Hi DeAnna!!

Here's a collection of tips from rec.ponds over the years for winter ponding.
Your area's conditions are your first consideration.

Winter Pond Check List

Tropicals should be removed and wintered over indoors or discarded.

After the first good frost trim up as much dead foligage as you can.

Remove leaves as they blow into the pond or spread nets over the pond to catch
them (anchor securely). Do not let netted leaves dip into the pond.

Stop feeding fish when the water temperature reaches about 55 degrees. The fish
go into a kind of fishy hibernation and will hang out near the bottom.

Choose a method to keep a hole open in any ice forming.
This allows for gases from decomposing plant and fish waste to escape and
oxygen to enter the pond.

An air pump with an airstone works well and seems to be the most energy
efficient method.

De-icers float on the surface and switch on when the water gets cold enough to
form ice.

The pump can be raised off the bottom and the flow directed up to the surface
of the water.

If the pump is turned off remove the pump, clean it and store it for the winter
according to the directions that came with the pump. It can also stay in the
pond overwinter which is what I do.

Turn off the filter at about 40 degree water temperature, clean it and have it
ready to go in the spring. Never turn on a filter that has been sitting over
the winter without cleaning it first - noxious dead bio bugs will enter the
pond.

Running a waterfall during winter can be very pretty but....
ice freezing can redirect the water out of the pond, a strong current is hard
for fish to swim against and doesn't allow them a layer of 'warmer' water near
the bottom of the pond.

Ponders in the really frozen zones bring in their fish (the depth of your pond
is an important factor).
A large stock tank is a wise investment. Add oxygen with a bubbler and net the
tank to prevent fish from jumping out. Do not feed the fish if the water
temperature is below 55 degrees. If the water is warmer a filter will be needed
for fish that are fed over the winter.
(A stock tank is also handy for quarantining new fish before adding them to
your pond.)

A winter pond can be very pretty and enjoyable if you are prepared.

Fussing around the pond in 2 degree weather is *not* fun, been there, done
that.




k30a