Advice for Autumn/Winter

sul1987 · 06-09-2011, 02:06 PM

Hi all,

As some of you probably know already, i'm a relative amateur when it comes to keeping koi so I was wondering what to do over the next few months as it gets colder?

I have around an 8000 - 10000 gallon pond with a 15000 lph pump and an 9000 lph pump. I have two Yamitsu Mega Max filters, a Oasis Vortec 30000 multi bay filter, a 110W UV, 2 x 30W UV.

Anyway I have been reading on how to prepare for the winter. Some people seem to turn all of their systems off? Is this the right way to go? Also when should I stop feeding the fish?

Could do with the help

Thanks

miles41 · 06-09-2011, 05:05 PM

Hi, what a depressing thought - winter coming

I never turn my system off over winter, infact it runs 365 days of the year! If you have any airstones, then it's always prudent to raise them as it gets cold, to keep the warmer waters lower down, other than that, just keep it all running.
Feeding wise, the koi will generally let you know that they're slowing down and will consume less as the water cools. In general at 10°c water temp, feeding should be reduced and certainly stop at 5°c or less, but by then the koi won't be coming up for it anyway!
With continued good husbandry they will survive quite happily.

markf1fan · 06-09-2011, 08:45 PM

hiya

never turn off your system, this is not the right thing to do. your fish will still be producing ammonia and the fiter will still be working or so be it a little. as for feeding miles41 is right. change food to wheatgerm from 10c. mark

sul1987 · 07-09-2011, 02:40 PM

Thanks guys, i do have a question though regarding keeping the warmer water at the bottom. the pumps I have are at the bottom of the pond so surely they would suck up the warm water and send this to the filter, thereby making it cooler at the bottom?

Thanks

miles41 · 07-09-2011, 03:40 PM

I know, it seems a strange phenomenon, but the water will be just that bit warmer at the bottom than the top.
This probably more due to rapid surface cooling in the winter, particularly if there is a breeze blowing, this heat loss will be higher than that suffered as water passes through the filtration process.
Hope that makes sense

maxinegrundy · 11-09-2011, 09:53 PM

Hello
One thing you could do ..is think about insulation . wrap your filters up and maybe get some sort of cover made ..polycarb is good but can be expensive ..but with covers remember to leave an open area for gassing off.
anything you can think of to insulate will all help

Max

Davej · 11-09-2011, 10:15 PM

Not sure there is much difference between temps at the bottom of the pond and nearer the top, whatever though you need to keep the system running.

Max has hit the nail on the head, any sort of cover and insulation is a good step forward.

A winter cover has the added benefit of stopping herons that may stray from their traditional grounds searching for an easy meal.

Feed wise, personally I dont feed when the temp goes below 10C.

Dave

maxinegrundy · 11-09-2011, 10:33 PM

Dont forget ..most important !!
you will still need to clean the filters ..
a handy tip is to remember to take the hosepipe indoors the day before so it does'nt get frozen up ..LOL
Max

Doghouse Riley · 11-09-2011, 11:25 PM

The temperature of the soil around your pool will always be a lot higher than that of the ambient.
Water temperatures will fall mostly through latent heat loss from the surface through evaporation, exacerbated by wind blowing across the surface.

Heavy duty bubble wrap (the thick stuff with the big bubbles) is an ideal insulator for filters and pools. Easy to wrap around the filter and can be used again next year.

Just float it on in "pool length" sections. I use lengths of polypipe chucked on top of it to stop the wind catching it
The bubble wrap allows light into the pool.
But you need to ensure you keep the air stones working.