Winterizing ponds

[Mugwump]

OK you pond folks, what's your technique for the pond during winter months??..fish in? fish out? increased aeration to avoid ice over??....plants?....

[ilroost]

Bring mine in. I have a 180 gal pond inside. also some plants come in, like the potted ones. As for the floating plants i just get new the next year

[Barb]

Leave all koi and goldfish in, make sure most of the fallen leaves are out, clean out the filter, and stop feeding about mid to late Oct.  I leave the filter running all winter.  Once or twice a winter I may have a thin sheet of ice on the water for a few hrs. but that's all.  The water gets very cold, fish hibernate at the pond bottom, and I feel sorry for them from Oct-March.
Barb

[Mugwump]

Leave all koi and goldfish in, make sure most of the fallen leaves are out, clean out the filter, and stop feeding about mid to late Oct.  I leave the filter running all winter.  Once or twice a winter I may have a thin sheet of ice on the water for a few hrs. but that's all.  The water gets very cold, fish hibernate at the pond bottom, and I feel sorry for them from Oct-March.
Barb

Is your pond deeper than four feet?? I've heard that it's the minimum required for leaving them in there...??

[Barb]

Jon that is only for you folks in cold climates.  It is pretty warm here, rarely below 30 here in winter. If ever into the 20's it doesn't last many days or hrs.  My pond is mostly 3' or less.  As long as there is at least 12" of unfrozen water at pond bottom it will be fine. 
Barb

[Mugwump]

Jon that is only for you folks in cold climates.  It is pretty warm here, rarely below 30 here in winter. If ever into the 20's it doesn't last many days or hrs.  My pond is mostly 3' or less.  As long as there is at least 12" of unfrozen water at pond bottom it will be fine. 
Barb

Thanks Barb, you're right, it would depend on the frost line.

[ilroost]

It gets pretty cold here. I'm always afraid it will freeze solid

[Mugwump]

It gets pretty cold here. I'm always afraid it will freeze solid

You use a good pump to aerate don't you???....that should keep the surface open mostly....a good wack with a ball bat would take care of any cold snaps...??...how deep is yours?

[BillT]

I don't feed my pond fish so I don't have to stop that.
I keep the pump going. Rarely have ice on the surface here in Eugene.

When i was growing up in Maryland, I had a small pond about3' x 4' and 18" deep with some goldfish in it.
The top 6" would freeze solid, but the goldfish would survive underneath the ice.

[ilroost]

Mine is about 3 feet deep