Winter is Coming!

Pond Market Winter Check List Guide for Ponds
Fall has passed and Winter is just around the corner.
What do you do to protect your Pond from the harsh elements and the wrath that Mother Nature can bring us sometimes?
Below is a great Winter Checklist Guide.

Pond Plants

-Prune dead leaves (leave at least 3 or 4 inches of stems)
-Move hardy marginal Pond Plant into deeper water (several inches below the freezing line)
-Bring tropical marginal Pond Plant inside, store by a window and keep very moist all winter (some leaves will wilt but the plant will perk back up in the Spring)
-Check the cold hardiness of your Pond Plants
-Check the USDA Hardiness Map for your area
-Watch the Pond Plant Winterization Seminar Video


Pond Fish (Koi, Goldfish, Golden Orfe, etc)

-Switch to Cool Weather Pond Fish Food once the water temperature of the Pond drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (Pond Fish do not have a stomach and their digestion slows which can lead to impaction if food with too much protein is fed in cooler water)
-Keep a Pond Thermometer in the Pond to closely monitor water temperature
-Stop feeding the Pond Fish once the water temperature drops below 48 degrees
-Add Pond Salt & Koi TLC to increase the slime coat, help ward off parasites & disease & reduce stress
-Watch the Pond Fish Winterization Seminar


Pond Filters

-Thoroughly clean the Pond Filter
-Inspect the Pond Filter for any wear or damage (it is best to order Pond Filter Replacement Parts now, so the Pond Filter is ready to go in the spring)
-Submersible Pond Filters & Pond Filters without UV should be disconnected & stored in a frost free area
-External Pond Filters w/UV should be stored in a frost free area if you plan to turn it off during the winter
-Watch the Pond Filter Winterization Seminar


Pond Pumps

-Thoroughly clean the Pond Pump
-Inspect the Pond Pump for wear and damage (order Pond Pump Replacement Parts now so it is ready for spring)
-Move the Pond Pump well below the freezing line if it will be left running
-Take the Pond Pump inside if it will be turned off
-Watch the Pond Equipment Winterization Seminar


Pond Water Quality

-Use a Pond Fish Net or Skimmer Net to scoop out dead leaves & other debris on the pond bottom
-Change 1/3 of the Pond Water (be sure to use de-chlorinator)
-Test the Pond Water for pH level, Ammonia and Nitrite
-Make further slow water changes if Ammonia and Nitrite are present
-Adjust the pH level to within 6.8 - 8.0
-Add cool weather Beneficial Bacteria to digest any left-over leaf debris and organic waste (this goes a long way to avoiding a complete pond draining in the spring)
-Use a Barley Product to inhibit stringy growth on pond rocks, waterfall, liner and other water features
-Use Restor to clean existing stringy and slimy growth off the waterfall, rocks, liner and pond plants


Pond Winterization Equipment

-Install a Pond De-Icer to keep a hole in the ice on the Pond surface to let toxic gases escape (carbon monoxide produced by the Pond Fish)
-Use a Pond Air Pump in Ponds with Koi or high Pond Fish Populations to ensure sufficient oxygen when the Pond freezes over
-Cover the Pond with Pond Netting to keep out leaves and protect the Pond Fish from predators

Pond and Garden Fun Fact

Green Water Algae has a relatively short life span.
I know that it is hard to believe when your Fish Pond looks like pea soup, but the individual cells making your water green actually only live for a few days.
These individual algae cells reproduce on such a fast rate that they are capable of making your water look green.


Not to worry though, because UV Clarifiers help keep your Green Water Algae under control. Algaecides and reducing the amount of nutrients in your water garden by using Beneficial Bacteria helps even more.

Ice Over the Pond

Having a hole in the ice of the Pond over the winter is very important. The need for a hole in the ice for toxic gases to escape during the winter can mean the difference between life and death when it comes to you Pond Fish.

Leaving a hole for noxious gases to escape will make it easier for your fish to breathe. Dangerous gases caused by plant decomposition, fish waste, etc. can do serious harm to or even kill your Pond Fish.

