Microbe-Lift...for “MacArthur Water Gardens”, Boca Raton, FL, and is the articles editor for...

the MICROBE-LIFT® watergardener SPRING/SUMMER 20084

My dear readers and pond compatriots,

I hope your winter was uneventful at best, with no casualties and no dangers this spring. If this is

your first full-year in the hobby, take heart, we’ve allbeen through this and most of us lived. Provided the

bacteria have time to mature in your pond, your fish will do fine.They are tougherthan you think.Water lilies may or may not make it through the winter due tomany different dormancy requirements for the varying species, but in general, thehardy lilies have always done wonderfully just by remaining in my pond.

Looking at spring and summer, what does your pond need to make it the best it’s ever been? How can we help make it clean and clear? How can you prevent over-stocking the pond with cute little koi or goldfish, since they almost alwaysspawn as soon as the water temperatures hit 72ºF.What do you need to knowabout nutrition for both plants and fish? And where can you go for help whenthere is a problem? These are some of the questions we would like to provideanswers to, so you can get more enjoyment from the pond this year.

At Ecological Laboratories we are continually adding products and equipment that will make pond keeping a pleasure for years to come.This is going to bethe summer that you understand and accept algae, can better recognize toomuch growth and will know what to do about it.This year, your pond will not control your life, right? You are the master of your pond! From topics on opening the pond to maintaining a water garden in high-heat of summer, you’llfind it all here.We are at your service!

Your editor,

Carolyn Weise

editor’s letter

Carolyn is the Consumer Relations Manager ofEcological Laboratories, Inc. and liaison to koi and water garden clubs in the USA and Canada. A retired social worker and long-time hobbyist, Carolyn hasauthored many articles for well-known magazines onall phases of the art of pond keeping and has twicebeen awarded “Koi Person of the Year”. She has been aregular columnist for “Water Gardening Magazine” and“Pond & Garden Magazine”, writes the Q&A columnfor “MacArthur Water Gardens”, Boca Raton, FL, andis the articles editor for Mid-Atlantic Koi ClubMagazine. In her spare time, she is enjoying her newFlorida home and 4,000+ gallon koi pond.

about the editor

PHOTOGRAPH BYRICHARD WOLFERT

PHOTOGRAPH BY CAROLYN WEISE

PHOTOGRAPH BY TONI ANDERSON

5the MICROBE-LIFT® watergardener SPRING/SUMMER 2008

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CONTRIBUTORS

MARK KRUPKAVice President andTechnical Director ofInt’l. Sales, EcologicalLaboratories, Inc.

JOE ZURITSKYOwner/PresidentParkway Corp. Quality Koi/Nisei Koi Farm

SPRING/SUMMER 08

Mark received his Bachelor’s Degree inMicrobiology in 1975 and completed

graduate work in Marine Microbiology and Bio-chemicalEngineering at Rutgers University. His experience includes over26 years performing pilot and full-scale studies to assess the treatability of organic waste streams, lagoons, ponds, and fish farms.Mark has extensive experience in the design, operation, and controlof biological systems as well as the function of microbes in naturalaquatic environments.

Mark has published numerous articles and technical papers on environ-mental microbiology, aquatic ecosystems, pond ecosystems, biologicalwastewater treatment processes, strain selection, bioaugmentation andbioremediation. Mark is President and Chairman of the Board of theNational Association of Pond Professionals

RICHARDWOLFERTRetired Scienceand ComputerTeacher

LARRY WOMACKPresident -NevadaWater Gardens NAPP Member

MAX HAMMONDVP Production Nature’s Expressions,Inc., Nicholasville, KY.NAPP Past President

CARL D.WEBSTER, PH.D.AquacultureResearch Center,Kentucky StateUniversity

V I S I T T H E N A P P“National Association of Pond Professionals”

website at: www.nationalpondpro.com

Bob Passovoy stumbled innocently into ponding eleven yearsago when his wife decided she wanted a water lily. He nowoperates a 4400 gallon koi pond with 28 koi, a 550 gallonswamp with fancy goldfish, a filtration system that'll give younightmares, and (because he left the room at the wrong time)is president of the largest water gardening club in theMidwest, namely the Midwest Pond and Koi Society, Illinois.Bob is a part-time dental surgeon and full-time water garden-ing family man, and a highly-respected member of the community.When not setting up shows, he is writing for clubmagazines and sharing his knowledge with newcomers.

BOB PASSOVOYPresident Mid-West Pond & Koi Society

DAVID DUENSINGPresident -DavidDuensing & Associates. Inc,NAPP Member

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Peter has been a goldfish judge for a number of years, and leda committee which wrote the standards on judging goldfish inthe U.S. and were adopted by the GFSA in 1995. In addition,Peter has been past Chairman, Membership Chair, Treasurer,Secretary, and a contributor of articles to the GFSA. Peter’sarticles on goldfish have appeared in the Midwest Pond & KoiSociety, Louisville Koi and Goldfish Society, the NorthwestKoi & Goldfish Society, the Goldfish Report, and MAKCmagazine. Peter currently writes and maintains the sitewww.goldfishpages.com.

DOUG DENTVice President of Sales andProduct Development Manager,Ecological Laboratories, Inc.

PETER PONZIOGoldfish Judge

A U T H O R S

TONI ANDERSONPhotographerEditor Koi Chronicles &North Farm NewslettersAtlanta, GA.

GEORGE ERTLEAward-WinningLandscapePhotographerManasquan, NJ

Dan has been in the koi hobby for ten years. He served as anofficer in North Carolina Koi and Water Garden Society thelast five years. He was KHA certified in 2004 and is a regularhealth advisor article contributor for prominent hobbyistmagazines. He is working on his third (dream) koi pond,23,400 gallons + filtration at his home, and planning his firsttrip to Japan in the fall to celebrate his and his wife’s 25thwedding anniversary. He enjoys attending, working andshowing at koi shows. He is totally “Koi Kichi”. He is anElectrical Engineer and writes telecommunications software.

