There are some people who have small decorative ponds in their garden, and if you live in an area where there is a possibility of freezing at all over the course of the winter, it’s important for you to properly winterize the pond to avoid damaging it and killing any plant and animal life that dwells inside.
While you do not need to drain the pond of water during the winter months, there are some other steps you’re going to want to take to ensure smart cold water pond prep in Tucson, AZ. Here is a quick overview of them:
- Cleaning the pond: The first step is to clear the pond of fallen leaves and other debris that doesn’t belong in the pond. The decomposition of these materials could result in toxic gases and materials building up in the water, which could kill fish that stay in the pond over the winter months. Use a skimmer net to remove materials, and when you’ve completed the other steps below, cover up the pond with netting to prevent additional leaves or debris from falling in.
- Add bacteria: Certain types of cold water bacteria are highly beneficial for breaking down fish waste and debris, which helps maintain cleanliness and clarity in the pond water during the winter months.
- Prone plants: Pull pond plants out of the water, as you’re able to do so, and prune them back, removing foliage all the way down to the plant’s base. This is another step you can take to help prevent the buildup of potentially toxic and dangerous gases that could kill fish.
- Shut down the pump: You are likely to have a pump and pond filter in your pond (again, assuming it’s a manmade garden pond). If this is the case, turn off the pump and clean the filter. Remove any parts of the pond that stick out over the surface of the water, including fountain attachments and waterfall tubing, to prevent them from getting damaged if you do have a freeze over the winter months.
- Replace plants and pump: Once you’ve pruned the plants and turned off the pump, you can place them back in the pond. Try to keep them in the deepest part of the pond at the bottom, just to be sure they don’t get affected by a potential freeze.
- Add a fish pond heater: If you have any fish that will be spending the winter in your pond, you should keep a hole open in the ice throughout the winter. There are floating pond deicers that do this, and help to keep the fish warm. You can also find pond winterization kits that can make this easier to accomplish.
These are just a few examples of some of the steps you can take to properly winterize your garden pond this year. It might seem like a process you don’t need to worry about here in Tucson, but we do get occasional freezes in December and January, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Contact Arizona Pool & Pond Company today for more information about winter pond prep in Tucson, AZ.