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  1. #1
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Koi Water Barn Grand Opening at Coolings Garden Centre

    Took a visit to the KWB grand opening for the morning at Coolings Garden Centre in Sevenoaks just off the M25.

    Overall a very impressive display of tanks and Koi that can only be good for the hobby. Made my 12000 litre pond seem totally inadequate!

    These pictures are from the main shop. There seemed to be a few tanks of pond fillers and a few tanks of higher quality variety specific Koi, then a big sudden jump to big budget very high quality Koi and a few Jumbo Koi the biggest of which I unfortunately failed to photograph:

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    Last edited by RS2OOO; 16-03-2019 at 03:10 PM.

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  3. #2
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Then off to the quarantine area where various events were going on including the raffle to buy a £600 Koi for £200 on a grow and show kind of basis.
    I already knew I wanted Showa number 10 from Isa which is the Koi on the the bottom right of the first picture, but as you can see by the list of names in the pics, so did everyone else and I didn't bother in the end. In hindsight maybe I should have just gone for it as you never know....

    IMG_20190316_115701.jpgAttachment 27129IMG_20190316_115649.jpg


    The Quarantine area is very large with I'd guess around 12 large vats and 5 or 6 Pools. This Pic is taken from around half way into the building. Every single tank seems to be run off Nexus 220's and I did wonder why they'd gone with the 220 instead of the 320 on some of the larger vats. I don't know if they have another quarantine facility somewhere else, but there was no sign of any heat ramping equipment anywhere that I could find.

    IMG_20190316_114024.jpg


    There were quite a few well known characters there including Kevin Ellis and pretty much everyone I've seen in Kevin Ellis' videos!

    As for the Koi, all were still in Quarantine and in the pond filler vats there were quite a few that almost certainly wont make it through quarantine and sadly a handful of dead or dying fish floating around which I guess is just the nature of dealing with huge volumes of small Koi.

    All the filter media in every filter looked brand spanking new and looking at the water there seemed to be a level water immaturity or, New Pond Syndrome going on.... They are going to be incredibly busy keeping on top of it all. Just maintaining what was there looked like a full time job without having to deal with Customers.

    There was also this very attractive large pond outside with windows all around. No fish in it yet... but will definitely be a show piece in the summer:

    IMG_20190316_113035.jpgIMG_20190316_113051.jpgIMG_20190316_113149.jpg
    Last edited by RS2OOO; 16-03-2019 at 03:30 PM.

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  5. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    I'd definitely recommend a visit. I don't think I've seen a retail set-up of this quality before and when discovering the huge quarantine building as well I was really impressed.

    I sincerely hope it all works out well for them, they will definitely get the foot-fall and I reckon a display of this magnitude is bound to bring new people to the hobby which is great too.

    All products for sale tended to be EA or NT Labs in glossy packaging.

    There is that thing at the back of your mind however, knowing this is going to be costly to run and it all has to be paid for. I'd be amazed if they will be able to compete on price with the likes of Gary at Gatwick, But if they have that Koi you always wanted, I reckon you'll be persuaded to stump up the cash and just go with it.
    Last edited by RS2OOO; 16-03-2019 at 04:12 PM.

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  7. #4
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Looks an amazing place and some awesome koi thanks for sharing Rs.
    John

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  9. #5
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Andy1671's Avatar
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    i was going to go but its my daughter 7th birthday today and Ive been busy with unicorns
    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

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  11. #6
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Gosai digger's Avatar
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    Those windows are going to take some cleaning!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  13. #7
    Great write up RS Does it have a cafe there?
    That is the only way I can get my wife to visit a koi shop at the moment is if I just say I am taking you out for lunch then look surprised when there is a money pit (her words)

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    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Yes pretty sure there was a cafe of some sort there. I got a free Chicken Curry as part of the opening event!

    Its a big Garden Centre, you could very easily get lost from each-other for half hour or so. Just make sure you have the car keys, and accidentally leave your phone in the car.

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  17. #9
    Haha sounds like a plan
    will be visiting on my next weekend off. credit card at the ready....

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  19. #10
    Great stuff. I was there too. Actually in your quarantine photo! I had a brill day and went for 4 koi including Showa 10. Won 0! ��

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  21. #11
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RS2OOO View Post
    Yes pretty sure there was a cafe of some sort there. I got a free Chicken Curry as part of the opening event!

    Its a big Garden Centre, you could very easily get lost from each-other for half hour or so. Just make sure you have the car keys, and accidentally leave your phone in the car.
    yeah nice one RS looks very impressive. and thanks for the write up and photo s

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  23. #12
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Davej's Avatar
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    Great set up, a lot has been spent BUT

    They dont Heat Ramp the fish they sell, this for me sadly rules them out as a dealer. One can only hope that things may change.

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  25. #13
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Adult Champion anne's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=imc28;288571]Great stuff. I was there too. Actually in your quarantine photo!

    U that shady looking character with your back to the camera...………………

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  27. #14
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    More pictures of the opening, all much better than mine:

    Koi Water Barn's new Coolings store opens for business » Nishikigoi.Life

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  29. #15
    Let’s all guess which one is imc, I reckon the guy with the wire going through his head with the white t shirt.

    on another note. I went in today on my way home!!,
    amazing set up and really friendly guys in there. I was even given a personal tour of the place with conversations and explanations about the ponds filtration and products. I was even shown round the quarantine area. I really hope this works out well for them, I am sure it will as they have been very successful in the old building
    anyone that is going to visit take your credit card as there are some stunning fish in stock and being able to looking at them literally from every angle is a massive bonus. The viewing ponds are the best I have seen anywhere massive windows that allow you to stand up and look directly at the fish and then the over head walkways allowing you the more traditional overhead view. The quarantine area is very big and in the current climate with the outbreaks of KHV in recent months feel sure that the possibility of heat ramping is available if they choose to go that route.

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  31. #16
    In the glasses with white hair, green jacket under the QU of sign at back of photo. Shady.......of course! ����

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  33. #17
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by imc28 View Post
    In the glasses with white hair, green jacket under the QU of sign at back of photo. Shady.......of course! ����
    You look bored there mate, if I'd known that was you I could have come over for a chat and had you sound asleep in no time ha ha.

    I saw you around a few times on the day.

    Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

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  35. #18
    I wasn’t bored but I was a Billy no mates!! Probably waiting for tosai selection of which I won nothing ��

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  37. #19
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by imc28 View Post
    I wasn’t bored but I was a Billy no mates!! Probably waiting for tosai selection of which I won nothing ��
    Same here mate, I briefly looked around for other Billy no Mates to chat to, but when I've done that in the past I either end up with a potential mass murderer following me around for the entire day, or some multi-billionaire with a gazillion gallon pond and a million quids worth of koi that leaves me going home wanting to end it all!

    Also because of the vast surface water movement of every tank, you couldn't really use the Koi that were there as a talking point, cos you couldn't see them!

    A lot of people there were "insiders" if you like.
    Last edited by RS2OOO; 20-03-2019 at 06:11 PM.

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  39. #20
    Coolings Garden Centre (where KWB is located) has a very good cafe/restaurant very close to KWB.

    Quote Originally Posted by -Craig- View Post
    Great write up RS Does it have a cafe there?
    That is the only way I can get my wife to visit a koi shop at the moment is if I just say I am taking you out for lunch then look surprised when there is a money pit (her words)

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