Last Updated: 12/8/25

1. On 11/2/25, I started pond chores at 10:02 am. It felt like 11:02 am due to the time change. I got up at 5:30 am but it felt like 6:30 am. The air temperature was down to 58 degrees F. The 1800 gallon pond was at 50 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 52 degrees F. I wanted to put up the Biosteps filter but I didn't have the time as I had to go out in the afternoon to help a relative. I did squirt all the filter materials and the bioballs and lava rock in the main filter. There were two pickerel frogs and two green frogs in there who I was glad to see, and I put them in a bucket while I was working. I changed the bag of Marineland Zeolite blend but discovered that the bag of oyster shell was another bag of carbon/zeolite! Huh? Note to self, the bag on the North side of the filter is the newest Ammocarb. I returned seven errant bioballs to one of the bags. I had found them laying around the area when collecting yard doohickeys to come in for the winter in weeks previous. I have yet to watch, dry, and put up all the doohickeys but they are not alive so I shan't worry.

2. As we were due for a hard freeze by 11/11/25, I spent three hours on 11/9/25 trying to prep the ponds. The weather was perfect with an air temperature of 62 degrees F at 12:30 pm, light rain earlier had stopped, and no wind. The 1800 gallon pond was at 54 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 55 degrees F.

I started by cutting down most of the yellow flag iris in the 50 gallon tub pond and on the ground between the 20 gallon tub pond and the 153 gallon pond. It took two wheelbarrows to move it all.

I removed the PondMaster filter and replaced it with the Luft air pump for the winter. I found that the tubing connecting the PondMaster pump and filter was completely busted. I didn't know because I have a PVC pipe over it. So, now, I'll have to buy some more tubing. I spent a good amount of time removing a wheelbarrow full of leaves off the 1800 gallon pond's net. I took the Biosteps filter apart and put it and the Matala on the porch to dry. I squirted off the filter materials around the only pump that remains in the big pond all year that runs the main waterfall which is just drizzling. It drizzles not so much because the flow rate is poor but because the rocks have shifted and settled so that water is running behind them where it is not seen.

I decided to cut down the marginals in the big pond before the freeze caused them to wilt. They probably filled the wheel barrow two times. I found out that the arrowhead had not only jumped the pot but was firmly embedded into the liner such that I cannot pull it up without risking a hole in the liner. I'm not sure what to do about it because the tubers could put a hole in the liner which is now 28.5 years old. I also removed all the water hyacinth before it turns to mush from the hard freeze. It was still actively growing. I hate just throwing it in a pile but maybe the deer will at least eat some.

All that is left for winterizing is putting out the lighted Rudolph and de-icers.

The fish were begging for food as the weather was so nice but I managed to refrain as the temperatures are going to plummet.

3. Unfortunately, the next weekend, the winds were horrible, sustained about 20 mph with frequent guests to 30 or 40 mph. At 10:40 am on 11/16/25, the air temperature was 56 degrees F but the winds were so strong that I had to wear long johns and a hat to keep my body heat from being stripped. The 1800 gallon pond was at 50 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 48 degrees F. I collected some leaves, squirted the last remaining filter materials around the main pond's pump, and put in additives and water. While I had other things to do outside, even I couldn't tolerate the wind so I went inside to clean a bathroom.

4. On 11/22/25, I worked on the pond at 12:42 pm. The air temperature was 57 degrees F. The 1800 gallon pond was at 47 degrees F, and the 153 gallon was at 45 degrees F. I took the net off the 153 gallon pond. I cut down more water iris and collected leaves. I put the de-icers in the 153 gallon and 1800 gallon ponds. I squirted off the filter flosses.

5. It was only 40 degrees F on 11/30/25 at 2:09 pm. The 1800 gallon pond was down to 42 degrees F, and the 153 gallon pond was at 46 degrees F. The smaller pond is a little bit warmer due to the de-icer. I squirted the main filter floss, put in additives, and topped the ponds off with water.

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