4 essential tips for preparing your pool for falling temperatures and winter.

Here are the 4 essential tips to prepare your pond, plants & fish for the drop in temperatures. Autumn is the right time to perform maintenance on your technical equipment, check the water quality and maintain your plants and trees around the pond.

In this mini-guide, discover the 4 tips you absolutely need to know for a safe winter. 

 Analyze the pond water (check hardness)

Perform the last water analysis of the season. It is important to check your water hardness (GH & KH) before winter. To perform a water analysis, here is a guide that will allow you to do it yourself. Click here to read the guide. 

Water hardness is the measure of divalent ions in the water. A good KH value helps buffer the pH and avoid abnormal spikes during the day. A balanced pH means a pond with minimal algae, and quality water for plants and fish. 

Collect fallen leaves and trim plants

Collect fallen leaves that fall on the surface of the water with a suitable pond net or use a vacuum to remove debris that accumulates on the bottom. You can also use a net. Trim your aquatic plants. This is the ideal time for a final major gardening session in your pond. Remember to always trim your plants 5 to 10 cm above the water level to prevent them from rotting.

Protect your pond against frost

Use frost protection or an aeration system to maintain gas exchange between the water and the air throughout the winter. To prevent the water from freezing, you need to power the pond with an oxygen pump.

By keeping it moving, the water is unlikely to freeze. If that is not enough, place a piece of frigolithe or a suitable system that you can find in our online store. 

Use a specific food for autumn/winter

Adapt the fish food for winter. It is important to give suitable food based on wheat germ that is easily digestible to prepare your fish to get through the winter without problems. When the water temperature is below 18°C, we recommend wheat germ food.

Also read: How to heat your pond: simple frost protection or real water heating, and how much it consumes