Winterization Do's and Don'ts

Winterization Do's and Don'ts

It is already that time of year, where did the summer go? Now it is time to get the pond ready for winter and to do a few simple fish to help make sure your fish survive until spring:

Hopefully you will already have moved your tropical plants inside, so they do not freeze! Examples (but not a complete list of plants that must be moved inside in colder climates: Water Canna, Taro, Umbrella Palm, Papyrus and tropical Water Lilies.... Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce should be fished out and discarded. If allowed to die in the pond they will sink and make a terrible mess to clean up in the spring (they will also foul the water and take up valuable oxygen while decomposing.

Stop feeding the fish when the water temperature dips below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, they will no longer be able to digest food. Koi in particular should be fed a cool weather food once water temps go below 65 degrees to make sure they can digest it properly.

Put netting over the pond if there are a lot of trees around, to prevent them from ending up in your pond! Netting also helps to protect your fish from predators once the plants die down and no longer provide cover.

Ensure that your fish have adequate oxygen during the winter by either letting a pump run or putting a de-icer in the pond. T I P: Pumps tend to clog and it is very unpleasant to have to clean them when the water is cold. Using a de-icer instead eliminates that chore - crowded ponds may need an air pump in addition to a de-icer to provide adequate oxygen.

The PondMarket provides a completely free ebook that is short and to the point and takes you through winterization step by step (taking a few moments for winterization makes spring start-up much, much easier). Just go to http://www.pondmarket.com and click on any of the "free ebooks" links and download your copy.

The PondMarket also provides not only all winterization products but many kits that we have put together which will make winterization much simpler: Winterization Kits