Then there is always the school of thought, that in winter a little fasting
is good for koi, especially female koi that didn't spawn so they reabsorb
their eggs. I know the goldfish I bring in this year I plan to put on a
fasting month, as I had problems when spring came, they got too big, didn't
have the males or the room to spawn in a 20 gallon aquarium. Lost 2 before
I could get them outside. ~ jan


On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 23:54:52 GMT, "RichToyBox" wrote:

In zone 9 you may have such a short winter that the pond never cools to
below 50 degrees. If that is the case, feed all year. If the fish aren't
hungray, don't feed. They tend to be smarter than we are. If your
temperatures drop to below 50, it should be for a very short time, probably
the end of January, first of February. In my area, Zone 7, the ponds stay
warm enough to feed until about Christmas, and are back up and ready by late
April.

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

Then there is always the school of thought, that in winter a little fasting
is good for koi, especially female koi that didn't spawn so they reabsorb
their eggs. I know the goldfish I bring in this year I plan to put on a
fasting month, as I had problems when spring came, they got too big, didn't
have the males or the room to spawn in a 20 gallon aquarium. Lost 2 before
I could get them outside. ~ jan


On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 23:54:52 GMT, "RichToyBox" wrote:

In zone 9 you may have such a short winter that the pond never cools to
below 50 degrees. If that is the case, feed all year. If the fish aren't
hungray, don't feed. They tend to be smarter than we are. If your
temperatures drop to below 50, it should be for a very short time, probably
the end of January, first of February. In my area, Zone 7, the ponds stay
warm enough to feed until about Christmas, and are back up and ready by late
April.

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

I would say, feed less as the temp drops and be sure to check for ammonia as the
biobugs may not be as efficient. if there is a veggie filter, there may be no
problem. Ingrid

~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:
Then there is always the school of thought, that in winter a little fasting
is good for koi, especially female koi that didn't spawn so they reabsorb
their eggs. I know the goldfish I bring in this year I plan to put on a
fasting month, as I had problems when spring came, they got too big, didn't
have the males or the room to spawn in a 20 gallon aquarium. Lost 2 before
I could get them outside. ~ jan


On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 23:54:52 GMT, "RichToyBox" wrote:
In zone 9 you may have such a short winter that the pond never cools to
below 50 degrees. If that is the case, feed all year. If the fish aren't
hungray, don't feed. They tend to be smarter than we are. If your
temperatures drop to below 50, it should be for a very short time, probably
the end of January, first of February. In my area, Zone 7, the ponds stay
warm enough to feed until about Christmas, and are back up and ready by late
April.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

I would say, feed less as the temp drops and be sure to check for ammonia as the
biobugs may not be as efficient. if there is a veggie filter, there may be no
problem. Ingrid

~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:
Then there is always the school of thought, that in winter a little fasting
is good for koi, especially female koi that didn't spawn so they reabsorb
their eggs. I know the goldfish I bring in this year I plan to put on a
fasting month, as I had problems when spring came, they got too big, didn't
have the males or the room to spawn in a 20 gallon aquarium. Lost 2 before
I could get them outside. ~ jan


On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 23:54:52 GMT, "RichToyBox" wrote:
In zone 9 you may have such a short winter that the pond never cools to
below 50 degrees. If that is the case, feed all year. If the fish aren't
hungray, don't feed. They tend to be smarter than we are. If your
temperatures drop to below 50, it should be for a very short time, probably
the end of January, first of February. In my area, Zone 7, the ponds stay
warm enough to feed until about Christmas, and are back up and ready by late
April.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

1. To run the waterfall or to not run the waterfall...
Pros: ensures a hole is available for stuff to get out if pond freezes...
actually, waterflow should reduce chances of pond freezing
Looks pretty
Water tempature should be higher than if not run (true?)
Cons: Still paying electrical cost
Waterfall may freeze at parts, causing water to go outside of pond
--Is this really true? As a decent flow rate how does it freeze?

2. When to stop feeding...
-- Reports range from 55 to 45 degrees
--- at what depth do we concern ourselves with..(1' temp != 3' temp)



My first winter was last winter. I shut off my waterfall because I
did not want the splash to freeze taking water from out of my pond
leaving an ice sculpture mess. Also what happens if you loose power
for a half day and your lines freeze up? You can't just turn the
power back on in your pump. Sounds more like a mess.

Next I bought a livestock stock tank heater:

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...oductID=25 73

and put it in the pond when it started to freeze. At times I had two
to three feet of snow over the pond and could not even see where the
heater was. It worked. These are not only sold for livestock - I
have seen them in Petsmart and other petstores for use in ponds. PS:
they suck as much power as your pump too.

About feeding. I did not feed my goldfish at all my first year
because I did not see the small things in my large pond. Still, they
made it fine through the winter. This year I have been feeding them
and will stop with the first freeze. They will be fine for the
winter.

I must be doing something right because they are alot bigger and I now
have baby goldfish swimming around.

Rick

1. To run the waterfall or to not run the waterfall...
Pros: ensures a hole is available for stuff to get out if pond freezes...
actually, waterflow should reduce chances of pond freezing
Looks pretty
Water tempature should be higher than if not run (true?)
Cons: Still paying electrical cost
Waterfall may freeze at parts, causing water to go outside of pond
--Is this really true? As a decent flow rate how does it freeze?

