| Over-wintering The Water Garden
Throughout the summer, debris
builds up in your pond from the falling leaves, decaying plants, fish waste, and algae.
Excess organic matter will reduce water quality and stress fish and plants during these
cold winter months. It is important to properly prepare your pond for the winter.
During the winter months,
even when the water is very cold or frozen your pond is still very active. Dead leaves,
fish waste, insects and algae slowly break down. This natural decomposition uses oxygen
and produces small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas that normally would not
reach a harmful level. Your pond must be balanced in the winter months as fish, frogs and
other aquatic life are sensitive to poor water conditions. A build up of leaves and other
organic matter can cause an imbalance, reducing oxygen to dangerously low levels and
releasing poisonous hydrogen sulfide. Use a net to remove dead leaves then remove the
bottom sludge. A Muck Vac
is easy to use removing the sludge and at the same you can do the all important partial
water change.
(Please
note we are sold out of the Muck Vac you can purchase direct from http://www.muckvac.com/
)
Frank using the Muck Vac
At this time of year water
changes are crucial. Algae-promoting nutrients, dissolved organic matter and natural acids
build up in all water gardens. These substances can stress pond life and lower oxygen and
pH levels. Partial water changes flush out these substances and improve water quality.
Change 50% of the water over a few days and remember to use a water conditioner to
eliminate harmful chlorine or chloramine from newly added tap water.
This may seem contradictory,
but you want to leave a little bit of debris in the pond when preparing it for winter.
Some water gardeners net out the fish, completely drain the water and scrub out the pond,
refilling it with fresh water. Frogs, tadpoles, snails and microscopic pond life need to
burrow down into mud and leaves to survive the winter. Fish also hibernate on the bottom,
settling in around a bed of leaves and mud. We remove about 90% of the leaves and silt
that have accumulated over the summer. Leave the rest as "bedding material."
You’ll be amazed at the diversity of pond life that emerges in spring. Keep in mind
that tree leaves will continually blow into the pond as long as the water isn’t
frozen. We recommend covering the pond with bird netting. This black plastic
netting is almost invisible and prevents tree leaves and debris from getting into the
pond.
Entering the winter with a
clean pond will help keep your pond, plants and fish safe and healthy and give them a
strong start in the spring.
Fall and Winter
closing Products
Click on the
pictures for more info and pricing
 
MicrobeLift
AquaZyme
Black tint pond shade
 
Pond Netting
De-Icer
Winterizing your pond Plants
Koi and Goldfish Feeding
De-icing
Winterizing Equipment
Using Salt in the Fall
|
