Pond pump in or out for Winter?

[bran goesgoch]

I usually remove the spray head on my fountain pump for the winter, though I do leave it running all year round. This helps to prevent the suface freezing over too quickly.

[animartco]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Frogs have declined primerily due to habitat loss, fragmentation and decreased invertebrate prey, and to a lesser more recent extent disease. These mild days arnt going to absorb high levels of oxygen, as wildlife becomes more active so do plants so the oxygen levels increase naturally. Its good to help frogs but pond pumps/fountains really make little if any difference to them.

Hi Doghound, A little basic biology lacking here I think. Firstly it is quite likely that diseases COULD be caused by deoxygenation, since the frogs not only breathe through their skins but are also capable of absorbing some of the harmful chemicals associated with deoxygenated water.
secondly live plants add to the deoxygenation in winter; they do not relieve it. Plants breathe in oxygen and breathe out CO2 for 24 hours a day, but they only photosynthesize, ( take up CO2 and release oxygen) during daylight hours, and even less efficiently in dull weather. So live plants in warm dull winter weather (and we get plenty of that now!) are increasing the deoxygenation of the pond.

[Dogghound]

Diseases such as redleg are usually more prevalent in frogs suffering from stress caused through water quality and temperature etc. If the oxygen levels crash like your saying then the frog and all pond life will die anyway so disease makes little difference. What harmful chemicals are restricted to de-oxygenated water? if anything bacteria like Proteus and E. coli will benefit from more oxygen. These disease's are found in far greater numbers in frog populations when frogs are breeding and oxygen isnt an issue.

Im well aware of how plants survive, just like other pond life they become dormant and oxygen consumption declines. It is the decaying of debris on the ponds base which uses up significant levels of oxygen not plants.

[Red Robin]

I don't have the experience to judge whether to include or exclude a water pump for winter but I do know that having such a device doesn't sit comfortably with what my definition of what a Wildlife Pond is... at any time of year.

A Wildlife Pond has no fish and has still and not moving water.

[nightshade]

Wheras my pond with its bathing birds, Dragonflies, Newts Frogs and Toads with a Grass Snake somewhere around, has fish a pump and a filter. Whatever works for you shall be the whole of the law.

[Naiad]

Oo, is that a reference to Aleister Crowley? Somehow I doubt he had a wildlife pond though

[Red Robin]

Originally Posted by nightshade

Wheras my pond with its bathing birds, Dragonflies, Newts Frogs and Toads with a Grass Snake somewhere around, has fish a pump and a filter. Whatever works for you shall be the whole of the law.

....True

I think the size of wildlife pond is also a factor regarding its inhabitants and visitors. Mine's too small for fish.