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Winterizing pond question

CichlidDan

Members
This year will be the first time I winterize my pond to keep goldfish out during the winter. Just wanted to know besides cleaning out the debris and trimming back the water Lillies should I buy any additives? What water temp should I stop feeding? Will a de- be enough or should I get an air pump as well? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
Dan
 

CichlidDan

Members
This year will be the first time I winterize my pond to keep goldfish out during the winter. Just wanted to know besides cleaning out the debris and trimming back the water Lillies should I buy any additives? What water temp should I stop feeding? Will a de- be enough or should I get an air pump as well? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
Dan
*de-icer
 

JLW

CCA Members
Hey Dan,

The answer depends a lot on the size of the pond and other factors. Generally, keeping a small hole in the ice with a deicer is adequate. Keep in mind that an aerator can greatly cool the pond -- you're pumping cold air through the water, and you're mixing your layers of different temperature (which may not be a factor if its shallow).

You don't need to add anything to the plants until spring -- and I usually wait until they're starting to grow a bit to do so (that way I'm not adding fertiliser tabs to one that didn't make it through the winter!)
 

Frank Cowherd

Global Moderators
Staff member
My ponds have not had much ice in the last few winters. So there has not been much of a concern about the fish successfully overwintering as when the ice covered the ponds for four to six weeks or more at a time. I uses a watering trough deicer for a while a long time ago. Then I went to a stream of bubbles from a vibrator air pump to maintain a small hole in the ice. And it works well to maintain oxygen in the water below the ice. I use a regular plastic air line with the open end weighted to stay under water using a small piece of white PVC. To protect the air pump from rain and snow I place it in a plastic bag.

Plant stems sticking up through the ice also allow oxygen to get below the ice, so I wait until spring to remove these things.

I quite feeding when the water temperature is below 45F. Fish cannot digest food well below 45 but they will continue to eat probably by habit. I wait until the water temperature is above 50 to 60 to start feeding again in the spring.

In the spring before starting to feed and after the temperature is above 50 I clean the ponds of all debris and change 50 or 60 % of the water. Only after this is done do I turn on the pumps and filters. This is the time to add salt if you want to add salt.

Pumps can be left on all winter provided they do not cause the fish to swim against a strong current. The fish need to conserve as much energy as possible to survive the winter without eating. If they are forced to swim against a current for months they may not survive.
 

JLW

CCA Members
At only 24" deep, I would worry about fish making it through a harsh winter. Most of our winters, you'll be fine, but a prolonged cold period or an old fashioned winter, you may not have sufficient depth.
 

Frank Cowherd

Global Moderators
Staff member
In the last 20 years I have not seen ice over 6 to 8 inches thick. My ponds are in the ground lined with rubber sheeting. If you have an above the ground pond or tub the ice can get a lot thicker. I do not know if an above the ground pond can freeze solid.
 

CichlidDan

Members
It’s one of the hard pre-formed pond liners in the ground but not all the way maybe 4-5” of it is above ground.
 

shanyblock

New Member
Once the water temperatures go below 40°F, it's time to stop feeding until spring.
I think you should also get an air pump as it allows the fish to breathe more oxygen. It ensures that your tank maintains the proper oxygen levels, which is very important. Besides, it can be used to force water through the filter.
 
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