Winterizing Your Pond

1. As the water cools begin to feed your fish a Wheat-Germ based food.   We recommend Tetra Spring and Fall Diet.  Feed this diet when the pond water is between 40 and 50 degrees.  This food has exceptional digestibility at low temperatures.  Stop feeding completely when the water temperature drops to 40 degrees.  If you feed during the winter months it can be harmful to the fish because they can not digest it. 

2.  Use the months of September or October to remove debris from the pond with a pond vacuum or net.  A partial water change is helpful.  Be sure to add chlorine neutralizer to the tap water.

3.  In late October remove all floating plants, as they will not survive the winter.  Trim marginal plants and move them to a deep area of the pond.  

4.  When the water temperature reaches 40 degrees turn off and remove the pump for the winter.  Circulating the water during the winter is not recommended.

5.  Optionally you can cover the pond with a net to prevent leaves from falling in.  After all leaves have fallen in autumn, use a pond net to remove them.

6,  Goldfish will survive the winter if the pond is at least 24" deep.   Koi should have 30" depth.  Fancy goldfish must be brought in for the winter.

7.  A pond de-icer is helpful.  You only need to keep a small hole in the ice so that oxygen can be exchanged.  If you do not own a de-icer a small air pump with an airstone is helpful.



If you choose to bring your fish in:

1.  Use as large of a tank as possible and prepare it in advance.  Use plenty of filtration.

2.  Be sure to buy enough Fritz-Zyme to provide the tank with the proper biological filtration bacteria.

3.  Add one tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons for goldfish.

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