to filter or not?

[DNT]

My pond is 24" deep and holds about 250-300 gal. and has 6 goldfish in it. I
live in zone 5 and we get freezes but not usually sustained for too long. I
cleaned it and removed leaves, trimmed plants, etc. in Nov. I stopped
feeding the fish in mid-November. The pond surface has partially frozen two
or three times since Nov. During the day I see the fish swimming near the
surface.

My question is should I stop the filter for the winter or leave it running?
I've read several pond books and I'm still not sure if I should shut it down
and if so, why. Can anyone advise me? Many thanks,
Denise

[Koi-lo]

"DNT" > wrote in message
news:D4Xrf.8476$7P2.8176@trnddc07...
> My pond is 24" deep and holds about 250-300 gal. and has 6 goldfish in it.
> I live in zone 5 and we get freezes but not usually sustained for too
> long. I cleaned it and removed leaves, trimmed plants, etc. in Nov. I
> stopped feeding the fish in mid-November. The pond surface has partially
> frozen two or three times since Nov. During the day I see the fish
> swimming near the surface.
>
> My question is should I stop the filter for the winter or leave it
> running?

Most people shut them off as any current makes the fish "move" and waste
energy to maintain their balance. It also can disrupt the stratifying of
the water (warm to the bottom, colder on top). Keep a hole open in the ice
for gas exchange.

> I've read several pond books and I'm still not sure if I should shut it
> down and if so, why. Can anyone advise me? Many thanks,
> Denise
--
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Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
NEW PAGE: Aquariums:
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you arent in zone 5 if it partially freezes. running a filter outside of the pond
can overcool the water. if the filter is inside the pond, go ahead. Ingrid

"DNT" > wrote:

>My pond is 24" deep and holds about 250-300 gal. and has 6 goldfish in it. I
>live in zone 5 and we get freezes but not usually sustained for too long. I
>cleaned it and removed leaves, trimmed plants, etc. in Nov. I stopped
>feeding the fish in mid-November. The pond surface has partially frozen two
>or three times since Nov. During the day I see the fish swimming near the
>surface.
>
>My question is should I stop the filter for the winter or leave it running?
>I've read several pond books and I'm still not sure if I should shut it down
>and if so, why. Can anyone advise me? Many thanks,
>Denise
>



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