Pond Maintenance – Winter Ready Checklist
- Remove leaves, debris and other organic material from the pond.
- At 60 degrees Fahrenheit water temperature, switch to a low temperature fish food.
- At 55 degrees Fahrenheit water temperature, stop feeding altogether.
- Cut back hardy plants, but leave some grasses for winter appeal.
Remove tropical plants from the pond. Treat as annuals and discard, or move indoors and treat as houseplants. - Decide if you’re going to run the waterfall throughout the winter or shut down the pond. A winter waterfall can provide some beautiful ice sculptures, but you must be on the lookout for ice dams that can cause your pond to lose water.
- Remove the pump and store it in a bucket of water in a frost-free location.
- Remove the skimmer mats and brushes, clean, and store in a dry location.
- Drain the BIOFALLS filter by opening the check valve.
- Remove the BIOFALLS filter mats and biomedia, clean, and store in a dry location.
- Add an air pump, bubbler, or de-icer to keep a hole in the ice for gas exchange and to add oxygen to the water.
- Enjoy your winter pond and wait for spring.