pump in or out?

[micaaronfl76]

hello all,

i have a 500 gallon pond in a nice sunny spot near philly.

i am debating on whether or not to take the main pump out for winter. its a hardship sometimes ugh.

i have a floating heater and i was thinking about putting it in front of the skimmer that way it will heat the water around the pump. i have two pumps in the skimmer an aquascape main pump and a secondary pump feeding the uv light. i was planning on leaving both in.

the uv light i was going to turn off and leave connected but wrap it in a towel or something to keep it from freezing.

any thoughts?

 

[micaaronfl76]

oh and last couple of years it barely froze over. i think that was a combo of warm winters plus its in a very sunny part of the house

 

[JohnHuff]

I live in WA where my 800g pond will freeze over with about 1 inch of ice. I've always left my pump in the pond.

 

[dieselplower]

Last year i took mine out and all the hoses as well and i tell you it was frickin colder than cold getting it all hooked up again early Spring. This year I am just unplugging it and letting it sit in the bottom so next Spring all I have to do is plug it in and bam, done.

 

[Tula]

I've left my pumps in the skimmer for the last 6 winters and they've been fine. I have a pressurized filter / uv light, so have to bring that inside, as it will freeze.

 

[micaaronfl76]

thanks everyone what do you think of my idea to wrap the uv light in a blanket instead of bring it in? currently the uv light is mounted under a trap door on my deck.

 

[Tula]

I've always replaced my uv light at the start of each season, as I've heard they're less effective after a season of use.

 

[Benya]

Also left my subm. pump in the pond for the winter months, really depends on the temperature outside though...

 

[callingcolleen1]

I never shut my main pumps down, and have been running my pumps for now over 20 years and my koi are very large and two are over 20 years old now. I do not have the typical pump and skimmer, all my pumps are attached to very large filters that can run all winter without plugging up. My pumps and filters are all under water as well. Wintering can be difficult in this harsh climate where I have seen minus 40 tempertures so you have to know what you are doing.

i have never needed a UV LIGHT, so can't help you there. If your winters are mild you should be fine. Lots of people just use a bubbler in your area and do fine with that. I shut down the extra summer pumps and leave them with the filter under the water and they are fine. My main pumps never stop.

 

[waynefrcan]

Colleen sister, you didn't see my post dedicated just for you in this winterizing forum? :sniffles:

What do I do with all these yellow iris's you forced me to buy when you had a gun to my head? :cheerful:

 

[dieselplower]

I never shut my main pumps down, and have been running my pumps for now over 20 years and my koi are very large and two are over 20 years old now. I do not have the typical pump and skimmer, all my pumps are attached to very large filters that can run all winter without plugging up. My pumps and filters are all under water as well. Wintering can be difficult in this harsh climate where I have seen minus 40 tempertures so you have to know what you are doing.

i have never needed a UV LIGHT, so can't help you there. If your winters are mild you should be fine. Lots of people just use a bubbler in your area and do fine with that. I shut down the extra summer pumps and leave them with the filter under the water and they are fine. My main pumps never stop.

Correct me if I am wrong but you do use a large heater?
I would like to keep my pump and filters going but im not willing to use a heater. Cause Im Dutch

 

[callingcolleen1]

Yes I do use a large heater that keeps all three connecting ponds from freezing into a solid block of ice, when the temperature gets very cold and the pond begins to freeze up. If you want to keep the pumps running all winter, you need to make sure you have a good pre-pump filter so that the pump does not get clogged with junk when it is minus 40 below, otherwise the water flowing threw the hose could slow down to much and freeze inside the hose.

I would not recommend using a skippy or a Skimmer as they can have lots of problems during the winter I have heard.

 

[CountryEscape]

I left everything up and running last year, two ponds. Last year was another warmer than normal winter, though. Ponds froze several times, then I would put floating heater on top or turn it on (if I let it freeze into the water) and melt small area right above where I had either air or water bubbler. Once area was open (good place is in front of skimmer, BTW), shut off the heater and let the water movement do the trick. I have skimmer on each pond, didn't have any problem with either of them. Only problem I had was with the Skippy getting frozen lines and shutting off. My pumps all automatically shut off if unable to pump, so no damage to them. Moved Skippy water lines to under ground on pond side of waterfall and insulated that part of the line above water level, hoping that will help it.
I'd say as long as you keep water moving well in your lines, you should be ok, plus the heater will be there to use if/when you need it. Good luck!
And, yes, Colleen uses a heater, but only when her outside temps go down to something like 15F! She sure has it all figured out!

 

[waynefrcan]

Yes she does. Some pond experts think otherwise, to bad for them.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I also don't have unground pond plumming, too difficult to access if power goes out and pipes could freeze. No pipes either, just flexable black hoses that can freeze and not split. One year I had a very small pump, about 300 gph, and the filter was small and got clogged, then the flow was reduced and that allowed the hose to freeze, that was back years ago when the bottom pond was only about 75 gallons, and there was five smaller connecting ponds. I took out the smaller ponds and made three much larger ponds instead, over the years things change....