09.23.08
WHY USE AUTUMN WINTER PREP?
This time of year it occurs to each of us to prepare for winter. In one area, winter simply means to put up a wind-block near the pond. Somewhere else, it means worry about how to keep the hole in the ice for adequate gas exchange. Cleaning the pond and filters, disconnecting/cleaning/storing the UV light and other seasonal chores are on the agenda for many of us. It’s a good weekend’s work, but offers peace of mind throughout the cold weather. This is a good time to check the fish for any sores or potential problems before they go into dormancy. It’s the time to clean up any pond plants or overhanging vegetation. Dead plant material will take much-needed oxygen as it decomposes beneath the ice. It also will add to the hydrogen sulfide production. In winter, we don’t care about how “clean” the pond “looks”. You want it to actually BE clean. Fall is not the time to worry about algae; your fish will need it in warm spells during winter to survive.
Each pond is different. One pond is surrounded by deciduous trees. Another is in the middle of the desert. What all have in common (unless they are indoor ponds) is wind storms. Leaves and twigs can travel great distances before becoming trapped in your pond where they immediately begin to oxidize (decay). Leaves do not break down at the same rate as other organic waste. They take a lot longer. In fact, being cellulose, they need help from cellulase enzymes.
Over the long breakdown process, they produce acid byproducts, lowering your pH. This can have devastating effects on your fish come spring if the pH is too low to support the Nitrification process. When this happens, your first attempt to feed the fish can result in disaster. Both ammonia and nitrite are toxic at high levels if the Nitrifiers cannot convert it to nitrate. This is another of the many dangers of spring. Use Microbe-Lift/Autumn Winter Prep, the two-stage preparation containing cold weather bacteria and cellulase enzymes for a safer spring!
BlogMarks
Furl
Newsvine
Rojo
Email