A Pond De-Icer will ensure a hole in the ice for these dangerous gases to escape.
Using an aerator will put oxygen back into the water so your fish can breathe.

Make sure that your Pond Fish are happy and can breathe easy.
That's what they would want from you.

Fun Pond Fact

Toads like to spend the winter close to the Pond!
Don't clean up too good around the Pond, leave a brush pile or two
for them to dig into and hide!

Pond Algae

There are many kinds of Pond Algae that come in different colors and different forms.
Surprisingly enough, algae can be green, red, and even brown.
Sometimes Pond Algae is small and makes your water look like pea soup and sometimes it's stringly like hair.
There are many ways to Treat and Control Algae in your Fish Pond.

There are Liquid and Granular types of Algeacides to keep your unpleasant Pond Algae under control.

Before treating your Fish Pond with an Algaecide it is important to make sure that your pond has a Balanced pH between 7.0 and 8.0. The closer to 7, the better.
Having a balanced pond will make your Algaecide more effective.

Using a Beneficial Bacteria will also up your chances of controlling your Algae. Beneficial Bacteria will help eliminate the nutrients that Algae feeds on.

UV Clarifiers in conjunction with a good Pond Filter make controlling all that green water a breeze. The UV clarifier makes the Algae that passes by it, sterile. Usually Algae reproduces at a fast pace, but by taking away this possibility it is easy to understand just how quickly a UV Clarifier can work. Having a good Pond Filter to catch all the sterile Algae, will help prevent Algae from going back into the pond.

After getting your Algae under control, the use of Barley Products will help ensure that you won't have Algae problems later on.

Water Garden Pond Calculations

The size of your Fish Pond(in gallons)can easily be determined with the use of formulas.
It is very important to know the amount of water you have in your Fish Pond to properly treat your Pond Fish or size up your pond for Pumps, Pond Filters, or even to just treat the water.
Knowing how many gallons you have in your Fish Pond can help prevent from overdosing and also from wasting products.

Rectangular or Square Shaped Fish Pond:
Average Length X Average Width X Average Depth X 7.5 = # of Gallons

Ex. Pond that is 4ft long, 5ft wide, & 3ft deep.
4 X 5 X 3 X 7.5 = 450 gallons


Round, Circular Shaped Fish Pond:
Diameter x Diameter x Average Depth x 5.875 = Gallons

Ex. Circular Pond that is 10ft in diameter & 3ft deep.
10 X 10 X 3 X 5.875 = 1762 gallons

Irregular shaped Water Garden Ponds are a bit trickier to calculate.
Usually it is still recommended that you take the
Average Width X Average Length X Average Depth X 7.5 to find the water volume of your Fish Pond.
This will give you a good idea of how much water your Water Garden may hold.

Take notice to consider shelves that have been made along edges of Fish Ponds and sloping Fish Pond floors.

No one has a perfectly shaped Fish Pond. So, please remember that these calculations are approximations of how many gallons of water you Fish Pond holds.

Fun (Pond) Fact

Pond Fish can be moved safely as long as the water temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above, but care must be taken to adjust the temperature of their current environment to their future one (let the fish bag float for 10 - 15 minutes for example).

How to make your Pond Fish Comfy this Season.

If your Pond Fish could have a say in furnishing their own space for the upcoming season, this is what they would want:

1) An open Window into the World: A De-Icer to keep a hole in the ice for toxic gases to get out and oxygen to get in - just like in your house

2) A Fireplace give you that cozy feeling? An Air Pump does that for your Fish! It makes them more comfortable, helps them keep healthy and improves their color in all seasons!

3) Light makes us all feel better, especially on short, dark and dreary winter days. Underwater Lights make the Pond look great, even wondrous under snow and ice and attract the errant, still moving bug as a special treat for Fish.

4) We all like a nice, safe place to rest. Fish do not need a Bed, but they do need safe places to hide from predators and Pond Netting and Koi Kastles provide that much needed protection!

Go ahead and make your Pond Fish comfy this season.
They'll love you for it!