Are Your Fish Worried to Death Over Winter?

Kasco Blog Are Your Fish Worried to Death Over Winter?

Fish in the WInter

Winter in the north can be tough. Cold, snow, and ice can make for difficult travel and living conditions for all of us, but it can be deadly for your fish. Thick snow and ice cover will block sunrays from penetrating into the water, starving oxygen producing plants of critical UV light. With a physical ice barrier on top preventing oxygen from absorbing into the water, and lack of produced oxygen from aquatic plants, you have a recipe for disaster. With a little winter aeration knowledge, you’ll be better prepared to protect your fish and pond this winter.

Open Water is Important

While there is little that can be done to allow more light into the pond through snow and ice, you can save your fish by creating a small, open area in the ice by using a diffused aeration or de-icing system. Simply by keeping a fraction of the pond open (WI DNR suggests 1-2% of the total area) during the winter will allow enough oxygen to absorb into the water to keep your fish happy and healthy.

More Benefits to Ice-free Water

Ice Free Water

Another benefit to open water in the winter is for waterfowl habitat. Whether you like to watch or hunt ducks and geese, keeping water open longer into the winter will assure waterfowl frequenting your body of water. You can also use de-icing techniques to provide water access for wildlife and livestock in the right situations, as well as protect structures like docks, piers, and other permanent structures in the pond or lake. Be sure to post signs on the water’s edge warning people of thin ice or open water.

Kasco Products Can Make a Difference

These benefits can easily be achieved with the proper utilization of our diffused aeration or de-icing products. While both are used differently, the concept is the same; move warmer, bottom water to the surface to create a large enough temperature difference to prevent and eliminate ice formation. You can rest easy knowing Kasco’s industry-leading products will keep your fish and pond safe this winter.