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Best Ways To Winterize Your Pond

Winter signals the end of the koi fish water garden pond year and can often be the most challenging season for the pond keeper. Water freezes cutting off gas exchange or total freezes encasing the residents of the fish pond among many of the scenario’s that have to be handled. There are two main ways to Winterize your fish pond. We will look at both options.

1. Everything Keeps Running

Ideally fish pond is 24-36 inches deep and located in southern half of the USA.
1. Clean out the pond bottom to make sure the pond is deep as possible and to remove any decaying matter that as built up over the Fall.
2. Cover the pond with pond netting to stop leaves and other debris been allowed into the pond, this is important as not to allow a build up of decaying matter in the bottom of the pond releasing gases that may not be able to escape if a layer of ice develops.
3. Add ice preventative device or aeration to keep the pond surface moving to prevent freezing.

2. Pumps & Filters Are Turned Off

This is more suited for ponds located in the northern states where a hard winter is expected.
1. Clean out the pond bottom to make sure the pond is deep as possible and to remove any decaying matter that as built up over the Fall.
2. Remove the pond pump and Filter, if the filter can not be removed, empty where possible of water and remove parts like the uv clarifer.
3. Blow any buried hose tubing that may be connecting the two with air to remove as much water as possible, when water freezes it expands so could damage the hose.
4. Add an ice preventative device or aeration to keep the pond surface moving to prevent freezing. This is important not to allow the pond to totally freeze so gas exchange can still take place.

Useful Tips

If a pond freezes solid, melt a hole with hot water from a kettle, never crack the ice , the shock waves may injure the fish. If aeration is used, ensure the bubbler airstone is 6 inches below the surface. In this way does not drag up warmer water from under the thermocline and cool it down. Change 25% Of the water and check the water readings with a test kit.