Fall & Winter Pond Care

As the seasons change, so does the way, we pond owners have to change the methods we use to take care of our ponds. Cooler temperatures mean different bacteria, different fish foods and different habits. There are challenges that have to be tackled but thankfully one of those is usually not water clarity with the fall producing some of the clearest water you will have!!! So here are some things that you can do to keep your water garden looking at its best!!

**Please note: Several of the tips do not apply to Pondless® Waterfall systems!!!

  • There may be an increasing amount of yellow foliage this time of year, so make sure you prune your plants. Your lilies – tropical and hardy – should still be going strong, at least until the first heavy frost. As a general rule of thumb cut back your perennials 2” above the water level and your lilies should be cut back about 3” from the top of their planter! Check each plant for its own fall and winter needs!!!
  • Stop fertilizing when the weather becomes cooler. This lets the plants know the season is coming to an end.
  • When the water temperature is around 50° F, stop feeding your fish! Continuing to feed at this temperature since their digestive systems are beginning to slow down for the winter could cause health problems or death for them. Until this point, help them digest the food with ease by feeding them a Low-Temp fish food like that from Aquascape.
  • As leaves falls from nearby trees, you´ll probably have to empty the debris net from your skimmer box daily to keep up with the influx of leaves. Some of them will undoubtedly sink to the bottom, so try to remove as many as you can, however a few left in the pond will give insects and frogs a place to hide over winter. To cut down on the leaf removal maintenance, try using an Aquascape pond net to help prevent the leaves from entering your pond during the Fall season.
  • If you leave too much organic matter in your pond, the water may turn brown. If this happens, remove the excess debris and if it is still fall; add activated carbon to clear the water.
  • You also need to change the type of bacteria that you are using during the Fall season since most bacteria are not formulated to work in water temperatures below 65o. Switch to the Liquid Cold Water Bacteria from Aquascape that will not only work for fall usage but early spring as well! The need to continually add bacteria is to make sure all the excess debris from the fall season are being broken down properly so your water stays clears.
  • If you live up north, where the surface of the pond freezes, you’ll need to prepare for winter by deciding whether you want to keep your pond running or shut it down.
  • To shut your pond down, first unplug your pump and pull it out of the water. The pump should be stored in a frost-free location, submerged in a bucket of water to keep the seals from drying.
  • Cleaning your filters is an optional step in the winterization of a pond especially if you are doing a complete shut down.
  • If you have fish, a small re-circulating pump that bubbles at the water surface is necessary to oxygenate the water. In all but extremely low temperatures, the bubbling of the pump will also keep a hole open in the ice to allow for a gas exchange, keeping your fish alive. It is not necessary to oxygenate the water or keep a hole open in the ice if you don’t have fish.
  • If your area experiences long periods of extremely cold weather and your bubbling pump can’t seem to handle the job, you may consider adding a floating de-icer, like the highly efficient AquaDicer 200!!! Controlled by a thermostat, the unit only runs when the water temperature is at or below freezing, heats the water to just above that, and then shuts off again. Ask your installer or local supplier for products to help your pond during the winter.
  • If you use a floating de-icer, place it away from the bubbler. The movement of the water can move the heated water away from the de-icer, making it run more than necessary.
  • You can also choose to keep the waterfall running. This will require a little babysitting to make sure an ice dam does not form which could cause water to run out of the Pondless® Waterfall/ Pond basin. You will also still need to replace water loss so the pump can continue to function properly This extra effort during the winter will reward you with the most beautiful ice formations and patterns around the falls and streambeds.
  • One of the nice features of the Signature Series™ Skimmer is the ability to remove the debris basket in the winter to provide a larger opening for water to reach the pump.

The most important thing is to have fun with your water feature all year long. Keep some of these key maintenance issues in mind, and it will be smooth sailing. In the meantime, stay warm!