Remember, caring for your pond is a year round proposition.
Even during Winter months you need to check that your deicer and bubbler are working properly and that there are no casualties
It may sound obvious, but your koi can only die once. There are no second chances and the "should haves" don't mean anything
It's a real tragedy when mishaps could have been prevented with a little planning and diligence
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Spring is an exciting time as we look forward to warmer weather and a lot of activity in our ponds. As soon as the ice melts, visually check to make sure all of your fish survived the long cold spell. If there are any missing fish, they are likely decaying on the bottom of the pond - these need to be removed immediately. You should try to perform a large water change (40% if possible) as soon as weather permits. In Toronto, this is generally mid to late March. While you are at it, test the water quality as early detection of WQ issues is key - you may likely find a high pH, some ammonia and no nitrite. This is normal do to the lack of nitrification
As water temperatures start to warm there is a danger period which occurs because pathogens become active before the immune system of the koi is functioning. Additionally the fish have been weakened after going so long in harsh conditions. Both these factors increase the potential of disease. Adding salt, feeding medicated food, monitoring water quality, taking mucous scrapes and close observation of your fish are in order. Again, in Toronto, the months of April and May are the transition months from cold water to Summer temperatures and this is the period you need to stay on top of things. This is not the time to add new fish !
Filters can be started when the water reaches 8 - 10 celsius and is on an upward swing. Aeration should be running year round, the only difference is that Winter aeration should be at a diminished rate. Feed your fish wheat germ based foods once a day when the water is in the 10 - 15 range. The change to higher protein foods can be made once the water temperature is 19+ Celsius |
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Summer is the peak activity and growth period for your fish. Koi are most active in warmer water and should be fed several small meals a day. Continue to monitor your ponds water quality and this is the best time to add fish to your collection (quarantining is recommended). It is critical to maintain WQ (water quality) as the fish will produce more waste and require more oxygen in warmer water. Don't forget, warmer water holds less oxygen so aeration is the order of the day. Many people lose fish because they run their ponds with just a single pump. When that pump inevitably fails, overstocked ponds can run out of O2 very quickly. Of course Murphy's Law dictates this will happen on a long weekend when you are away
Fish will spawn once they have gone through the appropriate number of degree days. In Toronto, this is generally in mid June. If you do not remove the eggs, your pond must be heavily planted if the fry are to survive in any numbers. Goldfish are notorious for consuming eggs so remove them to increase survival rates
Filter maintenance is pivotal as is water testing once a week. Remember, correcting WQ issues before they escalate causing morbidity is key. It's easy to spot something is wrong when a fish is lying on it's side, unfortunately the problem is very serious at that time and often could have been prevented if WQ testing protocols were followed. Consider keeping a journal of your observations and treatments |
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Fall is an important time for your fish. You need to prepare them for Winter by continuing to feed heavily. It is vital to do a large water change and ensure the pond is clean for Winter. Cleaning is a lot easier if you place a net over your pond as the picture right illustrates
Installing a greenhouse in early October prevents any leaves from getting into the pond and extends the growing season. This is highly advisable and easy to do and your fish will come out of Winter in much better shape. Complete greenhouse instructions here
Adding some salt for Winter is a good idea, and 0.1% - 0.2% is acceptable rate (1 lb. - 2lbs. per 100 gallons). I have read recently that adding salt for the Winter is not a good idea because it lowers the freezing point. If we consider that salt water (at approx. 3.5% salinity) has a freezing point of just -1.8 Celsius, then having a salinity of 0.2% will merely lower the freezing point a fraction of a degree. Obviously no cause for concern and the fishes osmoregulation will be less taxed with some salt in the water
Remember, fish need to be in good condition to survive the Winter. If any of your fish were recently sick or are in poor condition at the time of pond closing then you need to Winter them indoors. Tosai (1 year old koi) should not be subjected to our harsh Winters because many don't have the constitution to survive such an ordeal. They will also lose valuable growing time if Wintered outdoors
The key factor is to realize that the fish will be going 5 months with little or no food. Logic dictates they need to be healthy. of a sizeable mass and properly conditioned during the Summer. Cease feeding when the water temperature drops below 10, this is usually in November |
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In Toronto, most do not run their filters during the Winter months. If you choose to, consider reducing the flow rate and close off your bottom drain(s). As previously mentioned, it is easy and extremely beneficial to cover the pond with a greenhouse. The dramatically reduces the amount of ice and lengthens the time we can feed our fish by over 1 month
Ammonia levels can be a problem in Winter months with higher fish loads. Because the nitrifiers are not active, there will be no nitrite. If possible, water changes can be done during the warm snaps and the addition of ammonia binders should be considered. Ammonia is not as toxic in cold water however so don't panic. As a rough guide, there can be 2.5x the amount of ammonia present when comparing the toxic effects between cold and warm water
If you do not cover you pond, you minimally need to run a deicer and a bubbler over the Winter. They maintain a hole in the ice to allow gas exchange. There are a range of deicers on the market - 100, 200, 300, 500 and 1250 watts sizes are units that we stock. It is critical to run a bubbler for 2 reasons. First it backs up the deicer in case of its failure. Secondly it stops the water from going sour (anoxic and stagnant). Do not run a large volume of air (air compressor) because this can "super chill" the water. If your pond does freeze over, do not smash the ice, bowl a kettle and melt through it
Waterfalls should not be run in the Winter. Besides the aforementioned super chilling, ice dams can form and divert water out of the pond potentially draining it dry depending on your setup |
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