Protecting Ponds & Fish For Winter
Not only do our gardens need a little TLC in the coming months, ponds require a little more attention, especially if fish feature, and whilst most pond owners will probably have knowledge of all that’s required, for those new to water gardens or thinking about installing one, take a look at what you will need to consider.
Sanitation is first on the list, so remove fallen leaves and twigs, and any other decaying matter that may pollute your pond or harm any fish you may have. Spring will require another clean, but anything left in between now and then can alter the pH and potentially cause a lot of damage.
There should be no need for a water change unless there is an inch or more of silt, and then a through clean of the whole pond will be necessary: remove approximately one third of the water and place in a holding tank with your fish; remove water and plants, and scrub the bottom of your pond with a stiff brush, avoiding any algae on the sides; rinse, drain and refill the pond, use a dechlorinator like Tetra Aqua Safe to remove all traces of chlorine and allow the temperature to stabilise, and when the pond is ready, reintroduce your fish with the water from the holding tank.
Plants will need some attention too: once temperatures drop to below 16°C, stop watering them until temperatures start to increase in spring, and remove and dispose of any floating plants like Water Hyacinth, Water Lettuce, Frogbit and Salvinia. Hardy plants should be snipped at the crown once their leaves have fallen, and can be lowered to the bottom of the pond, but bear in mind, a hard frost could kill them, so you will need to remove them and place them in a more sheltered area and cover with wet newspaper and plastic to retain the moisture; non-hardy plants – Tropical Water Lilies, Gunnera, Papyrus Sedge, Sweet Flag – need to be kept warm over the colder months, so a greenhouse would be ideal, but if not available, keeping the plants sheltered in water of around 21°C under artificial lights for around 18 hours a day will do the job. Alternatively, with a little planning they can be stored as tubers, but you will need to stop feeding them in August to allow the tuber to form. Once the leaves have all fallen, drop it to the deepest part of your pond or remove it, wash and allow it to dry completely before breaking off any roots and stems. Tubers can then be stored in distilled water and kept in the dark at around 12°C, but if the water discolours, change it. Once spring comes around, place the tubers in the sun – whenever it appears – until they begin to sprout; they can then be planted in sand inside a container of water until temperatures increase to around 21°C and they can remain outside.
When it comes to fish, we need to start looking at over-wintering before the weather gets too cold. As soon as temperatures drop to around 10°C, the metabolism of fish slows so you’ll need to ease up on feeding; switching to wheatgerm is a good idea as it’s easier for fish to digest. Many fish – Koi, Goldfish, Tench, Orfe, Sturgeon, for example – can survive the colder months in ponds that have a depth of at least 2’6”, but you will need to watch for hard frosts; when the water freezes, it no longer provides oxygen, and a covering of snow can cause the same problems, as well as preventing photosynthesis which may also kill any plants sheltering at the bottom of the pond. Air bubblers or water pumps for small ponds can help to keep areas frost-free, and pond heaters can help to keep your ponds at the optimum temperature.
Species such as Dace and Minnows that won’t survive during the winter will need to be suitably housed inside and will be happy to relocate to an indoor aquarium.
Once you’ve cleaned your pond, consider covering it with a strong netting; not only will it keep it leaf-free after all your hard work, but it will prevent predators like foxes and herons using your pond as a food source during autumn.
As always, if you need any help, we have a superb team of experts that can guide you through every step.
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