In Colorado, we need to think about the effects of winter on our water features.  There are many options such as:  shutting it down, or pulling the pump and putting in an aerator and heater for your fish, or even letting it run and enjoying ice sculptures.  We will be glad to help with this decision and give you tips and advice!  Give us a call, (303) 666-5430, and we will help you decide which is the best way to winterize your water feature.

Here are some tips to help winterize your feature:

■ Stop fertilizing when the weather becomes cooler. This lets the plants know the season is coming to an end.

■ When the water temperature is around 55 F° (10° C), stop feeding your fish. Continuing to feed them could cause health problems or death for them, since their digestive systems are beginning to slow down for the winter.

■ As leaves fall from nearby trees, you’ll probably have to empty the debris net every day to keep up with the influx of leaves. Some of them will undoubtedly sink to the bottom, try to remove as many as you can, however a few left in the pond will give insects and frogs a place to hide over the winter. The best way to keep up with the falling debris in your pond is to remove it using a skimmer net.

■ As it gets colder, your aquatic plants will have all but died for the season. Now you can cut back the dead plant material and remove the tropicals. Cut back the perennials above the water level.

■ In Colorado, where the surface of ponds often freeze, you’ll need to prepare for winter by deciding whether you want to keep your pond running or shut it down.

    ■ To shut your pond down, first unplug your pump and pull it out of the water. The pump should be stored in a frost-free location, submerged in a bucket of water to keep the seals from drying (basements are great for this).

    ■ If you have fish, a small re-circulating pump that bubbles at the water surface or an aerator, which bubbles underwater, will be necessary to oxygenate the water. In all but extremely low temperatures, the bubbling of the pump will also keep a hole open in the ice to allow for a gas exchange, keeping your fish alive. It is not necessary to oxygenate the water or keep a hole open in the ice if you don’t have fish.  Because of the long, cold winters in Colorado, you may consider adding a floating de-icer. Controlled by a thermostat, the unit only runs when the water temperature is at or below freezing, heats the water to just above that, and then shuts off again. Call us to ask about products to help your pond during the winter.

■ You can also choose to keep the waterfall running. This will require a little babysitting to make sure an ice dam does not form, which could cause water to run out of the Pondless Waterfall/ Pond basin. You will also still need to replace water loss so the pump can continue to function properly. This extra effort during the winter will reward you with beautiful ice formations and patterns around the falls and stream beds.