We discussed what happens to your pond if the water freezes in the last article, so here we will discuss what you can do to stop the big freeze and what happens to your fountain or pump during the winter months.

If you have fish like koi in your pond, it is always a good idea to try to stop ice from forming or melt a section it if it is already frozen over. You can buy pond heaters from most online aquatic websites that will float on the water. The device is of course powered by electricity but will keep an area of the pond free from ice.

If the pond does freeze, you should always try to melt a section holding a hot pan of water on the surface. If you try and smash the ice the shock could kill the fish. It goes without saying that even if you think the ice on your pond is quite thick you should never try to stand on the ice. Apart from the injury you may sustain as a result, the compressed ice will damage the pond liner and lead to leaks.

You can still use your fountain during cold weather but if the chances of severe weather are high, there is the possibility you will have to turn the pond pump off. If cold weather is expected for long periods or you live in a region that experiences harsh winters, a good idea is to remove the pump completely and reinstate it into the pond next spring.

It may be a little early to start discussing winter but the weather has now really started to turn and there is a distinct chill in the air that was not noticeable just a few weeks ago. In fact it will not be long until parts of the country start to experience their first frost.

If you live in a town or city then the chances are your pond will rarely freeze iover due to the latent heat from surrounding buildings but if we have a really cold spell ice can cause problems to not just the pond inhabitants but also the pond itself.

Ice can cause damage to pond liners due to the expansion around the surface edges of the pond. If the weather is really harsh it can even crack pre-formed pond liners and hence cause your pond to be permanently damaged. If the entire pond surface is covered with ice dangerous levels of gases and noxious substances can build up. This means whenever possible you should try to stop part of the pond freezing. If you do this your fish should survive the winter months, unless of course the entire depth of the pond freezes.

In the next article we will discuss winter problems with pond pumps and pond fountains.

Some people believe koi carp to be difficult fish to keep. But as with anything, so long as you look after them and maintain their environment, there is no reason why your koi can’t enjoy long and healthy lives.
The most important thing to remember is to keep the water clean. Maintaining the water involves removing ammonia and nitrates and ensuring that the PH levels are kept neutral. Investing in pond filters is essential for this.

You need to ensure that your koi are also regularly fed. As with all pedigree breeds, the immune system of koi carp is not the most effective, so they need to be fed a specialised diet to give them all the nutrients they need in order to stay healthy. You can even get food developed especially for koi carp.

Koi carp need to be looked after and this means giving them enough room. So ensure that you don’t overstock your pond as this could lead to increased levels of ammonia and nitrates.

If you follow these simple rules, then you should be on your way to a healthy pond and more importantly, healthy fish. But, if you do come across any infections or diseases, it is important to treat them straight away.

As the winter months slowly creep up on us, our gardens will soon be turning into winter wonderlands. The grass will be covered in a sparkling white blanket, the trees will be glittering in the morning sun and our garden ponds will be frosting up.

But in the winter months, pond maintenance is even more crucial. The first thing to remember is not to switch off the pumps and the filters. But you do need to turn off your waterfalls. This is because your waterfall will act like a large radiator and cool your water quickly to the same level as the air temperature. Fish are very good at adapting to changes in temperature so long as the change wasn’t too sudden, so you need to try to keep the temperature as stable as possible.

You will need to reduce the feeding of your fish in the winter months because as the temperature of the water cools, the fish will be seeking less food and they will not be processing food as quickly either.

Although fish are good at withstanding low temperatures, if the temperatures remain low for a long period of time, they may start to experience problems. So it is a good idea to protect your pond from wind chill using bubble wrap to cover the surface. But always leave a section uncovered so that gases can escape from the pond.

Building a koi pond is not a two minute job. But remember, time spent building a koi pond is worth it because this pond should be in place for years to come and you will certainly get lots of pleasure from it.

With koi carp ponds, it is always a good idea to build it as close to the house as possible. With all those beautiful fish swimming about, you don’t want to miss a chance to make the most of them.

It is also essential to consider any trees that you may have in your garden. Don’t build your pond under overhanging trees or in a shady spot because leaves will become trapped in the pond and the sunlight will be blocked meaning that the water will not warm at all during the summer.

Knowing what size to make your pond is the next hurdle to overcome. Koi carp need roughly ten gallons for every fish inch. You should also try to make your pond three to four feet deep.

