Help! Need to redo pond but what about the newts

[Cowgirl]

Hey there,

I need to check my pond for leaks and I also want to reset my flat rocks & log edging which hang down disguising the pond liner. The pond was built last may/june, it's got koi & goldfish in & it's approx 16' x 10' x 4'

Trouble is I know I've got newts as last year in the autumn when messing about with rocks I overturned one & found a small newt, no idea what kind (it seemed smooth no crest anyway), I just put the rock back & left it alone. I know not to disturb things at the minute cos frankly it's still winter up here, but should I wait 'til late spring summer or should I start early spring (ie when I see my fish come back into life). I don't want to disturb them but I want to sort the pond out before everything really kicks in & starts growing. When would be the best time to start this sort of work?

[artdemole]

Last time I cleaned a pond I waited till it had been mild for a week.Could see the pond life then...

[paulinemiller10]

I would clean it on the next nice day Cowgirl, if your taking all the water out, I don't know if you will be able to catch all the small creatures, but once Spring arrives they will all be laying eggs, you may have frogs visiting, it will be much harder to save the creatures if they have eggs, and some have hatched, but it can be a cold job this time of year. Pauline.

[Cowgirl]

Thanks people, so it's sooner rather than later (at least when it's been consistently mild for a bit). I won't be emptying it all out as there's over 3,000 gallons in there plus my fish, but I was just worrying about disturbing hibernating beasties

It'll be a cold job then, brrrrr, not for a bit then....

[Dogghound]

There is never a perfect time to clean a pond out. Newts will not be in the pond in the winter so in this respect you will be fine. Although if you are moving alot of rocks around the pond you will cause disturbance which could harm the newts in cold weather if they are still hibernating. It might be that it is simply hibernating here and does not have an interest in the pond due to fish & and new under developed nature of the area, neither are features newts like. I would do this work in late summer with respect to newts.