I had to travel to New York for my twice-yearly round of sales conferences. I experienced all the miseries of New York in December – crowds, gridlock, outrageously expensive accomodations – with few of the advantages – Broadway was on strike, and I hardly had time during the day to do anything.
Before I went, I cleaned the pond and floated the heater, as sleet was predicted. When I returned, I found that the water temperature had not gone below 39 degrees F. Although there was no deep cold and the heater never had to start up, the fish were mostly hanging out under its dome! I guess the heater gives them a sense of security even thought the pond is fully netted. With a water temp of over 50 today, the fish were swimming about for the most part as if it were summer (except for Flash, who has decided to rest no matter what the weather).
The algae thickened noticeably in the week and a half I spent away, so I was not in the least tempted to feed them, as some folks do during a warm spell.
I took advantage of the half-price sale at Aquatic Connections to buy a pump and filter for the new pond I expect to add in the spring!
