norraandchris,

Not a silly question at all...

There's no need to drain your pond, especially if it's 4' deep. One
thing I would recommend, however, is to shut off your pump during the
colder months. Why? Because in the pond you have thermal layers
(different temperatures) wherby the water at the bottom will generally
be slightly warmer by a few degrees than at the top (near the cold
air). So, by circulating the water, you are actually making it colder
for the fish hibernating at the bottom. As long as it doesnt freeze
over, this is the best solution: Drain and / or remove your filter,
and unplug your pump ( or remove and put in your garage). The best
way to keep it from freezing over is either use an air pump, or a
de-icer.

For a complete article on winterizing your pond, you can visit this
link:

http://www.macarthurwatergardens.com...interizing.htm

Hope this helps.

Brett

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Brett Fogle
MacArthur Water Gardens
www.macarthurwatergardens.com
www.pond-filters-online.com
www.4-pond-pumps.com
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