Connect with us

Pets

Too Small For Ice Skating – What Are My Winter Options?

The Return of the Snow
After years of getting little snow in the UK, recently we have seen a return of the (for some at least) dreaded white stuff. Because we had become so used to mild and rainy winters, the country seems to grind to a halt with the first snowflakes. Councils are always unprepared; car manufacturers tend to focus less of designing them for the prolonged periods of intense cold and many man hours are lost because people struggle to get to work. When it hits in January people grumble that we didn’t get any over Christmas “The children would have had the time to enjoy it then” or “I had two weeks off and we get it NOW?!”
Synthetic_Ice_Skating_Rink_600x450
The Gardener Strikes Back
Snow can make even the most harsh and desolate of landscapes look picturesque. When it comes, you can’t help but go out into your garden and take hundreds of pictures to share with your friends via email or on social networks. Trees, the house, a fence, the occasional robin, your favourite shrub are all subject to a camera that probably hasn’t been used since your summer holiday and then you remember your pond. Its surface is frozen and there are fish inside it. You check the pump is still working; good, they are getting air but you want to melt it without harming the prize koi carp or the pond itself.
Except in the most extreme circumstances your prize fish are likely to be fine. If the pump is working and the pond hasn’t frozen solid (unlikely in the UK) and assuming that the pond is deep enough that this will not happen, then your fish can still breathe easily. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t try to make life a little bit easier for your fish. There are a few handy tips you can follow to melt the ice cover.
Touching the Void
You might want to do everything you can to help your fish but do not, under any circumstances, attempt to smash through the ice. This could cause great stress to your fish and the shockwave might upset the balance of water below. Use an old fashioned hob kettle; bring it to the boil and place it on top of the ice. The surface should melt beneath the radiated heat. Remember though that ice is an insulator; when a layer gets thick enough, it prevents the temperature from dropping further so if the air temperature gets colder, the water in your pond is likely to remain stable. There are also a number of gadgets you can purchase to prevent them icing up too much but these are probably not necessary.
The Day after Tomorrow
Later on in the year, you might consider taking another look at the specifications of your pond and ascertain whether it is deep enough for another season of snow and extremely cold temperatures. It may not have frozen completely but the solid surface will have reduced the amount of space in the pond that your fish had. Depending on how many fish you have and the size of your pond, this might have made life uncomfortable for them. If you did experience problems in the snowy conditions or you lost some fish and you do decide to deepen your pond to prevent it happening again, you will probably need to replace your pond liner. Ensure adequate depth for the type and quantity of fish. If you want to increase the numbers in your pond you will almost certainly need to increase its size. Use a simple calculator to work out how much liner you are going to need.
Sally Dimmock enjoys a snowy garden and would love to have a pond. She recommends that if you too desire a pond then you will need to use a pond liner size calculator to work out what will best fit in your garden.

Continue Reading

Recent Posts

Home Improvement1 week ago

Mastering The Maintenance: Breaking Down The Basics Of Your Ducted Heating And Cooling System

Welcome, fellow home enthusiasts! Ever find yourself lost in the labyrinth of your ducted heating and cooling system? Have you...

Business3 weeks ago

The Invisible Hands: Unveiling How Food Distributors Influence the Quality of Our Foods

Ever found yourself wondering why the tomatoes in your salad taste particularly fresh or why your preferred brand of coffee...

Marketing3 weeks ago

Webflow CMS: A Comprehensive Guide

Webflow is a powerful tool that allows you to create and manage dynamic websites without needing to code. It’s a...

Business3 weeks ago

The Three Most Important Benefits You Should Offer To Your Employees

Offering your employees a range of benefits on top of regular salary increases will really help to show that you...

Business1 month ago

Business Tips For Protecting Your Finances During A Recession

In 2024, taking the necessary steps to protect your finances for your business is now more important than ever. The...

Green & Energy2 months ago

Air Conditioning Installation: What You Need to Know

When it comes to getting an air conditioning unit installed, can significantly improve your comfort and home environment, especially during...

Marketing2 months ago

Marketing Tips For A Gym Wear Brand

When starting a gym wear brand, there are a few things you need to do and one of them is...

General2 months ago

Social Media Marketing: What Are All The Types?

Social media marketing is a tool that is a must-have in today’s digital age. it’s very rare that businesses can...

Business3 months ago

How To Become A Property Developer

There are several reasons why an individual will want to become a property developer. One of the main reasons for...

Business3 months ago

Remote Delivery Innovations: Case Studies from Leading E-commerce Brands

People have gone through much change in the past few years when it comes to online shopping. Nowadays, when delivery...

Business3 months ago

Why are Brits turning to online-only banks?

For years, large, conventional banks held all the aces when it comes to citizens’ finances in the UK. HSBC, Lloyds...

5 Important Web Design Considerations to Make For Better SEO 5 Important Web Design Considerations to Make For Better SEO
Tech4 months ago

5 Important Web Design Considerations to Make For Better SEO

Ever since the birth of search engines, practices in optimising websites for better search rankings have changed considerably. Where it...

SEO4 months ago

The Importance of Local SEO for Small Businesses

There are many different types of businesses and all of them will require online marketing however, with a small business,...

General4 months ago

Understanding The Unsung Heroes: Cool Rooms And The Importance Of Regular Repairs

Everybody loves a breath of fresh air when entering a superstore! But have you ever wondered who’s working backstage to...

Home Improvement8 months ago

How To Add More Value To Your Home

If you have some spare cash in the bank, it is likely you would like to spend it on your...

Categories

Archives

Trending