UV bulbs shoudl be removed and stored insided.  Make sure it is entirely drained of all water and stored somewhere it will not get inadvertently broken.

External pond filters should be cleaned.  Store inside or winterize them per the manufacturer’s directions.

Small pumps used for spitters should be disconnected and brought indoors.  Free standing concrete fountains and birdbaths need to be covered for the winter to prevent them from cracking.

Decorative items such as floating islands and pond decor will last longer if stored indoors for the winter.

Pull any hardy marginal plants from the waterfall filter box and place them in the main pond to overwinter.  Once the pump is pulled out for the winter, the waterfall box will empty of water and the plants will not overwinter if left in place in the box.

During the winter months, a hole must be maintained in the ice.  As ice forms on the pond, toxic levels of gases from decaying organic matter can be trapped under the ice.  This creates a toxic gas chamber for the fish.

A pond heater floats on the surface of the pond and creates an ice opening allowing the gases to passively escape.  They typically have an internal thermometer and will turn on and off depending on the temperature of the water.

An aerator is an air pump that sits outside the pond.  It must be protected from rain and snow.  Typically placing them on a elevated surface and covering them with a cover rock works well to protect them from the elements.  The aerator have air stones which are placed in the pond.  They should not be placed in the deep section.  Ideally they are in 6-12″ of water.

You can install these items when you install the netting so that you are all set in case cold weather arrrives unexpectedly with ice forming on the pond.

Before the tree leaves begin to fall, install a good quality pond net and tent over the entire pond surface of the pond, stream, and waterfall area.  This will keep falling leaves out of the pond reducing your work in pulling out excess decaying leaves and prevent organic buildup of debris on the bottom of the pond.  The more you can keep out in the fall, the easier your spring opening will be for you.  Make sure the net hangs over the pond by at least 6 inches.  This allows you to roll up the net at the edge and secure it with ground staples/pins.  Be carefully not to stake the pins through the pond liner.

We like to keep up our netting off the surface of the pond using a pond tent.  This helps the leaves to blow off the netting rather that weigh it down into the water where the leaves can tint the water brown.

We keep our netting on through the winter to protect the fish from predators like the blue heron.

Cold water bacteria like Seasonal Boost Package is formulated to work in cold water.  The summer bacteria additions that you have been adding as well as the ingenious bacteria that have built up naturally during the summer will die off as the weather turns cold.  Applying the winter prep bacteria helps with reducing organic build up on the pond’s bottom.  This will help your ecosystem in the spring as the weather warms.

One of the important tasks for fall and winter maintenance is to clean out the debris, like leaves and muck, that has accumulated on the pond’s bottom.  If this organic material is left in the pond over the winter months, it will release toxins into the water and create an unhealthy environment for the fish.  Use a long handled net or pond vaccuum to remove the debris.