As the snow melts and the weather warms, you may find yourself joyfully anticipating the return of spring and the coming of summer. Warmer weather means you get to spend more time outdoors and less time shivering in the cold. While spring can be a wonderful time for us, it may not be so easy on your pond – the transition from cold to warm weather can be a difficult one for your pond. In order to help your pond and your fish make the transition smoothly, take the time to learn all you can about what you need to do to prepare your pond for spring.
From Winter to Spring
Throughout the winter, there is little for pond owners to do for their fish – pond fish like koi are, after all, meant to live in cold water and they are more than capable of surviving the winter. Just because your fish are able to survive the winter on their own, however, doesn’t mean that it has been easy on them – your fish have spent months hibernating in near-freezing water. This being the case, your fish are likely to be very stressed. When the weather begins to warm and the ice on your pond begins to melt, the temperature of your pond water can change fairly quickly – this too can be stressful for your fish.
Another thing to consider with the coming of spring is the fact that bacteria and other pathogens are going to start coming out of hibernation. When your fish are healthy, they are generally able to fight off infection but, after surviving a tough winter, they may be more prone to contracting disease than they would be in the middle of summer. In addition to pathogenic bacteria coming out of hibernation, you also have to remember that your colony of beneficial bacteria in the pond will basically be starting afresh each year. Cold weather and lack of nutrients is likely to kill a large portion of your bacteria colony over the winter so, come spring time, your pond may re-cycle entirely.
Tips for Helping Your Fish Make the Transition
While you cannot completely prevent your pond fish from experiencing some stress during the transition into spring, there are certain things you can do to mitigate their level of distress. Shading your pond, for example, may help to reduce rapid water temperature increases which could also help to keep your fish from getting sick. It is also a good idea to start your fish on a high-quality diet to help them recover from any nutritional deficiencies they might have developed over the winter. Look for feed that contains supplements like Glucan which will help to boost the immune systems of your fish.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your fish is to maintain high water quality in your pond. Make sure that your filter is working properly and keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite levels in your pond. To help boost your colony of beneficial bacteria in your pond, you might also consider adding an EcoBio-Block Wave. This product is infused with live beneficial bacteria as well as the nutrients they need to thrive and reproduce. Adding this product to your pond will help to alleviate some of the stress of your pond re-cycling and will also help to keep your pond water clean and clear for your fish. A single EcoBio-Block Wave can accommodate a pond with 300 to 1000-gallons of water capacity and it is guaranteed to last at least 2 years.