For those who have ponds around their yards, you know that winter can be a big time for pond maintenance. Ponds require a lot of care during the cold months of winter, especially if there are fish living in them. However, there are a few maintenance procedures that people try to take care of their ponds that end up being more detrimental rather than helpful. Here is what NOT to do to your pond during winter.
Bang On Any Ice Around the Pond
In winter, a sheet of ice can cover the surface of your pond. You’ll want to create a hole that allows dangerous gasses to leave the pond. However, banging on the ice is not the best method for making the hole. Doing so will send sound waves into the water, and these can be detrimental to fish.
We recommend using a de-icer or some boiling water instead. These can penetrate the ice’s surface in a manner that doesn’t put fish in danger as much. You’ll also want an aerator working around the clock to ensure that the hole remains open.
Go With a Cheap De-Icer For Your Pond
As we just mentioned, a de-icer is an effective option for creating a hole in the surface of your pond. But you want to have a high-quality de-icer for the job. It needs to have a minimum of 1200 watts because that’s what’s needed to guarantee your hole stays open all throughout the season. This, in turn, gives your fish the kind of environment needed to survive.
Leaving Your De-Icer On All of the Time
You may get the temptation to leave your de-icer going at all times. But this is actually more of a detriment to you than it is an advantage. A de-icer requires a lot of energy, and you don’t want to use any more energy than necessary. All you need to do is monitor your aeration hole and observe when it starts closing up. Once the hole begins to close, turn on your de-icer for 24-48 hours, then turn it off again. This gives you just as much effectiveness at keeping holes open in your pond while consuming significantly less energy.
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