Winter Check

Gazfish · 14-01-2012, 02:36 PM

Hi Guys,

Have we all done our winter checks and have everything in place :?: :?:

Its sometimes the silly things that creep up on us or we tend to just relax a little bit to much and that can have a devastating reaction when things go wrong. I have cleaned all the filters today making sure everything is OK and nice and clean and purged the bottom drain and even have the covers back as the sun is out so i can have a quick observation of the fish who all look fine.

I have a good look round and make sure all the pumps,drains,valves are all operational and in good working order and just have a general good check over the systems. Although i have a water supply to the shed i also bring the goes pipe inside to makes sure that if it is needed i have it in a nice warm shed where it will not freeze up.

I also clean out and baskets for pumps and skimmers again just to make sure everything is all nice and clean an nothing could be decaying away anywhere.Now thats all done i will slow down for winter and the food has stooped and by tomorrow my pond will be down to 12c which is my winter temperature and the only other thing i will do now is pull the covers back when i can to make sure all is OK and do regular filter cleaning and changing of water making sure the system is always nice and fresh.

So are you all ready and what do you do for winter and lets hope we all have a good one and come spring the fish are in good shape

faz201283 · 14-01-2012, 05:39 PM

i cleaned my filters last week and added 150l of new clean water, ive spent an hour today brushing the crap off the shelves and bottom into the pumps, needs another brush tomoro and all will be clean

Gazfish · 14-01-2012, 07:21 PM

Hi,

Sounds like you going to try to keep it nice and clean and please remember that you will need to make sure you get the waste that you have swept into the pumps it taken out from the filters as there can be some nasty stuff in there.

faz201283 · 14-01-2012, 07:44 PM

didnt think about that. ill flush the 4 bay again tmoro

Gazfish · 14-01-2012, 08:14 PM

Hi,

Its always the little things we forget that get us so i always try to think of things and ways to make sure my system is as clean as it can be at all times and defiantly going into the winter.

Davej · 14-01-2012, 08:17 PM

Hiya gaz

Easy to get lulled into a false sense on security as things have been so mild and fish have been active so very timely advice.

Lets just hope that the temp drop in unheated systems isn't too dramatic.

Dave

Doghouse Riley · 14-01-2012, 08:37 PM

At the risk of being accused of "bangin' on, I've very little that needs cleaning as all my coarse solids aren't reaching the filter and get purged from my pump sump twice a week at warmer times and once a week in the winter. That's pretty much the extent of any maintenance with my system.

This is the clarity of the water entering my filters from the bottom of the pool.

Koi Pool Water Quality - YouTube

The filters are of course are presently wrapped in the excess pool cover material I had and sheets of polystyrene.

But I will purge the filters themselves when I change back to my summer pump. This just involves opening a big valve below the complex and dropping the lot into an outsize drain.
I'll also dismantle the UV and give that a good clean before turning it on again and check the diaphragms on the air pump.