It is a common fallacy among the general population that fish ponds need to be shut down in the winter. Most professionally created fish ponds have enough of a recycling water flow to be left running year round, moving water will not freeze and the pond may freeze over with 2-3 or 4 inches of ice, but the moving water that circulates through the pump and the waterfall will not freeze, because the water molecules are constantly in motion and will not stand still to be able to freeze. Therefore it is healthier for the fish and the pond and the environment to leave the pond running year round and there by having a healthier pond once the winter freeze is finished.
It is also another common misconception that fish, animals and plants are put into the homeowner's pond will not make it through the winter. If the pond is constructed according to the manufactures specification then you have the depth of two feet and the fish just hibernate and will come back and be active in the spring, this is considering that the fish that are used in the pond are of the variety that can tolerate the winter temperatures.
The fact that fish and plants can survive throughout the winter is proven by ponds in nature, our own environments natural ponds and lakes have a plethora of living organisms and the fish and animals that are in the ponds can freeze over every winter and again the fish come back every spring healthier and become more active once the ponds thaw.
Please contact BR Design Build on your next project at 410-798-5400.