DAN PHILLIPSNorth Carolina Koi & Water Garden Society

BRYAN BATEMANCertified Koi Health Advisor

TOM BURTONVeteran Mid-AtlanticKoi Club Member


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Water ChangesPeople ask a lot of questions regarding waterchanges.These include:Why do I have to performwater changes? What happens if I don’t performwater changes? How often should I perform waterchanges? How do I perform a water change?

Well, first things first and that is “why” youhave to perform water changes. If you have anyfish or other aquatic life in you pond (e.g. turtles,frogs, etc. or plants) you end up with some wastematerial in the water.This waste material caninclude ammonia and organic waste. Fortunately,much of the carbonaceous and nitrogenous wastescan be handled by the beneficial bacteria in yourpond with the carbon bubbling off as carbondioxide and the nitrogen bubbling off as nitrogengas.They are gone!

However, certain critical elements like phosphorous, typically in the form of phosphates,have no mechanism for conversion to a gas thatcan bubble out. Even phospates that have beentaken up by bacteria as a nutrient are eventuallyreleased back into the water by the bacteria.Thisphosphate alone is enough to stimulate algaegrowth as some types of algae can fix nitrogenfrom the atmosphere making phosphorous theonly macronutrient they need. Phosphateremovers are a good way to keep the phospho-rous in a form that is not available to algae butcontinuous use results in a buildup of these chemicals in the water.

Another reason it is necessary to performwater changes is the buildup of minerals in thewater.This is a function of how much evaporationyou experience in your pond and the quality ofthe water you use to top off your pond.You see,as the water evaporates any minerals in the waterstay behind.When you top off your pond withmore water, you add more minerals, which areconcentrated every time you have to top off thepond some more.This is not unlike letting a lot ofwater boil until it evaporates completely and yousee a white mineral residue from the minerals thatare left behind. If you have “hard” water you willhave a lot of calcium and magnesium in thewater.These are referred to in the water as totaldissolved solids (TDS).As these increase, they cre-ate what is called a “hyperosmotic” environment.This can upset the osmoregulatory systems of fish,plants or any other living organisms in

the water, including the bacteria.The only way toreturn the water to a tolerable osmotic balance orreasonable “iso-osmotic” environment is to diluteout the minerals with fresh water.

The factors then which will determine howfrequently you perform water changes have to dowith the loading on your pond primarily howmany fish you have, how much they are fed, theefficiency of the beneficial bacteria in your waterand/or filter, and the quality of your makeupwater. If you have a lot of fish and you feed thema lot or have a high mineral content to yourmakeup water, you will have to perform waterchanges more frequently.

How do you perform a water change? Well,as the name suggests, you are “changing” waterwhich involves removing some from the pondand adding some to make up for what wasremoved. Most people perform a “partial” waterchange.This means that you are removing andreplacing less than 100% of the water in thepond.A typical partial water change would be a30% water change, meaning that you drain 30%of the volume of the pond and replace thatamount with fresh water.Again, like the frequen-cy, the % of the volume you change out is goingto be based on the same factors you base the frequency on. If you do more frequent waterchanges you can usually do a smaller percentagewith each water change.

Water changes can be time consuming andlet’s not forget that water is a precious commodi-ty. In some areas, like Europe where charges forwater are high, water changes can be expensive.Beyond that, we want to be environmentallyresponsible and not waste water.Therefore, youshouldn’t do water changes say, every week, justbecause other people tell you to. Learn how totest your pond water for the compounds (likeammonia, nitrate, and phosphate) as well as thecommon minerals (or TDS) in your water so thatyou perform your water changes with the frequency and in the amount necessary to keep your pond healthy without wasting water.

by Mark Krupka

Why, How and How Often

MICROBE-LIFT® DECHLORINATOR +

by Carolyn Weise

What’s all the hoopla about independent retailers? I mean, what’s the difference if we buy from a large boxstore or a small Ma & Pa store in town? We’re looking for bargains, right? We’re looking for the best bang forthe buck, you’re darned right.When it comes to my pets, especially my koi, these days I am looking for realvalue and honest workmanship. I want to buy something that will stand up to weather, time and whatever else Ican throw at it in the course of my hobby. My purchases need to be more than inexpensive, they need to bedurable.They need to be backed by knowledgeable vendors who just might care about me and my purchase. It’snot enough to have the salesman smile at me when I pay for items. I want them to talk to me like I matter! Ilove it when they know my family. I’m not going to be “cheated” by friends who care.

If I return an item and tell them it didn’t work for me, I want them to figure out why, not just give me themoney back. I want to know if it is something I did wrong or if there is a better product to use. Sometimes, ifrushed to make a purchase, or if there isn’t a sales assistant at hand, as in most big box stores, I will buy thewrong thing. But having a sales person who knows my hobby and is familiar with his stock, I am in safe hands.He will recommend something that has worked for him, personally.

That’s the difference – and the value – I am looking for in an Independent Retail Store!

IndependentRetailer

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By Carolyn Weise

A rule of thumb for feeding fish is “all they will eat in 5 minutes”. I have found that fish will often overfeed in 5minutes, so this is not a universal rule.At different timesof the year, fish eat for different purposes.They will eatmore when preparing for reproduction than they do inmaintaining health and growth.After they spawn, theyno longer need massive amounts of food, even thoughthey certainly can consume it within the five-minuteparameters. But they don’t have the “stomachs” toprocess it.And I’ve seen fish that are absolutely obese(not healthy!).

We can buy less expensive fish and hope they grow into champions.We can build a less expensivepond, cut some of the construction costs.We can even limit our water and power expenses by careful monitoring and maintenance practices. But, there aretwo things NOT to sacrifice when caring for koi:nutrition and water quality.

