How to stop your pond from freezing over winter

The weather forecasters can’t seem to agree on whether we’re in for a super cold winter or not, but it’s always good to be prepared for the worst, so if you have a garden pond or water feature, start thinking about winter prep before it turns too cold.

If you have a healthy amount of fish in the pond, you’ll want to take care of their welfare and avoid the pond freezing up over the winter.

If the temperature drops below 10 degrees, stop feeding them, as this prevents them from making waste products that can be processed by the plants left in your pond. There should be enough nutrients in the water for the fish to survive as they will be in semi-hibernation.

It’s not absolutely essential to remove your pond pump over the winter, and it can be a good thing in some cases because it helps to keep the surface of the water agitated and therefore free from ice. If there’s a period of especially cold weather on the way though, it’s advisable to switch it off while it’s extra cold as having it on can lead to drainage problems later on.

It’s advisable to move the pump closer to the surface of the water while you’re running it, so that the colder water at the very bottom of the pond doesn’t mix too much with the slightly warmer water nearer the surface.

It is essential to take out the pond filter over the colder months, simply because freezing water can damage it. The activity within the pond will have slowed down over the winter anyway so it’s not essential to have it running during winter.

It may well be worth investing in a good quality pond de-icer to help your fish survive over the winter period, if you’re expecting very cold weather and there’s a likelihood that your garden pond might freeze over. A de-icer works by leaving a small area of the pond free of ice, ensuring that any build-up of harmful gases is released out of the pond, rather than being trapped beneath the surface.

A heater is another option but they can also be very expensive to use; anything over 500 watts will guzzle power and cost a lot of money, so be aware before you invest in a pond heater.

Keeping the pond ice-free is down to careful preparation and vigilance over the colder part of the winter, but with a little effort your pond should make it through the winter unscathed...