Winter Pond Questions

dufass · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 2

I am new to ponding so have few dumb questions...

Live in zone 5 and have small pond...300 gallons and 15 to 16 inch
deep....residing in pond are 6 lovely gold fish 4 to 5 inches in
length..Temp is starting to get rather cold here...yesterday pond had 1/4
to 1/2 inch ice on it...I removed pump and filter laid some 2x4's over pond
and placed 4mil clear plastic sheeting over entire pond area held in place
with bricks. I also placed air pump in bucket with bubbler 6 to 8 inches
below surface. when I checked today ice was gone from pond area....Am
wondering if I need heater if so would low wattage heater work? If there is
warm spell is it ok to feed fish? If I feed fish would this create problem
with ammonia contamination? any advise appreciated...TIA

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>goldfish

redsockfluff · Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 6

On Nov 28, 10:44 pm, duf...@dingbat.com wrote:
> I am new to ponding so have few dumb questions...
>
> Live in zone 5 and have small pond...300 gallons and 15 to 16 inch
> deep....residing in pond are 6 lovely gold fish 4 to 5 inches in
> length..Temp is starting to get rather cold here...yesterday pond had 1/4
> to 1/2 inch ice on it...I removed pump and filter laid some 2x4's over pond
> and placed 4mil clear plastic sheeting over entire pond area held in place
> with bricks. I also placed air pump in bucket with bubbler 6 to 8 inches
> below surface. when I checked today ice was gone from pond area....Am
> wondering if I need heater if so would low wattage heater work? If there is
> warm spell is it ok to feed fish? If I feed fish would this create problem
> with ammonia contamination? any advise appreciated...TIA

if the temp is below 10 degrees C then you should not feed your fish
in your pond. they can last the winter without food because the cold
weather slows their metabolism right down

red

Tynk · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 200

On Nov 29, 2:41�am, redsockfluff wrote:
> On Nov 28, 10:44 pm, duf...@dingbat.com wrote:
>
> > I am new to ponding so have few dumb questions...
>
> > Live in zone 5 and have small pond...300 gallons and 15 to 16 inch
> > deep....residing in pond are 6 lovely gold fish 4 to 5 inches in
> > length..Temp is starting to get rather cold �here...yesterday pond had 1/4
> > to 1/2 inch ice on it...I removed pump and filter laid some 2x4's over pond
> > and placed 4mil clear plastic sheeting over entire pond area held in place
> > with bricks. I also placed air pump in bucket with bubbler 6 to 8 inches
> > below surface. when I checked today ice was gone from pond area....Am
> > wondering if I need heater if so would low wattage heater work? If there is
> > warm spell is it ok to feed fish? If I feed fish would this create problem
> > with ammonia contamination? any advise appreciated...TIA
>
> if the temp is below 10 degrees C then you should not feed your fish
> in your pond. they can last the winter without food because the cold
> weather slows their metabolism right down
>
> red

Yes....that's right.
However, I have to wonder is there a minimum level to how deep the
pond needs to be in order for the fish to be down far enough to avoid
the area that's below hibernation temp and leads to death. There's not
that much difference there, so knowing how deep ones needs to be is
important.
What that is...I have no clue, as I don't keep a pond.
I too am in zone 5, so I know how cold it can get.
Many folks take their pond fish inside for wintering because of it.

dufass · Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Posts: 2

Bubble wrap over the top of the heater? is that to make it float at top?

About the bucket filter - a little more detail please. is water intake
through top? discharge hose on bottom?

Thanks

redsockfluff · Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 6

On Nov 29, 10:14 pm, duf...@dingbat.com wrote:
> Bubble wrap over the top of the heater? is that to make it float at top?
>
> About the bucket filter - a little more detail please. is water intake
> through top? discharge hose on bottom?
>
> Thanks

please excuse my ignorance but whats zone 5, 6? i'm from the UK

dr-solo · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 194

over the top of the whole pond. on top of the plastic you already have there
water intake is thru the top of the bucket and filter media, discharge hose is off to
the side of the bucket. it is just to pull water thru the media. ALL UNDERWATER.
the hose does not need to break the surface.

On Thu, 29 Nov 2007 22:14:29 GMT, dufass@dingbat.com wrote:

>Bubble wrap over the top of the heater? is that to make it float at top?
>
>About the bucket filter - a little more detail please. is water intake
>through top? discharge hose on bottom?
>
>Thanks

dr-solo · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 194

zone 5, -20oF, zone 6 -10oF worst in winter.

