Tips on pond winterization

Carl Petite • January 23, 2026

Top 5 Ways to Winterize a Pond in Freezing Temperatures | Columba Water Gardens

Top 5 Ways to Winterize a Pond in Freezing Temperatures

Expert Advice from Columba Water Gardens

To winterize a pond in freezing temperatures: 1. Clean out organic debris to prevent toxic gas buildup; 2. Install a pond de-icer or aerator to keep a hole in the ice; 3. Trim aquatic plants back to the crown; 4. Switch to cold-water fish food below 50°F; 5. Store pumps and filters if you aren't running them through winter.

As the temperatures drop and the frost begins to settle, your water garden requires a specific transition to stay healthy. Freezing temperatures can be hard on fish and equipment, but with the right preparation, your pond will emerge beautifully in the spring.

1. Remove Debris to Prevent "Swamp Gas"

When leaves and organic matter decay under a layer of ice, they release hydrogen sulfide. In a frozen pond, these gases get trapped and can be fatal to your fish. Use a pond net to clear the surface and a vacuum for the floor before the first hard freeze.

2. Maintain an Opening in the Ice

How do I keep my fish alive when the pond freezes? You don't need to heat the whole pond, but you must keep a small hole open in the ice for gas exchange.

Pond De-icers: These floating heaters keep a small circle ice-free.
Aerators: Bubbles disrupt the surface tension, making it harder for ice to form.

Pro Tip: Never smash the ice with a hammer! The shockwaves can injure or kill your dormant fish. Use warm water to melt a hole if necessary.

3. Transition to Cold-Water Fish Food

As the water temperature drops below 50°F (10°C), a fish's metabolism slows down significantly. Switch to a wheat-germ-based "cool water" food which is easier to digest. Once the temperature stays consistently below 40°F, stop feeding altogether.

Interactive Winter Readiness Checklist

Nets installed to catch falling leaves Aerator/De-icer tested and plugged in Hardy lilies moved to the deepest part of the pond External pumps drained and stored indoors Water level topped off to account for evaporation

4. Manage Your Aquatic Plants

Trim back marginal plants and lilies. Hardier species should be moved to the deepest part of the pond (below the frost line) to ensure they survive the winter. Tropical plants should be brought indoors or treated as annuals.

5. Check Your Pump and Filtration

If you live in an area with deep freezes, it is often best to pull your pump out, clean it, and store it in a bucket of water in your garage (to keep the seals moist). If you choose to run your waterfall all winter, monitor it daily for "ice damming," which can pump all the water out of your pond and onto your lawn!

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Pond Repair Services for Redlands, CA Water Features

By Columbia Water Gardens • January 30, 2026

Experience complete pond repair in Redlands, CA including liner repairs, pump replacements, filtration fixes, and structural restoration for lasting performance.

Pond Cleanouts and why January and February are the best times to get it done in Southern California

By Carl Petite • January 2, 2026

It’s that time of year for Spring Cleaning again! Every year our staff at Columbia Water Gardens goes to work in the Spring cleaning ponds and waterfalls. Why do we choose to do this in early Spring? There are many great reasons, but overall, we have found that performing a spring cleaning this time of year has been met with great success. Here’s what’s happening in your pond right now. The biology is very slow due to the cold water. That means all the sludge and winter decomposition from leaves and other organic matter isn’t being consumed by beneficial bacteria. This sludge is a food source for algae. The kind of algae that creates “pea soup” water conditions and string algae. Algae is also less active in cold water – just like your ecosystem. Large plants are not consuming nutrient, algae (a plant) is not consuming nutrient, it’s all very quiet. Then, like it always happens every year, we have a couple of cold snaps and spring weather is on us in Southern California. This happens like clockwork somewhere in the middle of February. This spring weather warms up your pond and wakes up your ecosystem fast. Your ecosystem is hungry, and the more nutrient there is in the pond, the faster your plants grow. All of them, including algae. So, why do we clean the ponds before this happens? It’s simple. Cleaning the pond removes the food source for the algae, thereby starving it out. Here’s how this happens… As the larger plants like water lilies and other plants wake up for the spring they are hungry with a larger appetite than algae, and they consume the tiny bit of nutrient that’s left after the cleaning, thereby eating more food than algae can. This is great for your pond’s health, the entire ecosystem, and of course your koi. Maintaining optimum water quality this time of year gives you the upper hand for the rest of the year. Finally, deferred maintenance creates a greater problem, it costs more to clean, and puts your pets at risk. And if your pond was cleaned since July of last year, it still needs a spring cleaning. Getting in the habit of having us clean your pond in the spring is the best thing you can do for your pond. Here’s what we do: Columbia Water Gardens will provide the following 14 point service: 1. Drain water feature 2. Set up quarantine for your fish (if applicable) 3. Drain, Rinse & Pond Refill 4. Pond Sludge Rinsing and Draining 5. Pressure wash rocks & gravel from the waterline up 6. Thin out overgrown plants 7. Removal of excess debris and leaves 8. Fish Health Check 9. Water Quality Inspection 10. Lighting Check 11. Pump Maintenance Inspection 12. Pond Filters Cleaning/Inspection 13. Adjust Rocks 14. Metered refill, add water treatments *AVERAGE COST OF ANNUAL CLEANING $900.00 *Average cost of annual cleaning is based on 3 hours billed. We charge $150.00 per man, per hour, for cleanings with a 2 person crew. Cleaning time includes setup and cleanup. This covers overhead costs like equipment, labor, tools, etc. Bare minimum for pond cleanout, pondless waterfall cleaning or fountain cleaning if 2 hours or less is $600.00. Acid baths require muriatic acid to try and clean up hard water or overly chlorinated stains on rock. Acid baths are not a guarantee solution, but in some cases help and are an additional charge. Please consider the Ion Gen to eliminate string algae and the Automatic Dosing System. These two products combined with proper filtration provide stunning results. The Ion Gen is $695.00 installed at the time of a cleanout. HERE’S THE DEAL!! If you register for your spring cleaning before January 5, 2026 and pre pay, we will apply a 10% discount and you will have priority servicing. That means you will get to coordinate a date between now and April 30th 2026 with our team. To make it easy for you, we accept all major credit cards. Simply contact us with the link below and we will call you and schedule your cleaning.