I am wondering what I need to do to prepare my wee little pond for the winter. We do not freeze over and the coldest we get is about 30 degees F. which usually only lasts a couple of nights.
I know I cut back and remove any dead or dying leaves and remove any leaves that fall in the same as the rest of the year, but is there anything else I need to do? Do I leave the pump running? Do I lower the water level so it doesn't overflow in the rainy season or just let it overflow by itself?
Should I remove the plants or just leave them as they are since the water will not freeze over?
Your help will be much appreciated by this ponding newbee!
? Preparing pond for winter
Zanymuse, its a good idea to do a 1/3 water change in the fall, because toxins build up during the summer months, remember to add dechlorinater. SKim out any leaves and organic matter, because the decomposing leaves and plants take up much needed oxygen that the fish need in the winter. Test the water for ph, ammonia, and nitrites levels, because the water needs to as healthy as possible. Switch to fall/winter food at 60 degrees and stop feeding at 55 degrees, the fish cannot digest the food at that temp. due to their heart rate slows down to preserve energy. Since your water doen't completely freeze you can run the pump during the winter but raise the pump up from the bottom of the pond, so that the warmer water at the bottom of the pond isn't constantly being replaced be colder surface water. I turn mine off nights that freeze. Cut dead leaves and stems of hardy aquatic plants to 3 inches above container and submerse below freeze line. Tropical plants will need to go inside in a warm well lite room, keep very moist all the time. Its a good Idea to put a net over the pond for a couple reasons, one its keeps the leaves from dropping in to the pond which can take up the needed oxygen, second, since there are no plants to protect the fish from predetors the net will protect them. I hope this helps you. There are also water treatments for fall/winter made by microbe-lift which keeps the pond healthy and gives a good jump start in the spring, its all natural. Happy pondering. Patrick
Thankyou Patrick. That is just the info I needed. I have a couple days off nest week and want to get a jump start on winterizing befor we get our first cold spell.
I'm glad that helped, you should still have a couple months to go, right? How big is your pond?
Well,we are in the middle of a heat wave again this week with temps in the 80's but if things go as normal...whatever that is..we should get a cold snap and frost in a couple weeka and then one last warm spell before winter moves in to stay and the rains begin.
My pond is tiny, only 90 gallons about the size of a claw foot tub. But it is the perfect size for my postage stamp sized yard.