4 2 PET TRADE WORLD OCTOBER 2009www. pettradeworld. com Winter Pond Focus Preparing the Pond for Winter With Autumn fast approaching, customers will start thinking about preparing their ponds for winter. Retailers are ideally placed in order to off er the best advice so you need to make sure that you're stocking the types of pond related items the customer will need. Here's a breakdown of what you should be advising people to do in order to prepare their ponds, fi sh, and plants for a healthy winter. During the winter months, despite all outward appearances, the pond remains active even when the water is cold - or frozen. The dead leaves, algae, insects and solid fi sh waste that have accumulated over the summer slowly break down during this period. This natural decomposition uses oxygen and produces small amounts of hydrogen sulphide - this is a toxic gas, but doesn't normally reach harmful levels. It is important to remind customers that ponds do need to be kept ' balanced' throughout winter as fi sh, frogs, and other aquatic life are especially sensitive to poor water quality during winter. One of the biggest problems during Autumn is when leaves begin to fall from the trees above. A build- up of leaves and other organic matter can cause an imbalance, reducing oxygen to dangerously low levels and releasing poisonous hydrogen sulphide. Using netting to cover the pond prevents the accumulation of these falling leaves in the pond. If too many leaves are allowed to fall into the pond and decay it will throw off the ecological balance of the pond. Heavy leaf fall can clog a skimmer several times a day so don't expect a skimmer type fi lter to capture all the leaves - they are designed to only get the occasional leaf or other fl oating debris. Experts also recommend using a bacterial ' cleaning' product to reduce sludge build up. These products work by allowing the bacteria they contain to digest dead algae and sludge that accumulate in fi lters and at the bottom of the pond. These types of products will also help to process the sludge and waste build- up that is hidden behind and underneath rocks. People often worry most about what to do with the fi sh. As a general rule, ponds with depths of 24" or greater can sustain the fi sh all winter quite successfully providing care is taken in preparing the pond. If fi sh have been fed a high protein diet throughout the summer this will have allowed them to build up a reserve of fat to help through the winter. Once the water temperature reaches the low sixties the amount of food given should be decreased and the fi sh feed only one to three times per week. At this time a food with a protein content of 25 to 32 percent should be given - wheat germ based food is another good choice as it is easily digested and fi sh can take 2 or 3 days to digest food at this water temperature. Once the temperature drops below 50 degrees advise your customers to stop feeding altogether until spring once the water temperature is consistently above that same level. Also remind your customers that they have to be careful with decomposing organics in the pond as they can produce toxic gasses which could get trapped in the pond if it is covered by ice for more than a few days. It is important to keep a small area free of ice so that these gases can escape. One of the easiest ways to do this is with a fl oating pond de- icer - a device which fl oats in the pond and has a built in thermostat to turn the heating element on when the water temperature drops below 40 degrees. They can also prevent a small pond from freezing solid altogether. Another option is to operate an air pump with an air diff user to help keep a hole open in the ice as the constant motion of air bubbles through the water will prevent the ice from forming. Tell people that they should NEVER break the ice as the shock waves created can damage or kill the fi sh. Your customers should have stopped feeding the plants by autumn and they now need to remove any dead and dying leaves and to place the potted plants in the deepest area of the pond to prevent freeze damage. Bear in mind that all plants in the pond need to be cared for based on their type. Oxygenators and/ or submerged plants, for example, should be left completely submerged at the bottom of the pond below the ice line. If the pond is less than 18" deep, the plants should be removed and placed in water fi lled containers fi lled in an area that will not freeze. Some hardy species such as iris, sweet fl ag, grasses, cattails, rushes, etc can be left in place overwinter regardless of pond depth and trimmed in the spring rather than the autumn. Floating plants such as water hyacinth and water lettuce, however, need

www. pettradeworld. comPET TRADE WORLD OCTOBER 2009 43 Winter Pond Focus Tetra Pond FilterZym Speeds the maturation of pond fi lters; creating an environment that is ideal for naturally occurring fi lter bacteria. It should be used following fi lter maintenance - early autumn and then again in late winter / early spring before the season starts. ¦ Tetra Pond Pond WaterBalance Keeps pond water balanced and healthy - reduces phosphate; replenishes KH; stabilises pH; and replenishes trace elements, vitamins and minerals. For use throughout the year, but especially benefi cial in the autumn / winter, when ponds tend to be neglected, leading to the loss of essential substances. Tetra Pond Wheatgerm Sticks These are ideal for feeding fi sh when the temperature is below 10 degrees as they provide an easily digestible source of energy that will keep fi sh strong and healthy over the colder months. to be removed from the pond completely as they will start to die off from the cooler temperatures and frost. Any tropical plants should be removed before the fi rst frost and kept inside over winter. The next major decision is as to whether someone should leave pumps and fi lters running. Anyone living in a climate where temperatures generally remain above freezing will fi nd it to their advantage to keep their pump and fi lter running through the winter. This is because the bacteria in biological fi lters will not be active at low temperatures but will remain alive as long as it's supplied with oxygen- laden water. When spring arrives and the water temperature is rising, the bacteria will start to work immediately, keeping the water quality good for fi sh and helping to control the algae. When running a fi lter through winter it is always best to minimize water circulation in order to take advantage of the layering eff ect of the water - water temperature is densest at 39 degrees and the water on the bottom of the pond will remain at this temperature even when the temperature on the surface is freezing. Minimising water circulation will allow the biological fi lters to stay alive without interfering with the layering of the water thus preventing super chilling the water by exposing warmer pond water to below freezing temperatures, quite possibly leading to the death of the fi sh. Pumps and fi lters can be turned off of course for the duration of the winter because cold water holds much more oxygen than warm water and, as the fi sh's respiration is slower in cold water, they don't need the circulation and aeration. If your customers decide to turn their pumps off for the winter be sure to remind them to drain all the equipment and plumbing lines. External fi lters, UV's, and external pumps should be drained completely. Submersible pumps need to be kept at the deepest section of the pond to avoid freezing or be placed indoors and if the pump is removed from the pond completely it should be placed in a bucket of water to prevent the seals from drying out. By performing these tasks you will ensure that your plants, fi sh, and pond will live through the winter and thrive the next spring. ¦ Tetra Pond CrystalWater Rapidly clears dirty, brown water by clumping particles together; off ering a fast, eff ective way of clearing pond water. It is ideal for use following any pond maintenance, to settle any disturbed debris. Tetra Pond SedimentMinus Breaks down organic sludge; reducing pond maintenance by keeping the pond base cleaner. This helps keep water cleaner and therefore fi sh and plant life healthier. This can help to keep the pond clean through the autumn and winter, when leaf litter and other debris can accumulate.