I have a small garden pond with a circulating pump. We live in Zone 8 and so I can't leave the pump in because the waterfall will freeze. The pond is small, approximately 6' x 5' and maybe 1 1/2' x 2' at the deepest part. We have 3 pond goldfish in there and don't want them to die. What can you suggest I do for a de-icer or to help them manage over the winter? Thank you. My kids thank you too! Janice

Janice,

I'm in zone 5. I've had good luck with the Thermo-Pond de-icer, 100 watt floating model. You only need one for your size pond. Check out Drs. Foster and Smith, or Pond Appeal, you can catch a sale and get them for about $35-40.

Make sure you do a good fall clean out before winter sets in. The less decaying debris in the pond during winter the better for your fish.

Janice, I live in Zone 6/7 and do leave my waterfall going in my 1800 gallon pond but not the fountain in my 153 gallon pond.

My page on winterizing is at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/winter.htm and covers a few questions you might have.

For your pond, I suggest not only a de-icer but an air stone bubbling under it. In my 153 gallon pond, until I put in the air stone, most of the frogs on the bottom would die over the winter due to suffocation (low oxygen on the bottom). The fish in there did ok but I'm sure they appreciate the higher oxygen as well.

Speaking about giving a pond a good clean-out before winter, I have been trying to figure out how I am going to do this. I would like to clean the bottom really well and then drop the plants down.

How do you do this when the water is down below 50 degrees? Brrr!

Call a pond company!

Just kidding.

I've been known to put waders on.

LOL Johnnyboy,

I DO use a pond company. I find it easier (of course) and truely, I do not know exactly what I am doing...

Glad you got a laugh, Karen. I was hoping for a chuckle.

Honestly though, like you've done; hiring a pond company isn't a bad idea.

Cheers,
John

I get into my 1800 gallon pond every week in the summer and every other week in the winter as long as the ice doesn't prevent me from doing so. The only way I can clean my pump's pre-filter is to get in. I wear hip waders and aquatic gloves in the winter. Sometimes, the thermometer reads 33 degrees F when I get in. The cold burns my legs through the waders.

When I do a total cleaning of my 153 gallon the last week of March, the water is often still pretty cold but, compared to winter, it's no problem for me. I have details of how I clean that pond at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/myfish/clean.htm which may give you some ideas on how to clean your pond. I don't trust anyone else to futz in my ponds (plus I don't want to use the money).