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#1
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Overwintering fish question
HI all
I know that I should be enjoying the fish in my pond instead of worrying about putting them to bed for the winter but..... I live in the Chicago area. This is my pond's first year and the water is amazingly clear and healthy and the plants and fish are thriving (3 new babies). It has all been too good to be true. Thus my concern for the overwinter survival of my fish that were transplanted from someones overstocked pond. My pond is about 14x16 and about 26" at the deepest spot which is about 4'x4'. I have ten fantail goldfish ranging in length from 6" to 9" (plus the 3 babies). If I put a floating deicer in over the deepest part of the pond will the depth be enough to overwinter the fish in the Chicago winter climate? Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Randy |
#2
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Overwintering fish question
Hi Randy,
Yes, you should be by the pond with a glass of wine. 50 lashes with a limp reed. ;-) I'll post my winter check list and hopefully we'll have some windy city ponders check in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Choose a method to keep a hole open in the ice. This allows for gases from decomposing plant and fish waste to escape and oxygen to enter the pond. A luft 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. 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 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 and the watergardening labradors http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html |
#3
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Overwintering fish question
30 " is a little light. It will freeze, keep a 3" hole open with a water
flow from a hose and pump. I let mine run all winter long . It gives oxygen and leaves out gases. Mine is going on it's fifth year. Mother nature will tell the fish to bulk up for the winter and they will hibernate well. Good Luck "K30a" wrote in message ... Hi Randy, Yes, you should be by the pond with a glass of wine. 50 lashes with a limp reed. ;-) I'll post my winter check list and hopefully we'll have some windy city ponders check in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Choose a method to keep a hole open in the ice. This allows for gases from decomposing plant and fish waste to escape and oxygen to enter the pond. A luft 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. 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 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 and the watergardening labradors http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html |
#4
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Overwintering fish question
Xref: kermit rec.ponds:128544
Thanks Rich Are you saying that my 26" depth is not enough to keep the fish in the pond over the Chicago winter? If so I will bring them in b/c I don't want to lose them. But if it is completely safe for them to stay in the pond I would rather they didn't have to be moved. They are still kind of skittish as it is b/c they have been moved three times this year already. Rich wrote in message ... 30 " is a little light. It will freeze, keep a 3" hole open with a water flow from a hose and pump. I let mine run all winter long . It gives oxygen and leaves out gases. Mine is going on it's fifth year. Mother nature will tell the fish to bulk up for the winter and they will hibernate well. Good Luck "K30a" wrote in message ... Hi Randy, Yes, you should be by the pond with a glass of wine. 50 lashes with a limp reed. ;-) I'll post my winter check list and hopefully we'll have some windy city ponders check in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Choose a method to keep a hole open in the ice. This allows for gases from decomposing plant and fish waste to escape and oxygen to enter the pond. A luft 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. 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 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 and the watergardening labradors http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html |
#5
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Overwintering fish question
Point well taken....Believe me I can sit there for a long time and just
enjoy the pond. Although an Absolute and Cranberry would be my summer drink of choice. Your tips are great. Thanks I hope I make the right decision as to whether to leave them in and chance it or to bring tham in for the winter. Our winters can be brutal or they can be mild. It's a crapshoot. Cheers "K30a" wrote in message ... Hi Randy, Yes, you should be by the pond with a glass of wine. 50 lashes with a limp reed. ;-) I'll post my winter check list and hopefully we'll have some windy city ponders check in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 Choose a method to keep a hole open in the ice. This allows for gases from decomposing plant and fish waste to escape and oxygen to enter the pond. A luft 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. 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 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 and the watergardening labradors http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html |
#6
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Overwintering fish question
"rlb827" wrote in message . net... Are you saying that my 26" depth is not enough to keep the fish in the pond over the Chicago winter? It's plenty. I live in zone 5b, and I winter my sarasa comets over every winter in 18" of water, using the following: 1. cheapo aquarium bubbler with 2 hoses and airstones 2. floating pond heater "donut" 3. a very large PVC "y" connector sunken in the middle of the bottom for the 4 fish to take cover in. Haven't lost a fish yet in 3 winters, and the last one was plenty cold and very snowy. You can do it. NJ |
#7
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Overwintering fish question
you can leave them in if you put a low greenhouse over the pond, keep your pump
running in a bucket filter, use some aeration and have a 1800 watt heat available in case the water does freeze over. Ingrid "rlb827" wrote: Are you saying that my 26" depth is not enough to keep the fish in the pond over the Chicago winter? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make. |
#8
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Overwintering fish question
I know that I should be enjoying the fish in my pond instead of worrying
about putting them to bed for the winter but..... I live in the Chicago area. snip My pond is about 14x16 and about 26" at the deepest spot which is about 4'x4'. I have ten fantail goldfish ranging in length from 6" to 9" (plus the 3 babies). Randy Hi Randy, Well I have a different answer than the rest. If you have the means to bring them in, you'll be less worried about them. You say fantails, if any of those fantails are orandas they should come in regardless. Many times orandas flip upside down when the temps start cooling off. I don't leave any of my big fantails out in Zone 7a. I can leave the babies out, but I have more than 3 out there, some very small, enough make it that other than one of two I can leave them out with just an airstone to keep a hole open. ~ jan See my ponds and filter design: http://users.owt.com/jjspond/ ~Keep 'em Wet!~ Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a To e-mail see website |
#9
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Overwintering fish question
If I put a floating deicer in over the deepest
part of the pond will the depth be enough to overwinter the fish in the Chicago winter climate? Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Randy I pull my pumps up from the botom and continue to run my waterfall all winter. It was really cold this January in Connecticut and we did fine. I am going to try an airstone this year just as a second safeguard. Colleen Zone 5 Connecticut |
#10
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Overwintering fish question
Are you saying that my 26" depth is not enough to keep the fish in the pond Mine is only about 26 at it's deepest point and again this will be our 4th winter. Colleen zone 5 Connecticut |
#11
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Overwintering fish question
"~ jan JJsPond.us" wrote in message s.com... I know that I should be enjoying the fish in my pond instead of worrying about putting them to bed for the winter but..... I live in the Chicago area. snip My pond is about 14x16 and about 26" at the deepest spot which is about 4'x4'. I have ten fantail goldfish ranging in length from 6" to 9" (plus the 3 babies). Randy Hi Randy, Well I have a different answer than the rest. If you have the means to bring them in, you'll be less worried about them. You say fantails, if any of those fantails are orandas they should come in regardless. Many times orandas flip upside down when the temps start cooling off. I don't leave any of my big fantails out in Zone 7a. I can leave the babies out, but I have more than 3 out there, some very small, enough make it that other than one of two I can leave them out with just an airstone to keep a hole open. ~ jan See my ponds and filter design: http://users.owt.com/jjspond/ I was thinking the same thing. Fantails dont do as well as common goldfish in cold water, especially the bigger bodied fantails. sandra |
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