--- title: "Winter Pond Care: Ice, Leaves & Fish Feeding | Pond Mosaic" description: "What to do when a pond freezes, when to net leaves and stop feeding fish, winter pump settings, and a month-by-month pond calendar for both hemispheres." url: https://pondmosaic.me/winter-pond-care/ --- Autumn and winter at the pond # Winter pond care What should you do with a pond in winter? **Never smash the ice**: the RHS warns the shock waves can harm fish, so hold a pan of hot water on it to melt a hole. Net the pond against falling leaves in autumn, stop feeding fish once cold weather arrives, and keep a fish pond's pump running near the surface. ## When the pond freezes ### Do - Melt a hole by holding or standing a saucepan of hot water on the ice (RHS, RSPCA). - Keep a hole open in a fish pond with a floating pond heater or de-icer, an air pump or bubble fountain, or floats on the surface (RHS, RSPCA, OATA). A floating ball delays freezing, but don't tempt children onto the ice (RHS). - If you run a pump to keep a hole open, stand it in a shallow area, so it doesn't stir up all the water (Tetra). - If it's safe, brush snow off the ice to let light reach the plants (RHS, FHT). ### Don't - Don't smash, crack or hit the ice: “Never smash the ice, as the shock waves can harm fish” (RHS). - Don't pour boiling water straight onto the pond; it can harm or kill fish (RSPCA). - Never use antifreeze or salt to thaw a pond or birdbath (RSPCA). - Don't walk on a frozen pond (Tetra; FHT). ### Why a hole? - A hole lets gases escape and stops the water going stagnant (RSPCA). - The Freshwater Habitats Trust adds that a hole makes little difference to oxygen, but helps air-breathing creatures and gives birds a drink; if fish or amphibians are under ice for more than 2–3 days, run a pump or fountain. - Wildlife ponds with few or no fish usually don't need a hole, unless rotting leaves have built up (RHS). ## Leaf netting ### When - September: net the pond if a lot of leaves fall on it; a few don't matter (RHS). - October: put nets over ponds to keep autumn leaves out (RHS). - November to January: shake the leaves off the net, or rake them out (RHS). - March: take the net off (RHS). In the southern hemisphere, shift each month by six. ### How - Through the winter, shake off the leaves caught on the net, or rake out any that get into the water (RHS). - Store it in a shed or garage afterwards, not at the pond edge, where hedgehogs and other wildlife can get caught (RHS). ### Wildlife ponds - A few leaves feed and shelter caddis fly larvae; there's no harm removing some, but a wildlife pond doesn't need regular clearing out (FHT). - Leave marginals that are still standing until late winter, as shelter for overwintering insects (RHS). ## Pumps and filters in winter ### Fish ponds - Keep the filter pump running if you have fish: the filter bacteria stay alive, and water quality is better year-round (Pondkeeper; Hozelock pond advice). - Raise the pump into the top third of the pond, so only the upper water circulates and the bottom stays warmer for the fish (Hozelock pond advice; Pondkeeper). - Circulating water with a pump raises oxygen levels for fish and amphibians (RHS). ### UV clarifiers and filters - Switch off, drain and remove a UV clarifier if there's any risk of freezing: ice inside it cracks the quartz tube (Hozelock pond advice). - Don't run or leave a filter unit in freezing conditions (Hozelock filter instructions). ### Fountains and stored pumps - In autumn, take out fountain pumps and removable lights, clean them and store them (RHS). - Clean, dry and store a filter unit somewhere frost-free when it is not in use (Hozelock); keep a stored pump in a bucket of water so the seals stay lubricated (Aquascape). ## How to use the pond calendar Each month lists the jobs the RHS gives for garden ponds, with wildlife notes from the Freshwater Habitats Trust's pond calendar. Jobs about ice, leaf nets and fish feeding are in bold. The month your device's clock says it is gets a “This month” label. The jobs are written for the northern hemisphere. Choose **Southern** and each job moves six months: seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere but start on the same dates, so January's frost jobs fall in July and October's leaf netting in April. Timings follow the weather more than the calendar: stop feeding fish when the water turns cold, whatever the date, and net the pond when the leaves start to fall. ## Sources 1. RHS, monthly pond advice: [January](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/january/ponds), [February](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/february/ponds), [March](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/march/ponds), [April](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/april/ponds), [May](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/may/ponds), [June](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/june/ponds), [July](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/july/ponds), [August](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/august/ponds), [September](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/september/ponds), [October](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/october/ponds), [November](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/november/ponds), [December](https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/december/ponds); and [Pond care: maintenance tips](https://www.rhs.org.uk/ponds/care) (never smash the ice; hot pan, bubble fountain or pump; floating ball). 2. Freshwater Habitats Trust and partners, [Creating Garden Ponds for Wildlife](https://freshwaterhabitats.b-cdn.net/app/uploads/2023/06/Creating-Garden-Ponds_2023.pdf) (2023): the pond calendar; ice and oxygen; leaves and caddis flies. 3. RSPCA, [Caring for pet fish in winter](https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/seasonal/winter/pets/fish): don't break the ice; a saucepan of hot water, never boiling water; a floating pond heater, de-icer or aerator for gas exchange; never antifreeze or salt. 4. Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association, [How to look after pond fish](https://ornamentalfish.org/what-we-do/advice-information/care-sheets/caresheets-coldwater-fish/how-to-look-after-pond-fish/) (September 2022): a pond heater or floating device so the surface isn't sealed with ice. 5. Tetra, [The right way to care for your pond](https://blog.tetra.net/en-en/the-right-way-to-care-for-your-pond/): a pump or aerator in a shallow area; don't hack at thick ice or walk on it. 6. Hozelock pond advice, [Winter](https://tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/Ponds/Hozelock/acalwinter.htm) (Hozelock Cyprio technical pages, reproduced by TLC Direct): the pump in the top third of the pond; drain and remove the UV clarifier if there's a risk of freezing. Hozelock, [Ecopower+ instructions](https://manualslib.com/manual/1772999/Hozelock-Cyprio-Ecopower-4000.html?page=9): store frost-free when not in use; don't operate in freezing conditions. 7. Pondkeeper, [Should you keep your pond pump running in winter?](https://pondkeeper.co.uk/blog/should-you-keep-your-pond-pump-running-in-winter): keep it running with fish; raise it from the bottom; filter bacteria survive. 8. Aquascape, [Pond Builder's Bible, chapter 7](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0710/7782/2767/files/Chapter-07.pdf): store a removed pump in a bucket of water to keep the seals lubricated. 9. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, [Meteorological versus astronomical seasons](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/meteorological-versus-astronomical-seasons): the seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere but begin on the same dates. ## Winter pond questions **Should I break the ice on my pond?** No. The RHS says never smash the ice, as the shock waves can harm fish. Hold a saucepan of hot water on it until it melts a hole. **When should I put a net over my pond?** From September or October, as the leaves start to fall, and take it off in March. Shake the leaves off regularly over the winter. **Should I turn my pond pump off in winter?** Not in a fish pond: keep the filter running, with the pump raised into the top third of the water. Fountain pumps can come out, be cleaned and be stored. **Can I use salt or antifreeze to stop my pond freezing?** Never. The RSPCA warns against antifreeze and salt; use a pond heater, de-icer or air pump instead. **When should I stop feeding pond fish?** Once cold weather arrives: the RHS lists it among its November jobs. OATA adds that below 8 °C it may be better not to feed at all.