Proper Winter Care for Your Fish Pond

If you have a fish pond you’ll need to know the how to take care of the fish during the winter. If the country you live in has a cold winter then you need to take this into account when you build your fish pond. You need to made at least part of your pond 30 to 45 inches deep in order to protect your fish during very cold spells. If the pond becomes iced over toxic gases can build up in the water, so it is essential that you make sure that part of the surface is always open to to allow the toxic gases to escape and to allow oxygen to enter. You can achieve this in different ways.

Using An Aerator

An aerator, powered by a small aquarium pump can be used to keep an opening in the ice. It is quite hard to get the placement correct so that it works efficiently. It should be placed about half way to the bottom of the pond. If it is too deep itcan cause the whole pond to be chilled, it is too near the surface it can freeze.

Using a Deicer or Heater

Deicers can be used on all types of ponds including concrete, lined or preformed ponds. They can make a hole in the ice to serve as a breeding all for the fish. Larger deicers can keep the pond completely ice free throughout the winter.

Using a Water Pump

A water pump can help to keep an opening in the ice but needs to be carefully placed in the same way as the aerator. The pump needs to be mounted in the deepest part of the pond, again about half way to the surface. Closer to the surface it will freeze and close to the bottom it will circulate the water too much and make it too cold. You would need to regularly inspect the pump to make sure that it is still working and has not frozen or run dry.

Covering the Pond

You can protect the pond during the winter by covering it, especially during very severe weather. This would also help to choose the amount of electricity and the wear on the heater. the cover needs to allow toxic gases to escape and oxygen to end up on. wooden frame can be built over the pond and then covered with plywood which is then covered with insulating materials. It needs to be sturdy enough to last for the whole winter and to withstand snow accumulation and freezing.

Feeding the Fish

During the winter fish will need very little food as their metabolism slows down so reduce the amount of food that you give them. Only give enough food that they can eat in 15 minutes and if they ignore it you will know that they do not need feeding a few more days.

Conclusion

The essential points to looking after your fish during the winter are to make sure that toxic gases can escape when ice covered pond and that you do not overfeed the fish during this time. If you look after your pond, your fish will come through the winter and be healthy in the Spring.

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