Less is more when feeding your fish, if you arefeeding properly. Feeding heavily will not necessarilymake the fish grow faster, bigger, or stronger. However,proper feeding and proper nutrition are the keys to

success in preventing illness and raising larger, more beautiful,and healthier fish.

When feeding less, give your fish the benefit of balanced nutrients and the probiotic foundin bacterial strains of Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis.They are metabolite and enzyme-producing intestinalbacteria which will maximize your fishes’ food intake intwo ways: first, they will digest and utilize more of thenutrients contained in our foods, and second, they guarantee a cleaner environment (less waste back into thepond!) There is a third benefit we have not mentioned:you will save on food by feeding less, so it is cost effective, too.A measure we have put into place with theplastic containers is to guarantee freshness, as long as yousecure the lid after each feeding and store properly.

MICROBE-LIFT/LEGACY koi and goldfishfood is enlarging the line to include Big Bites (11.5 mmfor bigger fish) (available in Summer Staple). OurNature’s Building Blocks™ program includes variousfoods for a varied and nutritionally stable diet. Younever have to overfeed again!

Are You Eating Well?

MICROBE-LIFT® LEGACYKOI & GOLDFISH FOOD

SUMMER STAPLE

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This year we’ve been handed the“compact” solution! I realized thesecret is in a better Pre-Filter. Ourfriends in the Netherlands have devel-oped the CompactSieve II that willtake out the floating debris from pondwater, rendering it clear and polished.It has been said,“Necessity is themother of invention” and the necessityof pond owners to see their fish is anage-old frustration.When looking atyour own pond in direct sunlight orwith underwater lights at night, youwill also see the floating and suspendeddebris in magnified proportions, like Idid.Your filter company said it wouldclean “X” amount of gallons and serve“X” pounds of fish, but you still havesuspended matter detracting from thelooks of your water.And what doesthis stuff do to your fish?The UltraSieve® was designed anddeveloped as a “better pre-filter” forBubblebead systems. Of the many pre-filters on the market today, none arecompletely effective at removing ALLparticulate matter and many simplygrind up the debris into smaller parti-cles making the removal process thatmuch more difficult.As producers ofthe UltraBead filter, SIBO in theNetherlands wanted to offer their cus-tomers the best system available, butwhat had previously been available wassimply not good enough.

SIBO is an important Europeandistributor of MICROBE-LIFT pondproducts.Together, we have one goal:clean water in every pond! TheCompactSieve is becoming available tothe American market now. Clean wateris a universal goal of koi and pondhobbyists (everywhere!) In the past, apre-filter would have been the pumpbasket or skimmer, or a vortex settlingchamber.All systems have their ownproblems and intricacies of cleaningand maintenance. Likewise, none of thesystems was optimal.What was alreadyknown was that a bead filter worksbetter with a good pre-filter to separateout the larger waste materials.Theyfound that even in the best of vortexchambers, some particulate matterreached the bubble bead and limitedthe biological development and filtra-tion.A bubble bead was not designedto be a mechanical filter, no matter

what media is used. Simply increasingthe amount of media does not removethe problem either.That suspended,floating matter would need an entirelynew approach to show the “best”a Bubblebead filter can do.Understanding Bubblebead filtrationwill help in resolving the problem. Butno, it is not intended as a mechanicalfilter. By catching and removing debrisfrom the water, a Bubblebead becomesjust that… a mechanical removal sys-tem.A Bubblebead is best utilized as aclean surface (many beads) for bacteriato colonize.The bacteria will removeby conversion unwanted pollutantssuch as ammonia and nitrite.The roleof water “cleaner” is generally left to askimmer and pre-filter, or vortex.Yourfish need to live in this water, so youwant it as pure as possible. If the matsand rocks currently being used are nottaking ALL the suspended matter fromyour pond water, then it’s time to moveon to the one universal answer…CompactSieve II.

SIBO investigated the industrialfiltration units to find by what meansthey separated the dirt from the water.Major industry had been using thistype of sieve for a decade by this time,and they were primarily large systemscapable of handling heavy flow rates,too large for most koi ponds.Theirchallenge was to develop a system that could be used for filtering pondwater.The two challenges they facedwere: a pump fed system and a gravityfed system. In the end, they met both challenges.

For the pump fed system, theydeveloped the CompactSieve with250 micron openings with maximumflow rate of approximately 4,000 gph.It works with trickle towers, water-falls, streams, can be connected to apond vacuum cleaner or hooked upto the existing pond skimmer system.This unit is simple to use with thesubmersible pump in the water andthe CompactSieve outside the pond.It can be contained in a waterfall ormulti-chambered filter unit, hiddenfrom view.

The gravity system was developedto accompany the UltraBead filter andpatented for flow regulationUltraSieve® III and can be obtained

with 200 or 300 micron screens, and iscompatible with any bubble bead sys-tem. It can handle a flow rate of 7,900gallons per hour.The filter is installedat water level; the water flows over thesieve bend, falls through the sieve andleaves the dirt where it is easilyremoved.The sieve can be cleanedvery easily, once or twice weekly. Itquickly captures any floating algae(blanket weed) or leaves, no longerclogging your system in the process.(We don’t want to go for a week’s

vacation and return to a burned outpump after the water clogged withdebris, do we?)

In addition to ease of maintenance,adaptability in a variety of systems, and efficiency, the sieve hasanother advantage of adding oxygen tothe water through its structure anddesign.The water falling through thesieve breaks the water flow, creatingturbulence within the unit, adding airbubbles and increasing surface areacontact for more oxygen to enter thewater. In Europe, these are the numberone selling pre-filters and sure tobecome a big attraction in America andhelpful new addition to your koi pond.

People will see your fish, in all their splendor, without any debris tocloud the water. Friends won’t be dis-tracted by floating particles.You won’tworry that your filter may not be ade-quate for your system. Everything isfine.You just need the right pre-filter topull it all together!


