Monday 31st March 2008.
Running late tonight but more of that later.
Today was Cassie's first day at the farm and I think she enjoyed herself. After we had a little chat to start, I showed her how to clean the filters, I did a few and then left her to do the rest. Although all the filters are similar, there are subtle differences and boil down to three types, my original design static Kaldnes filters, the Nexus and the Eazy pods. At the end of the whole process, I could see her head spinning, but that is only to be expected and within a few days it will all make sense.
Yesterday I reported that two of the baby Zebra finches had escaped, well this morning I replenished the food dishes inside the aviary and put a little on the floor outside for the two escapees. The two little ones came down almost immediately. I thought about this for a minute, then removed the food I had put for them and open the door of the aviary.
I stood fairly near by to make sure none of the birds inside the aviary got the chance to escape and waited a little while. Within a few minutes one flew down to the floor and hopped straight into the aviary and within a couple more minutes the other had done the same. So all the birds are back home safe and sound.
Two rolls of polythene were delivered today and chances are the new roofs may be put on tomorrow.
During the afternoon Cassie and I went through the pond containing the Yamabuki and Chagoi. A few were selected for further growth, but most will be for sale next weekend. Beauties they are!
Tomorrow I shall leave Cassie to the filters, I'll walk away and let her get on with it. Worst case scenario is the pond levels could drop a little if the sequence is not correct with which valve to open and which to close!:)
Now onto why I am running late tonight, This evening Lynn and I went over to Mike Snadens of Yume Koi. The koi I bought in Japan last autumn have been with him since their arrival in the UK. Mike kindly quarantined the koi for me, I know he has been uneasy with this as the value of these koi is quite high and buying these koi direct is a different situation to a customer buying the koi via Mike. But he is a good friend and he was happy, although nervous to do this for me. They have all been blood tested for KHV and are all passed fit for addition to my collection of parent koi.
So this evening we went to pick them up along with a Doitsu Kigoi which was given to me as a gift from Mr Maeda of Momotaro Koi Farm several years ago. This Kigoi had great growth potential but at the time I did not have the facilities to get the best out of the koi, so a good friend James from Bedminster offered to look after the koi and grow it for a while. Around six months ago it came back to Mike's and today it joined my team at home. I think she was in her early 40cms as tosai when it went to James's pond, it is now 79cm.
Those that have been following what I have been up to will perhaps remember that I was lucky enough to buy a very special female kohaku from Yamatoya Koi Farm. This koi is of unbelievable quality with white skin which is better than any other I have seen in this size of koi. This apart from the smallish (61cm nisai Tancho Kohaku) was the koi he was worried about most, it is worth a great deal and would be the one which would ease the pressure on him if I took it home. After having a chat, we decided it was best left for a while. For me, I would rather take the koi from him direct to the farm and spawn it. If I were to take it home it would take a while to settle and would be less inclined to spawn well. For Mike, although this koi is a liability for him, it is a great advert to how Yamatoya koi can turn out, so for now it will stay with him.
So we came home with a handful of koi, 3 male kohaku from Matsue Koi Farm, 2 male kohaku from Yamatoya Koi Farm, 1 male Kujaku from Takigawa and the Kigoi. I put the koi into their new home in my indoor fish house at around 10pm this evening.
Value for money tonight!!