No
other season is more important than the fall/winter closing. The only protection our fish
have for the next 5 or 6 months is what we do before the water freezes.
This is the time
of year when biological filters stop the process of waste breakdown Nitrite / Nitrate
conversions.
Every
leaf or pine needle that stays in the pond decomposes and causes the highly toxic ammonia.
Every effort must be made to send the pond life into pristine conditions to help when
immune systems are weakened.
Excellent water preparations such as MicrobeLift, AquaZyme and
Microbe-lift
Calcium Montmorillonite Clay will be
effective down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit and should be used now to clear the unwanted waste
that our filters and netting has failed to remove.
We all know
the importance of weekly / monthly water changes and none are more important than these
next 1 or 2 months. As the average water temperatures are 52–54 degrees Fahrenheit,
tap water is 48 degrees making it less stressful to do many changes before the water
freezes to remove ammonia.
Many of us have not
fully understood the many benefits of plain un-iodized salt. Salt is known to rid the pond
of 7 out of 8 parasites that weaken or even kill our fish. You may not see any ulcers or
wounds on your fish but even healthy fish have many parasites like Trichodina, Costia and
White spot. The difference is that a healthy fish’s immune system can prevent
infection whereas a fish in dormancy can create many fish health problems.
Pond Salt is easy and
simple to use and performs many great functions for fish health and is highly recommended
this time of year. Salt will minimize water borne parasites that may attach to you fish
next spring. Salt also cleanses the fish’s external body and sends them into dormancy
in a healthy state. Even if you don’t use salt all season, this time of year is so
valuable to fish health and because our water plants are at the end of their season we can
be aggressive in salt use now. We recommend 1 lb. Pond
salt per 100 gal
And before we
close, a secret to rid the pond of early algae blooms (green pea soup) syndrome, try Black tint pond shade
before the water freezes. It is 100% safe to all pond life, it gives the first
“darkness” when there is no plant cover for protection and most important it
stops the sun from creating green water in the spring before the filter is conditioned.
Works great – We use it in our ponds.
Don’t forget the SALT!
Reduces Fish stress
Adds essential electrolytes
Improves gill function
Protects against nitrite toxicity
Can be used with medication to improve recovery from disease
Can be used full season
Use 5lbs per 500 gallons pond water
