Sorry I missed speaking to many of you at the National over the weekend, I was confined to the lecture theatre for both days with only short escapes to the showground in between the talks. I'm glad it seems to have gone down very well, last year was the first attempt by the new BKKS Committee at reviving the National and funding it by a novel method. It worked pretty well but with some "rough edges", so this year we deliberately focussed attention on improving those points. I'm glad the trickle in/out system met with general approval. It was an idea I saw at a mini koi show back in 2010 and I've been banging on about ever since as the best way to change water at a show where ever suitable drainage facilities are possible. Anyone planning a koi show should consider that method to see if it could be made to work in their situation. I've uploaded an original design drawing to show the principle but, as ever, ask questions on here or get your show organisers to email me if I can help in any way.
About the cost of the hobby, I've also been concerned about prices for koi related equipment for a few years now and I believe that the overall decline in new hobbyists is partly due to the off-putting prices that prospective koi keepers face when they consider taking up the hobby. This, in my opinion, deters many from progressing from "goldfish ponds" to proper koi ponds or encourages others to try cheaper garden centre "miracle filters" or home made equipment that leaves a lot to be desired, both of which can have the legacy of being difficult to maintain or giving poor water quality. Poor water leads to potential poor koi health and the feeling that koi keeping is too complicated and, coupled with time consuming filter maintenance, might be another reason for some of the new hobbyists just giving up.
There is nothing wrong with DIY equipment and, in fact, I personally prefer it because it gives me a better sense of satisfaction to think "I built that" rather than "I bought that", but inexperienced people doing DIY often make elementary mistakes. For this reason, the club talks and whole day education seminars I do have a common underlying theme - koi keeping isn't complicated, nor is it a rich man's hobby. I concentrate on showing how easily understandable is the art of ensuring good circulation and water quality when all the complicated stuff is stripped away and also throw in designs for a few simple DIY projects that can be built in day or two for a fraction of the price of commercial products.
About the price of koi, I can do nothing yet but, one day, I hope to set up the Manky Koi Farm in Essex where the maximum prices will be about half those in a garden centre.
eye watering cost of anything koi,
