Probably jumping the gun posting this, but we went to Blue Ribbon Koi in Catharpin, VA today. Must of spent an hour staring at the koi, burning one side of our bodies under the sun, lol.
There were two each of the koi I wanted, but in the $300 & $400 range... The same as the ones I lost.
Found one in the $50, not quite perfect, but good. Then another, but w/o the gin rin, so I had to pass on it.
We got to look at the 50-75 range QT koi, they go out tomorrow, there's two or three I like, but not the baby version of the big one I wanted.
We may go back for those, we may not. No clue yet. One was a lemon hariwake, a netted dark gin rin with a dark red mask on the head and last another I forgot...lol.
Raised the shade cloth by about 3ft.
Need to redo it with new posts driven in, so that they stand at the 4 corners & straight once tightened by the shade. But I had to start it before I kept putting it off again.
Will put the net up high & an extra tpost to make a doorway of sorts in the net. That way, I can go in to mess with plants & filter w/o crawling around like I'm currently doing, lol.
Now I can see my Waterpuppies w/o lifting the shade & peeking. Plants will also be happier w/o getting squished!