Filed under: Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Nursery | Tags: Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Greenhouse, Greenhouse Report, I Love Koi, Ice, Ice Storm, Koi, Koi Health, Koi Shack, Koi Story, Nursery, Snow Damage, Snow Falling, Snow Pics, Storm Damage, The Calm After The Storm
The snow has been beautiful to look at, BUT it also causes all kinds of problems… Bad roads are a given, but Big snow like we just received is extremely heavy! So heavy in fact that it can bring down roofs and even metal structures!

So now the cleanup begins! There are still 10 Koi tanks in there 😳 FULL of fish! I hope we can save them!

Have a Great weekend!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Blog, Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Hump Day, Hump Day Dreaming, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, Koi Fix, Koi Health, Koi Health Tips, Koi Myths, Koi Shack, Koi Story, Nurseryfix, Pond Myth's, Pond Shack, Pond Tips, Water Gardening Answers, Water Gardening Questions
We are selling Koi again! And with selling comes questions. Some of the most basic questions I get time and time again, so here is a repost of some basic “Koi Myths” that I hear all the time… Have a Great Hump Day!
“It’s Wednesday, aka “Hump Day” and as usual the subject is Koi & Koi Pond’s 😊 We were discussing erroneous information & myths about Koi keeping that are out there, so I thought why not make a blog post about it… Here’s a quick “Top 5”…
#1 – You Can’t Be A Koi Keeper & A Water Gardener.
Not true! You can raise healthy koi In your beautiful water garden! The koi can grow up to be just as beautiful and healthy as they are in traditional koi ponds. Proper design is key! You will LOVE how they compliment each other 😊 I have installed Hundreds of beautiful Water Gardens with healthy happy Koi.

Koi and Water Gardens go together like peas and carrots 😊 | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
#2 – Predators Will Eat All Your Fish.
Again, Proper Design is key! Raccoons generally won’t swim. That’s not to say they never swim, or couldn’t stand on the side of your pond and take a paw swipe or two at your fish… Fortunately, most fish will swim to a deeper, more protected part of the pond when a predator is threatening them. The one predator with legitimate credentials is the blue heron. Plenty of lily pads give them some protection and will work to minimize attracting a heron in the first place. Other protection measures include a motion activated water sprayer called a “Scarecrow” or even better a “Koi-cave” structure that can be built in during the pond’s construction. IF you already have a pond, they can be added with minimum remodeling during a clean out service.
A Blue Heron is a major Predator of our Koi and pond fish! BUT, we can stop them from harming our ‘finned friends’! Tools like a “Scarecrow”, or a fish cave really help! In the Fall a leaf net helps with more than 1 task 😊
#3 – Your Pond Must Be (3) Three Feet Deep to Keep Koi.
There are literally tens of thousands of two-foot deep ponds all around this country, full of happy and healthy koi. The water in a two-foot deep pond will generally only freeze eight inches down in the coldest of climates, because of the insulating qualities of the earth that surrounds the pond – Here in West Tennessee usually not at all. Another Plus – a properly designed 2’ deep pond is easy to get in and out of 😉 Most of the ponds I have designed & built for the last 30 + years are 2’ deep and doing great! We can & do go deeper if the design calls for it of course, but don’t believe everything you read online!
#4 – Koi Can’t Be Kept With Plants.
In a naturally balanced ecosystem, koi and plants complement and need one another. In nature, fish feed on plants. As a result, the fish produce waste, which is broken down by aerobic bacteria on the bottom of your pond, which, in turn, is used as fertilizer by the plants to grow and produce more natural fish food. One tip I have learned from experience- start with small Koi, they will grow up with the plants and won’t bother them at all – like in nature.
This is one of my Display Water Gardens at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio – The Aquatic Plants & Koi have been doing great here for almost 30 years!
#5 – If You Forget To Feed Your Koi They Will All Die.
Totally False! In a properly designed & stocked pond, the ecological balance will amaze you! Crystal clear water, thriving aquatic plants & a healthy eco-system are your reward! We all Love to feed our babies, but if you miss a few days they will get busy doing some “pond keeping” of their own! 😊 They will ‘Thrive’, not simply survive! The key is to “Stay in Balance”!
I hope this helps!
– Happy Pondering!
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Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Ghost Koi, Healthy Koi, Hump Day, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, I Love Koi, Koi, Koi = Love, Koi Facts, Koi for sale, Koi History, Koi info, Koi Names, Koi Pond, Koi Shack, Koi Story, Koi Terminology, Koi Whisperer, Mirror Carp, Ogon, Ogon Koi
It’s October kids, and we are quickly approaching Halloween 🎃 What a perfect time to discuss the scariest of all fish – The Ghost Koi!

