An Easy Guide to Koi Pond Construction

serenemaklong.blogspot.com

IN order for a Koi breeding enthusiast to accomplish a remarkable and wonderful pond with a school of beautiful colored Koi, a good and careful Koi pond construction planning is needed. Everyone will desire that their crystal clear water Koi pond decorated with ornamental flowers and a well- landscape design to fascinate your friends and visitors alike? There are several key factors to be considered in order for your own pond design to perfectly fit in when constructing a Koi pond.
Basically, Koi are hardy kind of fish that required special treatments to be satisfied. Koi ponds are very complex structures to build and need special attention to details in their construction. Every Koi enthusiast has their own specific design of their Koi pond they desired.
Regardless of what ideas you have, Koi ponds must be properly planned, designed and constructed base on your requirements and specifications. Koi enthusiasts are recommended with following simple guidelines in Koi pond construction.
The first pointer to take note is pond size and shape. Initially, most new Koi enthusiasts want to have a large pond. Large ponds are good to look at but these are difficult and expensive to maintain especially for newbie in Koi breeding. In general, build only the pond that you can afford.
You can try to expand your pond to a larger one once you have already materialized your initial plans and learnt new things about Koi breeding. The shape of your pond will depend on your aesthetic design and preference. You can give any shape to the pond you can define - circular, rectangular, hexagonal, etc.
The pond size and shape will also affect the number of fish to be bread in the pond. An ideal pond must be able to carry 1500 gallons of water which will allow for fish growth. The preferable pond dimension is 9 feet long, 8 feet wide and a minimum depth of 4 feet 6 inches. Koi usually grow big and healthy in larger ponds.
After determining the size and shape of the pond, the location of your Koi pond must be chosen properly. Important considerations should be made in choosing the spot for your pond. Koi needs proper lighting and shading to protect it from direct sunlight and harsh weather conditions.
The accessibility and availability of utilities near your pond is important to supply the needed water and electrical requirements. The Koi pond construction must be away from trees with large roots and falling leaves. The pond should also be protected from stray animals which can prey on your Koi.
Filtration is another factor to be considered in building your pond. During the planning stage of constructing your pond, your filtration system should have been determined based on the size of the pond and the number of Koi to be raised.
A miscalculated system will result in poor filtration which will then require frequent and labor-intensive cleaning of the filters. This will also result in to more expenses for additional filter equipment. At worst it might result into massive fish kill due to non-elimination of waste products and harmful compounds in the pond.
Koi pond construction is not an easy task to do. But the rewards of a well-constructed Koi pond based on careful planning and implementation are immense.

(Randy Tan is a koi breeding expert. For more great tips, visit http://www.koibreedingtips.com)

Taman Negara

serenemaklong.blogsplot.com

 

TAMAN Negara - Malaysia’s premier national park is touted as one of the oldest rainforests in the world. It encompasses three states, Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu. The park, established in 1939 as the King George V National Park, boasts a myriad of flora and fauna.

Nature enthusiasts are bound to get excited with the number of activities to be indulged in, including the chance to get up close and personal with the rainforest’s inhabitants.

Upon arrival, if you are lucky, you will be greeted by the rare sight of a barking deer grazing several metres away from two resting tapirs, close to the entrance of the park.  Tapirs are known to be nocturnal and shy by nature.

At Taman Negara, river cruises are almost an inevitable part of the experience. Be sure to have your caps and shades, and a healthy dose of sun block on.

At the Kelah Sanctuary, a rare and highly sought-after type of game fish, the Malaysian Mahseer or ikan kelah is reared right in the river, as it can’t be bred in captivity.

Next, hike up to Lata Berkoh, one of the main attractions of Taman Negara. It’s like a hike through nature’s very own obstacle course of twines, branches, trunks, logs and streams was apparently just a low-intensity walk through an easy walking path.

Savour the breathtaking sight. Gushing, chilly water with deep pools framed by enormous jagged rocks seemingly in existence from the beginning of time, the waterfalls looked like a scene right out of the movies. Swimming is not advisable although a picnic is allowed.

Another popular water activity at the park is rapid shooting. Don’t worry, it’s not the kind of shooting you imagine; rapids are fast flowing, turbulent parts of the course of a river. Involving the boatman’s skilful manoeuvring of the boat, getting wet is the thrilling part. So, be sure to put your gadgets away and enjoy the ride.

 

Visitors to the park can also go on a jungle night walk to catch a glimpse of nocturnal insects and creatures. From the wildlife observation hide, try to  spot barking deers grazing. There’s even an option to spend a night in one of these observation hides.

With nature’s orchestra playing in the background, keep your eyes peeled. Aside from a praying mantis and several spiders, try to spot centipedes or a python.

The canopy walkway is the longest in the world, up to 510 metres long. Be forewarned, the 43 metres high walkway is not for the faint hearted. Hold tight and just don’t look down.

The national park is protected land, whereby the only ones allowed to live off it are the Orang Asli who make it their home. Small built, dark-skinned and curly haired, the Batek tribe who are steeped in superstition live a nomadic lifestyle.

Visitors to Taman Negara can pay a visit to their settlement and see how they live. You can watch them make poison darts for blowpipes and even test your skills with the blowpipes (sans poison).

Other activities at the park would be mountain climbing and cave exploration. Taman Negara has so much to offer, you’ll never run out of things to do.

Mutiara Taman Negara Resort is the only resort you will find on site. Accommodation ranging from tents to bungalows are scattered all along the fringes of the park. The cabin style accommodation offers you basic amenities with sufficient modern comforts where the forest is literally at your back door.

All rooms come with views but make sure you are prepared to come face-to-face with nature. You are after all in someone else’s backyard.

 

Here, there are several dining options with a good mix of local and international cuisine. The restaurants are open all day and you can choose the one which suits your wallet best. The resort also offers barbeques upon request.

Entry permits and various licenses from the Department of Wildlife can be obtained at the wildlife counter. You will need entry permits and licences for cameras and fishing.

If you intend to stay the night at the National Park, Mutiara Taman Negara Resort offers a variety of packages for you to choose from.

To know more, visit Mutiara Taman Negara’s official website.