5 Tips For Winter Pond Maintenance
With the autumn season now underway in Ontario and Torontonians being warned of an early snowfall, some people are already turning their thoughts to preparing for winter. Therefore, it is time to think about winter pond maintenance.
In this article we will look at 5 tips Epiphany Ponds & Landscaping has for making sure your pond, plants and fish are in their best shape to face the ups and downs of another Canadian winter:
Plus, Skip to the bottom of this article to read more about Epiphany Ponds & Landscaping Fall Maintenance & Winterization services.
Get the top 5 tips for Winter Pond Maintenance with Epiphany Ponds & Landscaping!
Photo by Ryutaro Tsukata from Pexels
Why Winterize Your Pond?
Ok, but before we go into our 5 tips, perhaps we should just spend a moment to point out why it's important to winterize your pond and maintain it throughout the winter.
Winterizing your pond means:
Protecting your pond equipment from getting damaged.
Maintaining your water quality throughout the winter since excess decay and fall foliage is left unattended. This creates poor water conditions over time, especially if it’s left in your pond throughout the winter. Doing so will also get your pond off to a better start when Spring arrives.
Caring for fish and plants and ensuring a better chance of survival.
As you will see later, you will have the choice to keep your pond running or not throughout the winter. There is some maintenance required if you keep things running, so stay tuned. Now let's take a look at our top 5 tips for winterizing your pond.
5 Winter Pond Maintenance Tips From Epiphany Ponds & Landscaping
1. Clean & Clear Your Pond
Before winterizing your pond, you want to clean it of any debris, particularly fallen leaves.
If nearby trees haven't yet started to lose their leaves, you can use a pond net to catch the leaves.
If you don't have a net to do some of the work for you, simply use a long-handled pond net to scoop out leaves and other debris from the surface and bottom of your pond.
Save yourself some extra work when cleaning out debris from your pond by using a pond net.
2. Care for Plants
Prune your pond plants and remove dead foliage leftover from your pond's aquatic plants, whether in your pond or along the edge of your pond. You want to prevent plants from decomposing because they will add harmful bacteria to your pond. Also, don't forget to wear your hip waders!
In addition, if you have plants in your pond that are not hardy or tropical, consider bringing them indoors for the winter. Here is a handy guide called Overwintering Pond Plants – Part I from Gardenfundamentals.com.
Trimming plants around the edges of your pond will also prevent decaying material from falling into your pond.
Photo by Maria Orlova from Pexels
3. Treat Your Pond Water
Consider adding a cold water bacteria treatment like Aquascape's Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria to help maintain the quality of your pond water and to keep fish waste and debris from creating a toxic environment. This treatment is designed to work in water that is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius. This sort of treatment will also help reduce the maintenance that will be required during the fall and winter months.
Try a cold-water treatment like Aquascape’s Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria Liquid.
4. Deal With Your Pond Pump
Keeping Your Pond Pump Running
Although most pond owners living in colder climates decide to shut down their pond (eg. turning off and removing water pumps that power waterfalls) for the winter, it is an option to keep your pond running during the winter months.
This choice requires some extra maintenance like monitoring for ice build-up near waterfalls and streams. It’s also likely that you will need to add water to your pond to account for water loss from evaporation. Also, it’s important to make sure that your pond has enough water to keep your pump operating well during the Winter.
Leaving your pond's waterfall and stream running throughout the winter can result in beautiful icy creations which you can admire. However, it is advised that you remove your pond's pump if you experience harsher winters.
Shutting Off Your Pond Pump
If you shiver at the thought of running cold water during the winter months, it's likely you'll prefer the second option of shutting your pond down. Simply unplug your pond pump and remove it. You'll want to clean it and then store it indoors (garage, basement, etc.).
Although it requires some extra winter maintenance, leaving your pond running throughout the winter creates beautiful and unique ice formations that will delight you.
5. Protect Fish
Feeding
As water temperatures drop, so does your fish's metabolism. You can feed your fish cold water fish food as temperatures drop and then stop feeding your fish when the water temperature is at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius. The fish will become dormant and feeding is no longer necessary.
Oxygenation
Fish that stay in your pond over the winter will require oxygen. Depending on your location, you can use either a pond aerator or a pond aerator plus a floating pond heater and de-icer.
A pond aerator creates bubbles at the surface of the water to prevent your pond from freezing completely and leaves an opening in the ice. A pond heater and de-icer will also prevent complete freezing and is controlled by a thermostat for energy efficiency. If you experience long periods of freezing temperatures, you will benefit from the aerator, pond heater and de-icer. Click on this link to read more about these 2 Aquascape devices and other kits for winter pond maintenance.
Clearwater recommends using a pond aerator and heater/de-icer to keep your pond oxygenated all Winter.
These tips will help you prepare your pond for the winter months and help you get a good start when spring cleaning arrives.
Your winter pond maintenance will mean that:
Your pond pump is in good working order
There is less debris to clear out
Your pond water is not overrun with algae and waste
Your plants and fish stay healthy for the new year ahead
If all this information sounds a little daunting, you can call the pros at Epiphany Ponds & Landscaping. They are experienced with winter maintenance and know what Eastern Ontario winters are truly like.
Clearwater’s Winter Pond Maintenance
We recommend the Fall Maintenance and Winterization Services from Epiphany Ponds & Landscaping especially if it is your first time preparing your pond for the Winter!
As certified Aquascape contractors and graduates of the Horticulture Technician Program from Durham College, Ephiphany's team will help you keep your pond, plants, and pets in good shape for the Winter and for years to come.
Testimonials
“Fantastic customer service. They are so friendly and helpful every step of the way.”
“Knowledgeable, industrious, creative and thorough are words that come to mind to describe my interactions with Tim and Joey.”