Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Welcome Wendy!
Wendy joins us as of today at the shop - we are sooo excited to have her onboard to help out.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Monday, October 26, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Tunnels are hot things!
Phew - spent about half an hour in the tunnel this afternoon, catching a very nice Ochiba and a Beni Kumonryo for a customer. Within minutes my shirt was drenched and our customer had just about passed out! Still we got the job done and two very nice fish are on their way to a new home.
Humidity is about 100% inside and the temperature I estimate at between 55 and 60C. You cannot work in that environment for long - but the fish are doing well, in particular the tilapia that are growing at an alarming rate. We're almost trying to get them so slow down which is kind of precisely what we don't want!
Of interest has been the fry - jeepers- they shot from fry to fingerlings in almost days. They fed off algae in the small pond we cultivated for them and their fat little bellies are proof of the fact that all they need is good water and plenty of algae - and that we have in abundance at the moment.
Humidity is about 100% inside and the temperature I estimate at between 55 and 60C. You cannot work in that environment for long - but the fish are doing well, in particular the tilapia that are growing at an alarming rate. We're almost trying to get them so slow down which is kind of precisely what we don't want!
Of interest has been the fry - jeepers- they shot from fry to fingerlings in almost days. They fed off algae in the small pond we cultivated for them and their fat little bellies are proof of the fact that all they need is good water and plenty of algae - and that we have in abundance at the moment.
Tuesday, December 09, 2014
The maths of Eskom
So I just had the phone call from hell.
New Koi pond, built by Koi pond experts. 8000l of water to begin with fills me with trepidation - from which it goes downhill I'm afraid.
Here we have a "koi pond" with a 50mm bottom drain feeding a 0,75 kW swimming pool pump - no surface skimmer I might add. The pump feeds a sand filter, splitting to an open filter system via a U/V draining into a water feature and the second back to the pond via a venturi.
By now my eyes had glazed over and in all honesty my mind has shut down - there is nothing I can do for this pond. So the advice given to save power by running the system 3 hours on and then 3 hours off I almost missed.
Having corrected the caller about the illusions of the 3 hour on 3 hour off power saving myth - (namely that especially on a system as poorly designed as this one that 24/7 operation is mandatory) we got into the whole "run it off solar" discussion.
The returns of running your Koi pond off solar are infinitely negative. This is all you need to know. Right now, right here, in early 2015 it cannot be done cost effectively. To run a 075 kW swimming pool pump will cost you R250k. How much electricity does that buy? Plus, solar systems have a running cost associated with them - they are not a once off purchase and then free electricity for all time panacea.
If you run an Ultra Low Power system like I do at home with a power draw of around 100W for my water pumps (which is not bad for 80kl of pond I don't think) you can also never break even - the sheet cost of solar even for this low power draw is so much higher than paying the R100 or whatever it costs me a month to run the system that the return is infinitely negative.
Hence, the best route to follow in my opinion is to go for Low Power or Ultra Low Power wherever you can and hook that up to a decent UPS capable of driving the system for 12 hours at a time for when the power goes off.
A small generator of 1 kVA is then plenty to use as a standby for the UPS in the event the power outage lasts longer than 12 hours (as in when the real blackouts start to hit).
And above all, anyone recommending a swimming pool pump of any description on any new Koi pond should be avoided. Going cheap, actually, these installations are in fact NOT any cheaper to buy and install - so perhaps let me reword this: Going uninformed when building a Koi pond these days, is really going to cost you.
New Koi pond, built by Koi pond experts. 8000l of water to begin with fills me with trepidation - from which it goes downhill I'm afraid.
Here we have a "koi pond" with a 50mm bottom drain feeding a 0,75 kW swimming pool pump - no surface skimmer I might add. The pump feeds a sand filter, splitting to an open filter system via a U/V draining into a water feature and the second back to the pond via a venturi.
By now my eyes had glazed over and in all honesty my mind has shut down - there is nothing I can do for this pond. So the advice given to save power by running the system 3 hours on and then 3 hours off I almost missed.
Having corrected the caller about the illusions of the 3 hour on 3 hour off power saving myth - (namely that especially on a system as poorly designed as this one that 24/7 operation is mandatory) we got into the whole "run it off solar" discussion.
The returns of running your Koi pond off solar are infinitely negative. This is all you need to know. Right now, right here, in early 2015 it cannot be done cost effectively. To run a 075 kW swimming pool pump will cost you R250k. How much electricity does that buy? Plus, solar systems have a running cost associated with them - they are not a once off purchase and then free electricity for all time panacea.
If you run an Ultra Low Power system like I do at home with a power draw of around 100W for my water pumps (which is not bad for 80kl of pond I don't think) you can also never break even - the sheet cost of solar even for this low power draw is so much higher than paying the R100 or whatever it costs me a month to run the system that the return is infinitely negative.
Hence, the best route to follow in my opinion is to go for Low Power or Ultra Low Power wherever you can and hook that up to a decent UPS capable of driving the system for 12 hours at a time for when the power goes off.
A small generator of 1 kVA is then plenty to use as a standby for the UPS in the event the power outage lasts longer than 12 hours (as in when the real blackouts start to hit).