2. When to stop feeding...
-- Reports range from 55 to 45 degrees
--- at what depth do we concern ourselves with..(1' temp != 3' temp)



My first winter was last winter. I shut off my waterfall because I
did not want the splash to freeze taking water from out of my pond
leaving an ice sculpture mess. Also what happens if you loose power
for a half day and your lines freeze up? You can't just turn the
power back on in your pump. Sounds more like a mess.

Next I bought a livestock stock tank heater:

http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp...oductID=25 73

and put it in the pond when it started to freeze. At times I had two
to three feet of snow over the pond and could not even see where the
heater was. It worked. These are not only sold for livestock - I
have seen them in Petsmart and other petstores for use in ponds. PS:
they suck as much power as your pump too.

About feeding. I did not feed my goldfish at all my first year
because I did not see the small things in my large pond. Still, they
made it fine through the winter. This year I have been feeding them
and will stop with the first freeze. They will be fine for the
winter.

I must be doing something right because they are alot bigger and I now
have baby goldfish swimming around.

Rick

"Ka30P" wrote in message
...

Hi Nasa,

Water forms layers when it is cold. The bottom of the pond can be several
degrees warmer than the top. Someone here once measured the temps with a
thermometer.

I plan to do this very experiment this winter. I am currently evaluating
three solutions.

1. A piece of PVC with aquarium syle stick on thermometers placed at regular
intervals. I would place this in the pond and then retrieve and take
readings as neccessary.

2. Buy a single water proof probe. Attach it to a stick, and take
measurements by placing it into the pond at different depths.

3. A better idea that RichToybox will suggest.

BV.

"Ka30P" wrote in message
...

Hi Nasa,

Water forms layers when it is cold. The bottom of the pond can be several
degrees warmer than the top. Someone here once measured the temps with a
thermometer.

I plan to do this very experiment this winter. I am currently evaluating
three solutions.

1. A piece of PVC with aquarium syle stick on thermometers placed at regular
intervals. I would place this in the pond and then retrieve and take
readings as neccessary.

2. Buy a single water proof probe. Attach it to a stick, and take
measurements by placing it into the pond at different depths.

3. A better idea that RichToybox will suggest.

BV.

"Ka30P" wrote in message
...
Roy wrote ut have a hard time thinking you would have a
thermocline in a pond of only 2 feet or 3 feet of depth, unless it may
be an inground type pond. I have to think an above ground pond would
be pretty darn close to the same temp most of the way down to the
bottom.

Don't know what the OP's pond is, above or below, mine is below ground.
But at
sometime someone tested the temp in their pond and there was a couple
degrees
difference. I'm too fond of my fireplace, my books and my warm labradors
to
experiment with this. Anyone out there want to experiment this winter??

Already in the plan.

BV.

"Ka30P" wrote in message
...
Roy wrote ut have a hard time thinking you would have a
thermocline in a pond of only 2 feet or 3 feet of depth, unless it may
be an inground type pond. I have to think an above ground pond would
be pretty darn close to the same temp most of the way down to the
bottom.

Don't know what the OP's pond is, above or below, mine is below ground.
But at
sometime someone tested the temp in their pond and there was a couple
degrees
difference. I'm too fond of my fireplace, my books and my warm labradors
to
experiment with this. Anyone out there want to experiment this winter??

Already in the plan.

BV.

"George" wrote in message
.. .
snip
Don't know what the OP's pond is, above or below, mine is below ground.
But at
sometime someone tested the temp in their pond and there was a couple
degrees
difference. I'm too fond of my fireplace, my books and my warm labradors
to
experiment with this. Anyone out there want to experiment this winter??

Well, there you go. You've done and challanged me. I tried to do it last
year,
but didn't have the right thermometers for the job. I'll be doing it this
winter, and post the results. Remember though, that any results I get may
not
apply at a different latitude.

I am planning the same experiment. Shall we share notes/plans?

BV.

"George" wrote in message
.. .
snip
Don't know what the OP's pond is, above or below, mine is below ground.
But at
sometime someone tested the temp in their pond and there was a couple
degrees
difference. I'm too fond of my fireplace, my books and my warm labradors
to
experiment with this. Anyone out there want to experiment this winter??

Well, there you go. You've done and challanged me. I tried to do it last
year,
but didn't have the right thermometers for the job. I'll be doing it this
winter, and post the results. Remember though, that any results I get may
not
apply at a different latitude.

I am planning the same experiment. Shall we share notes/plans?

BV.

"Jim Humphries" wrote in message
news:alaZc.287170$J06.120685@pd7tw2no...
What is this talk about Winter!
snip

I am still waiting for Summer. We put a pool in, in mid-july. I have been in
it 11 times. *sigh*

BV.

"Jim Humphries" wrote in message
news:alaZc.287170$J06.120685@pd7tw2no...
What is this talk about Winter!
snip

I am still waiting for Summer. We put a pool in, in mid-july. I have been in
it 11 times. *sigh*

BV.

"Benign Vanilla" wrote in message
...

"George" wrote in message
.. .
snip
Don't know what the OP's pond is, above or below, mine is below ground.
But at
sometime someone tested the temp in their pond and there was a couple
degrees
difference. I'm too fond of my fireplace, my books and my warm labradors
to
experiment with this. Anyone out there want to experiment this winter??

Well, there you go. You've done and challanged me. I tried to do it last
year,
but didn't have the right thermometers for the job. I'll be doing it this
winter, and post the results. Remember though, that any results I get may
not
apply at a different latitude.

I am planning the same experiment. Shall we share notes/plans?

BV.


Sure. Why not?