COMPACTSIEVE II


numbers and ability to cause bacterial infections on koichanges with factors such as water temperatures, pondconditions and koi health to name a few.Aeromonasare opportunistic and are usually said to be the second-ary cause for koi health issues such as ulcer disease.The primary cause may have been an injury sustained by akoi brushingup against asharp rock inyour pond, orperhaps due toa parasite thatphysically car-ries Aeromonasor provides a location of damage on a koi,breeching its protective slime coat and openingup the epidermis. If Aeromonas are present insufficient numbers and the koi has a compro-mised immune system to begin with, an ulceris more likely to develop.

In general, the following bullet list contains items any koi hobbyist with good husbandryskills should keep in practice year round whilemaintaining a clean pond and good koi health,but in particular they are important in springwhile navigating through Aeromonas Alley.• Since pathogenic bacteria thrive in high

organic environments, every attempt to lowerthese organic levels by keeping pond bottomand filters clean and minimizing the feeding

navigating aeromonas alley

By Dan Phillps

Spring startup for a koi pond actually begins with adequate preparation the previous fall.The fewer stressors your koi encounter over winter the better.For each stressor eliminated or decreased, the likeli-hood for healthy koi and a happy koi owner increasescome spring.

During spring, as pond water temperatures warmup through the 45º-62ºF range, pathogenic bacteriasuch as Aeromonas (and pseudomonas for discussionpurposes) become active before a koi’s immune systemhas time to return to full function at around 65ºF.Thiscritical temperature range of 45º-62ºF is commonlyreferred to by koi hobbyists as “Aeromonas Alley”.

In general, koi with a compromised immune sys-tem are more susceptible to disease.This is why a koihobbyist taking all steps possible to decrease stressors ontheir koi and steps to maximize koi health result in aneasier time navigating through Aeromonas alley.Thekey to navigating through Aeromonas Alley is preven-tion, as opposed to reaction after the fact.

Likewise in fall, the term Aeromonas Alley isapplied as pond water temperatures drop down through the 62º-45ºF range. It is this author’s opinionAeromonas Alley is more likely to be an issue in springrather than fall, as koi have just experienced three tofour months of winter water temperatures with theirimmune systems shut down coming into spring.Whereas, koi have had fully functioning immune sys-tems all summer when going into fall.

Aeromonas are ever present in our ponds, but their


MICROBE-LIFT®

SLUDGE AWAY

“The KEY to navigating through Aeromonas Alley is

PREVENTION, as opposed to reaction after the fact.”

SpringSTARTUP IN A KOI POND

11

of koi in these temperature ranges.The minimizationof feeding recommendation is to allow beneficial bacteria in pond filters (Nitrosoma convert ammoniato nitrite, Nitrobacter and Nitrospira convert nitriteto nitrate) time to become established and able tokeep ammonia and nitrite levels in check.

• Decrease the Aeromonas population by reducing the organic load through oxidation. For ponds thathave a rock or gravel bottom where vacuuming isdifficult or impractical, Microbe-Lift-SA (SludgeAway) is formulated specifically for the removal oforganic bottom solids (i.e. where Aeromonas live) thatare slow to degrade.

• If possible, minimize temperature swings and durationof cold water temperatures, which greatly reduces koistress, by using a whole-pond heater and/or pondcover.These devices are especially beneficial if youlive in a region of the country such as this author,where water temps tend to fluctuate wildly (throughAeromonas Alley temperature range) in spring.

Sometimes even with the best prevention methods and practices in place, treatment of koi health issuesbecomes necessary. If, for example, your pond experiences an outbreak of the parasite known asFlukes (Dactylogyrus and/or Gyrodactylus), which can often result in ulcer disease (i.e. hole in the sidedisease), a treatment using Praziquantel can safely eliminate them from your pond.

Another parasite, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (or Ich for short), are ever presentin all ponds, waiting for an injured orimmune suppressed koi to infect.The pinhead white spots are the encysted stageof this protozoan parasite which feed onthe koi's body fluids and cells.

Finally, after prevention and treatmentfor bacterial and parasite outbreaks in yourpond, should they occur, treatment of yourkoi may be beneficial to aid the healing process.Salt is often used in ponds to increase the slime coat and reduce stress on koi by easing their osmoregulation process.The use of medicated foods containing antibiotics is also recommended.


MICROBE-LIFT®

PRAZIQUANTEL



“…CRITICALtemperature range

of 45º-62ºF is commonly referred toby KOI hobbyists

as “Aeromonas Alley”.

12 the MICROBE-LIFT® watergardener SPRING/SUMMER 2008

Toxic Gardens!

“When PLANTING your yardand landscaping the pond, there are

PLANTS you may want to avoid.”

by Carolyn Weise

Information copied from the website data, Cooperative Extension Service, Purdue University, Indiana.

When planting your yard and landscaping the pond, there are plants you may want to avoid.According to the Indiana Plants Poisonous to Livestock and Pets (report by Rebecca J. Goetz, ThomasN. Jordan, John W. McCain, and Nancy Y. Su) there are varying degrees of toxicity in garden plants.I’m sure after perusing the list, you will realize your entire yard is to some degree toxic to your pets, buthopefully, at the minimal levels, and then again, primarily only when ingested.

Most of these plants contain edible toxicity while others may need simple physical contact to impartsensitive physical pain or discomfort. You should note also that some of these are simple grasses, whileothers are very commonly used ground plants and hedges. But before you overhaul your beautifulyard, please note the targeted populations, in case for instance you do not have a horse or cow tosafeguard. At any rate, the extremely toxic classification plants should not be planted where they willoverhang your pond, lest the fish also become unwitting victims.

EXTREMELY TOXIC EFFECTS:

Castorbean www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant11.htm Death if eaten, seeds in particular, but entire plant is toxic.