And above all, anyone recommending a swimming pool pump of any description on any new Koi pond should be avoided. Going cheap, actually, these installations are in fact NOT any cheaper to buy and install - so perhaps let me reword this: Going uninformed when building a Koi pond these days, is really going to cost you.
Monday, December 08, 2014
Power failures
Power cuts on a working fish farm are a real concern. Oxygen is the immediate concern of course but efficient air pumps and a big and inverter and battery backup provides air into the ponds efficiently. Generators help on smaller systems but on big farms provision must be made for substantial backup. Auto start generators are not cheap but are the way to go if your livelihood depends on fish still swimming after half an hour.
Ups systems are cool for short outages of upto 6 hours but repeated failures of the likes we are now seeing has an impact on filters that can be very serious indeed if they are continually subjected to ongoing stresses from a lack of oxygen supply. These will force you into providing generation capacity whether you like it or not and of course the lower your farms power requirements the better all round.
Friday, November 28, 2014
Auction pictures!
We have been asked by more than one person for some better pics of the fish on auction. So here they are. Along with video clips!
Apologies we didn't have time to snap pics of everyone - but to give you an idea of the quality of the Kohakus for instance....
Apologies we didn't have time to snap pics of everyone - but to give you an idea of the quality of the Kohakus for instance....
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Auction time
Our latest auction is under way on Bid or Buy.co.za - 28 kick ass koi going.... Going... Going....
We also have 4 bonsai up for grabs! :-)
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Absolutely soaked
With sweat from inside the q/tine facility.... Nice... Be a koi dealer they said... No heavy lifting they said... Peaceful gentle outdoors lifestyle they said... Ha bloody ha!!!
Friday, November 21, 2014
Saturday, November 01, 2014
Japan Trip 2014 Special Offer # Box 6
Fish Box #6
Breeder Yamazaki.
A mixed box of well priced attractive Koi. Yamazaki san had not yet netted out the majority of his ponds so these Koi were from the first mud pond. We were under time pressure and I wanted to go back to pick some more from his ponds but alas, we never got back. A pity.
I did not have a chance to sex the fish - the Karashigoi I am sure is female. All these Koi are well priced at R2900 and the ginrin shiro in particular is a very attractive Koi. In fact, they all are!
Breeder Yamazaki.
A mixed box of well priced attractive Koi. Yamazaki san had not yet netted out the majority of his ponds so these Koi were from the first mud pond. We were under time pressure and I wanted to go back to pick some more from his ponds but alas, we never got back. A pity.
I did not have a chance to sex the fish - the Karashigoi I am sure is female. All these Koi are well priced at R2900 and the ginrin shiro in particular is a very attractive Koi. In fact, they all are!
Japan Trip 2014 Special Offer # Box 5
Fish Box #5
Breeder Hiroi.
Hiroi is never cheap and you can see why. These are two year old just out of the mud ponds and in this bowl we have a ginrin goshiki the quality of which is simply amazing. The tancho Sanke has an amazing body and the doitsu harawake is one of the most unbelievable I have seen. These are all sold - for fairly obvious reasons as to why and the last fish left is the ginrin kohaku which I chose as a companion for transport back with the harawake as with these size fish only two to a box fits the shipping bill.
The pics are not the greates - but this female kohaku has a body built like the proverbial and she's 50cm if she's an inch.The pattern is flawless, the skin superb and the hi is outstanding. Coupled to an excellent gin and sharp white it's a great deal and excellent value for money from Hiroi at R10k.
Breeder Hiroi.
Hiroi is never cheap and you can see why. These are two year old just out of the mud ponds and in this bowl we have a ginrin goshiki the quality of which is simply amazing. The tancho Sanke has an amazing body and the doitsu harawake is one of the most unbelievable I have seen. These are all sold - for fairly obvious reasons as to why and the last fish left is the ginrin kohaku which I chose as a companion for transport back with the harawake as with these size fish only two to a box fits the shipping bill.
The pics are not the greates - but this female kohaku has a body built like the proverbial and she's 50cm if she's an inch.The pattern is flawless, the skin superb and the hi is outstanding. Coupled to an excellent gin and sharp white it's a great deal and excellent value for money from Hiroi at R10k.
Japan Trip 2014 Special Offer # Box 4
Fish Box #4
Breeder Otsuka.
This is a mixed bowl of good quality smaller Koi. The two ginrin chagoi are quite pretty and the big normal chagoi is a good quality fish. I cannot tell sex on any of these fish I am afraid so it is pot luck.
The pricing is excellent at around JPY7k each which translates into a selling price on this special offer of R1600 each (the shipping I am afraid pushes the price per tail up a bit). And my memory is fading on me but I seem to recall that the one tancho is in fact a tancho kumonryo. Which should prove to be a highly entertaining specimen (and which has now just been sold, along with the large chagoi). The Benigoi is an awesome, clean fish that should get nice and big to boot.
Breeder Otsuka.
This is a mixed bowl of good quality smaller Koi. The two ginrin chagoi are quite pretty and the big normal chagoi is a good quality fish. I cannot tell sex on any of these fish I am afraid so it is pot luck.
