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​B & M Aquatics

3408 State Route 94, Hamburg, NJ 07419

973.209.1185 - bmaquatics@gmail.com

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CLOSING YOUR POND

Should I continue to feed my fish?

Once the water temperature reach 50° F, you should stop feeding.  Your fish may still appear hungry, but they are unable to digest their food at these lower temperatures and can die.  Switching to a wheat germ food as the temeperature drops is recommended.

Should I net my pond?

We absolutely recommend netting your pond.  It helps keep falling leaves and debris out of it so that you don't have a major clean-up in the Spring.  Rember to also cut back your water plants.  Decaying vegetable matter creates harmful debris on the bottom of the pond.  If you prefer, we also offer pond closing and opening services.

Should I treat my pond?

Yes.  As water temperatures drop, a fish's immunity also plummets.   Fish are susceptible to many illnesses in the  Fall.  We recommend treating your pond two weeks prior to shutting it down.

Do I turn off my pump and filter?

Yes.  If you leave your pond running and a power outage occurs, your pipes and filter, which are still filled with water, will freeze and break.  Mid-winter repairs are miserable!  In addition, the thermal layers in the water need to stay separate so that fish can stay in the warmer layer at the bottom.

Should I use a heater or aerator?

Absolutely!  You will need to maintain a hole in the ice so that gasses do not build up.  These can be toxic to your fish.  We use both an aerator and heater.  The aerator runs continously at very low wattage, and the heater is thermostatically controlled to only turn on in the coldest of temperatures.  If the hole does freeze over, do not use force to break it, which is like tapping on a fish tank - a bad idea!  Either hot water or pond salt will work to re-open the hole.