February can be a changeable month, with glimpses of spring between reminders that winter’s not intending on going down without a fight…

Outdoors

  • Brush snow from ice-covered ponds. Oxygenating plants will still function beneath ice but a layer of snow will stop photosynthesis and can lower oxygen levels. If the weather changes, be ready to safeguard your planted pond.
  • If ice persists, consider adding a pond heater to keep an area free for fish that may struggle in ponds with heavier stocking levels and fewer submerged plants.
  • Provide fresh drinking water in icy conditions for garden wildlife.
  • Cut back dead plants if you’ve any marginal plants with foliage remaining, tidy it away now before new shoots emerge.
  • Look out for spawning amphibians. Unlike the more discreet newts, frogs and toads will appear to lay their eggs and then vanish in fairly short order. Make sure that any pond netting or steep sides don’t trap tired adults as they try to leave the water.
  • Turn pumps back on. Towards the end of the month, if things get milder, flow can be restored to filters. Make sure that any filters that have been overwintered are cleaned and drained before returning them to circulation as foul water can cause problems.
  • Start algae control measures if you use a holistic algae controller such as barley straw or phosphate remover, consider adding these now before your algae start to grow. The early season lag to plant growth means that blanket weed and green water can steal a march before the competition starts in earnest.
  • Hungry fish can be fed winter food if they show an interest in feeding.
  • Install a new pond now and things will get off to a flying start in the spring. It really is a great time to build a water feature or improve an existing one.

Indoors

  • It’s easy to miss water damage to melamine cabinets that can affect their weight-bearing capacity. Inspect the edges and joints to check for swelling or buckling that could have serious implications. For long term durability, nothing matches an oak tank.
  • Struggling to keep your aquarium plants? There’s a big divide between green-fingered aquarists with underwater gardens and fish keepers who find they’re constantly buying replacement plants. As there are species suitable for most conditions, try adding an aquarium plant food to replace important elements like iron that are often lacking. Healthy, well-nourished plant growth is often the key to combating the nuisance algae that don’t need all the elements that higher plants require to thrive. Contrary to what you might think, adding plant food makes life harder for algae.
  • Check your tap water. In many areas, water parameters will vary with the seasons and factors like rainfall may change the hardness, nitrate or phosphate levels of your mains supply. A quick test will reveal what’s going on and how it might affect your aquarium.
  • Make your fish fitter! No matter how much we try to imitate nature in our little glass boxes, factors such as diet can be hard to duplicate. After some extensive observations, we’ve noticed that foods that boost our pet’s immune systems are proving very effective at helping them ward off parasites. This is very useful in situations such as reef tanks or shrimp set-ups, where medications can be damaging to corals and invertebrates. In addition to the health benefits of a quality diet, offering a diverse range of foods can make life more interesting for your pets and all captive animals benefit from enrichment.