After a long Christmas break we've finally hit the start of a new decade. And who knows what might happen in the Koi world, and to your Koi pond, over the next 10 years?

It's only my first day back after New Year, and I've already received word of a newly designed Nexus to be released by Evolution Aqua. According to EA, the Nexus 310 and 210 have new-and-improved overflows and bypass systems, along with a simplified cleaning process and a redesigned Eazy. It's sure to be a talking point throughout 2010.

The clocks have gone back, and it really feels like the end of the Koi year. It's dark in the morning when I leave for work and it is dark in the evening when I get home. The covers are on the pond and I do not see the fish much during the week at all – now you can appreciate the merits of having a window in your pond. All in all the hobby can be quite depressing at this time of year.

We recently ventured from our offices in Bristol to the fair land of Surrey to visit Lee Burrough’s pond. Lee is a loyal Koimag forum member, moderator and reader of Koi. He is an avid Koi keeper and even has two sizeable ponds in his garden!

I have been trying hard at all the shows I've been to this year to improve my standard of photography. It should be simple – the Koi is captive in a nice round vat so why is it so hard to get a good photograph? Why am I often disappointed with the results? How do other people get so much better results than me?

This year the South African National Show was held at the Gateway shopping centre, on the beautiful KWA Zulu Natal Coast just north of Durban. The venue is excellent,

affording easy access and excellent facilities, plus (most important) lots of curious visitors!

I've just received the show report for this year's Ireland Koi Show which took place at the beginning of August. Seeing the report took me back a couple of years to the summer that I paid a visit over there to check out the hobbyist scene.