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Articles/FAQ
Winterization: Over-Wintering Your Pond Are your fish and plants ready for
cold weather? Introduction Right now, most of us are getting ready for fall by
pulling up faded annuals, mulching perennial beds and raking leaves. Autumn
clean-up comes almost instinctively to seasoned gardeners. But what about the
water garden? Is your pond ready for winter? Even the most successful water
gardeners sometimes wonder if the pond will "make it " through the winter.
Stop worrying. Let’s look at the steps necessary to over-winter the pond and
discuss how it relates to a beautiful water garden next spring. Why can’t I
just let nature take care of my pond? All summer long, you’ve enjoyed the
tranquility of the water garden-beautiful foliage, sounds of trickling water
and colorful fish eagerly awaiting a handful of food. The water garden didn’t
get that way by itself. You added the right kinds of plants and fish to create
a balanced ecosystem. The water gardens we create look beautiful and sustain
life because we follow nature’s rules. It’s the same during the winter months.
Despite all outward appearances, the pond is active even when the water is
cold or even frozen. Dead leaves, algae, insects and solid fish waste that
have accumulated over the summer slowly break down during the winter months.
This natural decomposition uses oxygen and produces small amounts of hydrogen
sulfide, a toxic gas that normally never reaches a harmful level. Few water
gardeners realize that the pond must be balanced in winter too. Fish, frogs
and other aquatic life are especially sensitive to poor water quality in
winter. A build-up of leaves and other organic matter can cause an imbalance,
reducing oxygen to dangerously low levels and releasing poisonous hydrogen
sulfide. One autumn I decided to see how well nature would take care of my two
ponds. I let the lily leaves die back naturally, falling into the pond. Leaves
and sludge covered the bottom of the pond. What could go wrong? It looked
natural. Come next spring when the ice melted, I was shoveling out black,
stinky ooze garnished with dead snails, frogs and my prized fish. I learned my
lesson well. Now I use a coarse net to remove dead leaves. I also use a fine
weave aquarium net to remove sludge. You can reduce sludge build-up with
bacterial "cleaning" products for water gardens. These products contain
bacteria that digest dead algae, plants and sludge that accumulate in filters
and at the bottom of the pond. Bacterial products are completely safe and help
keep water gardens clean. While your stirring things up, why not change some
of the water? Algae promoting nutrients, dissolved organic matter and natural
acids build up in all water gardens. These substances can stress pond life and
lower oxygen and pH levels. Partial water changes flush out these substances
and improve water quality. I change 50 % of the water in my ponds in autumn.
If a pond has a lot of suspended matter or the water is tinted yellow from
dissolved organics, I’ll make two water changes a day apart. While I’m pumping
out the water, I stir up the sludge. Pump out the sludge and old water at the
same time! Remember to add Chloramine Buster
to the pond before refilling it with tap water.
Chloramine Buster will condition the water and add a protective slime coat
for the fish Too much of a good thing This may seem contradictory, but you
want to leave a little bit of debris in the pond when preparing it for winter.
Some water gardeners net out the fish, completely drain the water and scrub
out the pond, refilling it with fresh water. Frogs, tadpoles, snails and
microscopic pond life need to burrow down into mud and leaves to survive the
winter. Fish also hibernate on the bottom, settling in around a bed of leaves
and mud. I remove about 90% of the leaves and silt that have accumulated over
the summer. Leave the rest as "bedding material." You’ll be amazed at the
diversity of pond life that emerges in spring. Keep in mind that tree leaves
will continually blow into the pond as long as the water isn’t frozen. I
recommend covering the pond with bird netting. This black plastic netting is
almost invisible and prevents tree leaves and debris from getting into the
pond. Pumps and filters You won’t need to filter the water but it’s a good
idea to keep it moving at the pond’s surface. Pond life needs oxygen even
during hibernation. If ice covers the surface of the pond, oxygen can’t get in
and toxic gasses can’t get out. Submerged pumps with fountains or waterfalls
will oxygenate the water and keep a portion of the pond from freezing. If you
live in an area that freezes solid I recommend using a pump and fountain to
aerate the water. Set the pump on bricks about one foot below the water. This
will prevent the pump from getting clogged with leaves. If your fountain
output appears to be diminishing, check the pump to make sure it is not
clogged. Floating pond heaters are available to keep a small area free of ice.
