Keep Your Backyard Pond Healthy This Winter

With winter just around the corner, outside temperatures are going to continue to drop, and if you are a pond owner, you may be worried about how you can keep your ponds ecosystem, as well as any fish that you may have in your pond healthy once freezing temperatures set in. At Great Lakes Pondscapes, we are ready to teach you how to keep your backyard pond well maintained throughout the colder months. If you are the owner of a backyard pond, here’s what you can do to ensure your pond’s ecosystem is healthy for when spring arrives again.

Remove Plant Debris From Your Pond

One of the first things to take care of is your ponds water, Just like with fall pond care, it’s important to ensure that your pond is free from debris that can crowd your pond’s space. With daily skimming to remove debris from nearby trees and plants, as well as the pruning of any yellowish or discolored leaves on your pond’s aquatic plants, your pond will need to be kept free of decaying plant matter that could create an environment that harbors harmful bacteria.

Don’t Feed Your Fish

Once the temperature starts to dip under 50 degrees, it’s time to stop feeding your fish. Because their digestive systems and metabolisms slow down in the winter, your fish won’t need much other than oxygenated water to survive. In order to keep your fish safe as the temperatures drop, it’s important to make sure that your pond is kept free of ice, preventing your fish from suffocating.

Keep your pond clear of ice

Not only can ice prevent oxygen from dissolving into your pond’s waters, putting your fish and plants at risk, but it can also prevent the escape of harmful gases that could build up in your pond. While clearing ice may seem like an easy enough task to accomplish using tools, it is also important not to strike the ice as that may also bring harm to your fish. Having de-icer on hand in the winter is the best way to prevent your backyard pond from forming ice, helping you to keep your pond healthy without disturbing its ecosystem.
For any pond owner, making sure your backyard pond is kept in healthy condition is important for having an enjoyable aquatic garden during the warmer months. Find pond supplies to stay on top of your pond maintenance at Great Lakes ponds cape’s indoor shop, or contact us today to learn more about how you can properly maintain your pond this winter.