White Snakeroot www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant22.htm Grazing animals, heart failure, sudden death.Senecio, Ragwort www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant24.htm Horses, cattle, jaundice and death.Water Hemlock www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant27.htm Death, from respiratory paralysis and terminal

convulsions- one of most deadly plants in US.

Poison Hemlock www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant28.htm If eaten, death- grazing animals in particular are at risk.

Cocklebur www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant32.htm Seeds are very toxic, causing mechanical failure.

Pigweed www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant33.htm Breathing problems, trembling, weakness, abortions, coma, death.

Jimsonweed www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant36.htm (Datura) hallucinations, convulsions, coma, death.

Johnsongrass www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant43.htm Breathing problems, staggering, severe anxiety, convulsions, coma, death.

Wild Black Cherry www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant46.htm Anxiety, breathing problems, staggering, convulsions, death.

Yew www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant49.htm All animals (livestock, pets and birds)- Sudden death – English or Japanese Yew.

Red Maple www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant50.htm Horses only- Breathing difficulties, jaundice, dark brown urine, death.

Easter Lily www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant51.htm The only reported toxicity is in cats- vomiting, depression, lack of appetite.

Oleander www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant52.htm Ingestion of even small amounts can kill- entire plant is toxic to all animals.

Rosary Pea www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant53.htm Even one bean can kill- Severe GI irritation,vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, collapse, death.


Plant Forum

Foxtail Barley www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant01.htm

Common Burdock www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant02.htm

English Ivy www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant05.htm

Catnip www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant07.htm

Poinsettia, Christmas Plantwww.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant08.htm

Tansy www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant12.htm

Alsike Clover www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant18.htm

Jack-in-the-Pulpit www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant19.htm

Dutchman's Breecheswww.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant21.htm

Buttercupswww.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant30.htm

Stinging Nettlewww.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant31.htm

Marijuanawww.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant35.htm

St. Johnswortwww.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant38.htm

Star of Bethlehemwww.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant39.htm

Pokeweedwww.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant40.htm

Bouncing Bet www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant41.htm

MINIMALLY TOXIC

MODERATELY TOXIC EFFECTS:Dumbcane www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant03.htm (Aroid Family)

www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant04.htm (Dieffenbachia)- incl.Taro, Caladium, and Philodendron Bulbs

Lupine www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant06.htm Must be ingested in sufficient quantity to affect grazing pets.

Rhubarb www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant09.htm If ingested: Staggering, trembling, breathing difficulties, weakness, diarrhea,increased drinking and urinating, death.

Azalea, Rhododendron www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant10.htm Stomach irritation, abdominal pain, abnormal heart rate and rhythm,

convulsions, coma, death- all parts, especially leaves.Oats www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant13.htm Breathing difficulty, skin irritation, paralysis, convulsions, death (rarely).

Ergot www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant14.htm Fungal bodies in the seed heads of grains and grasses- Behavioral changes,lameness, abortions, convulsions, gangrene, death.

Fescue www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant15.htm Grazing animals- Reproductive problems,“poor doers”, lameness, dry gangrene, fever, death.

Yellow, White Sweetclover www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant16.htm When ingested, can cause bruising, spontaneous bleeding.

Tobacco www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant17.htm GI irritation, trembling, staggering, weakness, breathing problems,heart problems, collapse, birth defects, death when leaves are ingested.

Larkspur www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant20.htm Nervousness, incoordination, staggering, salivating, bloating, abnormal heart beat, breathing difficulty, paralysis, convulsions, death (“Staggerweed”)

Brackenfern www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant23.htm Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis, fern family), may also be poisonous. Horses reportedly have become nervous and uncoordinated after eating this common fern of marshy areas.

Green False Hellebore www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant25.htm Sheep primarily affected, but chickens & cattle also at risk.

Milkweed www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant26.htm Sheep are most at risk, but cattle, goats, horses, poultry, and pets also at risk.

Horsetail www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant29.htm Commonly used around ponds and in bog gardens-- Horses are the species most affected, cattle and sheep may be affected.

Mustards www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant34.htm Cattle, horses, sheep, poultry

Spurges www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant37.htm Euphorbia- dermal and ocular irritation upon contact.

Nightshades www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant42.htm Rarely ingested in sufficient quantity to cause lethality- symptoms:

Buckeye, Horsechestnut www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant44.htm All animals may be affected, especially grazing animals and those consuming

Black Walnut www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant45.htm Horses are most often affected- laminitis, breathing, gastroenteritis.

Red Oak www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant47.htm Primary risk is to cattle.

Black Locust www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant48.htm Horses are particularly at risk, but all animals ingesting the plant may be poisoned.

MICROBE-LIFT®

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Carolyn: What is the name of your businessand what do you do there? Eddie: Our company name is Brock Farms Inc.Weare a family-run business.We have 2 locations, ColtsNeck & Freehold.

Carolyn: What got you interested in ponds andgardens in the first place? How did you begin?Eddie: I can't really tell you the exact year westarted in the pond business; however it's been about20 years give or take a year. At the time, I knewhow popular this was in Europe, but really had noidea it was as popular as it already was here in theU.S., mostly through mail order. I did not know ofmany retail stores at the time. I had a distributor/salesman come in at that time & he gave me a rundown on everything from soup to nuts.That’s whatreally made me start to think seriously about this. Itseemed like such a large amount of product to han-dle for something new at the time, which would benothing compared to how much was to come overthe next years. After thinking about it for a coupleof weeks, I called Don Shnoor at Aquatic Gardens.With his help we put a package together & were inthe business, all 8 foot of space I dedicated to it.(Today, we dedicate over 10,000 square foot at theColts Neck location alone.)

Carolyn: What do you like best about the job you do? Eddie: I love dealing with the public & I amblessed with a great group of customers that cometo us. I would have to say helping them solve problems & helping them with their yard ideas is my favorite part. I also have to mention the people I work with everyday that make my life a lot easier.They have become like a family to me, so howcould I not enjoy what I do.

