Pond pump in or out for Winter?

lovingmypondgirl · #1 (**permalink**) 31-10-2010, 04:37 PM

Hi all, I have a small 2sq meter pond which is teeming with natural wildlife . I've just tidied it up today (removed surface leaves, got rid of some overflowing duckweed, cut back the lily etc) and was wondering whether to take my uv pond pump out . If i leave it running or on a timer will it keep the pond ice free , or will the freezing temps crack my pump?
Last year was the ponds' first Winter and i didn't have a pump at all then (i bought it when the water went green and it has been crystal clear ever since) and the ice was really thick. I just put a jug of warm water in every morning to let air in and also a ball at the other end . Sorry i'm rambling, but my wildlife is so precious to me , and i want to give it all the very best chance of surviving this Winter. There are at least 5 frogs, a newt , water snails and numerous other creatures residing in there at the moment.
Look forward to some advice. Annette

artdemole · #2 (**permalink**) 31-10-2010, 05:06 PM

Have kept pumps/fountain running in small pond during winter.It helps with circulation and does not freeze so much. It's trial and error.

Kayleigh · #3 (**permalink**) 31-10-2010, 05:11 PM

I have heard pumps kill wildlife as they get sucked up newts especially I dont use a pump for this reason.

Dogghound · #4 (**permalink**) 31-10-2010, 05:18 PM

A wildlife pond shouldnt really need a pump, pumps are more geared towards fish keeping. The water should reach an equilibrium and stay clear and oxygenated provided you have sufficient plants and no excessive nutrient input. However excessive freezing of ponds can be damaging on "some" occasions a pump may be useful. Ive never used one and never have any real problems.

Jim Ford · #5 (**permalink**) 31-10-2010, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I have heard pumps kill wildlife as they get sucked up newts especially I dont use a pump for this reason.

There was a pump in a local small public gardens with an unfiltered pump. It pumped water from the pond up to a small cascade. For at least a couple of years the cascade was strewn with fragments of newts. There's just a fountain in the pond now.

(For those visitors to Watford, the gardens I refer to are Cheslyn Gardens
Cheslyn House and Gardens :: Watford Borough Council - a real gem and one of the few decent places left in Watford now that the town planners have nearly completed their task of making the town 'The Slough of Hertfordshire'!)

Jim

nightshade · #6 (**permalink**) 31-10-2010, 05:33 PM

I run my pump because it returns the water to the pond via a 2mtr. "stream bed" this is popular with the birds that need to drink and bathe. I suppose it helps oxygenate the water for the fish. When severe weather is forecast I fill the pond to the brim then once it has a thick layer of ice make a small hole and remove an inch or more of water, instant double glazing, and room for any noxious gasses to leak away.

Naiad · #7 (**permalink**) 01-11-2010, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovingmypondgirl

whether to take my uv pond pump out .

If you're running a UV and you stop the pump, you'll need to make sure the water is emptied out of the UV, as if it sits in there and freezes it could shatter your quartz sleeve.

Opinions differ about whether to run the pump over winter or not. The circulation does help to prevent the water from freezing, but it also theoretically causes the water temperature to fluctuate more than would otherwise happen, by exposing the water to the cold surrounding air.

lovingmypondgirl · #8 (**permalink**) 01-11-2010, 02:29 PM

Thanks all , I'm in more turmoil than ever now. Worried about my newts . I was advised to get a small pump by my local garden center to clear the water. It only went murky after last Winters harsh spell. The newts moved in after we got the pump and the frogs sit under it even though they supposedly like still and quiet water. My dream was for a natural wildlife pond but i just couldn't get rid of the cloudy green water. I couldn't empty it as it was still teeming with wildlife . I'm thinking i'll take it out and see how the pond fares again after Winter. Cheers everyone. Given me plenty to think about.

Dogghound · #9 (**permalink**) 01-11-2010, 02:31 PM

Your pond should stay clear naturally if you have no fish in in and dont let excessive amounts of leaves into it, also dont use fertilizer near it. Some ponds get a slight bloom in spring however this isnt normally an issue.

animartco · #10 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010, 01:02 PM

Hi Pondy girl, Pond pump IN definitely. More deoxygenation occurs in ponds during the winter than in the summer, and especially at this time of year, when if they are not clogged with fallen leaves, all the waterplants are dying and rotting down producing CO2 and methane. There are very few oxygenating pondweeds which stay alive all winter, and even if they do they will be taking ore oxygen than they are giving because of the shorter hours of daylight.
When the weather is cold the oxygen content of the water increases, and the pump could be turned off during a cold snap, but most of the time our winters are mild, so pumps are needed MORE in the winter.