All these considerations and you’ve not even lifted so much as a spade yet! Koi carp ponds can be time consuming and difficult to build. But once you’re at the finish line, you will see that it was all worth it.

Garden ponds are great for families. Not only do they provide a relaxing area for the parents to relax after that hectic school run, but they also provide children with a fascinating insight into the world of wildlife.

But of course, the children’s safety needs to be considered when you are building a pond. Garden ponds should be places to relax and unwind and get pleasure from, not places of constant worry and stress.
So to prevent any accidents, there are a few steps you can take to ensure that your children stay safe while getting pleasure from the pond.

The first piece of advice is obvious; always supervise children when they are near the pond. But there are other tricks that can help make a pond child proof.

When deciding upon the location of your pond, ensure that you choose somewhere that is highly visible and perhaps somewhere that can be closed off if necessary. Consider building a raised pond or even use a fence as a barrier around the pond.

If the worst did happen and a child did fall into the pond, then you want to ensure that they can easily escape. For this reason, it is a good idea to use wide, shallow planting areas so that escape is easy.

Although accidents are rare, it is always worth considering these simple steps when you are building a pond. That way, you can enjoy your pond without worrying that your child is in danger.

It’s nearly autumn, so continuing from the last article, here are some pointers that you might want to think about if you own a garden pond:

• In the UK we have been experiencing milder winters every year. If we have an especially mild winter, it is not inconceivable that algae will continue to grow over the winter months. Because of this, make sure you leave your biological pond filter in place and check it is working regularly.

• If you are not going to use a pond pump during the winter then why not remove it if it is easily accessible so you can give it a good clean. Its lifespan will increase if it is not subjected to the rigours of cold and ice.

• Your fish will become less active as the water temperature cools down. Improve their chances of remaining in good health by giving them a high protein fish food before you start to reduce the amount of feed you give them up to winter.

• If you have got tender waterlilies in your pond, when they die back naturally you may notice an oily-like film on the surface of the water. You can stop this by removing any leaves (if you can reach them) that start to go yellow. Otherwise a good trick is to place newspaper on the oily surface. This will absorb the oil and also any other winter detritus that might be sitting on the pond surface.

These are only a few of the things you need to consider. Everybody’s pond is different, so you might find you need to focus on different areas or if you are lucky not pay so much attention to the ponds maintenance.

With autumn fast approaching, the nights getting a little cooler and leaves starting to fall from the trees, now is the time to consider the tasks that you will need to do to keep your garden pond in top shape over the winter months.

The following is a list of some important points that should be looking into at this time of year:

• If you have planted any delicate plants in or around the pond you need to start to think about where you are going to overwinter them. You may already have a greenhouse or cold frame but if you haven’t, you might need to ask one of your family members or a friend if you can use some of their space. If you are worried that you might lose some of the plants, why not try to take cuttings from them. This will mean any losses can be replaced a lot more cheaply in the spring.

• As mentioned in the last article, remove fallen leaves from your pond at every opportunity.

• Cut back excess foliage on any plants or stems that may be dying, this includes the last flowers of the season. If you have already had a first frost before doing this, you may want to be a little harder in your pruning to remove any frost damage.

We will continue with other points you need to consider in the next article.

Now is the time of year that you need to keep a close eye on your pond if you want to make sure that a balanced eco-system is maintained throughout the winter. Autumn time is the most prevalent time of year that leaves from surrounding trees and plants will fall into your pond. Leaves that are left in your pond will eventually decompose making the water murky and eventually silting up your pond, they will also alter the nitrate balance in the pond hence changing the chemical balance of your water.

The best way to deal with the leaves in your pond is to try to stop them falling into the pond altogether. When leaf fall is at its worst, you could try to place some netting over the surface water. The net can just be placed on the water surface and be supported by poles or kept in place by a few strategically placed stones or bricks at the water’s edge. You can the easily remove the net once a week and add the excess leaves to your compost heap.

Another method that is not quite as good, but also provides the duel purpose of having a barrier around the pond, is to create a low level fence around the pond with chicken wire fastened around the base. Most of the leaves will be blown into the fence instead of into the pond.

If you don’t want to employ either of these methods then you will have to resign yourself to the fact that most likely you will have to use a rake or net and clear the pond as often as possible.