Big chance we can skate next week. Nice, but not on your own pond. Ice cover is not beneficial to your fish and water quality. Harmful gases can no longer escape and oxygen levels decrease rapidly. So you need to keep the water surface partially ice-free. Velda has solutions for this, because hitting a wak often kills your fish. They suffer internal injuries from the strong vibrations.
Skating is fun but not on your own pond
There are a few simple methods to ensure that the pond does not freeze over completely. The Pond Heater can be used in conjunction with Velda’s pond filters, but can also be placed as a standalone in the pond. The pond heater ensures that the area around the heater does not freeze. Another method is to place an air pump including aeration stones in the pond. The aeration stones ensure that the pond water stays in motion and thus cannot freeze. An additional advantage is that excess CO2 is removed more quickly.
No need to panic if, despite measures, the pond freezes over completely. If the water parameters are fine and the pond is clean, the fish will not be affected. However, if the pond is frozen for more than a week at a time, action is called for. Never cut a hole in the pond in winter! The vibrations created can cause internal injury to the fish and they may die as a result.
