Winterizing help

[Nova]

LOL I will have to think of where I could store a pump and bucket full of water in my house. I am waiting as long as I can before taking it out. Weather here has been great. This week night could be around 32 but days in the fifties so no freezing yet.

 

[HARO]

Put a dab of petrolium jelly on the seals and you don't have to worry about storing a bucket of water all winter.
John

 

[j.w]

If I turn mine off I just leave it in the pond at a level where it won't freeze. I'm in zone 7 and it never freezes more than a bit on top and goes away in a few days at that.

 

[HARO]

Must be nice to live in a tropical climate! I've gone ice fishing here... drilled a hole through 3 1/2' of ice and straight into the bottom mud. Of course, the wind blows freely across the lake, so I guess that would cool it off some.
John

 

[sissy]

I have just dropped mine to the bottom also as it does not get that cold here .But was reading about pumps and guess you really have to be carefull where you live and what could happen to pumps left in ponds .I guess in carolina you should not have to worry .They say the casings can crack

 

[j.w]

Tropical climate......ha ha that's funny and I wish!

 

[taherrmann4]

Well I decided to shut the pond down for the winter, didn't want to be out there in 20 degree weather cleaning and emptying everything out. Took a photo of my waterfalls before I shut them down and then after. Boy do I have a lot of algae on my rocks. It wasn't this bad a few months ago seems to have gotten worse as I pulled my floating plants out and as my lilies died back.

Before shut down (obviously)


All the algae that is on my rocks, it is like this in my two creeks as well.

 

[sissy]

looks like a long green wig .I guess you know now what happens when plants are not there to clean everything off .

 

[addy1]

the pea gravel in my bog got some of the mat green algae on it once the pond plants died off. Sure makes a difference plants vs no plants.

 

[sissy]

Shame there was not plants for ponds that would grow in any weather to solve that problem

 

[addy1]

yes and no sissy, it is sort of nice to shut it down and not groom plants for a few months..............lol

 

[sissy]

yea i guess it gives you time to plan for next year and thats why i did not want to go farther south to much work taking care of a yard and pond all year round .I usually only get 2 months rest and was out today still seeding and fertilizing .It got up to 68 again today and it said it was only supposed to get up to the high 50's .

 

[j.w]

tmann your creek looks so pretty in the first picture and then that second one.........man what a difference. Gunko!!!
Is it hard to get off of the rocks?

 

[taherrmann4]

Thanks Jw, will be pressure washing it next spring, didn't feel like doing it yesterday too cold..

 

[addy1]

Spray it with peroxide, it turns white and dries up sort of powdery