Full to overflowing

My koi pond is finally full to overflowing, the first time since spring I have been able to get the pond full.  Last week it was down 6", low enough for the top shelf to be dry.  The frogs are out in force tonight, the first time in many weeks, and singing the glorious tune of much water. 

Actually they are seeking mates as they do every spring and the middle of the summer.  I know, we sometimes think of August as late summer but the season is only half way through. 

Speaking of frogs, there hasn't been as many this year as in years past, just several hundred seen so far, and no koi babies were born this year as the mother koi died last year after giving birth.  I lost another of my original koi last week.  It was the one I named shark; an orange and black koi.  One of the first offspring was one that resembled shark closely.  I named that one Tiger.  I still have spot and big orange from the original four I purchased.  Zero is the other "baby" from two years ago and both zero and shark are about a foot long.  That translates into a weight of about 12 ounces and a retail value of about $80.00. 

The one that just died weight about 3  pounds and had a retail value of around $240.00.  Spot and is around 15" long and weighs just under two pounds while big orange is about 20" long and weighs about 3 pounds.  He has a retail value of around $375.00. 

I'll need the pond full to help the fish survive the winter.  The deeper the water the harder it is for predators to catch them and it ensures that a hard freeze won't affect them.   Of course I keep my pond covered to keep debris and predators out of the pond but it isn't totally fool proof.  One year I did lose a fish that was worth a thousand dollars to a blue heron that poked it in the head through the pond net. 

I'm glad for the rain as it not only refilled my pond but will help in diluting the salt.  I'll have to wait until tomorrow on money to check the salinity level.  It isn't as critical during the colder months as it is in the summer as the colder the water the higher the oxygen levels.  Night time in the hot summer can be deadly.   That is why Shark died. 

Sometimes one has to trade off one condition for another; in this case  higher salt levels and low oxygen in order to reduce algae and improve the health of the fish.