Carolyn: What are some of the obstaclesyou’ve had to overcome to be successful inthis business? Eddie: I can't say there have been too many obstacles other than getting use to taking care oflive fish in the beginning. After that, aside from hardwork it's been fairly smooth; again I thank the people I work with for that.

EDDIE BROCK, JR. OF BROCK FARMS, COLTS NECK, NJ

We are spotlighting your MICROBE-LIFT DEALERS by bringing you interviews with the people who actually serveyou and have the information that will benefit your hobby!

Carolyn: Can you tell our readers a funny storyabout an experience working with customers(without naming names, of course, unless theembarrassment was on you)?Eddie: About 10 or 12 years ago we started advertising a clear water guarantee as long as youpurchased the pump, filter & U.V. light we recom-mended. For a few years I enjoyed this without everhaving a problem. I had a man come in at one pointwith green water, we tested it, gave some treatmentfor it, it still didn't clear up. It got to a point & gavehim a larger U.V. light, we changed water flows,again another U.V. light, finally I went to his housenot knowing what to do at this point. I asked him &his wife if they could bear with me a couple of dayswhile I tried to figure out a way to resolve this.Theysaid itwas ok;we wouldtalk soon.Withthat, as I waswalkingout thedoor, I heard the man say to his wife, “ok you canshut the pump off- he's gone.” I turned around &asked him if he often shuts the pump that goes tothe filter & U.V. His answer was they only have it on when they have company over.Well most of usknow they have to run 24/7, but I was at least happyto have figured it out.

Carolyn: If you have any spare time, what do you and your family like to do? Eddie: I like to spend time with my family, myfiancée, Phyllis & son, Michael.

Carolyn: In the course of a work day we rarelyhave time to really talk with others. Whatwould you most like to say to your customers?

Eddie: I would say to my customers:

“With that, as I was walking out the door, I

HEARD the man say to his wife,”ok you can shut the

PUMP OFF- he's gone.”

“Thank you for putting your FAITH

in us.To me that is the ultimateCOMPLIMENT.”

by Carolyn Weise

If you see any signs of Bacterial Disease,such as bacterial dropsy, fungus, milky skin,fin and tail rot, ulcers, bulging eyes, raisedscales and mouth rot, what do you do?There has been an upswing of naturalremedies and health stores across thenation, and with good reason.They tend towork for many people. Sure, there are nodoctors quitting the medical profession, butit’s comforting to know there are choices.If your fish were showing any of the abovementioned symptoms, would you rathertreat with medicines or herbs? Or, perhapsyou’d consider treating with herbs first, incase you’ve never experienced herbalremedies before? If there is an herbal waterconditioner which acts as immune-enhancing stimulant, reducing bacterialinfections in fish, with no risk of buildingup any resistance to future usage, I think I’dtry it. Most of the time we’re guessing as tothe actual cause of the symptoms anyway,so instead of complaining that the medica-tions did not work (maybe because theywere being used for the wrong diagnosis?)it makes good sense to use the herbal stim-ulant. Fish are cold-blooded animals, soeven herbal treatments will be more effec-tive in warmer water temperatures.Afterall, this all-natural expellant is available togive your pond fish a chemical-free aquaticenvironment.This herbal water conditioneris called SABBACTISUN.

And then, what if you need to treatfor Parasitic Infestation, such as whitespot, Costia, Flukes (gill and skin),Trichodina, Oodinium, or Chilodonella?These are the silent killers in every pond.The good news is there isanother herbal water condi-tioner which is effectiveagainst parasitic problems, andit is PARAZORYNE.Parazoryne restores the fish’snatural balance. It is not a dis-infectant and is harmless to allnitrifying filter bacteria. Itwon’t harm aquatic plants. It isnot a biocide. It also is notoverkill, like PotassiumPermanganate used to be inmy pond.There is no residual

buildup in the pond and notoxicity.They are completelybiodegradable and environ-mentally friendly.And did Imention they will notdiscolor the water? They

won’t.They won’t harm certain species of fish that may be more sensitive to chemical additives, such as the infamous “canaries of the pond”, Orfes. As a “normal” koipond owner, I’ve had various health prob-lems in my former pond, in NY, which Icouldn’t actually diagnose with any degreeof accuracy. It was extremely difficult tocatch fish to scrape and check under themicroscope.This usually meant I had todrain down the pond to about one footfrom the bottom. My pond was six feetdeep, so that was a considerable amount ofwater being wasted.And the constructionand design of my pond didn’t really allowme to use a seine net.There were just toomany obstacles along the sides to maneuvereffectively. Even a very sick fish is a goodjumper and quick swimmer if he knowsyou are trying to catch him. I’ve also foundthat catching fish in a larger pond meantlifting heavy, large fish, if you do get luckyenough to net one. I don’t really have thestrength. I am feeding and filtering mypond so that the fish can grow to theirpotential: 36" in length!

Of course there are always parasites inEVERY pond.They are indigenous toponds. It is unreasonable to expect a pondto be devoid of parasites. However, fish aremade to withstand a certain amount ofparasites in the pond, with an intact slimecoat and healthy immune system, and notsuccumb to infection.

The people I sought solutions fromhad only the information I provided inorder to decide what medications I mightneed.And as a rule I didn’t have enoughinformation (because I couldn’t catch thefish or didn’t know what I was looking atunder the microscope). I’ve almost alwayschosen the overkill method, because I’mhuman. I treated with two or three dosesof Potassium Permanganate.And I did it

because I value my fish. I didn’trealize this overkill can be overly-stressful on the fish as well…

I know what my fish will betreated with this year: herbal waterconditioners. I’m not going towait for a “final diagnosis” whichmay never come.And I’m notgoing to put all my trust inMother Nature, either.There ISsomething that can be done.

