KOI CLUB OF SAN DIEGONEWSLETTEROctober 2025 |
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BRAND NEW UV BULBS FOR SALEAqua Ultraviolet SL200 Watt Replacement UV Lamp. Size - 47 1/4 inch. Lamp Wattage - 200W. For use with: SL Series UV Sterilizer. Brand - Aqua Ultra Violet. Looking to sell 6 brand new, never used A20200 pond bulbs for $550/bulb as we have changed systems and no longer need these bulbs.
Contact -Frances Splinter 2397707553
Pick up at 5005 Rancho Verde Trl
San Diego
Email -francessplinter@gmail.com |
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36TH ANNUAL KOI SHOW MARCH 7&8 2026 Del Mar Fairgrounds Bing Crosby Hall 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard Del Mar, CA |
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Koi Club of San Diego Meeting
October 19th, 2025
Social hour - 12:00 noon - 1:00 pm
Meeting begins at 1 pm
Potluck, bring your own chair
OUR HOSTS WILL BE
Vu Nguyen and Gregg Dotzman
241 Circa Del Cielo
Fallbrook, CA 92028 |
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STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING
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Wednesday, October 8th at 7:00 pm (earlier if you are ordering food) ALL MEMBERS ARE WELCOME!
Dennys
2691 Navajo Road El Cajon, CA 92020
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Koi Club of San Diego Ponder Profile
by Lenore Wade, photography by Vu Nguyen
Vu Nguyen and Gregg Dotzman |
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Having lived in the San Diego area for over 62 years, today was my first venture to (in my opinion) remote North County. As club members, we come from all over the county…some even outside the county. It means a lot to monthly meeting hosts when we take the time and effort to visit them, their ponds, and their own world.
Our next meeting will be at the home of Vu Nguyen, who lives on the border between Bonsall and Fallbrook. His home is on the top of a hill with cool ocean breezes and a fantastic view of the surrounding countryside. His 3-acre property sits on a flat piece of land which is covered with greenery, which he and his partner, Gregg, have planted and developed.
You must be thinking that we are going there to see a koi pond, not fruits and exotic plants. It all comes together in one beautiful package. I was introduced to passion fruit hanging on vines which surround the fenced property. I learned about cherimoya fruit which is huge and healthy, and red and purple dragon fruit. There are many other rare plants, cycads, and palms. Just looking around the property is a feast for the eyes. |
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Vu has always loved fish, even while growing up in Vietnam, he had aquariums. He bought a huge aquarium to install on the property, that is until he met Buck (Steve Buckles). It was then that he was introduced to koi and an instant love for the much larger fish. Last year, Buck, with Matt’s help built a unique 4600-gallon pond with a viewing window. At present, he has 13 large koi, a few of them from the Dainichi and Sakai koi farms in Japan. There are also four more fish being raised in Japan, now.
Most of us are old enough to remember the Vietnamese “Boat People”. Vu, at the age of 9, along with his mother and 2 brothers came to America 47 years ago under that program. His father was lost in the confusion of transferring people from small boats to larger ships, was able to join his family in Louisiana 2 years later. Vu graduated from Tulane University and received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
He did not like the cold weather and soon after graduating, he came to Orange County where one of his brothers live. Besides fish, Vu has always loved dogs. While still in Pennsylvania, he was introduced to the Newfoundland dog breed, which is known for being excellent swimmers. Since Vu cannot swim, he thought they would be a good match. |
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After moving to Carlsbad to begin his medical career in dermatology, he decided it was time to make the move. His first dog, Lance, was a Westminster Grand Champion; and the story grows from there. I got to meet Alex who is a very large, beautiful example of a Newfoundland. In total, they now have 7 dogs, which include a Polish Lowland Sheepdog, a pug, and a French Bulldog.
His 90-year-old mother lives in her own small house on the property and he also has cousins who live there and help when and where needed. There is a lot to see and a lot to learn. I won’t lie, it is a bit of a drive, but on a Sunday afternoon it can be enjoyable. When you get to the top of the hill, there will be room for some parking inside the gate, but there is plenty of safe parking also available on the street. There will be a canopy, but remember to bring your chair, a dish to share, and wear walking shoes. |
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From the President's Pond
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Hello everyone,
Well, I had to miss the September meeting (took the wife to
Disneyland for her birthday). So, I don’t have much to say about the meeting,
but I did hear it went well and that there was a “Left, Middle, Right” game
played that was a hit, but took a little too long to complete.
I can, however, talk about the Koi Auction. We had a great
turn out, with more Koi up for auction than buyers. So many GREAT buys and some beautiful Koi
heading for new homes. I personally bought 5 for my pond and can’t wait for the
quarantine time to pass so I can introduce them to their new home and friends.
The next event to look forward to is the 36th Annual San Diego Koi Show, taking place March 7 & 8 at Bing Crosby Hall, Del Mar Fairgrounds
(2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar, CA). This vibrant event, hosted by the
Koi Club of San Diego, brings together koi enthusiasts and novices alike to
celebrate the beauty of koi fish. Expect a spectacular judged competition
showcasing stunning specimens, alongside expert presentations about koi health
and pond maintenance. In addition, there will be a lively vendor marketplace,
kid‑friendly fun, and chances to learn and get inspired. Whether you currently keep
koi, want to start a pond, or simply enjoy nature’s color palette, this show
promises to be an unforgettable experience.
Until next time, keep your ponds clear, your koi happy, and
your butt in a chair enjoying both!
