Oxygenation is a very important issue for fish in winter. If temperatures fall low enough for a layer of ice to cover your pond, gases from decomposing plant debris can accumulate under the ice. This can be a dangerous situation for your finned friends. Constant oxygenation will solve the problem. An old pond-enthusiasts’ trick is to let balls float on the surface. We do not know how many balls you need for a given pond size or how effective this is. Our advice here is to use a pond air pump (API 100/1 or API 1000/4) or ice preventer.

If you use a pond air pump, please remember to position the air balls/discs at a sufficient distance from the bottom. If you place the air balls/discs too close to the pond bottom, the effect will be the same as if you had placed the pump there. The water will circulate and cool down, depriving your fish of their safe haven.

Have fun!

Best wishes from Waibstadt

The T.I.P. Team