related article: Fishkeeping Tips and Pond Maintenance before Winter
Winter is a time of freezing temperatures, snow, and staying indoors, but it does not mean that you can completely forget about taking care of your pond. Winter can harm the fish and plants of your pond and can cause significant issues that will cause severe problems opening the pond in the warmer months. Winterizing a pond is something that should be taken very seriously.
Whether you use pond balls, a pond heater, or something else, you want to keep your pond healthy and thriving during the winter, so that you can enjoy it.
Pond balls are one tool that you can use to help keep your pond from freezing during the winter.
By adding two or three balls to your pond, you can keep the water moving and prevent surface freezing. Water surface freezing can cause the oxygen supply to diminish, causing damage to the fish and the plants, so you want to do what you can to keep surface frost from being created. These pond balls can be a tool to do just this and they take very little effort from you.
A pond heater may be something else that you may want to consider. Floating pond heaters are available to help keep the top of the pond from freezing. These pond heaters are digitally controlled and are very efficient at keeping the top of the pond over 32-degrees Fahrenheit, so that it will not freeze. These pond heaters can keep your fish safe and your plants safe from the effects of freezing.
While you may think that breaking the ice on top of the pond is a good idea, don't do it. If ice does form on the surface of the pond, you do not want to break it, as this can send shockwaves to the fish and cause them to die. Allow it to thaw naturally or use a deicer, like hot water, to thaw the ice on top of the pond. You want to keep the pond surface open to help keep the oxygen level at a balanced level for the fish and plants.
Keep the level of your pond at a safe level for your fish. A depth of three to four feet is best to allow the fish to go down to the bottom to keep them from freezing. As long as the pond does not freeze solid, the fish will remain healthy, because they go dormant during the winter months.
Winterizing a pond may seem like quite a bit of effort, but it will be well worth it in the future months. By adding pond balls, a pond heater, using a deicer, and taking care of the pond, you will be able to keep your pond, fish, and plants healthy during the freezing months. This will allow you to enjoy it for many more months to come.
Fishpond equipment for proper winterizing a pond: