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How To Run Your Pond In Winter Greatly Depends On If You Have Aquatic Life, Like Fish Or Turtles. No Matter If Your Pond Will Stay Running Or Not, It Should Be Prepped For Winter BEFORE Temps Dip BELOW 40 Degrees.

One of the most common questions we are asked is when to start prepping a pond for winter.  This is especially important if you live in a cold climate where the water is apt to freeze.  A common guide is to have your pond properly secured and ready to face winter BEFORE the temperatures begin dropping below the 40 degree mark.

The only real difference in pond prepping will be if you have aquatic life.  For those with fish, turtles and other living creatures inhabiting their pond, you will need to winterize much differently than those without.  In order to keep those creatures alive and make sure they bounce back come Spring, you need to keep the water circulating via large enough pump, aerator or both.  Something often overlooked is the fact that you can't allow the pond to freeze over completely.  There needs to be a hole in the ice so toxic gases can escape and not harm your pond creatures.  For this, you will need a de-icer or pond heater.

For those with NO wildlife existing in their ponds, prepping is a matter of shutting down the systems and securing them properly.  The idea is to clear out any standing water from your pump and lines so ice can't form, expand and damage components.

No matter if you keep your pond running or not, it still needs to be properly checked and winterized before the season sets in.  You can either do it yourself or hire professionals to shut down your pond for winter.  Protecting it now will ensure a smooth startup in Spring and keep costly damage at bay.
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Location: Palos Heights, IL, USA

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