Winterizing the BioFalls and Skimmer Question
Winterizing BioFalls and Skimmer Question and great answer from Tom Smith of Garden State Koi:
Question:Need help to winterize an Aquascape skimmer. Have two ponds, 3K gallons each connected by a stream and waterfall. Gets down to minus 10 or more each winter. We use bubblers and heaters in pond. We turn off skimmers in winter and put heater in each one to prevent freezing of skimmer and pump. Our bottom pond skimmer pump feeds our top pond to create the water falls and stream. That is turned off in winter. When I turn off bottom pump, the check valve in skimmer leaks just a little bit but causes top pond to drain half way down until it reaches the outlet of the water pipe coming from the bottom skimmer. I want to remove the bottom skimmer check valve and insert a plug…but cannot find one. What do you suggest?
Tom’s Answer:I don’t suggest just plugging the pipe. This will allow water to remain,freeze and damage the pipe. He needs to put a stand pipe in the inlet on the top pond. This way when he disconnects the pump/check valve. The top pond DOES NOT DRAIN. We don’t want any water to remain in the pipe-but we want the top pond to stay full.This can be done with a 90 degree fitting and a length of pipe to get above the top pond water level.
Aquascape Tech Answer: I would take the pump and check valve out altogether and store it in a bucket of water like we would normally suggest especially if he shuts his system down for the winter. In doing so should allow all the water drain from the top. Then if he wants to cap it I would only cap the top at the Biofalls (if he has a Biofall). You can pick up pipe plugs at Home Depot, Lowes, or Menards. Here is a website I found that shows a similar one that I use: http://webstore.petersenresources.com/hand.aspx
Posted on: Monday, October 18th, 2010 at 8:52 am 
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I am a first year owner of a pond with a cascading fountain, 15′ stream and a 7′ diameter pool at the end that is about 3’+ deep at the end. I SE Denver where the freeze line is about 30″ so I was supposed to able to keep small Koi fish alive over the winter.
October 23rd, 2010 at 10:04 am1. Need advice in keeping the pond with the fish alive over the winter.Do I need a heater or can I do without them. Alternately, can I leave the pump and fountain running all winter without freezing my system?
My float in the pump is leaking so I need to probably replace it. Need the name of an outlet that supplies the pump parts locally in the SE Denver area.including the float. Thanks, Shekhar
Please check out our Winterizing Blog at http://www.thepondoutlet.com/pondblog/?p=267 which should answer all of your questions. Please call me with any other questions at 805-241-0141. It’s all about keeping a hole in the ice to make sure the gasses escape. It’s the trapped gasses that kill the fish…not the cold.
October 23rd, 2010 at 8:17 pm