tub pond winterization

[CT_]

I think I'm late to the game here.   The plants are dieing so I'm going to pull them but it seems kinda rude to take all the hiding places from the fish.  Should I cover it?  Its apparently frozen over very thinly this morning... in seattle.  Do people pull the air stone too? 

[Fish Folk]

On 11/17/2021 at 3:30 PM, CT_ said:

I think I'm late to the game here.   The plants are dieing so I'm going to pull them but it seems kinda rude to take all the hiding places from the fish.  Should I cover it?  Its apparently frozen over very thinly this morning... in seattle.  Do people pull the air stone too? 

Just for clarity… are there still fish in it??

You can pull plants before winter or after thaw in spring. I tend to replant each tubbing season. But maybe someone like @Streetwise would have input from mini outdoor ponds. Air would just keep surface moving, but if there’s no fish, it could come out. 

[Patrick_G]

In my 100 gal goldfish pond I  try and keep the filter running all year and remove floaters and annuals. Perineals stay in their pots. Last weeks warmer weather was difficult. I’m was a bit worried that they might be using energy but not able to digest even spring/fall food. I’m glad to see temps dropping into the range where the fish’s metabolism is super slow. 

[binkysmom]

I have a tub pond on my apartment balcony (20 gallons). I pulled my salvinia but kept the water lettuce and hyacinth. I put a mini portable greenhouse over it and my rice fish are doing fine. The water hyacinth has seen better days, but is still looking ok so i've left it for now but check every 2/3 days. I ran an airstone in the summer when it was hot, but haven't used one since mid September.

[Streetwise]

@Fish Folk, I only ran tubs for one summer. I moved the plants and inhabitants indoors to a tank, and the tubs to the basement, but I didn’t really follow through with the tubs.

[CT_]

There are still rice fish in there.  And in theory neo shrimp.