Garden Ponds And Winter Weather

If you are someone who keeps a fishpond in their garden you already know that it is something that requires a bit of regular maintenance and care. Of course the beauty and joy that a fishpond provides is enough of a reason to accept the small margin of work required to keep it in top-notch condition.

If your pond is located in an area where winter weather brings freezing conditions, however, the fishpond is going to need a bit more work with the changing of the seasons. For one thing you will have to understand the necessary steps for winterizing a fishpond, and you will also have to do a bit of research about the appropriate pond care in winter for your particular area.

The preliminary steps for winter pond care begin in the fall when the owner should take the time to make sure their fish are in the best physical conditions possible for the long winter hibernation. This is done by supplying them with a vitamin and mineral supplement and ceasing to feed the fish once temperatures have dropped to less than forty-five degrees on a constant basis.

The next part of winterizing a fishpond includes preparing the environment to allow the fish to survive the winter months. This means that the primary steps of pond care in winter will include keeping an opening in any ice to allow oxygen to enter the water and some of the carbon dioxide captured beneath the ice to escape. It will also usually mean installing some sort of heater to keep the waters from dipping to a temperature that will kill off the hibernating fish resting in the deepest area of the pond. This is something that leads to the next part of pond care in winter – the removal of ammonia from the water, and this is usually done via an aerator of some kind.

While the regular pumps and filters are not going to be run or play a role in winterizing a fishpond for the winter months, the aerator is going to reduce the vast amounts of toxic ammonia generated by the fish.

As the winter draws to a close, the owner should make a point of inspecting the fish and the pond liner to ensure that there are no problems caused during the harsh winter weather. The later winter months are a good time to investigate the fish to see if they have developed any noticeable conditions on their skin or if any bacterial issues have occurred too.

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