The pricing is excellent at around JPY7k each which translates into a selling price on this special offer of R1600 each (the shipping I am afraid pushes the price per tail up a bit). And my memory is fading on me but I seem to recall that the one tancho is in fact a tancho kumonryo. Which should prove to be a highly entertaining specimen (and which has now just been sold, along with the large chagoi). The Benigoi is an awesome, clean fish that should get nice and big to boot.
Friday, October 24, 2014
These just in.
Offer expires tomorrow.
Breeder Isa. Showa. Female.
This is a nice example of tategoi type potential Koi vs more 'here and now' more finished Koi.
Take a close look and decide which two are more tategoi type and which two are more 'here and now' type. These are all very high quality expensive Koi from one of the big hitters in Showa breeding in Japan - Isa is very, very highly regarded and many of his lines are famously used in other very well known breeders (Sakai, Dainichi being among them).
Ready?
OK the more tategoi pairing are B and D. It's close actually with A being an exceptionally good fish as it is here already. But B and D are going to take longer to present their finished pattern in my opinion. A and C still have some way to go but they present better on the day and hence are slightly more here and now in my opinion.
All of these fish have a great future ahead of them. D will take a hobbyist to the edge of what Koi keeping is about - you will need skills with this fish and perhaps just a little luck. The breeder doesn;t agree with me - this is the most expensive of the lot at JPY400k.
Runner up is... Fish C - also at JPY 400k. Fish B follows at JPY 300k matched with fish A at JPY 300k.
Some of the finest two year old Showa from this years harvest. Of course there will be better and more expensive Koi but these are without doubt show quality and best of all they have some way to go - meaning that in a few years an astute hobbyist will find themselves with a fish capable of giving a serious run at the SGC title. I love these sort of Koi - right at the edge of the hobby in terms of where a champion can be spotted and then taken to the finals in a few years.
Breeder Isa. Showa. Female.
This is a nice example of tategoi type potential Koi vs more 'here and now' more finished Koi.
Take a close look and decide which two are more tategoi type and which two are more 'here and now' type. These are all very high quality expensive Koi from one of the big hitters in Showa breeding in Japan - Isa is very, very highly regarded and many of his lines are famously used in other very well known breeders (Sakai, Dainichi being among them).
Ready?
OK the more tategoi pairing are B and D. It's close actually with A being an exceptionally good fish as it is here already. But B and D are going to take longer to present their finished pattern in my opinion. A and C still have some way to go but they present better on the day and hence are slightly more here and now in my opinion.
All of these fish have a great future ahead of them. D will take a hobbyist to the edge of what Koi keeping is about - you will need skills with this fish and perhaps just a little luck. The breeder doesn;t agree with me - this is the most expensive of the lot at JPY400k.
Runner up is... Fish C - also at JPY 400k. Fish B follows at JPY 300k matched with fish A at JPY 300k.
Some of the finest two year old Showa from this years harvest. Of course there will be better and more expensive Koi but these are without doubt show quality and best of all they have some way to go - meaning that in a few years an astute hobbyist will find themselves with a fish capable of giving a serious run at the SGC title. I love these sort of Koi - right at the edge of the hobby in terms of where a champion can be spotted and then taken to the finals in a few years.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Japan Trip 2014 Special Offer # Box 3
Fish Box #3
Breeder Otsuka
Some of these Shiro Utsuri are sold. You can see why - the quality of these Koi is very high indeed. All are female.
I chose these fish and oddly these were the best value for money Shiro Utsuri we came across on the whole trip. These were selected off the back of the truck as they arrived from the mud ponds and the reason I chose them was for the awesome sumi that was already darkening in the ponds and of course the superb white. They are fantastic Shiro Utsuri.
We paid JPY40k each for them and even that was a bit of a haggle and a good price for 'first pick'. This translates into a selling price of R7600.00. They are between 35 and 40cm in size and are two year old fish.
This is a once off price for early birds. When the fish have cleared quarantine and go up for sale in our retail ponds the price will escalate to R10 to R12k.
Breeder Otsuka
Some of these Shiro Utsuri are sold. You can see why - the quality of these Koi is very high indeed. All are female.
I chose these fish and oddly these were the best value for money Shiro Utsuri we came across on the whole trip. These were selected off the back of the truck as they arrived from the mud ponds and the reason I chose them was for the awesome sumi that was already darkening in the ponds and of course the superb white. They are fantastic Shiro Utsuri.
There are five in the bowl but we could only ship four. Pick the one you would have left behind and see from the next picture if you agree with my choice. It was not an easy one!
To keep it all clear the fish with the black dot on the nose - Black Dot for it's name is Subject To Confirmation for a customer as it exceeds his prepaid budget by a factor of two.
The fish on the left is sold. As is the one on the bottom right as it turns out. Which leaves the fish top right. And it's a cracker of a Shiro.
We paid JPY40k each for them and even that was a bit of a haggle and a good price for 'first pick'. This translates into a selling price of R7600.00. They are between 35 and 40cm in size and are two year old fish.
This is a once off price for early birds. When the fish have cleared quarantine and go up for sale in our retail ponds the price will escalate to R10 to R12k.
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