If you have a water feature such as a fountain or a waterfall, now is the time of year that you should consider turning the unit off to stop problems caused by excessive cold.

You should not turn off your pond filtration system pump, but you can turn of the separate pump that powers your fountain of waterfall. If you leave either of these devices running, the cold air temperature will further chill the water in your pond and, if the drop in temperature is sudden your fish will not respond well to this change. If your fountain or waterfall freezes, the pump may actually be damaged by the formation of ice crystals and may not cope well with the cold weather.

New pond pumps are not too expensive to buy, but any preventative measures you can take will minimise wear and tear on the pump function. When the pump is turned off it’s also a good time to remove the pump from the pond and give it a quick once over to check for any issues. Clean the filter in the pump to remove any detritus and check to see if the spray holes, pipes and other components are free from any type of blockage.