Hello Winter!
Winter and your water feature...
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| This is a photo of our "Journey" pond this morning taken from inside. (Are you crazy, it's too cold to go out.) The temperature was 15 degrees. The pond is not running but we have an aerator running at the surface of the pond that is keeping the opening you see in the photo. |
What the heck is that floating on the surface of the water this morning -- oh, yeah, it's ice!
Yes winter has arrived.
So should we all be freaking out because our fish are cold or the plants are frozen or something else?
Nope, no worries. Just consider the items listed below and you and your pond will be just fine!
Keep a hole in the ice for gas exchange if you have fish or frogs.
Critters need oxygen of course, but the carbon dioxide they expel and the carbon dioxide that's produced by decaying organic matter must be able to escape the pond as well.
Critters need oxygen of course, but the carbon dioxide they expel and the carbon dioxide that's produced by decaying organic matter must be able to escape the pond as well.
To keep a hole in the pond, use either an aerator placed at the surface of the water or a pond deicer.
Don't ever unplug your pump with out disconnecting it from the plumbing.
If you do not disconnect your pump, water may remain in the pipe. Freezing water inside the pipe may make it burst. Whoa... that's a costly and invasive project you don't want!
Also, once you have disconnected your pump, take it out and store it inside. Store it in a 5 gallon bucket filled with distilled water.
If your pump is running this winter, keep the pond at its full level.
You don't want your pump to starve for water. This can really lessen the life of the pump and if it's still under warranty, void it completely. You should know the full level of your pond and do your best to keep it there. This is difficult but not impossible as ice starts to form.
You don't want your pump to starve for water. This can really lessen the life of the pump and if it's still under warranty, void it completely. You should know the full level of your pond and do your best to keep it there. This is difficult but not impossible as ice starts to form.
This is the exact reason we no longer run our pumps in the winter. It's no fun filling a pond at 10:00pm when its 10 degrees outside.... just saying.
Leaves, dead plants, filter media, algae, ice.... these are all culprits of water backups. Water backups drain the water feature and starve the pump.
This is a photo of a frozen waterfall that could easily have suffered a backup. Luckily the water was running under the frozen ice instead of backing up behind it.
Our best advice... count the days until spring. No, not really. Just remember your water feature is getting a nice rest this winter. There's no need to worry if you keep the suggestions above in mind.
Cool Ponds is here for you. Click here for much more winter info.
Happy Winter!
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