Treating with Sabbactisungenerally involves six days, at 70º+,if no damaged skin is evident onfish, but can be continued, in seri-ous cases, until symptoms disappear. Ulcersgenerally respond, changing from red tolight pink or white, in 5 to 20 days,depending upon severity and water temper-ature. It’s safe to dose the pond daily.Sabbactisun can be used for the regenera-tion of missing tissue and may be treatedevery other day until skin has healed,depending upon water temperature and cir-cumstances. Since fish are cold blooded ani-mals, their metabolism and immune systemare controlled by temperature. Below 50degrees the products are not effective.Werecommend at least 60 degrees for koi andgoldfish, 70+ for the healing of wounds.

Between 50-60 degrees they can beused, but it will take much longer.This alsodepends on the temperature and circum-stances. Parazoryne can be used for 6 daysat 70+ degrees, but at 60 degrees youwould need to treat for about 10 days, andat 50-59 degrees, at least 14 days.

Even better news? MICROBE-LIFT/Sabbactisun and MICROBE-LIFT/Parazoryne are coming soon!


“There has been an upswingof NATURAL REMEDIES and

health stores across the nation, andwith GOOD REASON.”

Healthy Fish,The Herbal Way

MICROBE-LIFT®

SABBACTISUN

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PARAZORYNE

Goldfish Keeping

These shows are held in conjunctionwith koi shows, and koi lovers haveenthusiastically added goldfish to theirfish collections.Yet, despite their closegenetic makeup, goldfish and koi aresomewhat different.This article willconsider the differences between thesetwo varieties of cyprinid fish.

The most obvious differencebetween goldfish and koi is size; koi aremuch larger than goldfish.The next dif-ference is the variety of body shapesand special characteristics exhibited bygoldfish. In terms of fish-keeping, therequirements for single-tail goldfish arevery similar to those of koi: adequatefiltration (mechanical and biological);adequate water volume; and sensiblestocking levels.While single-tail goldfishare smaller than koi, they can reachlengths of up to twenty inches. Single-tail varieties do well in pond environ-ments, and if theyare kept in aquaria,require large vol-umes of water forproper develop-ment. Many peopleconsider single-tailfish – common,comet, andShubunkin – to be“beginner” fish.Thisthinking is due, inpart, to the availabil-ity of common andcomet types ofgoldfish.While

Shubunkins are also abundant, one variety, the Bristol Shubunkin is difficult to find in the U.S. Anotherreason that people often think of single-tail fish as a “beginner” fish isthat these fish do not generally winmajor awards at goldfish competitions.As more Bristol Shubunkins become available in the U.S., the number ofmajor trophy winners coming from this class is likely to increase.

Double-tail goldfish are quite dif-ferent from both koi and their single-tail brethren.These fish are character-ized by deep, sometimes squat bodies,and the presence of a double-tail. Mostshow winners come from the double-tail varieties, and these fish are oftensold as “fancy” goldfish.While these fishare quite unique, they pose specialproblems in their care and maintenance.All double-tail varieties are susceptibleto swim balder problems, due to theirshort, squat bodies. Swim bladder

problems include floating, bobbing, or maintaining an upside-down position inthe water.While swim bladder problemscan be minimized somewhat by feedinglive or frozen foods, they cannot besuccessfully eliminated, causing frustra-tion for many owners. In addition tohealth related problems caused by swim

bladder, double-tail fish actually requireheavier filtration than their single-tailrelatives, due to their increased volumeand the waste which they generate.

While it is difficult to generalizeabout double-tail fish, it is safe to saythat some varieties such as the Ranchuand Lionhead seem to do best in shal-low, long aquaria, while others such asthe Oranda and Ryukin will do well instandard aquarium sizes. Due to theirpotentially large size, with lengths of upto twelve inches, and girths that arequite large, double-tail fish should notbe over-crowded. Stocking densities ofthree to four medium sized fish to a 55gallon aquarium will result in happyfish. Frequent water changes are essen-tial to maintaining happy fish, as is avaried diet of pellet, live, and frozenfoods. Sinking pellets should always beused with double-tail fish to preventtheir swim bladder from becoming dis-tended (and causing the fish to exhibit

swim bladder problems).Floating food is generallyokay for single-tail vari-eties that rarely have swim-bladder related problems.

In terms of health careand disease, anyone who has raised koiknow that aeromonas is a bacterial dis-ease which can create problems for fishkeepers. Goldfish also get aeromonas,but instead of exhibiting the disease asan ulcer that forms on the externalareas of the fish, aeromonas in goldfish,especially in the double-tail varieties,

By Peter Ponzio

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LIQUID GRAVEL &SUBSTRATE CLEANER

Goldfish are enjoying resurgence in the U.S., with twelve shows sponsored by the American Goldfish Association in 2007, and fifteen to sixteen showsexpected to be held in 2008.

“Frequent WATER changes are essential to maintaining

happy fish…”



often develops internally, and becomessystemic. Because the bacterial infec-tion develops internally, it is often mis-diagnosed as a different type of illness.

Watch for decreased eating, listlessness,and abdominal swelling in goldfish assigns that aeromonas is developing. Ifthe disease progresses past the swellingstage, it can lead to septicemia, which isalmost always fatal.

Double-tail fish can be kept inponds in the warmer months of theyear, and will do well in an outsideenvironment. Since they are smallerthan koi, they make easier prey targetsthan their larger cousins. Provide apond environment with adequatedepth and cover for the fish to hide. Unlike koi, goldfish will not completely decimate planted areas in apond, though they will do their best toeat whatever you plant. Make sure tohave adequate space available in yourfish room to accommodate double-tailfish that will be over-winteredindoors. Goldfish, like koi, can put ongrowth spurts over the summer, andyour small fish may develop into muchlarger fish over one growing season.

