January is a month of rest for your pond.
This month, focus on making sure fish have plenty of oxygen as the pond’s surface starts to freeze. It doesn’t take much; an aerator or running waterfall will usually do the trick. See Tip No. 1 below for more information about winter aeration.
A Pond De-Icer can also help keep fish happy and healthy in frigid weather. Check out our monthly deep dive below to learn more.
3 Tips for January Pond Care
1. Use an aerator or running waterfall to keep water oxygenated
Fish enter a semi-dormant state called torpor during the cold months. While in torpor, they don’t eat or move much, but they do still need to breathe.
Keep fish happy and healthy by using an aerator or running waterfall to add an extra dose of oxygen into the water. If using an aerator, place the aeration discs or diffusers about 1 to 1.5 feet below the water’s surface (placing them any farther down could disrupt the warmer temperatures in deep parts of the pond where fish are overwintering).
De-icers can offer another layer of protection for fish by keeping a small hole open in the pond’s surface ice. De-icers are great for cold winters when the bubbling aerator isn’t strong enough to keep a hole open in the ice, but they’re no replacement for a quality aeration system. Always use your de-icer in addition to – and not instead of – an aerator, positioning the de-icer directly above the aeration discs or diffuser.
> Find aeration equipment at our Online Store
Learn more about Pond De-Icers below.
2. Add a weekly dose of Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria
Cold Water Beneficial Bacteria helps keep water clear and fish happy and healthy when the pond is too cold for regular bacteria to work efficiently.
Adding a weekly dose to your pond will help reduce ammonia, nitrite and organic waste in the pond, as well as give your fish a health boost thanks to marigold and vitamin B included in the formula.
Treating your water is easy. Cold Water Bacteria is a liquid that comes in a pump-top container. If you buy an 8 oz, 16 oz or 32 oz bottle, simply add one pump of bacteria per 100 gallons of water in your pond at least once a week while water temperatures are below 50 degrees. If you buy a gallon bottle, use one pump per 600 gallons.
To Calculate Pond Size in US Gallons: Length (in feet) x Width (in feet) x Average Depth (in feet) x 7.48
Cold Water Bacteria is completely safe for fish and plants.
> Find Cold Water Bacteria at our Online Store
3. Schedule a Spring Pond Clean-Out
Our Spring Pond Clean-Out schedule fills up quickly.
Even though clean-outs don’t start until March, contacting us now will save your spot on the calendar and ensure your pond is running and beautiful for the first warm days of spring.
January Deep-Dive
Everything You Need to Know about Pond De-Icers
An iced-over pond is a beautiful sight to behold.
The frozen water creates a soft glaze over napping fish, icicles sparkle near the waterfalls and – if you’re lucky – some light snow might blanket everything in a soft cloud of white.
Gazing out over the ice is one of the best parts of owning a pond in winter. But you need to keep a small opening so your fish can breathe.
That’s where a pond de-icer comes in.
A pond de-icer is a small device that floats on the pond’s surface, keeping a small hole open in the ice. When used in addition to an aerator, a pond de-icer is a perfect tool for keeping your fish happy and healthy until spring.