I switch all my pumps off once the cold really sets not so much for
energy-saving but because:
Algae and waterbugs in your pond or filter box effectively die or hibernate
in some form or other once the water temperture heads toward freezing. If
the filter especially is not cleaned out before reuse all those dead,
rotting organisms join your fish and can kill them. If fish are in your
pond and the water is deep enough so it does not freeze each winter then any
pump which circulates water will upset the natural thermal layers within the
pond which all fish take advantage of during the winter which enable them to
pull through.

I keep fish in my ponds simply to eat all water larvae that would otherwise
turn into mosquitoes. This works and yet (somehow) I still enjoy masses of
mayflies and dragonflies each summer so they may indeed use another source
In March my cleaned pump, pipework and filter is switched back on just as
the ground and water temps begin to rise.
Regards
Mike Gilmore
WinsfordWalledGarden, SW England,
USDA Zone9a
wrote in message
...
If the fountains are purely decorative, that is, no fish and no wildlife
is going to
drink or live in it, then no they dont have to be run and algaecides can
be used....
even bleach to keep algae and bacteria down.
however, in between is the use of a cheap air pump (wave castle at Kmart)
with a
couple airstones will stop the stagnation and smell. it uses so little
energy. of
course, at this time of the year pumps arent run in the frozen north.
Ingrid

"Natty_Dread" wrote:
Are water feature
pumps, like those installed in small fountains, waterfalls or ponds,
supposed to be left running all the time? I'm assuming they are, in
order
to prevent stagnation and the development of algae. If so, are they much
of
an impact on one's electric bill?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
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endorsements or recommendations I make.