Do I need a Pond Heater in my Backyard Koi Pond in the Austin or Central Texas Area?

  Since we just experienced our first freeze this year here in the Austin Texas area, I wanted to address this question on my very first blog.  I've been building ecosystem ponds, disappearing pondless waterfalls, and other water features in this area professionally for over 16 years.  So whatever I share with you is based on many years of experience, not something I just read in a book or online.  A lot of people wonder if they need a pond heater to keep their fish alive in Central Texas during the winter.  All pond owners love their Koi, goldfish, turtles, and other pond inhabitants and want to make sure that they are safe when the temperatures drop. 

  The Koi, Shubunkins, Comets, and other fish typical to a backyard ecosystem pond are cold blooded beings.  As the water temperature drops, their metabolism slows and they move less.  However, they are fine.  Here in Central Texas, the temperatures never stay cold enough long enough to freeze the top of most ponds.  The purpose of a pond heater is to keep a hole open in the ice so that the hibernating fish still get oxygen and they don't suffocate.  It's not to heat all the water in the pond.  Imagine what that would do to your electric bill here in Austin! 

  In Texas, in a typical in-ground backyard fish pond around two feet deep, the heat from the surrounding earth keeps the water warm enough to keep the ice from ever forming on the surface.  And the fish will go hang out in the lowest level of the pond where the water is the warmest.  So they are completely fine.  In fact, into Chicago and even Canada, the fish are just fine to overwinter in the pond.  In most of Texas, just keeping your waterfall running is sufficient to make sure that the pond's surface doesn't freeze.

  The main thing you have to be careful of when it's really cold is that ice dams don't form in the waterfall and stream and divert water outside the liner.  If that happens, you can simply turn off the pump.  If you live in a climate that is cold enough to freeze the surface, you have several options.  You can remove your pump from the skimmer and place it in the pond so that it agitates the surface enough to keep a hole open in the ice.  You can use a professional aerator on a shallow pond shelf.  The bubbles rising to the top should keep the ice from freezing the entire surface.  The gases from the pond and the surrounding atmosphere need to be able to be exchanged to keep the fish safe.  Only if your climate is really cold, will it warrant a floating de-icer. 

  One other important thing to remember is that once the water temperature is below 50 degrees, stop feeding your fish.  You may also want to switch to a cold water formulation of beneficial bacteria.

  Please visit our website at www.TexasPonds.com and follow us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TexasPonds to stay up to date and see lots of beautiful pictures.

  Until next time...........Happy Pondering!