Winter Help for Your Koi

[site admin]

Hi,
With the continued cold weather, a few tips to help your Koi through the worst of it.
There have been numorous keepers in trouble with their ponds freezing this Winter, Please, Please help your Koi.....

1. Cover the pond, use frame and heavy bubble wrap or the swimming pool covers, or use polycarb if you can, the thicker the better.
2. Insulate all pipe work and filters that are exposed ( outside) bubble wrap will do. Keep all pumps running. Remember running water has less chance of freezing.

3. If you have a water fall this is the time to turn it off or divert all water falls to return straight into the pond.

4. If your returns are above water extend the return with more pipe, so that the return pipe is under the water.

5. Try not to distrub the koi too much, they will be huddled up reserving energy, when you go near the pond they will use up more energy than needed to look for food.

6. Dont use any treatments at low temps, you will do more harm than good.

7. If your pond is uncovered and frozen, make sure there is a hole in the ice, to allow the gases to escape. Do Not break the Ice as this can harm the Koi, but get a Pan of boiling water and place on the ice till it melts, or alternatively get a pond heater to keep an area clear of ice. They are only about 100-200 watts.

Covering a pond can eliminate the worst of the low temperatures.
And Remember No food, till the temperatures recover.

Dave.

[ian m]

Dave,

All good advise, when you read a few other forum's there have been a number of health related problems around this year with this extended cold spell. Fish lying on there sides and even fatalities. Roll on the Spring and Summer.

Ian

[roselanekoi]

Hi Dave,

Sound advice, even if heated. I'm managing to keep the temp around 16 C without the gas heating being on much more than usual, hope the government top up the winter fuel allowance like they did last year.

Colin

[koi999]

I purchased some equiptment recently off e.bay. When I went to collect it I chatted to the seller who had overwintered his pond by using the coloured plastic balls that children play with, along with gentle heat, they had overwintered well. The coloured balls acted as both an insulator and stopped the water freezing, which I thought was a good idea. I just thought I would let everyone know.