You can also use an aquarium air pump and diffuser stone to oxygenate and
prevent ice formation. Even if the pond completely freezes over, the air pump
keeps pumping oxygen into the water. Over-wintering pond fish The metabolism
of koi and goldfish is controlled primarily by water temperature. As the water
cools, pond fish require less protein in their diet. When koi and goldfish are
fed high-protein food in cool water, the excess protein is excreted as ammonia
from the gills. The microscopic organisms that make up the biological filter
(and consume ammonia) also slow down in cooler water. Improper seasonal
feeding can lead to a build-up of toxic ammonia, which stresses fish and
reduces their winter survivability. When the water temperature drops to
approximately 65° F, start feeding with
Spring & Autumn Floating Pellets. This type of fish food is better
suited for the dietary requirements of pond fish in cool water and won’t
pollute the water with excess ammonia. Some water gardeners continue to feed
their fish until they no longer come to the surface. I stop feeding my pond
fish when the water falls below 42° F. There is no need to worry about "frozen
fish" if a section of the pond is at least 18 inches deep. Pond fish will seek
the deepest part of the pond and over-winter there until the water warms in
the spring. If your pond is less than 18 inches deep, the fish may freeze
during a harsh winter. Check with your local pond supplier if you live in an
area with harsh winters. Water gardeners with shallow ponds can keep their koi
and goldfish in kiddie pools or aquariums set up in a cool basement or garage.
All that is required is an aquarium air pump or small fountain to provide
oxygenation. The fish are fed infrequently, if at all, depending on the water
temperature. pH, ammonia and nitrite should be monitored weekly, especially if
the fish are fed. Small water changes (20%) each month will keep the water in
good shape until spring. Koi are "jumpers"-so be sure to cover the pool with
bird netting! Caring for aquatic plants Long after the impatiens have been
pulled out, water gardeners are still hoping for that last lily bloom. For
some reason, we want to squeeze every leaf, bud and blossom out of our aquatic
plants before winter. Unfortunately, cold weather often comes before we’ve
trimmed the cattails or pruned the lilies. Wait too long and all those
beautiful leaves will fall off and rot in the water. Trim bog and marsh plants
such as papyrus, taro and cattails, before frost hits. Pull out the hardy
water lilies and trim off all the leaves. Yes, even that last bud! Put all the
potted plants into the deepest area of the pond to prevent freeze damage.
Tropical lilies won’t survive the winter and are often treated as annuals,
discarded in autumn. Some water gardeners have saved tropical lilies by
storing them in peat moss. Trim off the leaves and roots and cover the
rhizomes in a tray of damp (not wet) peat moss. The peat moss has antiseptic
properties and helps inhibit rotting of the rhizome. The tray of peat moss
should be kept in a cool basement or garage and sprayed with water
periodically to prevent drying out. Inexpensive submerged plants, such as
Elodea and Cabomba should be discarded. Winter’s rest The transition of summer
to autumn does not mark the death of the water garden. It’s simply a time of
rest for aquatic life. With proper care, the fish, hardy plants and tiny
organisms that balanced your pond in the summer can survive the winter. Much
of this care is simply an adaptation of the pond maintenance you’ve been
practicing throughout the summer. It is also a good idea to add
Fall and Winter Formula to your pond it contains live beneficial bacteria
to keep ponds clean, clear and healthy throughout the long winter months. It
aids nature in breaking down fallen leaves, sediment fish waste and excess
food to keep you fish and pond health through the lone Winter months. Don’t
wait for winter-get the pond ready now! You’ll have healthier fish, hardier
plants and clearer water in the spring.
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