Weather is getting Colder in Chicago

[shanezam203]

This is my 1st Winter, what all should I do to prepare for Winter and the colder weather?

I have a 6 foot deep Pond with about 12 Koi, the weather is dipping into the low 40's at night. Should I remove the Water Lettuce I have and stop feeding the Fish when it's below 50 degrees?

Then before it Snows I should remove the Pumps and put in an aerator to keep 1 area from freezing so air can get through?
Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Shane

 

[Craig58]

You'll want an aerator to keep a hole in any in any ice that forms. Yes, cut back on the food and you should be feeding a fall/spring koi food now which is much lower in protein now. Avoid early morning and late evening feeding. Feed in the afternoon when the water is the warmest and the fish most active.

We usually feed up to about mid-October. After that the water here rarely gets above 60 - 65 and if it does, it's only for a few hours in the afternoon.

Keep the airstone close to the surface it the shallow part of the pond. This keep the air from pulling a lot of water from the bottom of the pond. The fish will move to the deeper part of the pond. Having a protective "garage" for them to shelter in the deep section can also help. From your pic, I'd put the airstone at one end of the L and a shelter in the other end of the L. I think your fish will hibernate in the end with the shelter and away from the stone.

I wouldn't worry about pulling the plants. Let them die a natural death. Just pull them out before they break apart and sink!

I think if I remember you pond is like 5' deep? I doubt you'll have any problems. If you are worried about ice on the pond popping your walls, you can suspend some plastic milk cartons in each corner. Put a few stones in them to give them some neutral buoyancy. Tie a string to them just in case they sink. You'll be amazed at how much they can be crushed!

Shut the filter down when you start the airstone. We stop all feeding about 2-3 days before we turn off the filter for the winter.

Craig

 

[sissy]

If you don't have critters you could help insulate the pond with that foam core insulation panels and straw bales around them to help insulate the cold from the pond .I know you could use a thermal pool blanket on top if you want too .You could buy a pond heater I have a 750 watt one and it comes on when the water hits a certain temp .I got it at pet mountain .com but you can get them anywhere it is the kh brand one and floats or can be submerged and has a protector cage around it to keep fish away

 

[Craig58]

Yes, I forgot to mention we also put in a stock heater by the bubbler. We only plug it in when the bubbler is overwhelmed and than only after a full week of being iced over. Than we plug it in until we have a hole in the ice. Than we go back to bubbler only. Repeat if needed.
The protective cage on the stock heater is really to keep the heating element from contacting the sides and damaging the liner. The fish can swim up under the heater and to the element.

Craig