Paul wrote What happens over the winter when the plants die back or have to
be removed
to shelter, does this have an effect on your pond filtration?

Filtration doesn't happen during winter.
The biobugs shut down at about 40 degrees.
The fish shut down too. They swim slowly around when undisturbed but their
digestive systems slow way down. That is why we don't feed them after the pond
water gets below 55 degrees. Anything they eat will just sit there for the most
part.

In the spring algae will be the first thing to get going. The fish will graze
on the algae. I toss in watercress and the fish will nibble on that. What
doesn't get eaten will start growing. The other plants start growing soon
thereafter. I will sometimes have some muzziness in the spring from algae
growth. I start my filter and waterfall going about then.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html