Advice for overwintering my pond please

[yorkshirelass]

Hi
I have a new pond set up in May this year.
I would like advice regarding overwintering my fish, I am in Yorkshire and it can be very cold as we are on the top of the local moor.

The pond is 1100 litres approx , it is 4m x 4m wide but only 22 inches / 56cm deep in the very centre with wide shelves
(I am planning to change that next year!)

I currently have a 3000 lph pump going to a waterfall and external filter via a splitter - i can adjust the flow rate to each
I have an external 2500 gravity fed filter box - mostly sunk into the ground
I also have an oase ice free 4 seasons that is currently set as a fountain.

The pond is wells stocked with plants - water hawthorn, hipparus vulgaris, marsh marigolds, st johns wort, hornwort, golden club
It also has a small marsh area with a few plants (about 12inch x 16 inch) that is part of the overall dimension.

I have two 5inch butterfly koi a 5 inch goldfish, and a 4inch comet and shubunkin

Please can anyone advise whether the pump will produce too much circulation during winter, if so am I better to just have the fountain and add an aerator or would it be safest to move all the fish (and any plants?) inside the shed? - I have a drum that I could convert that is 40cm high and 60cm wide (i think that gives me around 400 litres?)
Any other advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Mmathis]

When you say “it can get very cold,” what kind of temperatures are you talking about? I’m not an expert when it comes to pumps, but that comes to about an 800 gph pump for an approximately 300 gallon pond. So, I guess we get back to the question of “how cold?” I don’t know anything about the Oase 4-seasons ice-free filter/fountain you mention. Hopefully others can advise you. I live in the Southern USA and we have very mild winters, so this is not something I have ever needed to be concerned about. Sometimes, though, moving fish can be more stressful on them than staying in their current environmental conditions. If you can adjust your flow rate, then why not go that route if you’re in doubt. Something to consider.

How “cold” is “cold”?

But I’m more concerned with the fact that you have koi in that small of an area. Five inches now will soon grow quickly, and you will be in danger of being “overstocked,” and having water quality issues. Butterfly koi don’t grow quite as large as regular koi, but still something to keep in mind. As a general rule, for one koi, you need to start with a minimum of 1000 gallons (3,785 liters) per koi, but it sounds like you are planning to remedy that in the future, so good for you, thinking ahead!

 

[Lisak1]

Pond size definitely plays a part in determining a winter strategy. In a very cold climate, a small, shallow pond could freeze too deep to allow your fish to overwinter safely. Here in my zone, you want a pond to be at least 24 inches deep for safely overwintering fish. You're close at 22 inches, so it's possible your fish may be able to get deep enough. HOWEVER as @Mmathis mentioned, moving fish can also be stressful and putting them in an even smaller container isn't really advisable. I think if I were you I'd risk leaving the fish out for the winter and make plans to enlarge the pond next year.

Is your pump external? I missed that part... if so, it can't stay outside. Keeping a hole in the ice is the most important part. I wonder - with a pond that small, could you rig up a "greenhouse" of sorts to retain some warmth? Just a simple tent style with some heavy duty plastic over the top would provide some protection and raise the temperature a few degrees in the pond. Just a thought!

 

[yorkshirelass]

Thank you, for this
It gets to around -3 quite often and can go down to -10 (rare) this is Celsius, I'm not sure what it is in F :/

It seems it I adjust the flow rate to either the fountain or the filter the other one gets all the water, the pump seems to continue to try to maintain flow.
I'm not sure if I turn them both down whether that would put a strain on the pump??

 

[yorkshirelass]

Thank you.
I think I am going to leave them be, they have really fastened themselves to buy are definitely slowing down now.
The pump is in the pond, the filter is external gravity fed, the pump also runs the waterfall.
The fountain has it's own pump which is in the deepest part, but I've read this could circulate cold water too much?
Also I've read it's better to have an aerator rather than a pump??
Thank you again

 

[yorkshirelass]

Ps. I thought about a greenhouse type thing however I'm concerned that it is so very windy up here I don't think it would survive

 

[JamieB]

Ps. I thought about a greenhouse type thing however I'm concerned that it is so very windy up here I don't think it would survive

If you can build one sturdy enough to survive the the winds, it will help keep the heat in. It just need to be big enough to cover the pond, not very tall, and could be insulated with hay or straw bales, just enough to keep the temps from freezing the water all the way.

 

[Lisak1]

It doesn't really need to be tall like @JamieB said - just something to provide a bit of cover. The heat from the ground will get trapped under whatever you construct. And if you get snow, that's even better.

What are the dimensions of your pond again? Pictures would help - we can brainstorm with you to come up with something you can throw together to get you through this winter.

 

[Lisak1]

Oh never mind! I just spotted your photos on the other thread.

How handy are you? A low frame would easily sit on your flat edges with some plastic over the top to provide insulation.

 

[yorkshirelass]

Ok, that sounds possible, will the waterhawthorn and other plants that flower in winter get enough light still?
Im guessing thats a yes if it was very clear?
Maybe I will look into some lightweight perspex? or someone dismantling a plastic greenhouse...

 

[brokensword]

get something meant for agriculture as it's UV protected. Anything you buy from the box store won't last long enough.