pauld37

Do you turn yours off during winter months?

I have some rather large koi, but with them not feeding so much theres not so much pooh on the bottom

Also have some airstones going too, do these need turning off? Thought I would leave these going, to stop the pond freezing over, but live daan saaf where its not been overly cold.


Thanks Paul

David Lock

I turn airstones off but leave filter running. I think you are supposed to turn filter off but I worry that I will kill off the essential bacteria that keep the filter working (although I don't suppose there is much bacterial activity in cold conditions). My filter runs into a small waterfall into pond so it also helps to stop it freezing. dl

D3MAN

Keep the filter running 24/7 this time of the year so long as you have a flow of water into the pond it's ok, don,t need airstones.
How big are your rather large koi?

The Rani

Always used to turn the pump off. The one year we didn't the pond froze badly and all the water got pumped out. Ended up with koi in a large kiddies paddling pool in the front room until it got warm enough to sort the pond out and put them back out in it!

hectic

wouldnt the freezer have ben a better place????

The Rani

Naaa. Am saving that for something else

hectic

wassat then?????

andypugh2000

"DO NOT" turn the filtration system off !! the water will deteriorate at an alarming rate due to the bio system breaking down.

Andy

lpski1

i dont have a pond, cant answer

David Lock

I used an Oase Biotec filter before I found it was useless (would clog up constantly) and returned it but the instructions said "Do not use below 7 degrees C". I ignored this but always wanted to find out the reasons for the instruction. (Hi Andy). dl

darren...

I always turn the pump and filter off over Winter, clean it and put it in a shed - that said I fit a heater to stop the pond freezing..... Always amusing on a cold morning to spot all the Koi parked nose up against the heater

The Rani

Mine said 'Do not use between 8 degrees C'.

Have had fish completely frozen in the ice before now and they have survived!

D3MAN

That is not a good idea, the fish will adapt to the low temps, they do not need a heater. keep the filter going.

New To Scoob

Do not turn the filter off, you will end up with amonia spikes etc when the water starts to heat back up, if you can gag the pump back slightly to slow down the flow. I would turn off the air pump though as you are only cooling the water more, as for the Koi handling the lower temps, I wouldn't worry too much as Japan gets far worse winter than we get.

John

pnbond007

iTrader: (1)

My pool run's 24/7, this year it is un-heated as my heating element has given up the ghost.

Usually the water is at a steady 7/8 degrees, this year no heating 'but' there's weed everywhere, doesn't add up.

12 Koi in excess of 15" at least, water quailty is crystal clear & perfect condition

PNB

The Rani

Had tons of weed in my pond as well. Most unusual!

pauld37

Thats the same as mine Dave
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...7/CIMG1373.jpg

thought it would help it not freeze over

pauld37

Here they are http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...7/CIMG1365.jpg

The big one is 22 inches long
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...7/CIMG1366.jpg

pauld37

pauld37

Cheers guys, will keep the filters running, and have now turned the airstones off

andypugh2000

Thats a ghost carp

Nice fish BTW

David Lock

Thanks Paul, I think the slight risk is if you are away and it is really cold then if pond surface freezes you will just pump the pond all over the garden!!

I once had a floating small output heater which was just enough to stop surface completey freezing.

I came across this courtesy of Google which seems to have some decent articles. I've yet to plough through them all dl

http://www.pond-doctor.co.uk/longwinterstrategy.html

The Rani

Had a kiddies football in mine courtesy of the kids over the back. It used to be just by the outflow from the filter. As it was constantly turning, it used to stop the pond from freezing at that point. In the summer the koi used to play with it!

RedFive

The answer to your question would be the size of a decent book, but in short: if you can keep it running, keep it running. The only risk is the water in your filter freezing during a long cold spell (yes, running water does freeze as well).

It won't be doing much in terms of filtering, but there still will be some activity, and the bacteria film will grow quicker in spring compared to starting again all over. You also avoid "dead spots" in the water where ammonia can build up.

You may want to consider extending the outflow so that the return water goes directly into the pond. A waterfall can lower your temps drastically, or better, make the temps fluctuate (which your fish won't like at all).

The "warning" on the filters is, erm, beaulleaux TBH.

If you ever consider heating the pond, don't use an electrical heater (as I did). I never want to see a 5K UKP electricity bill ever again

About Japan... you have to keep in mind that most breeders take their koi indoors during winter. Most koi that arrive here have never seen or experienced a winter, and have been treated with shots of antibiotics. (hum) So keep an eye on the new fish.

Don't worry about "thermoclines" and all that: these only come into play when your pond is deeper than say 10 meters. A 6ft pond will have temps that are only a few tenths of a degree apart surface to bottom.

Bottom line: temp fluctuations (can) kill your fish, not low temps.

New To Scoob

Would be a good idea to route your return past your waterfall as you are only lowering the temp of the water further. You don't need the waterfall to aereate the water at this time of year as cooler water holds O2 better than warm water.

John

New To Scoob

Always thought that it was only the most prized of Koi that were brought indoors of the winter, there are loads of tategoi etc kept in the mud ponds over the winter.

David Lock

I think you are right John. Actually it's not that easy with the set up I have but your logic is correct. Might put a Y-piece and a couple of valves in outlet and run most pumped water straight back into pond with trickle going through filter to keep it active. David

KJD Mk1

iTrader: (3)

I have had my pond up and running for about 5 years now and every year all i do is just stop feeding the fish between nov and march, all the filters and pumps are kept running . I have found that keeping the water moving helps to stop the pond freezing over completly and i have never lost any fish yet
Pond size is just under the 1000 gal size so not huge.

The fish do look a little naffed off at the mo though and not much happing in the way of movement the cold water slows them right down.

pauld37

Thanks

pauld37

Something else to think of, bloke at the Aquatic centre said not to let the fish lie on the bottom too long, give 'em a poke with the net, they tend to pick up sores quite easily when dorment and lying on the bottom.

Its never ending