Water Gardens, no calls please   3/9/08
Good Day,
<And to you>
I was just looking at your site, and I have a number of clients within our network looking for Water Gardens. I am seeking to work with one company today. I do not work as a lead broker or a referral agency. I'm simply looking to direct my clients to a relevant site when they're looking for Water Gardens
<Okay... or my books on the topic... through TFH Publications>
Your site looks like it'll make a strong fit for what they're looking for. I am looking to work with somebody as soon as possible, so I'm hoping you are available to talk today.
<What? I don't do calls... Bob Fenner>
Thanks in advance,
Tim Hunter

Partnerships with local establishments... Where pond service and retail cooperate to all's benefit     1/14/07
Hello Bob,
<Hey there Brian!>
Your passion for this industry is infectious to say the least! Thank you for sharing all your experience and resources, a true well spring and boon for us all! I have been operating an aquarium and water garden design, installation and maintenance business, out of my home, for several years now.
<... and I did the same as you are likely aware>
I was thinking about going retail, but have diverted
that thought to partnering with local retailers and offering my services to them. So far so GOOD!
<Yes... and retail is really hard... Harder than stand-up comedy IME!>
I have been in concert with two retailers, a garden shop for the water garden business and an aquarium shop for both the water garden and aquarium business (I am providing my aquarium maintenance service to their customers). My problem is that I am having some difficulty getting these wonderful establishments to carry the water garden parts and pieces. They love the enhancement the water garden display brings to their establishments, aesthetics and all, but are not willing to take the next step and start stocking the drygoods.  
<Mmm... this will likely come... with growth of both your and their businesses... in the warming months... this season or next...>
I have entertained the thought of occupying some floor space, maybe on a rent basis and put my money where my mouth is and carry the items for retailing purposes.
<Mmm>
This is where it gets sticky. There are all kinds of issues that run across my mind with this proposal. Commission on sales, keeping track of sales, cost to me for floor space, having an individual staff my space, etc. . I am trying to have a great access point to send my current and future customers to, so they can have a nice "retail" experience and hopefully round out my  "fullserviceness".   What are your thoughts on this matter. Is it a bad proposition for my current business model, which is to be a full service, service company?
<Well... for one, kudos on your apparent drive, ambition... and direction... When do you sleep? And... secondly... I would not go the renting space, providing drygoods route here... Too likely to be real troubles with jealousy twixt all the other outlets... and as you state, not easy to monitor your/their inventory... I myself encourage your ongoing efforts at encouraging the stores to stock more... and make offers to help them with presentation/s... Like free in-store pitches on water garden design, installation... stocking, maintenance... Perhaps an offer to build, place a small sample pond (we used to have Tetra 32 mil liners on sort of "Lincoln Log" emplacements in our retail shops... Maybe to help them plan an end-cap display with pond-oriented merchandise... Foods, water treatments... to a few pumps (like the Luft) filters, large nets... for the "pond season"... You can even look for some help with all this with some of the larger manufacturers and distributors...>
Will it somehow start conflicting with my current loose "partnering" situation with these establishments, and maybe create a future strain?
<Yes... I think this is too much a possibility>
Your sage advice would be much appreciated!
Brian Dahle
The Fishman Aquarium and Water Garden Services
www.fishmanservices.com
<Remember... persistence pays... Hope to meet you on the pet-fish high and by-ways. Bob Fenner>

Florida Fish Farm for Sale  - 09/02/06
Hello;
We have just listed our 6 acre freshwater fish farm for sale in Yankeetown, FL for $650,000. There are two wells - one for the house and one for the farm.
There are over 150 ponds, vats, tubs and aquariums operating on a flow-through system. A representative the Aquaculture Lab in Ruskin visited on 4/21/06 and documented the following parameters from the water test:
>Temperature: 73F
> Ammonia: 0.1ppm
> Nitrite: 0ppm
> pH: 6.75
> Alkalinity: 205ppm
> Hardness: 342 ppm
> Salinity: 0.2ppt
The ponds are stocked with Koi, guppies, mollies, platies, swordtails, blue lobsters, snails and Gambusia. The air blower was just replaced and we've added a new water pump to filter the "show ponds" where customers view the fish. There are 3 greenhouses plus 2 permanent structures on the farm and all of the equipment needed to keep it operational. The home is 4000 square feet with 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a 1200 sq. ft. partially finished area on one end. It has a brand new roof, water heater and CHA system. Please direct any questions or comments to Dawn Easter via email, post to 4726 Hwy 40 W, Yankeetown, FL 34498 or call 239-494-7553. To access the realtor info directly go to: http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1066464433.
Thank you,
Tom & Dawn Easter
Freshwater Farm
<Will post on WWM... looks like a very nice property... and very fairly priced. Bob Fenner>
Thanks for helping us get the word out!!!
We appreciate it.
Tom & Dawn Easter
<Happy to be of service/help. Cheers, BobF>

