So, I have a new pond we just got this Spring and ...

[poolboy]

our landscaper who put it in says we just leave the submerged pump in all the time -- even through the winter. We used to have an in-ground swimming pool (thank God it's now gone - that's another story, though) and being familiar with swimming pool winter prep, it seems nuts to me to leave a submersible pump in a pond that will probably freeze a foot deep through an Ohio winter...am I just clueless? Or doesn't this thing need to be pulled out?

Thanks for any input...R

 

[sissy]

welcome and a landscaper put the pond in Ohio and did not know enough to make the pond deep enough .Hate to say hedid not know what he was doing when it came to ponds .I leave my pump in but my pond is over 4 ft deep and it is 2 feet under the water and 2 feet above the bottom .What size is this pond and are there fish .We don't get bad winters here but pumps can be left in in cold weather if you have a heater or you use an aerator in the winter

 

[dieselplower]

Hold on now, it was never stated how deep the pond was. I will be leaving my pump in mh pond all Winter but I will shut it off when the water gets to be about 40*.

 

[poolboy]

Pond's about 2.5 feet deep at deepest part. Top of pump is probably 8 inches below surface of water. No fish, no aerator, no heater. Don't intend to get fish. After 15 years of swimming pool maintenance, I was looking for minimum maintenance issues with the pond. Frankly, I wouldn't even have gotten the pond after the pool was filled in last summer if my wife hadn't insisted on it.

Hmmh...I wonder if I just put an aerator in for the winter if that would be good enough to not have to pull the pump and then re-install it every Spring.

Thanks.

 

[sissy]

why not go with pondless .I know thats what I wish I had gone with .An aerator just keeps an opening .But pump 8 inches down may crack .If you could drop it to the bottom it may help but that also depends on the winter we get .You never know what mother nature will give you .I think I would play it safe at least your first winter .Less worry on your part .Air temp and water temps are always different and like stated above water temp may be warmer than air temp for awhile and then start to drop as cold weather stays .Just like ground temps the deeper you go are warmer and that's why every state has there footings for porches and decks different .Is this a liner pond .You don't say size more water and deeper means it will stay warmer longer .I have a cheap dollar store thermometer to check water temps but there are more expensive ways to read temps also .What size is the pump and what brand .If it is an expensive one I would remove it and store it in a bucket of water and put it where water will not freeze .You don't want the seals to dry out /

 

[poolboy]

The pump is a Complete Aquatics 4000. It's a liner pond.

I wanted to go pondless, but my wife nixed that. She didn't want the in-ground pool taken out, so I had to give on putting the pond in afterward. The pool had serious issues (25 years old), was put in by first house owner and you wouldn't believe the small fortune we were quoted to put it right. Let's just say you could have bought a decent BMW for the price of the pool repair -- and I drive a Hyundai. It cost the equivalent of a used motorcycle to remove it -- and now no more pool maintenance for me. I'm a happy, happy camper.

 

[Waterbug]

Can't wife worry about it and do the maintenance?

Keeping a hole in the ice with a pump or aerator works to a point. At low enough temps it will still freeze.

 

[dieselplower]

Since there are no fish in the pond and it is only a foot down I would just take it out. Takes what, one minute?

 

[sissy]

pools can be a headache and the insurance is not cheap either plus most states tax you for them .Well at least you can grow lots of nice plants in the water with the hekp of fertilizer .I would use an organic fertilizer as you will probably get lots of critters .Nutria is a good choice ,I use it .

 

[Waterbug]

I have had pour luck with starting pumps starting back up after drying out for a long time. Don't know why. If you bring the pump in and were concerned you could keep it in a bucket of water.

 

[Becky]

Welcome aboard! :wave:

 

[Fishylove]

Welcome to our forum :wave:

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group!