Feeding fish fall diet

[Cdsdave]

Hi all. I have gone back and forth with moving my fish (4 koi 8 comets) inside for the winter. Long story short, they are staying outside now but I haven't fed them in over a week since the water temp went below 55 degrees F. I've already brought my pump and filter inside and was wondering if its alright to feed them Tetra Fall diet without my system running? My concern is their waste polluting the water without the flow and filter going. The package says its safe to feed with this food down to 40 degrees. I don't want to push it that far down but did want to make sure they have enough nutrition for the winter ahead. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated!!

 

[sissy]

how established is your pond ,do they have stuff to eat on the pond sides and how cold is the water .I feed them once every 10 days until water reach's around 50 degrees and then I usually stop as they don't seem interested in feeding .I go by day temps but i do know the water gets colder at night and that my pond is in full sun .I never leave uneaten food in the pond /Most times they will let you know by not coming up to eat

 

[Cdsdave]

It's 7 months old and does have algae on the sides/bottom for them to eat. When I go and check on them they pretty much are chilling near the bottom or milling around foraging. They aren't coming up to the surface like they do in warmer temps.

The lowest water temp I've seen is 50 degrees. Typically it's been around 54 but with today's warm weather it's up to 59. I know one warm day doesn't count for much especially since its only going to get colder.

 

[JohnHuff]

There's no need to feed them. They won't die of hunger.

 

[Dave 54]

Fall diet as you put it is wheatgerm and if you have one of the more advance autumn and winter feeds with Garlic all the better.
Our own also has prebiotics, seaweed, pea extract, polychaete worm, also high levels of antitoxidants to suppport our fishes immune systems throughout the winter period.
It has no fish meal and contains less phosphous elping to reduce algae growth whilst maintaining high water quality.
As such differs from our summer foods., i;e it produces far less in the way of waste passing into your pond and thus your filtration which in turn has a lesser load to carry throughout that period.
Winter however is not a time to sit on ones backside and do nothing , we carry on with water changes throughout the winter period using a thing called the trickle meathod which uses the pe ponds ambient water temperature to warm the trickle of water as it passes back in the pond.
This is the dedication serious koi keepers give to their charges throughout, we all prep our ponds by giving the systems we have be it whatever filtration we have the best optimum conditions to get our koi through.
Maintenance in reality is a year round chore we have to do and is where many a fish keeper gets it wrong but if your prepared then your fish will make it through in one peice.
If you fall food doesnt contain garlic try making garlic extract by liquidizing cloves and pre soak fo food prior to it going into the pond you can keep this extract in a sealed bottle in the fridge it will last.
When the temperature is such you can no longer feed your fish , then in the spring add it to your fishes food again you'll gind it helps protect your fish at their weakest against parasites ( all ponds have them just waiting for a chance to strike) do this up until you change from fall food to summer food.

rgrds

Dave

 

[Cdsdave]

Thanks Dave. You do keep your filters and pump going through the winter right? I already removed mine so water changes will be a matter of siphoning off the surface or hooking up the pump periodically to pull from the bottom drain.

I was adding liquid garlic extract at each dinner serving while feeding this summer and fall up till I stopped feeding. I also give some to my two fish inside at dinner

Talk to you soon.

 

[Dave 54]

Thanks Dave. You do keep your filters and pump going through the winter right? I already removed mine so water changes will be a matter of siphoning off the surface or hooking up the pump periodically to pull from the bottom drain.

I was adding liquid garlic extract at each dinner serving while feeding this summer and fall up till I stopped feeding. I also give some to my two fish inside at dinner

Talk to you soon.

Nice Dave however why on earth do you switch off your filters if your going through a bottom drain if you could protect your filters by boxng them in and insulating them good and propper (we use 22mm polystyrene sheets inside of a decking made filter housing.
If you bought some polycarbonate sheeting for the pond provided you slow down the air coming into your pond (do you have a spindrifter/bubbler on top of your bottom drain cover?
We are still quite high temperature wise even though we are dipping into single figures at night.
The pond is at 15.3c today .5c of a dip on the water change yesterday most probably because of the high winds whilst I was trickling the hose back in under the polycarbonate.
Using this trickle method through a dechlorination unit you are using the ambient temperature of the ponds water temperature to heat the water trickling back in at a slow rate Dave.
What temperature do you get down to during your winters New Jersey I would hassard a guess gets quite cold .
Ours got down to -10c on our first winter still giving us a temperature of 7c in the pond using a quickly knocked together frame double wrapped in bubble wrap, polycarbonate sheeting was suggested for the next winter and weve used it ever since however your pond must have a straight edge it can rest on.
A friend suggested an oil heated radiator in the filter housing last winter which got the temperature up between 11-14c but we had problems with the glass double glazing that sat atop the housing it was across to large a gap and bet downwards cracking the glass thus allowing for heat loss , we rectified it this winter by using quad thickness polycarbonate sheeting.
It may be an idea for you to think this through for your own set up next winter.
Love those two guys by the way glad to hear your using the garlic extract it goes a heck of a long way in protecting your fish against parasites.

rgrds

Dave

 

[Cdsdave]

From what I was gathering here on the forum, running the water, especially through the bottom drain would cause the water temps to be colder. My thought is to get an air pump and place it roughly 1ft off the bottom to help keep a hole open and with gas exchange.

Our temps here average in the 30's. nights can get pretty cold. We are close to the shore so snow usually isn't a concern but we do get Nor'easter's. 2 to 3 day storms with high winds and rain.

I don't have a bubbler on top of the bottom drain.

I will have lots to think about this winter with regards to revamping/expanding the pond. I will have to take into account winterization.

Thanks Dave!!