Winterizing Your Pond

[Melody]

Hard to believe that its time to start thinking about this already, but it is, especially if you have to bring your fish in. I don't have a pond so I won't bore you with what I think, but I thought some links & suggestions might be handy.

Closing Your Garden Pond (http://www.brucezimmerman.com/ARTICLES/CLOSING_YOUR_GARDEN_POND.htm)
Winterizing Your Pond (http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_seasonal_winter/article/0,1785,HGTV_3630_3440482,00.html) (Home & Garden TV)
Backyard Ponds 'Winterization' (http://www.backyardponds.com/advice/winterization.html)
Getting Your Pond Ready For Winter (http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/ponds/Speichert_Winter.html)
Getting Ready For Winter (http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/ponds/Drew_Winter_pond.html)
Your Pond In Winter (http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/ponds/Fogle_Your_Pond_in_Winter.html)
Over-wintering Fish & Koi Ponds (http://www.pond-doctor.co.uk/longoverwinteringfish.html)
Wintering Water Plants, Fish & Ponds (http://www.bachmans.com/tipsheets/Water_Gardening/WinteringWaterPlantsFish.cfm)

Now how about you pond-keepers? Got any good winterization tips?

How about bringing the fish inside? There seems to be very little about that and I'm sure Canadians have to do it quite often, and those who do the 'Summer Tubbin' thing have to bring the fish in too.

[WaterPond]

I bring my fish in, along with the pump from my pond. I just put the fish in a big rubbermaid container, put the pump in, and do weekly water changes like i do with all of my tanks.

Thanks for the links mel

[Melody]

How many & what kind of fish? How big are they? It seems like such a big task to me, if one has very large fish, but I know that people manage it well. I wonder how many people get the fish first and then find themselves scrambling in the Fall?

[traco1]

I've got a huge 150 gallon black tub outside with 3 comets (about 4" in length including tail) who stay in there over winter. I also put some swords, platies and guppies out there for the summer. Thanks for the thread, Melody, lots of good reading and a good reminder. I forget it'll be Sept. soon enough and there were some good tips in those links. I'll be harvesting my catch in the outside "pond" this week and bring in the livebearers.

The comets were just fine in there for the winter. I kept the pump with sponge filter attached running. There was just one time that the whole top froze over, but the pump kept a tiny bit open.

[CACAdmin]

I only keep H. Formosa and Marisa snails in my pond I can bring them indoors and add them to tanks. This year, however, I'm considering possibly bringing my nano-pond indoors and keeping it running (it's essentially just a large flower pot so just have to find another corner... or re-home one of my plants).:laugh: The reason I would like to try this is to see how the plants fare indoors over the winter.

[thegrandpoohbah]

I only keep H. Formosa and Marisa snails in my pond I can bring them indoors and add them to tanks. This year, however, I'm considering possibly bringing my nano-pond indoors and keeping it running (it's essentially just a large flower pot so just have to find another corner... or re-home one of my plants).:laugh: The reason I would like to try this is to see how the plants fare indoors over the winter.
What do you plan to do for lighting? Or were you just going to leave it by a window?

[CACAdmin]

Even on my balcony the pond gets very little direct sunlight (except early morning) and I have massive plant growth. So I just have to put it near the window (somewhere if I can find a corner:wideeyed: ).