Pond World- The Blog

Fall is upon us and it is time to start thinking about making winter preparations for your pond.   The goal for winterizing a pond should be to minimize as much waste entering the pond as possible. During the winter months, the pond is not able to aerobically break down waste due to the inactivity of beneficial pond bacteria, which can create noxious gasses and toxins to build up in the water.  Items like pond netting are a real advantage this time of year to protect the pond from the influx of leaves, needles and debris from making their way into the water.  They come in all shapes and sizes, but perform the same function.

People in the extreme north should also look into pond de-icers.  A completely frozen over pond can spell trouble due to its inability to vent gasses from the pond.  De-icers and heaters are designed to keep portions of the pond thawed out to allow for the venting and exchange of gasses.

During the fall, attention should also be given to your fish feeding habits.  As water cools, fish metabolism slows therefore fish need to be fed less to limit the amount of waste produced.  Also, a more easily digestible diet is also recommended such as wheat germ diet.  Once water temps reach below 50 degrees fish feeding should cease all together.

Certain precautions also need to be followed if you have a pond with important pond plants.  Depending upon the type of plant, there are a few different measures to take.  First off, any tropical plants should be brought indoors during the winter as they are not suited for cold weather.  Plants that reside in ponds whose surfaces freeze, can be cut back and sunk to the bottom of the pond, or they can be brought indoors.  Of course the pond freezes totally, all plants should be brought indoors.  Plants should also be cut back in the fall to remove any dying leaves or stems that could fall off into the pond and decay.

Remember taking the necessary precautions in the fall and winter, make for a successful spring start up.