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  1. #1

    How much food do use?

    Hi All,

    Having purchased 15 kilos of Hikari Saki Balance on 3rd June I'm a bit surprised to find how much I've used since then.
    I only have 4090 grams left which means I'm feeding an average of 150 grams per day. This food is definitely the most popular one I've tried.

    Our pond holds 5000 gallons, is unheated (but covered with polycarbonate in winter) and we have 9 koi average size approx. 50 - 60cm.

    At a rate of £1.42 per day I've estimated that I've used 1.42 x 27 days (3rd June to 14th August) = £102.24

    At the current rate the food will last until about the end of the first week in September.
    I am wondering what to use following that?
    I am thinking that I may use Hikari Saki Multi-Season. In the past I have used EA Wheat germ during the winter months.
    However,in view of the success of the H. S. Balance, during this summer, I am considering using the Multi-Season, which may be a better option?
    I have read it can be used down to a temp. of 5 degrees?

    Do you have any experience / views about these things?

    Do you know approximately how much food your koi consume? Also, do you know how much you spend per day? month? year?


    Looking forward to hearing from you if you have time.

    Thanks,

    Bryan



    I



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  3. #2
    I've just bought 5kg bags of balance, growth and colour, and like you Brian, I'm getting through a lot more this year, mainly due to the fact that my koi are bigger and as this is the first year with a drum, I'm feeding heavily and not stressing over water quality. At present I'm using about 2kg total a week for 15 koi.
    During early summer I mixed equal quantities of balance, growth and colour. At present with the heat pump set at 23°C, I mix 2/3 growth and 1/3 balance. By the end of october I will slowly lower the temperature and feed solely balance, and once the covers go on, I will feed 50/50 balance and multiseason while letting temperatures drop to around 13°. If I was to let it drop to below 10°, I would feed multiseason only.
    I don't know what they put in the multiseason, but my fish love it more than anything else, even at lower temperatures there is a clear difference in feeding behaviour compared to other foods. Shame it's so expensive.
    Mark
    19,000 litres
    Nexus 320 with Dracodrum and submersible UV
    Blue Eco 320
    Eazy Pod on skimmer
    Dura+ 10kW Heat Pump
    15 koi

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  5. #3
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Grand Champion lee63's Avatar
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    How much food do use?

    Hi bryan i am currently feeding similar to your self at around 150 gram of food per day its a good mix though of saki growth, balance, hikari gold and aqua source hi growth. This isnt including all the treats they get too. I dont really look at the cost, not that im well off or anything but i can do it so i do. I have to agree with you there mark my fish absolutely love multiseason and i found it to be the best lower temperature food ive used. Its also a good balanced feed that can be fed all year hence the name multi season and Ive had good success last winter in my grow on with a primarily based mix of saki growth and multi season over the saki balance.
    I have 10 koi/carp at various sizes from 60cm+ down to 30cm most are middle ground. There is also 5 other fish in there that i rule as slightly negligable as they will not grow to no where near the sizes of the carp. (2x rudd, 1x crucian carp, 1x Golden tench and a little goldfish)
    I dont heat my pond in winter either only cover and fed multi season last year pretty much right through only giving a break for about 8 weeks mid jan to mid march. (I found december to be very mild last year) I used to just use hikari wheatgerm with no issues also. Oh just to add, overall volume is 2300 gallon and im still on a large multibay from retro BD and pod on the skimmer. Water quality is good and parameters are spot on. Hardly any crud/waste on the pond floor.
    Lee



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  6. #4
    Hi Brian
    I’m feeding around 2kg of saki hikari per week of the balance diet, last year a tried a combination of balance, growth and colour and felt the fish became a little overweight so this year I’m sticking with the balance diet up until December then no feed for 2 months then back on the balance in march/April. I heat to 24c during feeding and reduce to 14c during the fasting period.

  7. #5
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    I wish my fish only ate 150g a day
    i find I can get my guys to eat more by feeding them small quantities but more often- makes them keener every time the autofeeder goes off. If I see any food there for more than a couple of minutes then I reduce the time in the program.

