stream between 2&3
yr 3-5 garage, deck, 2nd story
Oh Ya! I almost forgot, 2-story sunroom between house and garage w/
waterfall and inside/outside pond.
Yhat leaves me with a 1/2 acre of grass that I still have to mow. I
guess I can alway convert that into ???. Maybe a mini great lake.

OH! OH!, Me thinks I’ve got it, A full blown, deadly case of KOV
(Koi Owners Virus)
IS THERE ANY HELP FOR ME???
Enough of this long winded dissertation of my new addiction, it’s time
to turn on the A/C, and go to sleep so that the “Visions of $500.00/lb
Carp can dance in my head”
/\/\ike

p.s. local well known Koi supplier just had (12) 8-10" Koi mysteriously
vanish from his outside pond between Sat. 9PM and Sun. 6AM after only
being put in the pond Fri. afternoon. (7) 14-24" Koi were still in the
pond. No leads! No evidence!