Pond care during blizzard

[addy1]

Even if the overflow spot freezes the pond can overflow in a lot of places with no damage. The overflow is on far edge it goes downhill away from the pond.

 

[sissy]

true most fish are at the bottom of the pond and all the over flow becomes is a big water change .I learned the winter of 2010 how the bad the 2 over flows froze up that I had .They were both 4 inch over flows and flowed out over the retaining wall block and even shifted the blocks

 

[lynntran]

I'll keep an eye with the overflow then.

My pond breather is still going and the aerator is still running from beneath the top layer of ice with probably 2-3 feet of snow on top of that too.

Since the breather is running and exchanging the gases should I not worry about opening another hole and let mother nature do her thing?

 

[addy1]

I used just a breather last year. The fish did fine

 

[Smaug]

Actually, clearing the snow for the pond breather is not necessary.
The warm air from the breather will create it's own way open through the snowfall.

Yup,my pond froze over during the storm and for a day after. The hole maker heater and small submerged pump eventually pushed through yesterday. I've never cleared snow off for any reason if I have a heater or aerator going.

 

[sissy]

same here smaug .But I remember my first couple of years with my pond was panic mode every time I heard the word bad weather .Then as years went on it got less and less .I guess it happens with a lot of new ponders and it just takes time to adjust yourself .I still panic a little in the summer during bad thunderstorms and the heat since power could be knocked out .When the fish are more active no power really scares me

 

[Smaug]

It's springtime when I panic. That's the most dangerous time there is for ponding ime. It's the only time I've ever lost fish.

 

[sissy]

true quick changes in temps. up and down scare me a little ,but spawning scares me more .This winter the temps have gone up and down so much that I have gotten used to that .We would go from 70 during the day and nights in the 30's .The really hot summers I worry more with water temps .because pond is in full sun and the storms here can be wicked sometimes .But at least better than NJ weather .

 

[barryian]

I guess I still like my pond heater .I feel it does a better job even though it costs more to run .

Totally agree on that !!!

 

[Faebinder]

Spring time sounds stressful here too. Fish waking up and disease waking up faster.

 

[sissy]

And rains changing PH in the pond .Water clarity also so you can see what the fish are doing .

 

[callingcolleen1]

You never mentioned the temperature. It's important to know how cold it is cause the colder it is the harder and thicker the ice will be. In some cases the water can overflow it's channel due to extreme cold and that can quickly empty the pond.
Its also very important to know how deep your pond is and how big your koi are. The bigger the koi the more oxygen they require. That is why many people who winter their ponds lose the biggest fish first in winter.
I myself winter my ponds all winter in Canada and have seen some very brutal winters. This winter has been mild for me so I am not complaining.

I myself would not trust that "breather" to keep my very large koi alive and well in temperatures below minus 15 or 20 Celsius. ...