MAY 2002:

May is my Favourite time of the year as the day light hours our now much longer and temperature warmer (hopefully).  In our garden lots of plants have sprung into action and many are already flowering, My particular Favourite is a deep red peony which we have had for at least ten years and was left to us by the previous owner of our last house. It was transferred from the garden into a pot and along with forty-eight pots was brought from Staines, Middlesex to Normandy, Surrey when we moved. (Yes, I did say forty-eight and Janine brought a rockery as well)  

Last month I wrote about my problems with water clarity and how I intended to use a product sold by Karobar Koi called superbugs.  Barry Brown sells the superbugs either as a liquid or powder due to the cost I purchased the dry powder. If I tell you that it is one third of the price of the liquid then you will understand why.  

However to use the 'superbugs' dry you do need to carry out a procedure to be able to get full use of the nitrifying bacteria.  You need a clean bucket  of pond water,  you then mix the required quantity of 'superbugs' and agitate the mix with an airstone for three to four hours.  Then you need to strain this mix through a fine mesh and then tip it in the pond, quite a lot of mucking about I am sure you all agree, but did it work read on.  

The pond is now a lot clearer, but not as much as I would like.  Barry would not associate himself with a product that does not work and a lot of his customers swear by 'superbugs', in fact he sells a large amount to Taiwan each year.  

I have also contacted TMC regarding my UV’s as I wonder if they might be undersized. I have two 30 watt UV’s on a 6,600 gallon pond. The rule of thumb has always been 10 watts per 1000 gallons, however I believe that this figure is it a bit generous.  

When I spoke to TMC’s helpdesk they asked me what my flow rate through the UV was. I asked what the maximum flow rate could be; they stated 3,000 gallons per hour.  I told them that my pumps only ran at 2,200 gallons but they still suggested I slowed down the flow rate!  As you can probably guess I soon tired of this particular conversation, but TMC did say that I could upgrade my 30 watt fittings to 55 watt.  I have ordered then via Karobar Koi and have been waiting for the fittings for 3 weeks and guess what TMC are only two junctions down the M25 from Karobar Koi!  I don’t think I will be buying any thing else from then do you.

I have also this year been buying koi foods to hopefully enable my fish to grow faster and to improve sumi and hi. Next month I will tell you the foods that I have been using and my opinions of them.