WINTER & YOUR WATER GARDEN
The days are shorter and the nights are cooler and it becomes inevitable that Old Man Winter is on his way. Well, what to do with the Water Garden?
Feeding
Fish are endothermic which means they do not maintain their body temperature, but allow it to change with the water temperature. As the water cools, their metabolism slows in preparation for the winter. Since fish digest by muscle action it can be harmful to feed when the temperature is cool and their metabolism is slow. Adjust feeding per the chart below.
| Water Temp |
Feeding |
| Above 90 F |
No Feeding |
| 60 – 89 F |
Up to Twice Daily |
| 50 – 59 F |
Up to Once a Day |
| Below 50 F |
No Feeding |
*Temperature always refers to “AWWT” Average Weekly Water Temp. Remember to feed only; All-Season, Wheat Germ or Spring & Autumn foods in the early Spring and Fall. These foods are easily digested.
Leaf Season
Decaying leaves in the pond can give off toxins and should be avoided. If you have a skimmer as part of your filter system, empty the debris net/basket often. Eddies recommends using a pond leaf net that covers the pond and collects the leaves. When all of the leaves have fallen the net can be removed. Ask an associate about the best size net for your pond. Pond fish nets can also be used to remove leaves from the surface and the bottom of the pond. Eddies recommends using Microbe-Lift Autumn & Winter Prep when the temperature drops below 55 – 60 F and your regular bacteria/enzymes are no longer effective.
Fall Vacuuming
It is best to vacuum when the fish are still active & strong. Removing bottom debris will help keep the pond healthier over the winter. Check out the Mini-Vac & Leaf Eater Vacuum by Lifeguard. Eddies aquarium also rents our Oase Pondovac vacuum on a daily basis, call or sign up in the store for rental.
Will My Pond Freeze?
Yes, your pond will freeze over the surface and typically in Zone 5-6 ponds that are 2 feet below the surface of the ground rarely freeze to the bottom. Fish up to 12” can be wintered in a 2 foot deep pond, larger fish especially koi need deeper ponds (3 plus feet). Fish will survive very cold water but will not survive if the pond freezes to the bottom. De-icer units should be used in all ponds to keep an open hole in the surface for the gas exchange. This allows the Carbon Dioxide to be released and a small amount of Oxygen to get in for the fish. The De-icer unit for ponds under 2000 gallons is 120 watts (low energy), if your pond is larger or heavily stocked with fish, more than 1” of fish per square foot of surface area, use a 1000 watt or 1250 watt De-icer.
When Should I Turn My Pump Off & Put The De-icer In?
Pumps can be shut down anytime after you stop feeding your fish. De-icers should be turned on when ice starts to form. In addition to the de-icer heavily stocked ponds should use a secondary source of oxygen. A 1200 GPH pump or greater sitting one foot below the surface of the water with the return pointing up to the surface works well.
Alternatives
Bringing the fish inside to an aquarium or other suitable container is another option. If using this option please see an associate for safe setup, transfer and startup.
Plants
Hardy lilies and marginal plants should be cut back and stored in an area of the pond that is not likely to freeze. Tropical marginals are usually successful being brought inside and treated as houseplants. Tropical lilies can be stored in a basement (cool temp.) in a plastic bag and put back into the pond in spring. Another method is to remove the lily tuber and pack in a zip lock bag with moist sand and store in the refrigerator, repot, fertilize and return to pond in the spring. Approximately 50% of tropical lilies will come back using one of these methods. Water hyacinths and lettuce should be discarded.
This information is brought to you by your friends at Eddie’s Aquarium Centre. |
