Winter is coming, are your fish ready?

Pond & Lake Q & A

Recently, someone asked me a fantastic question regarding winter aeration and if it can “super-cool” your pond in the winter, possibly causing harm to your fish. I had one of our expert Fisheries Biologists, Justin McLeod, answer this question. Below are some easy solutions that he suggests to ensure a fish-safe winter for those of you in the colder climates. – Jason Blake, The Pond Guy®

Winter aeration (bubblers) can be very important in areas where ponds can freeze over. Along the Northern US border and into Canada, mid-winter temperatures dip well below freezing for prolonged amounts of time. This can put your fish into jeopardy if the pond freezes completely over. To answer your question regarding “Super-Cooling your pond, extremely cold surface temperatures cause ponds to stratify in the opposite way of the summer. Because water is most dense at 39 degrees Fahrenheit, the water beneath the winter thermocline stays around that 39 degree mark, while the water above the thermocline drops down near the 32 degree mark. This is a small difference, but it could mean life or death to a fish.

A “super-cooled” condition is created generally when surface aeration (fountains, High Volume Surface aerators, or really anything pump or pushing water into the atmosphere) is used during winter months. “Super-Cooling” happens when the colder water on the top is circulated to the bottom, leaving no warmer water refuge for the fish. Although it is uncommon to see “Super-Cooling” with sub-surface aeration (bottom bubblers), there have been instances when it has happened. With that said, I would never let this stop me from operating my aerator in the winter – my fish are just too important to me!

Here are some tips to make sure you get the most out of your aeration system and possibly avoid the chance of “Super-Cooling”:

1. If you have multiple diffuser plates, it is ok to run only 50% of your diffusers. Even though the mixing power of your system is decreased, it will still add oxygen to the pond and allow gases to escape out through the hole it creates in the ice. Note: You only need 10% of your water surface open in the winter for gas exchange.

2. If your pond is extremely small (1/8 acre or less), you may want to move your plate(s) out from the deepest area into a shallower spot. This will leave room for fish to winter in the deeper water.

POND TALK: What do you do to prepare your lake fish for winter?

Picture of Blue Pond Dye & Black Pond Dye.

Pond & Lake Q & A

Q: I notice you have a black pond dye. Is there any reason why I should use black pond dye versus blue pond dye? – Nick of New York

A: We’ve received some calls lately about the difference between our Nature’s Blue Pond Dye & Black DyeMond Pond Dyes. What’s the best color for the pond? Is one better than the other? When would I use one of them and not the other? It really comes down to color preference as well as the environment surrounding your pond.

Nature’s Blue Pond Dye is the most widely used of the pond dyes. It looks very good in almost any situation. Our blue dye has a very deep, natural blue shade as opposed to some of the yellowish-blue colors you find with some other brands. Nature’s Blue Pond Dye works great in ponds that have a manicured and open landscape where the open sky can help reflect the color.

Black DyeMond Pond Dye is growing popularity extremely fast in the pond market. What we’ve found is that Black DyeMond pond dye fits very well in natural ponds in wooded areas. It gives the pond a pure, reflective quality that rivals some of Mother Nature’s best work.

Either way, whichever color you choose, blue or black, pond dye is an important aspect of keep your pond looking beautiful all year.

POND TALK: Do you use pond dye in your pond?

Picture of blue pond dye & black pond dye

Pond & Lake Q & A

Q: How do you turn a one acre pond blue in color? My wife has fish in it and wants the blue tint? – Scott of Mississippi

A: Turning your pond a blue color is a great way to not only to provide your pond with a beautiful blue shade, but also will reduce the amount of sunlight that penetrates through the pond. Surprisingly enough, just one quart of Nature’s Blue Pond Dye will shade a one acre pond (43,560 sq. ft.) with an average depth of 4′-6′. I would use one quart, wait 24 hours and evaluate. If you would like a deeper color add another 1/2 quart. Also, with Nature’s Blue Pond Dye, there are no water use restrictions and it is safe for fish, birds, pets, horses, livestock and wildlife.

If you are more into beautiful reflections and a richer tone instead of the blue shade, I would recommend Black DyeMond Pond Dye.

Picture of Algae in Ice.

Q: That isn’t algae growing under the ice, is it?

A: A common question that we receive in the winter pertains to winter algae and what to do with it. In the northern climates, there are strains of algae that do thrive in temperatures down to freezing. The good news is that typically these strains do not reach nuisance levels in ponds or lakes. They tend to hang out in warmer locations, usually around an inflow of water, where it is nice and sunny. In optimal growing conditions, these algae can generate enough biomass to put your fish at risk. A sudden die-off caused by a sudden swing in temperature, overcast weather, etc. can deplete the dissolved oxygen levels under the ice which leads to unnecessary fish stress.

Solutions: Nutrient management in your watershed as well as your pond will slow down the growth of any algae or plant all season. Typically phosphorus is the key nutrient for algal growth, so try switching to phosphorus free fertilizers if you fertilize your lawn. Our Pond-Clear Packets and Pond-Clear Pellets eat away at the muck/nutrients found in the pond. Our Nutri-Defense Packets bind up any excess nutrients flowing in from the watershed. These are things to do in the summer, but what about winter? With the pond frozen over, your options are limited. Dying the pond a deep blue with pond dye will reduce the amount of sunlight that passes through the water column. If you can safely do it, I would suggest adding an extra dose through the ice to slow down growth.