Autumn Pond Care

With the arrival of this time of year, it is necessary to start preparing the pond for the cold in the same way that autumn is the time to prepare our garden. Taking advantage of the month of October to prepare this small freshwater ecosystem is vital, since it is an important month, especially if our pond has fish (which will need a transition period towards that apparent hibernation that they live in during the cold months).

But even if it only contains plants, October is the ideal month for us to start paying attention to the months in which the mercury drops. Not only because now our pond is more exposed to mud in autumn (due to the leaves that fall from the trees and rot in the water) but also because it is necessary to take certain measures so that the plants survive the winter without problems.

Thus, let’s see some important aspects that guarantee that our pond survives the winter with guarantees.

WATER AND PLANT CARE: POND NEEDS IN AUTUMN

Beyond eliminating excess vegetation that may be in the pond, one of the most important aspects to control at this time is water. On the one hand, because it is important that it does not fall below a certain level (which guarantees not only the life of plants but also fish) and, on the other, because it is most likely that we will have to consider cleaning the water. that implies a change of it.

We are not talking about changing all the water in the pond, but it is advisable to renew two thirds of the total pond, especially if we have allowed those plant remains to have been submerged for too long. It is important to bear in mind that, on the one hand, fermentation causes the creation of gases that prevent the correct oxygenation of the flora and fauna of our pond. And, on the other hand, decomposition provides nutrients to the water that only help the proliferation of algae.

With regard to pond plants, it is the ideal time to remove the dead parts of those that we have around it and cut the reeds (leaving them level with the height of the outside of the ground). In this way, as long as we keep the reeds submerged, we will be helping the gas exchange of the water during the winter months. If we have exotic floating plants (such as water lilies), the ideal is to remove them and store them in containers of water in a place without cold during the winter.

Finally, and to ensure that our water is preserved during the winter, there is nothing like covering the pond with a specific tarpaulin that allows us to safeguard the state of the water during the cold months.

CARING FOR FISH IN AUTUMN

We leave for the end one of the most important aspects of the pond in autumn: the proper care of the fish at this time.

It is important to know that, with the arrival of the cold, the fish sink into a kind of lethargy during the months with less temperature. A more than enough reason for us to start feeding them a lighter diet during the month of October: not only will we give them the amount (which has to be less in this month of preparation for winter) but they will also have to have a smaller amount of protein.

In addition and going back to what we mentioned before about the water levels, we have to take into account that the fish need more than 60 centimeters of water. This will allow them to take refuge at the bottom of the pond, which is a warmer area. Keep in mind that below 7 degrees, the fish stop eating and just become lethargic.

If we live in an area where the winters are harsh, we will have to consider having an aerator in the water: an element that will help us prevent a layer of ice from forming on the pond and, thus, allow a correct exchange of gases between the water and outside. Important: choose an aerator according to the capacity of liters of water in the pond.

And what do you do to keep your pond in perfect condition during the fall and winter?

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