If you are inhabiting fish in your outdoor pond, you need to decide whether you will bring them indoors for the Winter or leave then outdoors. When the temperature of your pond reaches a level of approximately 42 degrees, popular outdoor pond fish such as Goldfish and Koi will place themselves into hibernation mode. Once you have reached this point in time of the season, you can remove your pond pump from the pond and cease feeding. As temperatures drop, it is recommended that you switch the diet of your fish to a wheat germ base because this type of food will be easier to digest. You will want to feed your fish well before they go into hibernation mode, but it is crucial not to overfeed them. Once temperatures reach the freezing point, important not feed your fish again until water temperatures reach 42 degrees in Spring time.
First you will need to trim and remove any parts of your plants that are dying, this will prevent additional debris from building up within your pond. In the early Fall, when temperatures are still mild, your plants will have the opportunity to heal and rebuild its root system before the freezing temperatures begin to occur. This will lead to higher levels of blooms for your plants come Spring time. If you have any tropical plants, we recommend that you bring them inside and the same is suggested for submerged plants. Tropical plants should be placed by a sunny window or under grow lights and their roots should remain consistently wet through the Winter. The majority of hardy plants can remain in your pond, as long as your pond does not freeze over solid.
Once you have taken care of all the plants in your pond, the next step in the process of winterizing your Connecticut pond is to clean. You can hire Normal Aquatics to give you pond installation a thorough cleaning. We will remove any dead plants, flowers, leaves, algae, and any other debris they may have accumulated throughout the year in order to prevent toxic gases from being produced that can be lethal to fish. We can also drain your pond and scrub the interiors, so your pond will be spotless in the Spring. We will be certain that your pond pump and filtration systems are shut down, cleaned properly and stored away for the Winter. Our thorough cleaning efforts will pay off in the Spring with a healthier pond and healthier fish.
One of the final important and occasionally overlooked step in winterizing your pond or water feature is removing the pump. If you do not remove your pump before your water freezes, you run the risk of cracking the outer casing of your pump, which will render it useless.
If you follow the Winterization methods listed in our article you will save yourself a lot of time and additional money when you are ready to continue utilizing your water feature in the Spring. You can hire the pond installation, design, and maintenance professionals at Normal Aquatics to give your aquatic pond or installation the proper care and winter maintenance so you can enjoy your water feature for years to come.
Normal Aquatics provides custom tank installations, aquarium maintenance and repair, and custom pond installations. Our service area includes the following towns and surrounding areas Fairfield Connecticut, Greenwich Connecticut, Westchester County New York, White Plains New York, New York City, Northern New Jersey, and all of New England. Contact us today for a FREE Consultation!
Tags: Pond Installation Connecticut, Pond Maintenance Connecticut, Pond Design Connecticut, Pond Winterization Connecticut, Pond Plants & Fish Connecticut