Crucial Steps to Taking Care of your Outdoor Pond

Fish in your Pond

If you have fish in your pond, then you have all the more reasons to commit to pond winter care.

While winter is mild in some parts of the country, your pond would still need care this season.

Steps you’d take to look after your fish bear an impact as to how the water quality would turn out during spring.

Your fish also behaves differently at this period.

Let’s talk about few tips how you can keep the water quality and your fish healthy in your outdoor pond.

Get Rid of Falling Leaves

Leaves that get carried into the pond should be cleaned out. Otherwise, they will decompose and produce gases that can alter the pond’s ph and oxygen levels.

This can be very harmful for your fish.

Make sure to watch out for any debris in the water and clean them out as soon as possible.

Watch Out for your Plants Even your plants need special attention this

winter.

Trim dry and overgrown plants so they would no longer contribute to the debris left in your pond. Removing decaying matter needs to be prioritized this season.

Meanwhile, hardy plants should be transferred about 18 inches deeper into the water. This is to prevent them from freezing in case the temperature plummets further.

Some plants will have to be secured indoors as they’re less tolerant of the chilly weather. Monitor your plants and water them as needed to ensure they don’t try out.

Keep Pond Aerated

Keep your pond aerator running to ensure water circulation and promote exchange of gases.

While you can use a pond heater, the pond aerator is a more cost-effective option to prevent the pond from freezing completely.

If you’re in an area where the pond surface is likely to be covered in ice, see to it that there is at least one small hole where the bubbles can escape from.

Also, never break the ice by hitting as this can cause stress to your fish.

Take Care of your Fish

Your fish will stay at the bottom of the pond where they can safely hibernate.

At this time, your fish’s metabolism slows down hence feeding should be reduced.

Once the temperature drops below 40 degrees, stop feeding your fish entirely.

They would no longer be able to digest their food, in which case it’ll only rot in their digestive tract and cause death.

Check These Out!

Proper pond maintenance is important especially during winter when your fish goes dormant.

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For more outdoor living pond installation and maintenance tips, visit http://www.CaliforniaWaterscapes.com