With a little preparation, you can enjoy the water features in your pond, or outdoor water garden, well into the winter months of the year.
Of course, depending upon the area where you live, you may or may not have to do much winterizing of your pond, especially if the temperature does not dip below freezing for any length of time. This page assumes that you live in an area where you will need to prepare your pond for freezing temperatures, as well as the possibility (or even the certainty) that your pond could freeze.
Since running water freezes much more slowly than still water, ensuring that the waterfall, water feature, or filter outlet flow does not freeze to the point that the water is diverted out of your pond, draining the pond. The same holds true for external biological filters. Allow them to continue to operate until such time as the outlet water flow is in danger of freezing.
If (and when) you shut down an external pond filter, drain the water from the unit either via the drain plug or the siphon effect. Other than to remove dead vegetation, cleaning your filter is not necessary.
A submersible pond filter should be removed from the pond for the winter. A pump that is not oil filled can be left in the pond as long as it is below the freeze point of the pond. Your pump should also never be sitting directly on the bottom of the pond (the best placement is between 1/2″ off the bottom but not greater than 20″ off the bottom).
Muck Vac II
Remove any tropical plants as soon as the water temperature drops into the 55 degree range. Depending on the variety, you may be able to winter them inside your home, or you may choose to treat them as annuals and replace them in the spring. Before the first frost of the season, remove hardier plants, cut them down almost to the root stem and sink them into the lowest part of the pond, without encroaching upon the area where your fish will hibernate.
Remove as much debris (dead vegetation, leaves, etc.) as you can with a net, then use a Muck Vac, or similar vacuum to remove the sludge from the bottom of your pond. This is also an excellent time to do a partial water change, normally about 1/2″, provided that the fish have not already begun hibernation.
Over the winter months, a simple regular visual check should be all that your pond requires, however to protect your fish, you should consider installing a deicer (heater) to keep the pond from freezing solid, and an Aerator/Circulator Decontaminator unit to prevent the buildup of ammonia and carbon dioxide. This provides a clean, clear, healthy environment for your fish and helps to ensure they will survive the winter months.
Here’s an excellent video to help you prepare your pond for winter:
To see products to help you winterize your pond, browse the entire selection of Pond Deicers at Amazon.com!