Winter's Almost here

[redblazer37]

OK so the temp here in NY is around 55 and I am weaning my fish off there wheat germ food and hoping that they all survive the cold weather that is inevitable. Last year I kept my pump running all winter long and plan to do the same this year. Should I unplug my UV and is there anythng else i can do now to prepare the pond for the winter.....thanks in advance....

 

[singhlakhy]

what i did for the winter was i shut off my uv light and filtration system and covered the half of the pond with like wood. so when it was raning the water was just going on 1 side. and second all of algae on side was gone and i live in los angeles area so yah i am do the same thing this year

 

[Troutredds]

I fail to see the logic of turning off your system in sunny Los Angeles. I understand the thinking in New York, where frigid winter conditions can damage equipment, and free-floating algae dieback eliminates the need for a uv clarifier. But in L.A.? Your winters are pleasantly mild; often room temperature or warmer. That's why pale-skinned Pacific northwesters flock to Disneyland each winter. That's why we're "California Dreaming...on such a winter's day"! In your climate, I would assume uninterrupted algae production and mild water temps necessitate year-round filtration.

As an unrelated asside to Koiguy and JohnHuff: Yes, I am a Seattleite - I was a Seattleheavy but I lost weight over the summer.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I keep my main pump and underwater filter running, no Skimmer here cause they do not winter very well in most cases. I use a big 1500 watt cattle water trough heater when the temperature is below minus 10 c or around 18f. My main pumps keeps my three connecting ponds running all year. I have since stopped feeding the fish for at least three weeks now, they need to eat the pond greens now as that is a high carb diet which is easy for them to digest during the cold months.

 

[singhlakhy]

i do this thats what i was told when i build the pond last year. i now in la the cold temper doesnt drop to low. but i did this last year and my pond was perefectly fine. i even tested the water and everything it was good. and the water was crystal clear to so why not save eletricity while the winter is taking caire of my pond.

I fail to see the logic of turning off your system in sunny Los Angeles. I understand the thinking in New York, where frigid winter conditions can damage equipment, and free-floating algae dieback eliminates the need for a uv clarifier. But in L.A.? Your winters are pleasantly mild; often room temperature or warmer. That's why pale-skinned Pacific northwesters flock to Disneyland each winter. That's why we're "California Dreaming...on such a winter's day"! In your climate, I would assume uninterrupted algae production and mild water temps necessitate year-round filtration.

As an unrelated asside to Koiguy and JohnHuff: Yes, I am a Seattleite - I was a Seattleheavy but I lost weight over the summer.

 

[Troutredds]

Singhlakhy,

If you're pleased with your winterizing procedures, enjoying a healthy balanced system AND saving money, thats great! I wish everyone in this forum was so fortunate. Good luck to you this coming winter. I'll be dreaming of sunny southern California in February - when it's dark, 38 degrees and raining in Seattle. Maybe you'll spot us at Disneyland; we'll be the pale Seattle family squinting in the bright Anaheim sun (and loving it)!

 

[CountryEscape]

Welcome, Redblazer. I think IV lights should not freeze. If that's the case, you should remove it and put it indoors for winter. If you have it in-line, then hopefully you can simply reconnect that line to the other side for the winter, if it's a "running" line.
I learned that it's best to keep everything up and running in the winter, as long as possible and as soon as possible in the spring, if the weather allows it. I live in south central IL, Zone 6a. We get down to the teens and sometimes below zero, but not for long. Last winter was another mild winter, only had a few times where the ponds froze. I set up an air bubbler just in front of my skimmer in koi pond, water bubbler (fountain pump just under the water surface) in front of the skimmer in the goldfish pond. That way, it helps keep the water from freezing too deep at the skimmer opening. I leave the pumps running in the skimmers all winter. One skimmer pump runs the water to the koi bog, the other to the top of the stream. The idea is running water will not freeze. The only problem comes about if your pump gets clogged and quits. Then it's a matter of unplugging that pump, and waiting out the cold spell.
When the water freezes, I put my floating heater on one pond at a time, melt a hole above where the bubbler is, and then turn on the bubbler. Last year, didn't even need to leave the bubbler on all the time. If it's only keeping a 2-3' hole open, I leave it on. If the whole pond thaws out, I shut it off.
Couple of things I learned last winter: Don't turn on an air bubbler when the pond is completely frozen over! It created an air pocket that kept getting larger and larger, eventually cracking the ice. I shut off the air before this happened, and put the floating heater on top to open an hole. Don't want ice cracking over the ponds, and don't want to chop the ice to break it either. Dangerous for the goldfish and koi. VERY loud sounds in the water.
I also moved all water lines that were outside the pond liner to inside where possible, so if there is any break in the line during the winter, I won't almost empty a pond again. Thank goodness someone said to put bottom of pond pump up on a shelf (I used a milk crate), or I would have had frozen dead fish that cold January evening! All was well, though, lost no fish. Lesson learned on water lines.
Good luck with winterizing your pond! As long as the pond is deep enough, your fish will be happy when spring rolls around and water warms up again.

 

[dieselplower]

I am not sure I agree with keeping the water running as long as possible. This could cool the water below normal freezing temperature. The fish would not appreciate that. I try to disturb the water at the bottom of my pond a little as possible. Let the heat of the Earth warm it, and let the fish settle in down there. Last year I found the water at the bottom of the pond would stay around 38* while most of the top had a thick layer of ice.

 

[studiovette]

This will be my 1st winter with my pond and I am kinda freaking out not knowing what to expect. When I opened it this past season it was a mess, broken pipes, uv bulb and sleeve were cracked and worst of all my main filter pump seized. So $1000 later I was up and running. I installed some valves to shut and drain the water out of the pipes and will remove the UV bulb and sleeve. I hear that it's good to replace the bulb every season anyway in order to get the best algae protection.
I was contemplating leaving the skimmer filter on which powers part of the waterfall but not sure if that is a good idea. I have a Aerator set up and bought a 350wt pond de-icer. Just the other day I cut back all the lillies and other plants and put the net over it. Looks good to go.

 

[addy1]

I turn all off, flip on an aerator, no worries about the pump or the lines that way.

 

[studiovette]

I turn all off, flip on an aerator, no worries about the pump or the lines that way.

Addy what about underwater lights do you remove them in the winter?

 

[addy1]

No the ones I have are fine as long as they are not frozen in ice. They are 2 feet down and the other on the bottom around 5 feet down. I have not had them on in a while, found out they made it easy for the owls to fish the pond at night.

 

[Frankp]

I've had good luck turning the pump off over the winter and keep an aerator running to maintain a hole in the ice. If it gets too cold I drop in a floating heater to keep it open.

 

[studiovette]

is it recommended to keep the aerator at the shallow end of deep end for winter purposes?

 

[addy1]

I keep mine at the shallower end, to disturb the fish less. I also float a piece of liner for the fish to hide under. They hand out there all winter.