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  9. #6
    I also prefer the little and often approach, my koi get around 8 or 9 feeds per day, the auto feeder has the early shift, and I take over at lunch time. If I'm out, I can trigger the feeder remotely. The last feed at 9:00 is when they get their silkworm pupae.
    One or two koi are getting a bit overweight this year, but with the younger ones growing nicely I have no choice but to keep feeding. I've tried sneaking in a bit extra while the fatties aren't looking, but it doesn't really work.
    Mark
    19,000 litres
    Nexus 320 with Dracodrum and submersible UV
    Blue Eco 320
    Eazy Pod on skimmer
    Dura+ 10kW Heat Pump
    15 koi

  10. #7
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Andy1671's Avatar
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    Hello Bryan. Long time since youve posted. Hope you and your good lady are well.

    Im currently feeding a mixture of foods. NT Labs Probiotic and Boddington Koi food. My koi are eating like there is no tomorrow. Im must be going through 3 or 4 kilos a week.
    5000 Gallon Fibreglassed Pond With 54" x 27" Infinity Window
    BD300 Drum Filter
    Artesian 0.5hp - Aquadyne 4.4c Beadfilter - PS4 Protein Shower
    Badu Eco Touch - EP20 UV Sterilizer - ASHP - Venturi
    Hi Blo 60 - Medo 45 - Spindrifter Bottom Drain
    Wide Mouthed Skimmer

  11. #8
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion pondwithnoname's Avatar
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    I'm heated so I feed the same amount all year, I've got 13 koi one is around 50cm and the rest are between 60 and 90cm.
    Per annum I get through 30 kilos of Kusuri premium pellets, around 100 oranges, 12 iceberg lettuce and around 10 kilos of dried mealworms.
    I often wonder if I'm feeding them enough but they're all well nourished and growing well so I resist the temptation to give them more.
    I would say that the amount of feed I give them hasn't increased proportionately to their size over the years and kilo to kilo the eat less as they mature.
    Alias PWNN - Steve
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  12. #9
    I been feeding 17 small feeds per day, at the moment I'm using dai suki high protein, not sure what to think, koi seem to eat it, but I'm sure there is better on market

  13. #10
    Thanks for your replies. It sounds as if Hikari Saki Multi-Season may be a good option for my set up during the winter. However, I am open to other suggestions. Any good alternatives please?

    Bryan

  14. #11
    Personally I would feed as much as they will have until the water temperatures cool then reduce the feed to small amounts until the end of November then feed nothing until at least the end of March or even April if it is cold.
    I know that many people are not comfortable restricting food for so long, or like me have no will power, in that case I recommend you check out the Aqua Source wheatgerm.
    This is a decent food at a reasonable price,10Kg is around £65.
    Aqua Source is a new company stared by Dean Di Marco formerly of Hikari and EA, he is a man who knows his koi food.

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  16. #12
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Andy1671's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bryan08 View Post
    Thanks for your replies. It sounds as if Hikari Saki Multi-Season may be a good option for my set up during the winter. However, I am open to other suggestions. Any good alternatives please?

    Bryan
    i like NT Labs Probiotic in the winter as it can be used down to 5 degrees
    5000 Gallon Fibreglassed Pond With 54" x 27" Infinity Window
    BD300 Drum Filter
    Artesian 0.5hp - Aquadyne 4.4c Beadfilter - PS4 Protein Shower
    Badu Eco Touch - EP20 UV Sterilizer - ASHP - Venturi
    Hi Blo 60 - Medo 45 - Spindrifter Bottom Drain
    Wide Mouthed Skimmer

  17. #13
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Yonsai LouiseR's Avatar
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    Can't suggest an alternative as I've fed saki-hikari for years - currently balance and will switch to multi-season when the water gets cooler. But I do think it's worth considering feeding a (good quality) food that also contains a probiotic, particularly in colder temps. Hikari claim that theirs - the "hikari-germ" - reduces the amount of bad bacteria in the gut, amongst other things. If true, this can only be a good thing, particularly as temps drop and then start to rise again. I used to use hikari wheatgerm in colder temps, but the koi seem to do better on multi-season and, like Mark and Lee's koi, mine love it more than balance - or colour or growth which I've tried in the past. For probiotic food to have any beneficial effect it needs to be fed consistently .......

 

 

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