Winterizing Question

[Bossman]

I live in zone 8b and have an above ground 800 gallon pond. In the pond update todasy it talks about removing the in pond filter, UV light to avoid freezing. As it will get cold here I would never get ice. I planed on running the filter and UV light all winter. Should I do that or take out the filter that is scary to me. This is my first winter.

 

[JRS]

I'd keep it running.

 

[Tula]

I would remove the UV light during the winter. I've read that they can crack in cold weather and I'm not sure how effective ( or necessary ) it is in the winter. In your zone I think you can comfortably run your filter during the winter.

 

[j.w]

I am about the same zone you are, maybe a little colder here as we can get ice on the pond. I leave my submersible pump and filter running all year long. My filter is at the bottom of my pond and a pot filter on the edge also. The pot filter I will keep an eye on to see if it freezes. The pump to that one too is on the plant shelf in my pond. This is the 2nd year leaving the pot filter running and last year was not that cold so will see how it does this year. I don't use UV's so can't help w/that.

 

[WaterGardener]

I saw your post on another forum that said you have your pond in a screen-in area, right? Why not cover the screen with plastic and you will be sure to be warm enough to be able to run everything all winter.

I looked up the low temperatures for zone 8 and they are 10 - 20 degrees. That would be plenty low enough to create some ice if the daytime didn't heat up much.

We cover our pond in winter and in zone 6 it keeps the water from freezing. There is never any ice at all on the pond and everything runs all year long.

 

[SherrysPond]

I'm in zone 8-b , I disconnected my UV filter for winter, (saves the bulb) but left my waterfall filter running. This was a month ago, no green water. I will hook it up again in the spring, if needed. But my pond is in ground, almost 4 ft deep.