Winter Pond Maintenance

January 26th, 2012 PondMeister

Here’s a helpful list of Q&A about winter pond care from the knowledgeable folks at Aquascape.

Can a pond run throughout the winter?
Yes, although maintenance is usually the determining factor in whether or not a pond owner keeps their pump and waterfalls running in the winter. The primary maintenance responsibility at this time is to make sure there is enough water for the pump to operate properly.

During the winter months, the usual water supply options are not available. Outdoor water spigots and automatic water fill valves should be turned off to prevent pipes from freezing and cracking. Therefore, pond owners who run their systems during the winter will need to find an alternate water source to replenish their pond.

Water can be supplied from a hose run from inside the house or by making multiple trips with a five-gallon bucket. Generally speaking, it’s not uncommon to have to go out a few times a month during the winter to top off the pond, as water will evaporate slowly.

Won’t the waterfall freeze solid?
Pump size is important when determining a waterfall’s ability to operate during the winter. A pump that provides at least 2,000 gph can be operated throughout the winter without a problem, as long as it runs continuously. Moving water will usually keep a hole open in the ice around the waterfalls and in front of the circulation system.

However, repeated days in sub-zero temperatures may lead to excessive ice build-up and can cause the system to operate improperly. If the flow of water into the circulation system is unable to keep up with the pump because of ice build-up, it may be necessary to shut the system down. The system can be run again once the ice is melted and normal water flow is restored.

Will the filters and pipes crack?
Most good filters are constructed out of rotational-molded polyethylene, and are designed to bow and bend with the freezing and thawing effects of winter. The PVC flex pipe is reinforced and will not crack unless water is left in the pipe over the winter and allowed to freeze. If your customer decides to keep the pump running all winter long, there will still be a constant flow of water traveling through the pipe and the moving water will not freeze. If your customer decides to turn the system off for the winter, most of the water in the pipe will drain back into the pond when the pump is removed.

What should be done with the pump once the system is shut down?
Remove the pump from the system and store it in a frost-free location.

To extend the life of the pump, clear the impeller shaft free of any debris before winter storage. It is also beneficial to spin the impeller a couple of turns by hand before turning it on in the spring. This prevents any corrosion or debris from seizing the impeller and interrupting proper pump function.

What about the filter?
When preparing the pond for winter, remove the filtration media and rinse it down. It is recommended to store any such media in a frost-fee location like a garage or shed. If left over the winter, all of the filtration media may freeze into a solid block, causing unnecessary delays during spring clean-out.

Will the fish be okay?
Ornamental fish will do just fine in two feet of water, as long as some form of aeration is provided, and a hole is kept in the ice to allow the escape of harmful gases.

There are a couple of products designed to help protect your fish during the winter. The AquaForce® is a great winterizing pump. It’s a recirculating bubbler pump designed to sit in the pond and oxygenate the water. The adjustable discharge pipe on the pump should be located just below the surface of the water. The flow from the pump will bubble at the surface of the pond and maintain an opening in the ice.

If you live in a region that experiences long periods of extremely cold weather, you will also want to consider adding a floating de-icer in combination with the Aquaforce® recirculating pump. The de-icer will add the extra insurance that there is always a hole open in the ice for oxygenation … even during extreme weather conditions.

The Bottom Line
The bottom line for winterization is maintenance. Roughly 70 percent of pond owners in the colder climates decide to shut down their system because they don’t enjoy tending to their water garden during the bitter months of the winter. The aesthetic rewards of the winter pond are absolutely worthwhile, however. So by all means; don’t be afraid to encourage customers to keep the system running as long as possible. Shutting down a pond during winter is the popular option. Just be sure to help your customers take precautionary measures to preserve fish, plant and pump life.

Click to see  all winter pond maintenance products on our site.

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Pondless Waterfalls - The Beauty without the Maintenance!

January 6th, 2012 PondMeister

Pondless Waterfalls have been exploding on the Pond Scene for the last few years. Besides being virtually maintenance-free, they are completely safe for small children while providing all of the enjoyment of a pond. The Pondless System here is the MicroPondless Snorkel and Centipede which can be seen at http://www.thepondoutlet.com/home/tpo/page_2665

The waterfall is undoubtedly the most beautiful and favored feature in a water garden. If space is lacking in your yard or you have safety concerns with a pond, go Pondless®! The name basically explains it all. It’s a waterfall and stream, without the pond. The Pondless® Waterfall has made many water-lovers who were previously unable to indulge in the sweet sounds of falling water, very happy. It’s a great alternative for those who are trying to get their feet wet, or looking to fit a little bit of paradise into their own backyard. In other words, when all else fails … go Pondless

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Generation 1.5 IonGen is now available

January 5th, 2012 PondMeister

Aquascape’s original IonGen was released on 9/1/09 and has revolutionized the control of string algae. Prior to the IonGen I could “harvest” the string algae in my 6,000 gallon pond in sunny Southern California. I have not used any EcoBlast or AlgaeFix in over two years and have had absolutely no string algae, my water is crystal clear…and it only uses ONE WATT of power.

