@barry island bacteria are interesting and quite a bit of what we knew about them in aquatics has been disproved/adjusted in the last few years. It doesn't really matter but its perhaps easiest to consider them as simply dormant in the winter. You must live in a "warmer" area than me because we'd struggle to overwinter fish here in a cold winter within such a modest depth and volume without a good cover. As the temperature drops to 4-5c, and the fish go fairly dormant themselves, the pump won't really be doing anything as long as you maintain oxygen exchange at the surface.
@thevictorian On rare occasions the pond has frozen over apart from the area covered by the pump driven waterfall and the fish have survived in fact I believe that I have contributed more to the detriment of the fish by feeding them while the water was too cold.
Don't know if it qualifies as humbug but I see the lights and decorations as a traditional pagan solstice festival that's been hi-jacked by religion. All our strings of lights have gradually been replaced with LEDs so the extra power consumption will be minimal.
I like lots of lights indoors but not so much outside anymore as a) it's bad for wildlife and b) there's no-one but us to see it as we live in a secluded country lane. We don't do coloured or flashing lights as I find them tacky.
This year I've found some new solar powered outside lights to drape over the well in the middle of our drive but it'll only be on over Xmas itself. The whole lot comes down again on 12th night.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
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You must live in a "warmer" area than me because we'd struggle to overwinter fish here in a cold winter within such a modest depth and volume without a good cover. As the temperature drops to 4-5c, and the fish go fairly dormant themselves, the pump won't really be doing anything as long as you maintain oxygen exchange at the surface.
I like lots of lights indoors but not so much outside anymore as a) it's bad for wildlife and b) there's no-one but us to see it as we live in a secluded country lane. We don't do coloured or flashing lights as I find them tacky.
This year I've found some new solar powered outside lights to drape over the well in the middle of our drive but it'll only be on over Xmas itself. The whole lot comes down again on 12th night.