The Ghost koi has gained some popularity in the last few years, but many “Koi people” still do not recognize them as a true koi! – they are refereed to as a Ghost carp instead.
The “Ghost Koi” is a product of breeding a mirror carp with a metallic Ogon Koi. For this reason many Koi purists don’t consider them a true “Koi”…
They are a very hardy fish and much less susceptible to diseases than most. They also grow extremely fast! Both of these traits make them a great first Koi!
Ghost Koi don’t have a lot of markings like other Koi so their beauty comes from their shining metallic scales! Their colors can vary from dark to cream to silver and even golden. The head is generally creamy and the body colors will widely vary, depending greatly on the parents color.
I guess what I’m saying is, even though they have a scary name, & the fact that it is almost Halloween – Don’t be wary of the Ghost Koi! They are really pretty cool 😎
Enjoy your Koi! AND Have a –
‘HAPPY HALLOWEEN’!
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Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Blue Heron, Healthy Koi, Hump Day, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, Koi, Koi = Love, Koi Fix, Koi info, Koi Story, Koi Whisperer, Love Your Pets, Pond Predators
Hump Day Koi Story | Could My Koi Be Lonesome? | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee
I was thinking about a lady who came in a few weeks ago to look at some Koi. She has been here several times over the years and has became a regular customer during the season. She told us that over the winter she was visited by a Blue Heron… And you guessed it, it ate all her Koi – all but One! Her lone Koi has started to eat again now, but not like he used to… She described him as lethargic & almost disinterested in eating or swimming around and exploring. She said she was thinking about getting him some friends because she thinks he is lonely 😞 Then she asked me, “Can Koi get lonesome”?

Koi are definitely social creatures in my opinion. They seem to get along well and I’m almost certain they benefit from the company of other fish | Hump Day Koi Story | Could My Koi Be Lonesome? | Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson,
Tennessee
I really enjoyed talking with her about this as we picked out 5 additional Koi to introduce to her Water Garden.
The rest of the story! – We spoke a few days later when she stopped by to grab a couple of bags of Koi Food. Her report was Awesome! The new fish acclimated well and started eating immediately! Her original Koi had warmed right up to the new guys and started eating like he was hungry again! To me that’s proof enough that Koi benefit from companionship. So do we 😊 Now she too, has several more new friends ❤️ Koi = Love!
Happy Pondering 🤔
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Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Hump Day, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, Koi Accessories, Koi Art, Koi Crazy, Koi Cups, Koi Fix, Koi Gifts, Koi Health, Koi History, Koi Jones, Koi Lantern, Koi Names, Koi Story
I don’t know about you, but I’m kinda Koi obsessed… I Design and Build Water Gardens & Koi Ponds for a living & I have several Koi Pond/Water Gardens of my own. I also raise and retail Koi & I have many Koi that I have been raising for years each with an individual name 😊 Beloved Pets every one! I write a weekly Blog about Koi every Wednesday, Hello! I even have Koi art and accessories all over my home and office! Koi are a big part of my life! In many ways Koi are my Life, and Life is GOOD! 😊

I Love ❤️ my old Fisherman. He’s sitting by the edge of the Pond on a boulder & the Koi swim around him.
Now you know my awful secret… I’m, Koi CRAZY 😜 😂
But seriously, I just love to bring my love of the Garden & Pond into our home. Decorative art pieces, ceramics, oven mitts, trivets, coffee mugs, plants, etc,etc… All little reminders to go out and have a cup of tea and feed my Koi. Try some in your home and you’ll know what I mean 😊 It’s all designed to draw me outside to my place of Zen – My Pond! Are you excited? Did all this Koi Love satisfy your Jones? 😊 Say it with me – I ❤️ Koi!
Enjoy your day! & Enjoy your Koi!
~ Happy Pondering 🤔
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Filed under: Family time, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: 50 Degree Rule, 60 degree Rule, Cold Blooded, Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Temp Koi Food, Fish Feeding, Hand Feeding Koi, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, I ❤️ Spring!, I Love Koi, Koi = Love, Koi Fix, Koi Health, Koi Shack, Koi Story, Koi Supplies, Pond Thermometer, The Rule of 50
I’ve been hawking my Pond Thermometer these last few weeks! The temperature of the water has been steadily rising as the days get longer and we approach Spring. As usual, I will start the season with Cool Temp Koi Food when the water temp has stabilized over 50 + degrees. The “rule of 50” I like to call it 😉

