How to close my pond

[DutchMuch]

Are you having a bad day or something?

.

Stop lighting random fires. :l

 

[MitchM]

Stop lighting random fires. :l

There are a lot of "old wives tales" and misconceptions about winter pond keeping and I'm happy to explore them all.
Maybe we can have a separate thread at a later date to go over some of the points you brought up.

 

[GinoLicious]

@DutchMuch thank you for actually contributing to these questions of mine.

Running a deicer can I get away with no pump running?

My tubing will freeze simply because it runs out of pond and then in the rock as seen in my photos.

Edit, I'm more confused than ever. I can't tel legitimate advise for illegitimate advice from inexperienced people.

 

[MitchM]

Hmm. Not what I was really hoping to read on this post. But you all make a valid point to those who actually contributed.

I cannot recall if the pond fully froze last year. But if it does then yeah the fish will freeze too. I remember I didn't take all of them out last year because I couldn't find every single one and they were fine the next spring. Does that mean my pond doesn't actually fully freeze?

Rebuilding the pond is possible. Going to be a lot of work. It was just a hole with a wood frame and a pond tarp installed.

I've attached photos of my pond.

I think a cover over your pond would enable you to over winter your fish, however I do think that is is overstocked. Overstocking will present you with water quality issues that will negatively affect your fishes health.

 

[GinoLicious]

I think a cover over your pond would enable you to over winter your fish, however I do think that is is overstocked. Overstocking will present you with water quality issues that will negatively affect your fishes health.

Yes I am over stocked. I've been trying to give some away. Simply put a fish laid eggs and I have so many shubunkins.

 

[Lisak1]

Running a deicer can I get away with no pump running?

In my experience a de-icer will keep a small hole open except in the most frigid temperatures. The first year, when we did shut down our pond, we used a de-icer with an airstone under it, on the shelf about 12" down. That worked better than our other "solution" which was to place a pump about 18" under the surface with the outlet pointed to the surface. The ice simply domed over the top of the agitated water. And it bugged me all winter because it seemed so... un-calm, if that makes sense!

And yes - if your plumbing is exposed you do run the risk of it freezing. Although one line of reasoning may say running water won't freeze, I would be scared to test that theory!

 

[DutchMuch]

Running a deicer can I get away with no pump running?

Water movement isn't the important factor here, and during winter doesn't really "need" to be happening.
Answer: Yes.
Before winter hits, make sure to lower your stock, or else you will have water quality problems during winter, which is something you really do not want to encounter.

 

[Lisak1]

Temps don't drop from sixty to thirty two in a half hour,

Really? Come to Chicago. And they go the other way, too. The saying goes "if you don't like our weather, wait a minute. It will change."

 

[DutchMuch]

Come to Chicago

Ive been there, my grandma lives in Chicago and my aunt in NY.
Im used to being in several states in a year.

 

[MitchM]

Edit, I'm more confused than ever. I can't tel legitimate advise for illegitimate advice from inexperienced people.

The best thing you can do for your pond is become an expert in water quality.
There are many sources out there to learn that from.
Once you can master water quality issues, your fish will be fine.
Don't rely on letting other people tell you what to do. Forums such as this one can give you suggestions, but you should be able to verify those suggestions from other sources.

 

[Lisak1]

Then you know that we have wild temperature swings here. And unpredictable winters. Last winter our pond froze and thawed completely at least 5 times That's the first time in six years that has happened. Every other winter, once the pond froze it stayed frozen until spring.

When I mentioned turning the "pond" on and off, of course I meant the pump. The idea of having to watch the weather to decide if the pump should stay on or be turned off all winter long is exhausting to think about. And that's not being lazy - just practical.

 

[Lisak1]

Edit, I'm more confused than ever. I can't tel legitimate advise for illegitimate advice from inexperienced people.

The beauty of the internet... you never know. Keep reading. And as @MitchM suggested, trust your own experience. You will become the expert on your own pond!

 

[GinoLicious]

I've been reading non stop haha. I just want to ensure if there is something I need for winter I rather buy now when on sale at my local pond store.

So I spoke to my neighbors and they advised that the guy who owned the house before me built a hut for his pond. Low and behold I saw all the wood in my loft that was used to build the tent. So I know he covered it. I don't know if he used a heater or a deicer as well as that was not left behind.

I don't see the point of running the filter and pump in winter because the fish go dormant for the most part. I'm pretty confident now that a deicer should work and rebuild the hut.

Addressing the over stock issue, I don't know what to do with my fish that I do not want. Where to give them or do I just put them in the pond near the park? I can't have fish die his year. My daughter loves her fish. And last year bringing in fish killed my 2 Koi. Hence why I'm not doing that this year.

 

[DutchMuch]

Addressing the over stock issue, I don't know what to do with my fish that I do not want. Where to give them or do I just put them in the pond near the park? I can't have fish die his year. My daughter loves her fish. And last year bringing in fish killed my 2 Koi. Hence why I'm not doing that this year.

Putting them in a near park is HIGHLY illegal in most states.

Give them to your LFS, petsmart, Petco, pond stores, will take them.

 

[GinoLicious]

Yeah it is illegal. I should know better as I'm in the the legal profession. I just don't want to give to a pet store and have them kill them. I have a huge problem with that.

Going to keep maybe 5-8 of them guys. Do the deicer. And a hut over the pond. Bring in the pond pump and hopefully winter is fine and the white walkers don't come.