What steps do you take to winterize your pond in zones 7 and down?

[Telion]

Ah! Good point! We also keep a hose inside the house that's just long enough to reach from the spigot to the pond for those midwinter top offs. Nothing worse than trying to deal with a frozen hose in the frigid temps at midnight... which is the only time you'll need it!

I will for sure find a way to do this. Where do you tie in at? in the basement?

 

[Stephen Noble]

I keep everything running except the above liner bottom drain. I have a waterfall feeding a 18 foot stream that dumps into the pond. The 100 gal stock tank waterfall and stream usually do not freeze solid. I have a heater for the rare occasion there is not an opening for gas exchange.
Trim back plants as they start to die back .
I will net the pond next month to keep the leaves out. I keep that up until spring.

Been doing it this way for 5 years.[/QUOtTE]
I use a Luguna pond heater, the one that looks like a UFO floating in the water. It is set at the factory to automatically run when the water temperature is about 35 degrees (F). It cycles on and off as needed so nothing for the pond owner to do. A light on top indicates if it is heating or resting. Most pond heaters are pre-set to automatically cycle. My job moved me around so the farthest north I’ve used it is Zone 5, and the heater worked well.
I use a net over the pond to capture falling leaves. I cut back my umbrella palm and move tropical lilies and any floating plants indoors for overwintering. Pond sizes ranged (depending where I was living) 2500 gallons down to 150-180 gallon flowerbed water gardens. Pond size depended upon room and time I had available.
Stephen

 

[Stephen Noble]

Sorry, I forgot you asked about fish care. Foster & Smith have an excellent article called something like, ‘winter pond care and maintenance.’ It is easy to find on their site and a great starting point for your pond. Take their information and tailor it to your specific needs.
Stephen

 

[RobAmy]

I will for sure find a way to do this. Where do you tie in at? in the basement?

I do not tie it in the basement, I just put it down there for hose storage. I will just use are bathroom faucet with a adapter out our window and put a towel to fill the window opening while filling.

 

[addy1]

With nothing running I have never had to add water to the pond in the winter. I do have some gutter feeding water into the pond, they keep it fluffed with water.

 

[Lisak1]

Thank you. What size aerator do you use. And when you say you run the pond year rou d does it not ice over? Are you in a warmer climate?

We just bought a new aerator this year. It's an Aquascape ProAir 20. A real bubbling fool. But we don't generally run it - I just move it so it's where I need it in case we have to turn it on. I also have a de-icer that I put in place in case we need it. Both would only be necessary if we had to turn the pond off for some reason - like a pump or plumbing failure.

Warmer climate? No! We live near Chicago. And yes, the pond freezes over, but the waterfall keeps the water moving under the ice and we get some spectacular ice formations as a result.

December 2017 and January 2018 - cold and snowy pond!

 

[Lisak1]

Oh and we hook the hose right up to the outside spigot - not fun when it's cold, but it's doable. The ice and snow helps a lot in our experience to cut down on evaporation - when it's cold and the pond is open, we lose a lot more water.

 

[mrsclem]

No need to plug in heaters or pond breathers till ice starts to cover the entire surface. I bring my aerators in for the winter. The lines freeze up too easily. Every year is different. Last year we had little snow and very cold and windy weather. I had the drain on my 150 stocktank freeze and explode.

 

[Tula]

Since I've been covering my pond for the past two winters, I have very little evaporation.

 

[Telion]

Oh and we hook the hose right up to the outside spigot - not fun when it's cold, but it's doable. The ice and snow helps a lot in our experience to cut down on evaporation - when it's cold and the pond is open, we lose a lot more water.

In Utah when you use the outdoor spicket during the middle of the Winter you run into the risk of your lines bursting. Is that something that happens there as well?

 

[Tula]

In Utah when you use the outdoor spicket during the middle of the Winter you run into the risk of your lines bursting. Is that something that happens there as well?

Before winter, we shut off the water to our outside spigots and let them drain. If I had to use them during the winter, I'd shut the water off and let it drain when finished. That would prevent the pipes from bursting at our house... I HOPE - LOL.

 

[Lisak1]

We have frost free hose bibs (or anti-siphon sillcocks) - they're designed so they won't freeze.

 

[addy1]

We have frost free hose bibs (or anti-siphon sillcocks) - they're designed so they won't freeze.

Same here

 

[Tara]

@Telion, many thanks for staring this thread, this information has been very useful, as this will be my first winter with a pond. @Lisak1 your pond looks the definition of winter in those photos.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I run my ponds year round in one of the harshest climates on the planet here in ice cold Canada. We usually get a hard winter with temperatures falling below -40 at least once or twice a year, and last year was extra long and harsh with extra cold periods that just never let up. I do cover most of the ponds with a cold frame so that way I can get away with using just one 1500 watt heater for all four large size ponds. I run about 4500 gallons of water between all four connecting ponds. I also do video every month so you can follow me too on my winter thread...