Market Size for Koi 12/2/05
Hi there!!
<<Greetings!>>
I'm from South Africa, currently doing market research for Koi. Could anyone PLEASE give me any estimate for the market size for Koi?
Kind regards, Ane
<<Well, as they are colored and/or coloring up, best salable, usually at around 3"-4" (7.5cm - 10.5cm)) in total length, though I have seen them offered as small as 2". I've not seen Koi actually ON the market at smaller sizes, but have been involved in a small breeding/rearing operation. Marina>> 

Re: Waterfall in Fairbanks Ranch, maint. co.s in SD 10/20/05
Bob,
<Mike>
Thanks for your prompt reply.  We spent 18 years in Hawaii; raised our family there.  Kailua (Kona) was the only place we went in the Islands for a vacation.  Hope you're enjoying it as much as we did.
<Ah, yes>
As to our waterfall; I did read all the articles I could find related to our situation.  However, I did not find a listing of pond maintenance people in our area.
<Mmm, should be right there in the larger Yellow Pages... Aquatic Life Services, California Aquatics...>
Would you be so kind as to tell me where to find it on the website?
Thanks for all of your help.
Mike Glass
<"Let your fingers do the walking"... Bob Fenner>

Hotel pond, Koi health, maintenance/personnel issues 7/21/05
Hello!
I have a problem which  I  hope you can help me with.  I have spent countless hours pouring over your fantastic web site and many others and have been unsuccessful in finding answers.  I apologize in advance for the length of this.
To begin, I work in a hotel that has a rather large indoor pond (about 4000 gallons).  There is a large waterfall and stream leading into the pond.  The pond was completed and filled in the middle of  March.   We  have 2 large canister filters,  a fluidized bed filter, and UV filter.  About the end of April we received the first  "load" of  Koi.  (11) 8-10 inch Koi and one (Stumpy) 3 inch.   At  this  point all was well.  Then a former employee shut the pumps down to change the canister filters (instead of using the by-pass valves) and failed to turn them back on for 3 days!
<Yikes...>
  Hello algae!!  
After gaining control of that lovely little problem (mostly by me scrubbing the whole thing down by hand a little bit at a time every week) and increasing the frequency of the filter changes to daily instead of weekly, (the water would completely stop flowing on weekly changes)
<Yes... the filters are not made for biological systems... but pool, spa with little solid matter in the water>
we received the second batch of Koi (end of May).  These were mostly "butterfly" Koi, 9 of them, same sizes the first.  All of the fish are very active and eating well ( floating pellets, not sure of the brand).
<Do check on this... real trouble trying to maintain a system with some of the junk aquaculture grade foods... Look to Hikari, Spectrum...>
Within the last week, I noticed that one of the Koi from the original batch is missing.  I even put the waders on and went in to the pond searching for any remnants of him, but no luck. Killed by others??
<Very unlikely... probably jumped out... or was stolen!>
At that time, I noticed that 3 of the fish from the second batch have black, fuzzy-looking  tufts above their eyes. Two have it on both eyes, the other one seems to only have it over one eye.  They look like dark, mossy eyebrows.  Both of the fish that have it on both eyes are similar in color, ( golden with some black spots and black / gold fins) and they both have black "rings" around their eyes.  I  only noticed the rings on one eye of one of the fish when they arrived.  Are these "eyebrows"   normal, or do they have some type of fungus?  
<Not normal... not a fungus per se, but a growth resultant from "poor water quality">
Could the algae out-break have caused it?
<Possibly a contributing cause>
So far in everything I've read, fish fungus is described as being white or lighter grey in color.  I have looked up as many pictures of butterfly Koi as I can find to see if this is just a physical variation, but I have not seen a single picture with anything that looks even similar to this.  I checked the pH today-8.5.
<Way too high... is this what your source/tapwater reads as well? You want to study, get the means to lower this... to about neutral ideally (seven or so)... slowly... by pre-treating new water>
This is the extent of our testing supplies, much to my disappointment.
<Mmm, perhaps a visit here (WWM) would do them good? I would have at least ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, alkalinity, phosphate test kits>
Apparently the "expert" my boss was dealing with told him nothing else was required.  *Sigh*.  This "expert" also said the pH could go as high as 9-9.5 with out a problem.  This seems a little high to me.  Am I wrong?   
<No>
I am working on my boss to get a test kit.
  In the meantime should/can I do anything?
<The addition of (aquarium) salt is advantageous, safe... inexpensive, will even help with algae control...>
I have called around to local pet stores (we don't have strictly fish shops)  and have been told by one that we without a doubt have a fungal infection and told us to treat with Pimafix, another said "well, maybe, maybe not."  Again, *sigh*.  I am leery of putting any chemicals in the pond for fear of either treating when not necessary, or treating for the wrong problem.
<You are wise here>
  All of the fish came from a private breeder in Minnesota, ( the hotel is in Montana) ordered by our home-office in North Dakota. Another one of our hotels has a similar set-up with Koi from the same breeder.  They have had problems with parasites and bacterial infections. Hmmm. They  have been using Melafix but they are having to treat quite frequently.
<These "fixes" by Aq. Pharm. are not really effective "medicines", but leaf/tea extracts that have mild anti-microbial astringent properties... I generally discourage their use>
This is their second round of Koi.  The first 40 they had all died. I'm not certain of what killed them.
<... need to be carefully quarantined for a few to several weeks before being placed... and never just casually introduced to an established/populated system... the causes/sources of most pond diseases are well-known, easily avoided, defeated... but principally excluded, detected and treated outside main/pond systems. Breeders, their systems have full complements of vectors, disease agents due to their very natures...>
Needless to say, I think the hotel owners should have thought this all through a little more before building such large habitats.
<We are in agreement here>
They are relying on their regular employees to maintain the fish and ponds and none of us  have the experience or knowledge on our own. We didn't get an "owner's guide" or even a phone number of anyone to call with concerns.   I hope you can  give me some clues as where to start.  Any advice is infinitely appreciated!
Thank you for your help!
Carrie
<Mmm, if you're interested/concerned "enough" you should read through a few stock "books" on Koi, their care... there are some that are better than others... Look to the "Tetra"/Salamander Press titles IMO... and the scant topical coverage on WWM will be of help. If you have time, you might look about for a local "Koi club" (there are many)... In all honesty and frankness though, I would compose a small letter to your supervisor (and consider sending in elsewhere) re the lack of preparedness, concern you have (valid) for this enterprise, and encourage the powers that be to hire outside help... there are folks that do aquarium and pond maintenance... I would sub-out this job. Bob Fenner>

