Dewinterizing

[Ronfire]

When is a good time to start op the pumps after a winter freeze?
Just got home and there is still ice on the pond and have not even had the chance to look at them yet or remove the part cover from the pond. Will tackle that tomorrow.
Should I drain the bog and refill with fresh water before I start up?

 

[Tula]

I'm wondering the same thing

 

[addy1]

Mine are running as of today. Took about a hour for the hot tub pond and the big pond. Big pond about 15 minutes. Hot tub pond longer, I was rearranging things. Fish out swimming around everywhere.

 

[mrsclem]

Both mine running but pumps were never shut down. No ice at all this winter!

 

[addy1]

My external always get shut down. The hot tub pond I also turn off, safer for our set up. Esp with us gone a lot in the winter.

 

[Ronfire]

Still have 4"-6" of ice on mine but managed to see a few fish moving below it. Hard to wait to start things up again.

 

[poconojoe]

Everyone's situation is different. Your geographical location (and altitude for some), how severe the weather has been, the pond's size, depth and critters living in there all contribute to when and how you do your startup. If you've had steady 50-60 degree (F) temperature, you're probably good to go. I'm still getting below freezing temperatures at night.

I'm in the Pocono Mountains of notheastern Pennsylvania and it has been a relatively mild Winter so far. I say "so far" because you never know....We could get hit hard at any time. Cold, snow, ice. I'm not taking any chances. The pond is doing good and I'll leave it that way for another month or so. Plus, I'm not doing any outside work until it's a comfortable temperature out there and the ground is thawed. Right now the ground is frozen solid.

 

[KDubU]

Started my pump up yesterday. Monitored for 30 mins or so and all good. It’s been a mild winter for many so as long as you don’t have frozen pipes still, I doubt many places will get prolonged freezes for the remainder of March. Unless one is at high altitudes.

 

[Lisak1]

I make it an easy decision and just never shut down!

I'm just so happy o see spring on the horizon... we made it through another winter! An easy one this year... but maybe I should stop talking. Don't want to jinx the WHOLE MIDWEST! haha!

 

[Ronfire]

Still -6c at night but +10c during the day. I managed to gently lift out a 1 1/2" thick cracked piece of ice to see into lower pond. I did see a couple of the smaller Koi and some goldfish. The water is very green so I could not see much. The mid bog is almost thawed out but the top pond that partly above ground still has 12" of ice. There where no fish in that pond as I moved them all to the lower one. I covered it with plywood and hay to protect the lillys from freezing. The water in that pond smells bad as the hay went mouldy from the rain and snow .Will change out the water in that pond before running into the connecting bog and pond. As soon as the nights stop freezing I will start up the mid bog and S&G filter. Might be best to run it slow at first and draw mostly from the skimmer so I don't shock the fish.

 

[Tula]

We started the Sand & Gravel filter today. It was a nice warm day, but unfortunately we're to have a few colder days. I left the cover over the pond....but water is now circulating via the bog and filter.

 

[Ronfire]

I started part of my pond system up yesterday. The main pond was green so I could not see the bottom but I did see 3 of the 4 large Koi. There is one I did not see but he is all black so he is hard to see at the best of conditions. I am not drawing from the bottom drain yet as it is still cold at night, thought I would give it a couple of days before I start that. I am running about 40% of my regular flow , the top pond/lilly bog still has 12" of ice and the main bog is not growing at all yet so my S&G filter will be doing most of the work.

 

[Ronfire]

Just removed the pond breathers and it is going to be -10C two nights in a row. Hope it does not freeze the water course and send the water out of the system.