Water Changes Necessary in Winter

[aquetong]

This is my first Pennsylvania winter with the small, preformed pond on my
deck that was installed by the previous homeowner. I believe it is about 125
gallons. There are two pretty goldfish in the pond, about 6" long each.

In early winter I laid 2 plastic wrapped window screens over the pond and
floated a "keep a hole in the ice" device in the pond.

My question: is it necessary to do anything to the water in the pond during
the winter? I keep checking and the fish are alive (and well?). They hang
out under the de-icer device.

Thanks for your help.

MC

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

>On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 06:38:47 -0500, "aquetong" > wrote:

snipped for brevity
>Pennsylvania, preformed pond on deck 125 gallons. two pretty goldfish 6" long each.
>window screens over the pond and "keep a hole in the ice" device in the pond.
>
>My question: is it necessary to do anything to the water in the pond during
>the winter? I keep checking and the fish are alive (and well?). They hang
>out under the de-icer device.

On nice days I do 10-20% water changes in my koi ponds, about once a month,
in the winter. Is it real necessary in your situation? Probably not.

Really good articles to read are:
http://www.vcnet.com/koi_net/H2Oquality.html by Norm Meck
in particular "Pond Water Change Outs"

Give us an idea of your ponding level. Did the previous owner fill you in
on the use of dechlor, water test kits, feeding, etc. ? ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

[aquetong]

Thanks for your reply. I am a total newcomer to ponds. However, the previous
owner left behind equipment (pump, filter, fountain heads, water test kit,
spring/fall food, summer food ...) and told me to start everything running
in the spring as the water warms up.

We have well water so chlorine is not an issue.

The goldfish are comets purchased by the previous homeowner this summer. Do
they have a long life span? How large will they get?

Finally, while I have read info on the Internet are there one or two books
on the subject anyone out there would recommend for a pond novice?

MC


"~ jan JJsPond.us" > wrote in message
...
> >On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 06:38:47 -0500, "aquetong" >
> >wrote:
>
> snipped for brevity
>>Pennsylvania, preformed pond on deck 125 gallons. two pretty goldfish 6"
>>long each.
>>window screens over the pond and "keep a hole in the ice" device in the
>>pond.
>>
>>My question: is it necessary to do anything to the water in the pond
>>during
>>the winter? I keep checking and the fish are alive (and well?). They hang
>>out under the de-icer device.
>
> On nice days I do 10-20% water changes in my koi ponds, about once a
> month,
> in the winter. Is it real necessary in your situation? Probably not.
>
> Really good articles to read are:
> http://www.vcnet.com/koi_net/H2Oquality.html by Norm Meck
> in particular "Pond Water Change Outs"
>
> Give us an idea of your ponding level. Did the previous owner fill you in
> on the use of dechlor, water test kits, feeding, etc. ? ~ jan
>
>
> See my ponds and filter design:
> http://users.owt.com/jjspond/
>
> ~Keep 'em Wet!~
> Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
> To e-mail see website

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

>On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 21:44:39 -0500, "aquetong" > wrote:

>Thanks for your reply. I am a total newcomer to ponds. However, the previous
>owner left behind equipment (pump, filter, fountain heads, water test kit,
>spring/fall food, summer food ...) and told me to start everything running
>in the spring as the water warms up.
>
>We have well water so chlorine is not an issue.
>
>The goldfish are comets purchased by the previous homeowner this summer. Do
>they have a long life span? How large will they get?

Comets can get up to 12" long in the right conditions.

>Finally, while I have read info on the Internet are there one or two books
>on the subject anyone out there would recommend for a pond novice?

My favorite book was the Pond Doctor by Helen Nash, but by now there are
surely a bunch more by other authors. Look for one that tells you more than
"how to build a pond". The Low Maintenance Water Garden is also another of
hers. There are also two very good magazines other there, Water Gardening
and Koi USA.... though the later is more towards the koi koichi crowd, they
do have articles in each issue on goldfish and aquatic plants.

Re: Koi USA. I've really enjoyed the latest person (started in early 2004)
who is doing their aquatic plants section. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~