How to prepare your pond for Fall and Winter

Ponds are easier to ready for winter than you may expect. Good winterizing techniques mean live healthy fish through the winter and a beautiful, well maintained pond in the spring. By following these few easy steps you are on your way to a successful spring eco-system.

1. Netting – Use a Nylon net, such as Laguna, to cover your pond helping to prevent leaves and miscellaneous debris from entering. By preventing debris from entering the pond, you are able to have a safer healthier spring with less decaying matter in the bottom of your pond. Decaying matter causes increased levels of Nitrite, which can hurt your fish and ecosystem and also reduce the oxygen levels of your pond.  The netting should not be allowed to drape into the water.  A structure (generally made of PVC) should be used to keep the net off the water.  The netting should be cleaned of debris whenever possible.

2. Bacteria – Use Cold Weather Bacteria, such as Microbe-Lift Autumn Prep. Microbe-Lift Autumn Prep’s bacteria will survive the freezing months and become even more active when the temperature rises. This will help to keep your eco-system alive by reducing ammonia and breaking down harmful waste throughout the cold winter months.  Using cold weather bacteria is one of the most effective ways to ensure a good spring for your pond.

3. Food – A wheatgerm food should be fed to your fish before and after winter. During the cold winter months there is no need to feed your fish. Wheatgerm bulks fish up for the winter and is low in protein, which they are unable to process in low temperatures. Feeding your fish wheat germ is very important and helps lead to healthier fish in the spring months.  It is usually suggested to discontinue feeding your koi/fish around Thanksgiving or when the water reaches 55 degrees or below.  Do not begin feeding your fish again until the water warms to above 55 degrees in the spring.

4. De-Icer – Use a de-icer sized correctly for your pond size and location. There are many de-icers on the market. Energy consumption is a major factor in selecting your de-icer, however, you should never buy one too small just to save a buck on energy. De-icers will not “heat” your pond; they are designed to simply keep an area from freezing over entirely. The reason this is important is to allow harmful gases that build up in the water to dissipate into the air where they cannot harm your fish. Without a de-icer in your pond, the health of your fish will most likely be in jeopardy.  Some common de-icers are the Laguna 200 watt de-icer and the Farm Innovators 1250 watt de-icer.  The laguna 200 watt is good in ponds less than 2000 gallons (depending on location) where as the 1250 watt de-icer is fine in larger ponds up to 5000 gallons.  If your pond freezes over entirely, it is important not to bang on the ice, but instead to thaw the ice using warm water. Fish are very sensitive to vibrations especially during the cold winter months.

5. Equipment – It is generally recommended that you discontinue the use of your pump during winter, unless it is used as a de-icer. The pump should be taken out of the pond and stored in a small container of water in a basement or other cool dry area. Keeping the pump in water will help maintain good o-rings. UVs, pressurized filters, and any other item which can be broken if frozen should also be brought inside.

I sell the majority of items needed to ready a pond for the cold months.  These items are available in my eBay store Pet and Pond Supplies.

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