Re: Hi again Bob it's the Canadian pond guy.
Just a quick update,
The official web site for purchase information and general inquiries of my
book is up at:
www.aquaexcel.com
This is site for the online store and will accept online orders by the end
of the month.
My company head office address is:
Korhonen Aquatic Research and Technologies Inc.
49 Marianna Drive
London Ontario Canada
N6P-1B9
(Aquaexcel is the commercial products division)
Let me know if there is any other questions or problems.
Thank you,
David Korhonen
<Okay. Will do. Bob Fenner>

Pond liner
Please see our website at www.bendtarp.com for information on the nation's best pond liner values. Please contact us if you would like a color brochure with samples.
<Mmm, will post your company name, link on our general, pond links pages, articles on using pond liners... and send your note along to friends/associates in the trade. Bob Fenner, WetWebMedia.com>
Thank you,
Bend Tarp and Liner, Inc.
1-800-280-0712
bendtarp@bendcable.com

Employment opportunity for an experienced Koi breeder (posted 9/19/01)
Bob,
I am seeking an experienced Koi breeder/Manager for a Koi Farm located in Jamaica, WI.
Please respond if you're interested or if you may be able to recommend someone or avenues for advertisements.
<Thank you for your offer. Am too busy to take on "a real job" unfortunately. But will post your request/offer of work on our site (WetWebMedia), circulate it around, and gladly help you (gratis) distantly with input, content if I may be of service in your Nishikigoi endeavors. Bob Fenner>
Thanks
Norman Thompson

Re: Employment opportunity for an experienced Koi breeder
Thanks Bob,
I do appreciate any help you can offer.
Norman
<You're welcome... do have many industry contacts, an old but large experience in the field overall... And perhaps very importantly... have "seen" the future (after writing that "ponds are going to be big in the U.S." for eighteen years in the trade press...) and there will definitely be a market for good quality Koi. The water quality (I know the temperature will be fine, but the hardness, pH...) you have will hopefully retain/enhance Hi and Sumi markings? You will hopefully avoid the pyxocephalic (square head) problems of so-many domestic breeders... Have you been to visit places in the industry in Japan?
Much to discuss. Bob Fenner>

Re: Employment opportunity for an experienced Koi breeder
Bob,
I have been to Japan and to the U.K, and also some farms here in the U.S. 
<Ah, excellent>
If you can refer someone, I will pay a referral fee if we hire the individual.
<Appreciate the offer. Will look about. Will only refer people I know to be proficient, honest, truly desirous of doing the job. Bob Fenner>
Thanks