Leaves and Foliage

• Cover the pond with a leaf net before fall as it catches all falling leaves and allows you to easily remove them from the pond without having to use a hand-held net to clean the water. Leaf nets are available at most garden supply stores and come in a wide variety of sizes to fit your pond. Remove dying plants from the pond as the weather turns cooler. If you have water lilies or other foliage in and around the pond, cut and dispose of these plants as dead and decaying plants pollute pond water.
  
  

Water Pump and Filtration System

• Prepare water pump and filtration systems for winter by turning off bottom drains, surface skimmers and the water pump and draining these items of water. The goal when winterizing your pond pump system is to minimize water circulation as you do not want super-chilled water from the surface being introduced to warmer water near the pond floor. This is especially important if your pond has fish as the fish survive harsh winter temperatures by living on the bottom of the pond. If you decide to keep the water filter running, make sure you have a backup power source in case the power goes out. During freezing temperatures, if water is left in the pump then it may freeze and damage the pump.
  
  

Fish

• Reduce feeding pond fish as the temperature declines. When the water temperature reaches 60-degrees Fahrenheit feed the fish only once per day; however, when the water temperature falls below 50-degrees Fahrenheit forgo feeding the fish until the water temperature reaches above 50-degrees. In cold water, a fish's metabolism slows to a crawl, thus the fish do not require regular feeding in the coldest winter months.
  
  

De-Icer

• Place a floating pond de-icer onto your pond if the water temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or if you live in an area of the country where bodies of water regularly freeze during the winter. This is especially important if you have pond fish, as a layer of ice can result in toxic gases from decomposing organic matter to build up in the water, which may result in dead fish.