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Koi are a wonderful addition to your backyard pond. It is relaxing to watch these graceful fish gliding slowly through the water. To live a a long and healthy life, koi need just as much care as any other pet. Koi live an average of 25-35 years, although some have lived much longer. If you want to provide the proper care and environment for your fish, you need to do some research.

Make sure you do your research before you go to buy your koi. Read through books on koi care, browse the internet, and consult with koi experts.

Before you buy your fish, your pond needs to be properly prepared. It has to be big enough for the koi to swim around. A minimum of 1000 gallons, and 18 inches deep is recommended. The koi also need a quiet corner that they can retreat to. It is also advisable to have a number of hiding places for the fish so that they can avoid predators, such as racoons, or your neighbor's cat. The pH of the water should be between 7.5 and 8.5. Make sure that the filter has been running for a while, and that the beneficial bacteria in the pond have had a chance to establish themselves. These bacteria are important for maintaining the chemical balance of your pond once you add the fish.

It is always best to shop for your koi at a specialty store. Be sure too look for healthy fish with clear eyes, no missing scales and erect fins. Many variables affect the price of the fish, including size, pattern, shape, and availability.T Younger fish are usually a lot less expensive than the older and larger fish. Younger fish, about 3-4 inches long will probably cost less than 10 dollars. Older fish, 22-24 inches long can range from $1,200 and up, occasionally ranging up to $10,000. Butterfly koi are more expensive than regular koi due to their long flowing fins.

Be sure to add fish to your pond gradually. If you put in too many, the bacteria won't be able to handle all of the fish waste, and the chemical balance of the pond will be thrown off. Start with just one or two fish, and then after a week or two, go ahead and start adding a few more. Because of their metabolism is slower in the winter, it is best to buy the fish in cooler weather if possible. Koi do just fine in cold water, but you should avoid rapidly fluctuating temperatures. Even though koi are a warm water fish who prefer water temperatures of around 78 - 80 degrees F., they are capable of surviving in freezing cold temperatures and water over 86 degrees F. Deeper ponds are also preferable, so the water underneath the ice would not freeze. If you live in an area where the pond will freeze over, be sure to use a floating heater to keep a hole in the ice.

When the weather changes for the warmer, their metabolisms will speed up. Feeding of koi is quite easy by just feeding them koi pellets which are found online or at a pet store. Make sure to feed them twice a day. With some training, it is even possible to teach koi to eat out of your hand. When the weather and the water temperature start to cool off, you want to gradually reduce the amount of food that you feed the koi. When the water temperature drops to 50 degrees, then you should stop feeding them altogether until spring, when the water warms up again.

Koi will add a brilliant splash of color to your pond. And properly cared for, they will be in your pond for a long time, and provide years of enjoyment.

Isn't it time to get your water garden started? Visit Water Gardens & Fountains to find a wide selection of fountains, garden waterfalls, and much more.

Knowing about how the body works is what makes followers of the atkins weight loss diet believe it will benefit for them. The body is essentially fueled by sugar, whether it is organic sugar found in lots aliments, processed sugar added to a mass foods or the kind heaped on your cereal or into coffee or tea. As far as your body runs short of normally extracted sugar, it heads towards the carbohydrates and breaks it down into sugar. The theory in back of atkins soft diet limits the carbohydrates within reach for conversion, forcing the body to rely on unlike reserves such as fat stored for in reserve use.

In search for ways to lose fat drives dieters to all types of methods, various original and excellent not so groundbreaking, but many have been drawn by the theory in back of atkins weight loss diet to the point of high recognition. Being able to eat straightforwardly all the red meat, fish and even many deserts they might crave, a mass are enticed by the theory in back of atkins high-protein diet, which allows them to eat aliments other diets forbid although burning the fat built up in their system.

Appreciating the atkins Soft diet basics
The atkins weight-watch results in a process called ketosis, where the body burns fat rather than carbohydrates. The basic plan of the atkins diet is to unbendingly interdict carbs for two weeks and eventually re-introduce a limited supply of carbs and other foods, including promoting the use of exercise.

Throughout the ongoing weight control stage, the carb intake is increased to 25 grams everyday. The atkins soft diet primarily allows the consumption of plenty of meat, poultry, fish and eggs, and gradually allows the consumption of additional vegetables and fruit as well.

Starting the atkins Weight-watch: The Induction Phase
These aliment should be avoided: milk, pasta, potatoes, bread, carrots, and beans. In this stage of starting the atkins soft diet, it is essential to check the carb content of your foods so you can avoid anything with stashed carbs. Reaching the process of burning fat by preference to carbohydrates is the first step in starting the atkins weight loss diet, and the top vital one. This process of starting the atkins high-protein diet is recognized as the induction phase.

Restricting Fuel Intake Forces Use Of Reserve
Looking at the theory in back of atkins diet like a car and its gas tank, may make it easier to define. Placing an extra five-gallon could in the trunk makes the driver feel greater, knowing they have a reserve if there is not a station obtainable whenever the main tank runs out. If the body believes it may be awhile between meals, routinely whenever someone skips collations or oftentimes unpaired has one meal a day, it stores strength in the form of fat to be used although it runs shy of energy.

While on the trip, the car runs short of gas but by preference to ending the ride, the extra five-gallon can, carried for emergency, will satisfy the vehicle needs. The theory in back of atkins diet is that by restricting the fuel intake, in this case carbohydrates, the body is forced to go to the reserve tank of stored fat in order to have bare minimum fuel to keep running. The theory behind atkins low-carbohydrate diet does not completely cut down out carbohydrate intake, but it is badly limited in the first of the four stages of the weight-watch plan.

The weight-watch has proven successful for plenty people, but the problem comes in maintenance as the low-carbohydrate diet helps establish the amount of carbohydrates every person may ingest empty of gaining or losing weight, and the person must stick to that portion. Although the theory behind atkins soft diet sounds easy, considering all the aliments that contain carbohydrates, cheating could be a problem, which just adds more fuel to the tank of reserve fat.

Marc Simard
fitness Author
http://www.dietmakemoney.com

More on the theory behind atkins diet:
http://www.dietmakemoney.com/the_theory_behing_atkins_diet.html

weight Loss weight gain Diet is where you loose 20 pounds and gain 25. Most of us know about that one. We started losing, then we start justifying cheating. I'll eat this candy and burn it off by workout 20 minutes more. After a while the gains out weigh our loss, sound familiar.

We all fail, so why give up? You are not starting over you are continuing the fight against Fat. Remember Fat is not your friend it is trying to shorten your life. So get your mind right, stop thinking about that candy. Pick up a piece of fruit, stalk of celery, carrot stick, or a slice of tomato. They satisfy you need to feed, but does not hurt your weight loss program.

Please do not make up excuses not to exercise. Along with controlling your calories, the workout burns off that evil Fat. If you commit to an every other day workout routine, you will lose weight. Change it up, walk one day, ride a bike the 3rd day, resistant training the 5th day, and yoga or stretching the 7th day. The muscle will always be exercised and never reach a plateau. If you have to miss a day just start the next day like you never missed one. Do not set yourself up for failure, which is not an option any more.

Sometimes we need a little help so do not be afraid to get help. It could be a new workout program, diet plan, new way of thinking about you from head to toe, or a support group. What ever it takes for you to start believing in a new you.

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