It’s about time to start feeding our Koi “Cool Temp. Fish Food” & even some fresh fruits and veggies like peas, oranges, grapefruit & softened carrots again! YES!!! I ❤️ Spring! Just remember to read the thermometer 🌡 & follow the “Rule of 50”! Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio | Jackson, TN
This is my favorite season of the year! Everything is waking up! Including my KOI! They have been VERY active lately! And literally begging for food 😊 It’s so hard to wait… But, it’s part of the process & it’s so important for our finned friends health and well being.

Keep your Koi happy and healthy as we transition into Spring. Use quality Cool Temperature Koi Food from Carters Nursery Pond & Patio | Jackson, Tennessee | I ❤️ Koi!
So, to wrap it up…
The Rule of 50 = Let the water temp stabilize for at least a week at 50+ degrees Fahrenheit before you start to feed your koi in the Spring. AND, when you do start back to feeding, use a quality, Cool Season Koi Food! And don’t over feed! Happier days are here again 😊
Happy Pondering 🤔
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Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Fish Feeding, Hand Feeding Koi, Hump Day, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, I ❤️ My Job!, Koi Facts, Koi Fix, Koi Health, Koi info, Koi Story, Spring is Coming
We are in the middle of yet another week in our journey towards Spring, and the return to feeding & enjoying our Koi!
Its been COLD this week too… Cold & Wet! I am so ready for a warm up 🌞Here’s a few pics from around the place that I hope will warm your hearts a bit 😊 They do mine!
Stay warm!
Spring is Coming!
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Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Cool Season Koi Food, Cool Temp Koi Food, Fish Feeding, Healthy Koi, Hump Day, Hump Day Koi Fix, Hump Day Koi Story, I ❤️ Koi, I ❤️ My Job!, I ❤️ Waterfalls, Koi, Koi Facts, Koi History, Koi info, Koi Story, Seasonal Koi Seperation Anxiety, Seasonal Water Garden, Spring is Coming, Wint
Question – Do you get “Seasonal Koi Seperation Anxiety”? I do… All Winter without feeding my babies is a test! I still get out to my pond daily mind you! But, no hand feeding, no aquatic plants, no turtles 🐢… It gets… Tough!
Dreams of Late Winter/Early Spring keep me going… That’s when everything starts happening again. The plants are emerging, the water is warming & the Koi’s metabolism is waking up! Early season feeding starts Soon! In the mean time, a little hard work and cleaning are in order to prepare for the coming season! Will you be ready?
Here’s to the coming season!
Happy Pondering 🤔
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Filed under: General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Love, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: “Koi No Taki-Nobori”, carp climbing the waterfalls, Determination, Dragon Koi, Focus, Hump Day Koi Fix, Koi, Koi climbing the rapids, Koi Fix, Koi History, Koi Story, Strength, Success, Waterfall, Waterfalls
Many people will tell you that most everything that’s worth anything, starts with a good story! I have found this to be very true across the board. A story that hooked me many years ago is an ancient one, but still packs a wallop today! It’s the story of the Dragon Koi’!

In this story the Koi is so strong and spirited that it can swim & fight its way up through the rapids & waterfalls to become the Dragon. The Koi is a symbol of power and success!
In this ancient story a large school of golden Koi are swimming upstream in the Yellow River in China. They make it all the way to the raging waterfalls at the top, but all the fish but one is washed back down the flow. But, the one Koi is determined to make it! He spends 100 years trying & trying to make it up the waterfalls, until one day he finally does it. The gods recognized the Koi’s perseverance & determination and as a reward turned him into a Gold Dragon, the very image of strength & power!
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