Pump/temps

[Peg]

Hey All
Last year I shut my pumps down. This year I want to keep them going for as long as I can. My main pump in sucking from the bottom. When or what temp is best to move it up closer to the top. This pump feeds the water falls. Can I leave it on the bottom until I shut it down?
Thanks
Peg

[Jackie Ramo]

There is quite a debate about thermal layers and if they exist it our ponds. I've not found that they do in mine, so surface temp and bottom temp have always measured the same. Saying that then one could leave the bottom sitting pump running but for myself being an old school girl think that moving it up sooner is better inspite of science :banghead: Actually on second thought I'd move it up off the bottom as the fish move down. I do believe that the water movement over fish sucks the warmth out of them.

[Terri]

Peg, if the water is going over your waterfall then it doesn't matter where the pump sits.

You still running the airstone?

Watch the fish and monitor the water temp,.. this will tell you when to shut your pump(s)/filter down. If you and Peter have covered the pond already you might get a few extra weeks use than a pond not covered.

Run the system... but know that running the waterfall will greatly affect the water temp from day to night as our air temperature continues to drop. If you shut off the waterfall and have a 'mid-return' - under the water surface - then you should be able to run the filters a while longer.... shut down when the water temp is about/near 38F/10C.

Each pond is different, can take a bit of playing to make sure water temps don't fall lower than it should.

[Peg]

Thanks Ladies,
Ponds sitting at 60 today. Air stone still running. Was planning on pulling the pump up this weekend and sitting it on the ledge. Planned on pullin the air stone then too. Plan was to keep the skimmer going as long as I can. It returns to the surface.
Peg