Getting Ready For Winter

Your pond is an outdoor animal. And unless you live in a part of the county where old man winter doesn't pay you an annual visit, you'll have to prepare for change in the late fall, and the early spring, with the coming and going of winter.

But you’ll be happy to know that the preparations required are not large, time consuming ventures that threaten to take over an entire weekend. And if you prefer, most installers are happy to come back out and tend to these changes at a fairly nominal cost.

AND THEN THERE WAS WINTER...
In either case, for those of you who live in those areas of the country where Mother Nature can be a little less than friendly during the months of December, January, February, and March, here are a few things that you'll want to take into consideration when preparing for winter.

TO KEEP YOUR WATERFALLS RUNNING...
Believe it or not, with ponds that pump at least 2000 gallons of water per hour, you can run your waterfalls throughout the winter without a problem, as long as it's run continu­ously. Moving water keeps the area around the water­falls and skimmer open.

The reason that you may want to keep your falls running is that Mother Nature makes extraordinary, natural ice sculptures, icicles, and abstract formations if you give her the opportunity In all reality, some of the most breathtakingly beau­tiful water garden photos we ever get are shot in the winter in the midst of a new snowfall.

 You must however, be careful with ponds that have long, or slow-moving streams. In such cases, ice dams can form and divert water over the liner. In this case, we recommend that you observe your pond for the first season on extremely cold days, in order to be sure that everything is running smoothly.

Also, waterfalls operated through the winter will experience some evapora­tion. So periodically, check your water level and add water if necessary.

OR, YOU CAN SHUT IT DOWN...
You can also choose to shut your waterfalls down for the winter. And that'll work too. If this is your choice, you'll need to remove your pump and store it in a frost-free loca­tion, ideally submersed in a bucket of water. The water around the pump housing will help prevent the seal on the pump from drying and cracking.

Next, remove the bags of biological media and filter mats from the BIOFALLS®. Wash them down and store them in a garage or shed. Removing the biological media bags and filter mats during your winter shut­down makes your spring cleanout easier.

PRESUMING YOU DON'T WANT TO RELOCATE YOUR FISH...
Your fish will do just fine in 2 feet of water as long as you keep a hole in the ice to allow for gas exchange to take place. This can be done in two ways.

You can place a pump (one that pumps at least 150 gallon per hour) below, yet close to the water's sur­face. The water should not bubble more than 1" above the surface. The agitation will prevent freezing and allow for gas exchange. We also recommend plac­ing the pump in a basket or a bucket, and surround­ing the intake of the pump with stones to prevent clogging.

Or, you can also use a floating heater, in combi­nation with a small sub­mersible pump. Floating heaters are the most com­mon method of keeping an open hole in the ice. Unfortunately, they're expensive to operate (1250 watts or more!).

Placing a small 150 gallon/hour (or larger) sub­mersible pump below the water's surface will keep a hole open until the air tem­perature drops to about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it drops below 10 degrees, it's time to switch on the heater. Place the pump and heater far enough apart to prevent the pump from moving heated water away from the heater.

Please note that using a floating heater alone can be deadly to your fish. Large fish or heavily stocked ponds require recirculating water for fish to breathe. Fish gasping for air at the surface is a sure sign that your pond lacks sufficient oxygen.

Also, you may have to use a net to remove the leaves and debris left in the pond during the fall. If left unattended, these things tend to decompose and produce harmful gasses throughout the winter.

WITH REGARD TO YOUR PLANTS...
What do you do with your plants? You leave them in the pond, that's what you do. Hardy lilies deeper than 12", will winter over in the pond with no diffi­culty. Simply cut the dead lily leaves and stalks, leav­ing approximately 2" to 3" at the base of the plant. Hardy bog and marginal plants will need all of the dead leaves and plant material trimmed down just above water level.

Tropical lilies and float­ing plants can be brought inside for the winter with some success. Or they can be treated as an annual and replaced each season. Remove the tropical lily after the first frost. Cut the lily leaves and keep only the tubers. Store the tubers in a green house or a cool basement (Check local plant suppliers for more info.)

MOTHER NATURE HAS BEEN DOING' THIS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME...
So, the basic answer to the question about how do ponds do in the winter time is...they do just fine as long as you know what to do to take care of them. In fact some of the most beau­tiful water garden land­scapes you'll ever see occur during the months of December, January, February, and March. It's a year round deal that Mother Nature has been doing' for a long, long time. Do it her way, and you'll have no problem.