Getting ready for winter

[arkay]

Any thoughts about whether it's a good idea to do a cleaning before taking out pump & lowering plants for the winter?

 

[backyardpondguide]

:goldfish: I think one of the best things to do while getting ready for winter is to make sure that you keep the leaves out of your pond. We use a very light net over our pond as the leaves are falling during the season. Decaying leaves are not good for your water or fish. Good luck. Bob

I can't believe it's going to be snowing again in a few short months.:banghead3:

 

[arkay]

Thanks for your input - I'll take a look at the site & book. I have put a leaf net over the pond early this year to keep cats out of it - I presume it was a cat that upset my pots & ate a fish. I trim dead leaves & flowers from water plants but there's a layer of sediment - maybe an 8th to a quarter of an inch - on the bottom even though I totally refurbished the pond this year. It was that sediment I was thinking about clearing out. The water, itself, is clear & I'm still running filter & waterfall - probably until mid-November.

 

[backyardpondguide]

Hi Arkay,
I wouldn't worry too much about the sediment. It's normal and won't hurt anything. Good luck, Bob

 

[richdeer3]

Cleaning out the leaves etc is very important because decaying plant and fish waste breakdown into methane gas. Make sure to use a leaf net and sludge remover or beneficial bacteria to prevent muck from taking over your pond. It sounds more like a coon instead of a cat. Take a look at this article Wildlife Associated with Water Gardens http://www.richdeer3.com/site/1566246/page/924686 and see if it sounds like a coon. Good luck, Gail