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Compiled by Jamie Beyer, Water Garden Consultant. This information may only be used for your own personal use. To reproduce this, you will need written permission. Ed.note: This is the blue handout from the October meeting.
Many decisions will need to be made before the right techniques can be applied to winterizing your pond.
* Determine if the pond has enough volume and deep enough to successfully keep fish and plants in it during the winter. Almost all above ground ponds (or tubs) need to be emptied before they freeze unless supplemental heat is provided.
* Determine if your water garden needs to be emptied for fish population control and/or sediment removal. Do this in early fall so that your pond can recover before winter sets in. Attempt to save as much of the water (up to 80 %) as possible. Cheap kiddie pools work great but need to be bought during early summer. Retailers clear the shelves of them by late summer. I recommend doing this in the fall instead of the spring. A spring cleaning can create conditions for an algae bloom -- the pea green soup kind.
* What tropical plants do you want to save and what kind of facilities do you have for your use -- like a greenhouse, warm basement equipped with an intensely lighted tub or a dedicated refrigerator turned up to 50 degrees? A few tropicals make good houseplants -- so get rid of that couch and make room??!!
* Do you want to net the pond to keep leaves from falling into your pond? Some leaves and tree debris may fall through the net -- like locust tree leaves. It may be just as easy to use a leaf vac or fish net to remove them before freeze-up. You do not have to remove 100% of the debris but try and get most of it.
* Decide on how many of the hardy water lilies, lotus and marginal plants you want to over winter. Get rid of the extras to friends and then lower the lilies and lotus to the bottom of the pond after you remove the surface leaves. This will need to be done before an ice sheet forms on the pond - usually the first couple of weeks in November is the best time in Central Iowa. Notice I said usually -- you can a solid sheet of ice before that but most of the time it melts or can be easily removed.
* What types of fish and aquatic life do you have and how many? All tropical fish will die in cold water of say 60 degrees or lower -- this includes Plecostomuses and apple snails. Most of the inbred goldfish will not survive the winter -- the orandas, ryukins, and other egg shaped goldfish are in this category. Calico shubunkin goldfish, comet goldfish, and most koi are very hardy and can withstand water temps of 34 degrees.
* If fish are brought inside to over winter then decide on types of tanks used and at what temperature. Be sure to cover the tanks with something because fish, that are used to larger quarters, will jump readily until they get used to their more confined space. Koi will amaze you, but with a sad tone, at their ability to jump.
* Do you own a power plant or related to a power plant owner? If not, then forget the floating stock tank heater! I guess there may be times when I would use one but I can't think of one right now to justify the costs -- besides it wastes energy.
* What pumps and filters will be shut off and, if they are exposed to ice, then drain them? Ice will not normally harm flexible tubing but rigid tubing (like PVC) will need to be drained.
* Decide on methods of keeping a slow circulation in the pond. An aquarium air pump or a small water pump will work -- I prefer the air pump. Unless your pond is very small, shallow (less than 18 inches deep) or above ground, then you cannot supercool the water to the detriment of the fish. This is contrary to what some references say but they are wrong!!