On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 02:31:48 -0800 (PST), redsockfluff
wrote:

>On Nov 29, 10:14 pm, duf...@dingbat.com wrote:
>> Bubble wrap over the top of the heater? is that to make it float at top?
>>
>> About the bucket filter - a little more detail please. is water intake
>> through top? discharge hose on bottom?
>>
>> Thanks
>
>
>
>please excuse my ignorance but whats zone 5, 6? i'm from the UK

Gail Futoran · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 52

"redsockfluff" wrote in message @p69g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> On Nov 29, 10:14 pm, duf...@dingbat.com wrote:
>> Bubble wrap over the top of the heater? is that to make it float at
>> top?
>>
>> About the bucket filter - a little more detail please. is water
>> intake
>> through top? discharge hose on bottom?
>>
>> Thanks
>
>
>
> please excuse my ignorance but whats zone 5, 6? i'm from the UK

Plant hardiness zones. In the USA:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Here's an article with more general
information, including the UK:
http://vegetablegardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/global_gardening_zones

Gail
near San Antonio TX USA

Reel McKoi · Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 385

wrote in message @giganews.com...
> Bubble wrap over the top of the heater? is that to make it float at top?
>
> About the bucket filter - a little more detail please. is water intake
> through top? discharge hose on bottom?
>
> Thanks
=======================
Don't count on aeration to blow off ammonia. It's not in a form that can be
blown off or well aerated aquariums wouldn't have problems with fish dying
from ammonia.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ } ~~~ }

Reel McKoi · Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 385

"Tynk" wrote in message @e25g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
What that is...I have no clue, as I don't keep a pond.
I too am in zone 5, so I know how cold it can get.
Many folks take their pond fish inside for wintering because of it.
====================
I'm in zone 6 and many people bring them inside for the winter here also.
Keeping them in large water troughs is most common here.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ } ~~~ }

Hank Nussbacher · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 3

In article ,
redsockfluff wrote:
>
>if the temp is below 10 degrees C then you should not feed your fish
>in your pond. they can last the winter without food because the cold
>weather slows their metabolism right down
>
>red

If you feed them and the water temp is below 12c/54f then the food they eat
will not get digested and it will expand in their stomaches, decay and
eventually cause their death.

If you need to feed your fish in the winter then use Sera Koi Professional
Winter Food or TetraPond Wheat Germ Sticks.

UK:
http://www.reptilica.co.uk/product_info.
php/product/Sera_KOI_Professional_Winter_Food

US:
http://www.gardenponds.com/fish7.htm

See:
http://www.feedingkoi.com/koi_feeding_winter_cold_water.html

-Hank

dr-solo · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 194

Koi cannot digest carbohydrates. dont know where the idea to feed wheat germ and
cheerios got started, but carbs ferment so dont feed that at all.

I feed my koi a bit of protein when my water is 50oF or better all winter long. I
heat my pond a bit or the koi wouldnt have food for 6 months, too long, too much
stress. this year I am using frozen krill. basically the nibble on algae and itty
bitty critters all winter long when the temp is up so I am just giving them a bit
more. Ingrid

On Sun, 02 Dec 2007 06:36:29 GMT, hank@interall.co.il (Hank Nussbacher) wrote:
>If you feed them and the water temp is below 12c/54f then the food they eat
>will not get digested and it will expand in their stomaches, decay and
>eventually cause their death.
>
>If you need to feed your fish in the winter then use Sera Koi Professional
>Winter Food or TetraPond Wheat Germ Sticks.

Hank Nussbacher · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 3

In article , dr-solo@wi.rr.com wrote:
>Koi cannot digest carbohydrates. dont know where the idea to feed wheat germ
> and
>cheerios got started, but carbs ferment so dont feed that at all.

I don't know anything about Cherrios, but Tetra only recommends to feed the
wheat germ when temps are between 39-50F. I would assume a company like Tetra
isn't killing off all Koi in the winter by selling this food. I would also
assume they have tested this out before marketing it as such. If you feel
otherwise, then here is a good chance for a lawsuit.

-Hank

>
>On Sun, 02 Dec 2007 06:36:29 GMT, hank@interall.co.il (Hank Nussbacher) wrote:
>>If you feed them and the water temp is below 12c/54f then the food they eat
>>will not get digested and it will expand in their stomaches, decay and
>>eventually cause their death.
>>
>>If you need to feed your fish in the winter then use Sera Koi Professional
>>Winter Food or TetraPond Wheat Germ Sticks.

dr-solo · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 194

oh.. you mean tested it out like the pet food industry did for the processed
commercial dog foods. dogs dont digest complex carbs well either which is why they
have these huge dumps. dogs eat meat. koi eat meat. neither are herbivores, and
koi most certainly cannot digest land based, high cellulose carbohydrates. koi have
a very short intestine, just like dogs.

the day they show proof that wheat germ grows in the water and they get pictures of
the koi nibbling on it is the day I will believe it is "good" for the koi.

tetra pond koi wheat germ sticks
Ingredients: wheat germ meal, fish meal, corn flour, dehulled soybean meal, feeding
oat meal, wheat germ, wheat germ meal.

Fish meal, or fishmeal, is a commercial product made from both whole fish and the
bones and offal from processed fish. It is a brown powder or cake obtained by
pressing the whole fish or fish trimmings to remove the fish oil.

Some of these sites are recommending feeding this from 39oF to 50oF. Now koi wont
eat below 45oF. but I ask, how is ANYONE going to PROVE that rotting food in the gut
killed a fish? Look how long it took to connect that melamine powder (used to boost
"protein" levels artificially) was killing dogs and cats.

Ingrid

On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 07:18:40 GMT, hank@interall.co.il (Hank Nussbacher) wrote:
>I don't know anything about Cherrios, but Tetra only recommends to feed the
>wheat germ when temps are between 39-50F. I would assume a company like Tetra
>isn't killing off all Koi in the winter by selling this food. I would also
>assume they have tested this out before marketing it as such. If you feel
>otherwise, then here is a good chance for a lawsuit.