When do you start up your pond after winter

[taherrmann4]

Just a quick question. For those of us in the colder climates and shut down our pumps for the winter, at what point do you start them back up, do you wait for the temp to reach a certain point or do have a certain date you stick with?

 

[j.w]

I personally just wait until the last frost of the season prolly somewhere around the middle of April here in Western Washington

 

[sissy]

I just started mine up 2 weeks ago here but it has been in the 50's 60's and even 70's here and water temps are above 50 heading to 60 in the pond.So felt it was safe to start it up hope I was right

 

[Tootie]

We have run out pump and filter all winter. We have a small heater in the pond and all the fish congregate aound it. We have had very cold freezing weather this winter but the fish seem fine!

 

[sissy]

Well I guess they were pretty warm since they made all those babies

 

[CometKeith]

I started up my pump last week when it hit high 30's- 40's for daytime temperatures. It melted most the ice and the fish seem to be moving around now. Hopefully the oxygenated water will reduce the problems from decaying leaves stuck in the pond over the winter.

 

[howtopondsandfish]

We never turn off our pumps during the winter months if we can help it, as this can stop it completely freezing over. Another factor is turning off the pumps means no filtration, this way the bacteria in your filter will begin to die.

 

[Tootie]

That's what we thought. Our water is pretty clean and clear and the pond never froze over.

 

[taherrmann4]

I started it up two days ago wanted to do it before we got all the rain again to fill it up, It drops about 2" to fill all the creeks and falls. Pond is pretty clear surprisingly but I keep an air bubbler going all winter long to keep it from freezing completly over. Now the fish are very active eating algae off the rocks and liner.

 

[sissy]

I have seen all the flooding and all the tornado reports and hope everyones alright .I know eagles fan is in Passaic County NJ and they always get flooded in those areas .and also hope the ones in the way of the tornado's and heavy rains are safe .We got really heavy rains last night and it is just raining light now so I know I will be adjusting my water again .Looked out water still clear but really full to the top and going out the overflow port .I think fish like the rain they are swimming around playing with there ball .I saw the ball go back and forth 3 times as they play with it .

 

[scottb]

if possible you should leave your pumps and filters working 24/7 365 days a year. This keeps the bacteria living plus if your pond does freeze over the water entering the pond will leave a hole in the ice allowing oxygen to enter and gases to escape.

 

[j.w]

But I thought that the fish liked to stay down deep in the water to stay warmer in the cold winter. If I turn my waterfall and pump w/filter on then the whole of the pond will be cold and I'm afraid they will die. We had a really cold winter one year and I lost several goldies and I thought it was cuz I kept the stuff all running and they got chilled and weak?

 

[Johnnie]

But I thought that the fish liked to stay down deep in the water to stay warmer in the cold winter. If I turn my waterfall and pump w/filter on then the whole of the pond will be cold and I'm afraid they will die. We had a really cold winter one year and I lost several goldies and I thought it was cuz I kept the stuff all running and they got chilled and weak?

if possible you should leave your pumps and filters working 24/7 365 days a year. This keeps the bacteria living plus if your pond does freeze over the water entering the pond will leave a hole in the ice allowing oxygen to enter and gases to escape.

ScottB & JW, in my neck of the woods (snowy & icy wonderland), it was impossible to run pump & filter 24/7/365 UNTIL I finally figure out a way to keep the pond from freezing and icy up. I've created a "greenhouse-pond".



First, to keep the bio-mechanical filter from freezing up, I moved and placed it in the pond like this:

Second, to keep the water oxygenated & circulated, I constructed a 4-nozzle-fountain and placed it above the pond like this:

Third, to keep the filter and fountain from freezing up, I covered the whole pond with plywoods and tarp like this:

My pond was winterized & covered on 11/07/2010


By the way, after the blizzards had dumped tons of snow, my greenhouse-pond has held up pretty well against the old man winter :fingersx:.

 

[sissy]

I can see how that really oxygenates the water .That idea done slightly different woul be good in the summer to add more oxygen to keep algae down .How did you make the red spray parts or what are they .They remind me of the spray jets for pools

 

[Johnnie]

I can see how that really oxygenates the water .That idea done slightly different woul be good in the summer to add more oxygen to keep algae down .How did you make the red spray parts or what are they .They remind me of the spray jets for pools

Sissy, I'm glad that you're curious about those red spray parts. They are nothing but garden nozzles with 1,000 nano-spraying-holes each.

Here's a close up shot: