Pond breather has been working great since ice over back in November...we haven’t had any snow that has stayed until what is forecast for tomorrow. Should snow accumulate over ice to insulate pond or should I keep snow off ice? I’m not worried about oxygen because pond breather is working well but if the snow on top of ice adds insulation and keeps deeper water warm I’m all for skipping shoveling off the pond. Just looking for some expert opinions. Thx!
Keep snow off ice or not?
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In my experience - as long as you have a nice hole in the ice for gas exchange, then leave it alone. Well, except for the taking of beautiful pictures showing your ice/snow covered pond.
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it's been proven that with snow too long on the ice, that fish kills are more likely. If you can safely, your pond will be better off if you can get the snow off. The water won't get any colder with an ice cover and gf and koi are cold weather fish. They'll be fine. A few inches won't bother anything but over 4 and the algae still growing/living in your pond will be affected.
Short period of deep snow, no issues. But like keeping a hole in the ice/January thaw, without one, the fish are more susceptible to a kill.
All this said is less important if you have a small fish load and a large pond. Overloaded and small and you're taking a risk, imo. With goldfish, they're tough and there's more than one article showing gf being frozen and surviving, though I'd not test that idea. Koi though are a bit more fragile comparatively.
Here's some reading;
Short period of deep snow, no issues. But like keeping a hole in the ice/January thaw, without one, the fish are more susceptible to a kill.
All this said is less important if you have a small fish load and a large pond. Overloaded and small and you're taking a risk, imo. With goldfish, they're tough and there's more than one article showing gf being frozen and surviving, though I'd not test that idea. Koi though are a bit more fragile comparatively.
Here's some reading;
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I've seen those articles about snow cover, sunlight penetrating ice, and fish kill - it's definitely a consideration. However, I think there are things you cannot control - like ice clarity for one - that can have as big an effect.
We've had ice form that was crystal clear and allowed us to see our fish at the bottom of the pond all winter long. Obviously if we can see through it, the sunlight can penetrate. Other years the ice is completely opaque, so snow over the top would change nothing. And snow isn't always "removable" either, even when it's on a completely frozen pond (which is the only pond anyone should be attempting to remove snow from). Wet snow, snow followed by rain, snow in warmer weather followed by a cold snap... so many things can make snow difficult or impossible to move. Having spent a good deal of my life shoveling snow in WI and IL, I can tell you - "snow" is not a singular concept! The first question we always ask when someone is done shoveling is "how was the snow?" The answers range from powder to cement!
The danger from snow cover and fish kill is from algae and other plant growth dying underwater and the organic matter decaying which consumes oxygen. I wonder how many garden ponds really have enough algae or plant growth underwater that could have that big of an effect? And being able to remove a lot of the organic matter prior to winter has to help, too, which wouldn't happen in the large, natural ponds that are frequently the subject of these articles.
Good topic to think about @Redbird ! For the record - we leave the snow on the pond. We do put up a temporary fence though, so the dogs don't forget the pond is there and walk on it. We had one fall through the ice one year and have been vigilant ever since. Snow can cover a pond that isn't completely frozen.
We've had ice form that was crystal clear and allowed us to see our fish at the bottom of the pond all winter long. Obviously if we can see through it, the sunlight can penetrate. Other years the ice is completely opaque, so snow over the top would change nothing. And snow isn't always "removable" either, even when it's on a completely frozen pond (which is the only pond anyone should be attempting to remove snow from). Wet snow, snow followed by rain, snow in warmer weather followed by a cold snap... so many things can make snow difficult or impossible to move. Having spent a good deal of my life shoveling snow in WI and IL, I can tell you - "snow" is not a singular concept! The first question we always ask when someone is done shoveling is "how was the snow?" The answers range from powder to cement!
The danger from snow cover and fish kill is from algae and other plant growth dying underwater and the organic matter decaying which consumes oxygen. I wonder how many garden ponds really have enough algae or plant growth underwater that could have that big of an effect? And being able to remove a lot of the organic matter prior to winter has to help, too, which wouldn't happen in the large, natural ponds that are frequently the subject of these articles.
Good topic to think about @Redbird ! For the record - we leave the snow on the pond. We do put up a temporary fence though, so the dogs don't forget the pond is there and walk on it. We had one fall through the ice one year and have been vigilant ever since. Snow can cover a pond that isn't completely frozen.
Thx!
Thx!