Many koi keepers are surprised at how prolific goldfish can be. Koigenerally spawn once in a season; notso the goldfish. Goldfish will spawnevery two to three weeks over a summer if conditions are optimal.Optimal conditions include adequatewater volumes, good food base, andlack of predation. It should be obvious by now, that there are differences between double-tail goldfish and single-tail varieties andkoi.While double-tail fish requiremore care than their single-tailbrethren and koi, their unique features and body styles add variety to your pond or aquarium environment.

MICROBE-LIFT®

GOLDFISH WATER CONDITIONER

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GOLDFISH COLORENHANCER

PHOTOGRAPH OF BRISTON SHUBUNKIN BY CAROLYN WEISE

PHOTOGRAPH OF RED CAP ORANDA BY CAROLYN WEISE

Peter is an American Goldfish Association

(AGA) certified judge, and a candidate judge

for the AKCA. Peter is the author of Spike’s

Goldfish Guide, and is active in the AGA and

AKCA. For more information visit the AGA, at

www.americangoldfish.org.

“Double-tail FISH can be kept in PONDS in the warmer months of

the year, and will do WELL in an OUTSIDE environment.”

PHOTOGRAPH OF BLUE RANCHU BY CAROLYN WEISE

MICROBE-LIFT®

BEGINNER GOLDFISH CARE

your fish are waking up, becomingmore active, and remembering whatyour sole reason for existence is: tofeed them! They will swim to thepond’s edge and give you Bambi-eyes,begging for food, any food. Please tryto remember as you face the fish thatwhile they are awake and begging,your filter bacteria are way behind thebiological curve. Food eaten at thistime will hang around as toxic byproducts until your bacteria can catchup.The higher the protein content, themore ammonia produced.Test yourwater for ammonia and nitrite, pH andalkalinity frequently.Try your hardestto ignore the whining of your fish.

THE FISH AND “FRIENDS”:

As the water warms, things other thanyour fish wake up, often well beforeyour fish are ready to handle them.Apond is a living thing and some of thatlife is represented by a host of parasitesthat infest your fishand do so before theirfishy immune systemsare ready to fightthem off.Your koibegin to sicken, andyou will be temptedagain, this time by thehost of products onthe market purport-edly to cure all yourpond’s ills. None ofthese products are safe

By Bob Passovoy

Aahhh, spring! And a young man’s fancy turns tothoughts of …PONDING!Spring is the most exciting time of yearfor us ponders, and that’s not necessari-ly a good thing.While the season’s turnpromises endless summer delights, theprocess of getting there is often fraughtwith peril.As our water warms up andour fish become active, it is often toughto remember that other things in thepond are waking up too, and not all ofthem are nice to have around. Copingwith the spring issues successfully can make the difference between asmoothly running summer pond andunmitigated disaster.

THE POND:

Oh, by the way, did you remember toclean the pond last fall? You did? Great!Your spring chores just got that mucheasier.The relative lack of sludge andcrud on the bottom means you won’thave to climb down into 50-60 degreeCOLD water to get the sludge out ofthe bottom. Splashing around in therebefore the fish are fully active will stressthem badly, laying them wide open tohealth problems later. Organic crud is agreat growth medium for a whole hostof parasites, too, and they tend to wakeup well before the fish immune systemdoes.A clean pond is a future healthy

pond, and some forethought in the fallsaves grief in the spring. If you haven’tdone a cleanout yet, save it for warmerweather. Hypothermia is not fun.

THE FILTERS:

Your fish are not the only things thathave been sleeping over the winter.Your filter bacteria have also been nap-ping. If your pond is well-establishedand mature, they are not dead! Theyare just resting. (They are “Pining forthe fjords”, if you are a Monty Pythonfan.) As the water warms, the multiplespecies of bacteria that convert ammo-nia to nitrite slowly awaken as thewater temperatures rise above 55degrees F.The species that convert thestill (very) toxic nitrite to nitrate lagtwo to three weeks behind, dependingon water temperatures. Heterotrophicbacteria that inhibit the hair algaerecover even later, and may not bepresent in your pond in sufficientnumbers to do their job for the firstthree or four years of your pond’s life.A “mature” pond has enough of thesespecies to limit the growth of hairalgae in the active areas of the pondenough so that the natural grazing ofyour koi can keep it trimmed to“crew-cut” length.All of this takes asmuch as six weeks in a normalMidwestern spring. (If you are pond-ing below the Mason-Dixon Line, dis-regard this whole article, because youdon’t have winter!) During this time,

18 the MICROBE-LIFT® watergardener SPRING/SUMMER 2008MICROBE-LIFT®

THERAPEUTIC SALTQUARANTINE TANKS

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“Coping with the SPRING

issues successfullycan make the

difference between a SMOOTHLY running

summer pond and unmitigated DISASTER.”

in cold water with the possible excep-tion of salt, and all of them need theadvice and guidance of an experiencedkoi health expert.The Associated KoiClubs of America maintains an activeKoi Health Advisor program, trainingexperienced hobbyists in pond and koi– related diagnostic skills.Their servicesare available free of charge, and while,in most states, they may not medicateyour fish directly (that requires theservices of a veterinarian) they can, inmost cases, diagnose the problem, andcan recommend safe treatment foryour pond based on the results.

There’s more to this. Successfulponding is a life-long and absorbingstudy.There’s always more to learn,and it’s all fun.

Happy ponding! Here’s to the warm weather!

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1. How long have you been interested or involved in ponds and water gardens?a) Brand new b) 1-5 years c) Over 5 years (circle one)

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6. Which of the following water garden oriented magazines do you read regularly?❑ Water Gardening ❑ Pond Boss❑ Aquascapes Lifestyles ❑ Koi USA❑ Ponds Magazine ❑ Mid-Atlantic Koi Magazine❑ Other: ________________________________________________

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❑ My Microbe-Lift dealer offered it to me ❑ Saw it advertised online.❑ A friend told me to look for it ❑ Just happened upon it❑ My (koi or water garden) club talked about it.

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