Thermocline and stratification

[veryl]

Cold water fish under the ice spend their winter in 39 degrees F or 4 degrees c. Whats your water temp in your pond? See this link for a better understanding espically the last part.

http://faculty.gvsu.edu/videticp/stratification.htm

[cowiche ponder]

Cold water fish under the ice spend their winter in 39 degrees F or 4 degrees c. Whats your water temp in your pond? See this link for a better understanding espically the last part.

http://faculty.gvsu.edu/videticp/stratification.htm

In our small ponds (compared to a lake) I don't think we see much stratification.

My 13,500 koi pond was 37-39 degrees last year covered by a hoophouse with bottom drains/pumps running. The previous winter it was uncovered and 8" or more of ice...water temp was 37-39 degrees...

This year they are in a hoophouse in a intex pool at 55-60 degrees and MUCH happier and so am I.

I will never leave them out again.

[Fishguy2727]

Stratification generally doesn't occur until the pond is at least 6' deep. Temp isn't even the major issue, oxygen is. The bottom layer can become dangerously anoxic. If suddenly mixed the entire pond can become very low in oxygen, sometimes to lethal levels.