Winterizing Your Pond

In order to ensure that you get many, many years of service from your pond, you should properly close it for the winter. The following steps will guide you through the winterizing process as suggested by the distributors of Laguna pond products. If you have any questions along the way, just call an Ashton Pools professional for advice.

WHEN SHOULD FISH BE BROUGHT INDOORS:
When the pond is less than 42" - 48" deep.
When the pond is a patio pond.

OUTSIDE CARE OF YOUR FISH:

1. As the water temperature of your pond falls, the fish will require less food. Watch their food intake and adjust your feeding. Stop feeding your fish completely when the water temperature of your pond reaches an average of about 7 to 10°C (45° -50°F). At these temperatures, fish hibernate at the bottom of the pond. Regardless of the outside temperature or if the fish come to the surface during the winter do not feed them. They are surfacing for oxygen not food. If you feed the fish during this period, the food will not digest; it will rot and will kill them. Begin feeding the fish when the average temperature of your pond is above 10 °C. Snails and clams will not last the winter in the pond.
2. Skim your pond at least once a week, removing any leaves or plant matter. Installing pond netting will keep unwanted leaves out. Leaves or plant matter left in the pond will deteriorate over the winter producing organic waste. A patch of leaves left in the deepest part of the pond can help to provide shelter when wintering fish outdoors.
3. A 10% to 20% water change is recommended. Add Laguna Water Prep to neutralize harmful metals as well as provide a protective coating to the fish's fins and scales.
4. Add Laguna Pond Clean and Laguna Pond Detox at this time. Adding these beneficial bacteria will help break down waste.
5. Disconnect your UV sterilizer; clean & store it in a cool dry place.
6. Disconnect your waterfall.
7. Disconnect, clean and drain your external filter. Remove all the media. Buy new biological media and foam for the spring. It is not necessary to remove the external filter. Drain the filter using the drain plug located on the bottom of the box. Do no keep water in the external filter over the winter as it will freeze and could damage the filter.
8. Completely take apart and clean your pump, especially the impeller. Check the owner's manual for instructions. Storing your equipment without cleaning it could result in damaged equipment or a broken impeller when you restart them in the spring. Treat the O-rings and Impeller shaft with silicone based lubricant to keep them moist and protected over the winter. If you use your primary pump as your winter pump, completely clean your pump before the winter. If you are using a secondary smaller (winter) pump, you should have cleaned the winter pump after last winter.
9. Until the pond freezes, you will need to continue cleaning your PowerFlo filters.
10. Choose one of the following ways to keep your pond from freezing over. An air hole needs to be kept open to allow for gases to escape. If your pond completely freezes over the fish may die.
    1. Use the original or a secondary smaller pump and take off the fountainheads. Position the pump and internal filter off the bottom of the pond so the top of the pump is below the water level. The bubbling action of the pump will prevent the water around it from freezing. Consider evaporation when placing the pump, so that if the level drops a few inches the pump will still be covered. Do not circulate the warmer water from the bottom of the pond with the colder from the top. Raise the internal filter off the bottom of the pond. The ideal location for the pump and filter would be about the halfway point of maximum depth.
    2. Buy a smaller pump and do the same as above or hang it over the pump just under the water surface.
    3. Install an air stone with an indoor/outdoor air pump. You will need to winterize the pump and cords. Hang the air stone off one end of the pond just under the water level and let it bubble. Not the best option but if your pond is close to the house, you can have the air pump in the house and run tubing to the pond with a 8" or 12" air stone.
    4. Install a pond heater. This can be an expensive option either in the purchase of the heater or the wattage used. Be informed.
11. It is not recommended to keep the waterfall going. Cold winds could freeze the waterfall in odd positions and could drain your pond. If you have a windy winter the waterfall may freeze and the pond may ice over.
12. Trim lotus and lilies & drop them to the deepest part of the pond. Other hardy plants (grasses, cattails, and iris) do not need to be trimmed back, and you can leave them on the shelf or drop them to the bottom of the pond. They should survive on the shelf. Remove and discard oxygenators and floating plants (lettuce and hyacinths). If you are limited on space, you can bring your plants inside. Place them in boxes (or plastic tubs) lined with trash bags and place them in your cellar. You do not need to provide any light. Keep the plants damp. Check your plants at least once a week to be sure they are damp. Bring tropical plants inside, as they will not survive the cold.

INSIDE CARE OF YOUR FISH:

• Your fish can survive in a tub in a garage or in the basement. Remember the tub cannot freeze over and the water temperature needs to be below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees F) in order for the fish to hibernate. Do not feed but circulate the water or use an air stone.
• You can keep your fish in a tub or baby pool in your house. Filtration and feeding is necessary. Bring in your oxygenator plants and snails/clams too.
• You can keep your fish in a tank. Goldfish and Koi are fish that create larger amounts of waste and thus require strong filtration to maintain a healthy environment. As a rule of thumb: Goldfish need 3 gallons of water per inch of fish; Koi need 5 gallons per inch of fish. Buy a filter that moves at least twice the quantity of water in the tank. (Example: 50 gallon tank = 100 gallon per hour filter). It is better to over filter than under filter. Hagen's Fluval outside canister or Aqua Clear Power Filters come in many sizes. You may continue to use your current Laguna Pellets, but reduce the amount during the inside period to minimize waste production.
• Bring some pond water inside with your fish and mix with fresh water. Treat the water with Laguna Water Prep. Important: Add Laguna Pond Detox before you add your fish. Fish will automatically begin producing waste and you need beneficial bacteria in your tank or container to counteract it. Perform a partial water change every two weeks and make sure to treat your water with Laguna Water Prep. Watch the dosage - Laguna Pond products are concentrated for pond use. Add Laguna Pond Detox (beneficial bacteria) to the water when you do a water change and when you change your media. The more beneficial bacteria you have the less bad bacteria you will have. Adding Laguna Pond Clean keeps the slime and sludge from building up. Control the amount of light and the food given. Increased light and food increases the algae growth. Make sure to change your carbon in your filter monthly.

Enjoy your fish for the winter!