The new IonGens have the newly designed Control Panel and a newly designed probe as you see in this video. As of January 5th, 2012 we have the New Generation 1.5 Units that have the new Control panel and the old Probes. The Generation 2 units are not expected in for a while.

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Another Aquascape Rainwater Harvesting Project

October 14th, 2011 PondMeister

Aquascape shows us the wave of the future as this week’s video features Ed Beaulieu, Chief Sustainability Officer, walking us through an amazing rainwater harvesting project done for a local library.  This project features a decorative water feature tied into a permeable paver parking lot capturing up to 15,000 gallons of rainwater.

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Finally - A DEPENDABLE Stainless Steel De-Icer by Aquascape!

October 13th, 2011 PondMeister

Aquascape has just introduced a 300 Watt Stainless Steel De-Icer that appears to be indestructable. It even comes with an LED that lights RED to show the unit is heating and BLUE to indicate that the unit is in Stand-by. Dave Kelley Aquascape’s “Tech Guy” explains the new de-icer.

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New Fall Prep and Winterization Video from Aquascape!

September 16th, 2011 PondMeister

It’s hard to believe, but it’s that time of year again already!  Fall and winter are just around the corner, and we need to start thinking about seasonal preparations for our water features.  Dave Kelly, The Tech Guy, walks you through those preparations and gives you information on the Aquascape product available to help make them seamless.

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Collapsed Aquascape Building on the Rise!

August 19th, 2011 PondMeister

Back in February, a portion of the largest green building in North America – Aquascape Headquarters – collapsed under a vicious snowstorm. Aquascape CEO Greg Wittstock brings us up-to-date on the aftermath and progress.

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Aquascape Project Showcase - Shedd Aquarium

August 12th, 2011 PondMeister

Join Brian Helfrich and Ed Beaulieu at the Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago, IL. Watch them transform the museum entryway into a public attraction with the power of a water feature!

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Aquascape Signature Series Biofalls

July 1st, 2011 PondMeister

Dave Kelly – Aquascape’s Tech Guy – walks us through how an Aquascape Signature Series BioFalls® Filter can help you create a beautiful, low-maintenance water garden. He’ll show you how it works the additional benefits that an Aquascape biological filter offers.

As Dave indicated in his Skimmer video, the Skimmer does the MECHANICAL filtration. The pump at the bottom of the Skimmer pulls the water first through a debris basket or net  and then through a 2″ thick Filter Mat. Both of these are cleaned on a regular basis as required by the amount of debris it catches.

Remember, if you are using as high efficiency pump like the Aquasurge you should regularly reach down and clear the cage to remove the crud or the cage could become completely blocked. This could prevent the pump from getting water which could ruin the pump.

The BioFalls does the BIOLOGICAL filtration where the water comes in near the bottom of the back of the BioFalls and works it’s way through 2 or 3 Filter pads and then through a media bag filled with BioBalls or Lava Rocks. This converts the fish waste and other matter into beneficial bacteria which is what ultimately keeps your water crystal clear.

Note: Please do NOT clean your BioFalls during the course of the year unless it gets so clogged it slows your water flow down. Cleaning the mats and the BioBalls kills all of the beneficial bacteria which we all take so many pains to cultivate. I realize that this is completely counter-intuitive but it really works!

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Signature Series Skimmer Overview

June 18th, 2011 PondMeister

Dave Kelly, the Aquascape Tech Guy, gives a nice discussion and overview  about mechanical filtration and skimmers focusing on the Signature Series Skimmer from Aquascape.

Skimmers do the MECHANICAL filtration which means that it removes the pieces from the water by having a pump in the bottom of the Skimmer that pulls the water first through a Debris net which catches the big pieces and then a Filter Mat which catches the smaller matter.

The water is then pumped to a BioFalls which does the BIOLOGICAL filtration which will hopefully be covered in a future video. 

Dave does not mention here that one of the advantages to the Signature Series Skimmer is that it has an adjustabl;e Faceplate. In the perfect world, the box should be set so that the water level is 3/4″ below the top of the rectangular opening. This has always been difficult for the Installers to hit this level. This Skimmer has an easily adjustable faceplate that can be adjusted to the water level.

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