Warm regards,
Cory Burke
President, Koi Club of San Diego |
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SEPTEMBER MEETING PHOTOS
Laura & Derrick Martin
by Bill Newell
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! Claudia Faunt Shakti and Sean Gartan Rich and Tammy Gildersleeve Megan Hamreus Alana Snyder WELCOME BACK RENEWING MEMBERS!
Ben and Cheryl Adams Amy and Edward Biliunas Mike and Pam Brito Vu Nguyen and Gregg Dotzman Demy and Margo Riley Kathy and Ernie Stewart Dean Strasser Jose Manuel and Raquel Valdez
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KHA KORNERby "Koi Jack" Chapman |
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Fall/Winter
Season in Southern California Updated
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A year ago I wrote on this subject and with new members and subject’s importance I decided to tweak it a little and run as an updated article. With cooler mornings and fall season upon us, for those in the coast area you will see lower temps and we inland will still have some warmer days late into fall. Good time to sit with your koi and evaluate what you and your fish have been doing for the past six or seven months. What were your goals or what were you hoping to see happen during this past spring and summer season? Even if you did not have any goals it’s a good time to review what has happened with your pond system and your koi (really). Even if you only wanted the status quo or nothing bad to happen – so what happened and what were you doing to maintain your pond and koi??? This is when I put my shameless plug in for you to have a pond journal even if you only write in it a couple times a year!!! It’s even a good time to think about what would you like to see happen next year (pond and koi)??? So now that you’re out by your pond and making notes (past and future) and maybe on your second drink LOL it’s time to get the pond and koi ready for your winter season. Paying attention to your pond and koi just prior to and during the winter season better prepares your pond and your koi for a hopefully uneventful spring. For us with mild winters, I like to advocate that a good filter cleaning (Sept. - Oct.) is an excellent way to prepare your pond and koi for the winter season. Your koi’s immune system is fully charged and there is less chance of having sick koi from the unavoidable stuff (bacteria/particulate matter/critters) you will add to the water column from a good cleaning. Good time to have less junk (detritus – decomposing organic compounds “DOC”) in your filter for the bad bugs to winter over on and explode their populations in early spring with possible resulting sick koi (aeromonas alley or even parasites). With winter comes leaves and you want to always keep them out of your pond and filter system as they are the hotels for the bad bugs as they decompose. This mass of DOC also erodes water quality. If you have water plants this is when they die back so work at removing the dead plant material and clean out the stinky pots!! Time to think about reducing the quantity of food and going to an all season or wheat germ based food. When my pond water hits 54F I’ll begin feeding every other day and at 52F twice or three times a week and quit at 50F. Koi articles recommend stop feeding at 50F and I have a friend with nice koi who stops at 53F. Water temp down means koi metabolism down (cut in half for each 17 degrees Fahrenheit) - so the koi do not have the capability to process high levels of protein. Unprocessed food passes out the vent and provides high value nutrition for the bad bugs during winter giving you a larger base population come aeromonas alley in the spring (BIG TIME). A lot of our local area ponds do not go below 47/48F during winter and aeromonas does not go dormant until around 39F. Koi get larger each year and we have been known to add koi from time to time so it’s a good time to review filtration and bio-chamber capacity to keep up with the ammonia/nitrite pollution demand. Don’t forget DOC adds additional ammonia to the water column. Remember we have recirculating systems that have to refresh the water our koi pollute with each breath, pee and poop. NO – twice the size = twice the pollution. Think 3 to 4 times the pollution due to body mass. Adding bio-filter capacity in the fall is a good idea as it will be on line (up and running) for spring or you could consider a reduction in fish load (no joke). Just because it’s winter time does not mean your pond maintenance goes on vacation. NOTE: I’m slow sometimes and it has taken me several years (5 or 6) to slowly come to fully appreciate and agree and just as slowly (again 5 or 6 years) changing my winter habits to embrace that koi achieve their very best when experiencing the “four seasonal animal trait” and as a bonus I have experienced less spring time issues as I expanded my observances and reduced feedings schedule during our mild winters to now include a no feeding for my areas coldest 4 to 6 weeks. I’ve only made it to 4 weeks as of last year (Jan 15 to Feb 15) with no health issues last spring. A lot of variables but above in my opinion is a key point for best koi health outcomes.
Also at this time of year (Oct. - Nov.) is when the new koi arrive at your favorite koi dealer – so take some time and see what you have that could be moved on at next year’s koi auction and what would be a nice replacement now. Red is considered best as a primary color when viewing your koi population as a group in your pond.
Finally remember that the majority of koi health issues can be traced to poor water quality. As a member of the KCSD we are always just a phone call away to answer any questions or concerns you may have. r/koi jack |
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PLEASE VISIT OUR APPAREL SHOP!THANK YOU JAMIE KANES FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS! |
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Koi Person of The Year 2025 Jill Rhoades
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Newsletter editor/ Webmaster: Julia Schriber |
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Membership Chairman: Jill Leach |
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Koi Health Advisor/
Librarian: Jack Chapman |
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Club Historian: Dr. Galen Hansen |
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Correspondence Secretary: Shirley Elswick |
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Japanese Friendship Garden Liaison: Linda Pluth |
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Koi Health Advisor/
Water Quality: Jack Chapman |
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To Host a Meeting: Tony Martinez |
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To Submit an Article: Linda Pluth |
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Program/Activities Suggestions: Matt Rhoades |
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