This is the companion piece: making sure it’s safely and properly shut down before the cold weather arrives.

FALL PREPARATION

Even though you may want to keep your pond running into autumn, it’s a good time to clean it out before the temperatures drop to 10˚C (50˚F) because:

• Any fish in your pond are still active enough to be strong swimmers. The chances of them getting injured as you clean around them are low.

• It’s a lot easier to clean pond water when it isn’t partially frozen and/or full of heavy seasonal debris (like fallen leaves or stray mulch).

Start by cleaning the water’s surface by scooping up leaves with a net (make sure to avoid picking up any fish).

Pump out a little bit of water

Once you’ve cleaned the surface water, remove a little bit of water from your pond.

This will make it easier to hand scoop any topsoil or other gunk that’s stuck to the wall lining of your pond (including any edges, shelves or irregularly-shaped areas).

Any debris you can’t reach with your hands, blast off using a hose.

It’ll end up back on the water’s surface (which you can scoop away again with your net).

At the same time, you’ll also replenish the water you just pumped out.

Plant care

Pond plants are nice to look at and are beneficial to your fish.

They’re also a significant source of fall debris.

As your plants begin to die off:

• Prune away dead stems to prevent water decay
• Take non-hardy plants (like tropical lilies or water hyacinths) indoors for the winter
• Hardy plants (like water lilies) can be moved to the deep end of your pond
• Any bog plants you have can be covered with straw or other insulating aggregates

Cover your pond

Once the pond is clean, install a pond net to rest above it; like a hammock tied between two trees.

A pond net will catch any leaves, branches or other debris and keep it from falling into your pond.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you secure your pond net:

• Suspend it at least 18” from the water surface of your pond
• Tie the edges of the net tight to make sure debris doesn’t slip through them

Lastly, be certain to check your net regularly to ensure it doesn’t sag into the water.

If it does, it can be dangerous to your fish and provide a spot for leaves and junk to collect and get caught in.

CLOSING FOR WINTER

Shutting down your pond for the winter is all about:

• The pump
• The filter
• The UV clarifier

If you recall, winter 2015 started out very mild. In fact, the first real significant snowfall didn’t even occur until the end of January 2016.

There’s no guarantee that won’t happen again.

Turning off the pump

Some people, even in the middle of winter, like to keep their pump running because it creates warm water at the bottom of the pond.

That’s where your fish will hang out in the winter. So it’s a perfect environment for them to be comfortable.

Of course, you can also turn off the pumps and filter for the winter.

If you do, it won’t harm the fish because:

• Cold water has more oxygen than warm water
• Fish tend to breathe slower in winter (they use less oxygen)
• Bacteria won’t grow in winter (so you don’t need the filter to clean it away)

Drain everything

Should you decide to turn off the filter for winter, make sure to completely drain all your pond pump accessories:

• Plumbing pipes
• External pumps
• UV supplies

If you’re storing your supplies in an unheated area (like a garage or shed), double check that every last drop of water has been drained out.

Otherwise, water drops can freeze into ice drops.

As a result, your piping items can crack and break over the season.

Your best bet is to store any equipment you have indoors in a warm and dry location.

Winter fish care

It may sound cruel, but leaving fish (especially koi) in your pond during the winter is actually

good for them if:

• Your pond is at least 18” deep
• It has little to no water circulation

Delicate fish like goldfish, bubble-eyed fish or lionheads should come inside for winter, though.

Remember, warm water tends to sink to the bottom of your pond. In winter, that’s where your fish will be anyway.

They won’t hang out by the surface, so there’s little chance of them becoming frozen or too cold.

One last thing: once the temperature gets below 4˚C (39˚F), you can actually stop feeding your koi fish.

Don’t worry: they won’t starve. They have enough stored energy to sustain them during the winter.

Come to us for all your needs

Whatever you need to close your pond for fall and winter, we’ve got the experience and products to make sure it’s done safely.

Contact us with your questions or ask for a FREE quote on any of our products.

The post The Right Way to Close Your Backyard Pond for Fall & Winter appeared first on Grand River Natural Stone.

Over winter, did you miss the gentle sounds of water flowing through your backyard pond?

And did you miss the relaxing feeling which comes with watching pond fish swim to and fro?

Well, now that spring is here, you can finally put your pond back into service by following these steps.

Step 1: Give the pond a thorough inspection

The winter may have damaged your pond, the liner or other water features like:

• Filters.
• Pipes.
• Hoses.
• Decorative pond landscaping rocks.

So give your pond a careful checkup and remove, repair or replace any broken elements as needed.

Step 2: Clean the pond

More than likely, the winter has had some impact on your pond in a few ways:

• Leaves: Even if you installed leaf netting when you closed your pond, chances are that a few leaves got through and settled on the bottom. Make sure you scoop them out.

• Organic matter: Any plants which weren’t totally removed may leave a film of organic matter on the pond bottom. You’ll need to scrub that off.

If you’re not thrilled at the prospect of manually cleaning out your pond (and frankly, who can blame you), then use a pond vacuum or other suitable landscaping supplies to do the work for you.

Step 3: Start the pump

Your pond’s pump has been shut off for winter; now’s the time to turn it back on.

You don’t have to wait until it gets super-warm to do it, either.

When the temperature hits 10 degrees Celsius, feel free to start your pump.

Once the pump is activated, don’t just leave it to run. Make sure you’ll be around the house for at least a few hours.

Every so often, check the pump to make sure it’s working properly and that it’s sending water back into the pond.

Step 4: Clean the filter

Before fully cranking up your pond system, make sure to give the filter a good cleaning.

Just like the pump, the filter’s been off for the winter.

It’s probably covered in bacteria, topsoil particles and other pollutants which will compromise its performance.

Step 5: Test the pond water

Use a pond-testing kit to check for:

• Ammonia: Pond fish (mostly koi) release ammonia through their gills. Too much ammonia will harm the fish and put extra strain on the pond’s filter.

• Nitrite: Not as harmful as ammonia, but nitrite can still harm your pond fish. Adding some live plants to your pond will help keep nitrite levels low.

Levels for both elements should be zero. If they aren’t, you’ll need to change the water and test again.

Step 6: Get your fish ready

If you’re stocking your pond with fish, spring is when they’re most vulnerable to developing health problems.

The shock of transitioning from one water source to another (in the case, your pond) and the introduction of foreign bacteria can cause infections.

To protect your fish before they go into your pond, you should add pond salt.

This replaces electrolytes, potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium – all of which fish lose when they’re stressed.

Step 7: Feed your pond fish

The weather is warm. Your fish are hungry.

When the water temperature goes above 10 degrees Celsius (and stays there), that’s when you can start feeding your pond fish.

Something to remember is that there are different fish food options for spring, summer and fall.

Spring fish food is easier to for fish to digest and has high level of fats.

Step 8: Add plants to your pond

As the water temperature goes up, it’ll be time to add plants (either new plants or those which survived the winter) to your backyard pond.

A few things to note:

• You can fertilize your plants; just make sure to use an aquatic plant fertilizer.
• If any plants are overgrown, divide them before planting in your pond.
• Make sure any mulch is removed from the plants or pots.

Come to us for all your needs

Whether you’re opening your pond or wanting to construct your own pond this year, Grand River Natural Stone is your source for great products and helpful advice.

To get more information on either, contact us with your questions or ask for a FREE quote on any our landscaping supplies.

The post The Right Way to Open Your Backyard Pond for Spring appeared first on Grand River Natural Stone.