Question
according to a hardeness map im in zone6a....southern illinois 50 miles from st.louis..if i do shut down the waterfall do i need to take the pump out as i have run the eletric cord under all my landscape
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
is there any kind of antifreezei can put  into the water that would not be harmfull to our cats as they like to drink out of the waterfall,i would like to keep the waterfall running thru the winter....thanks
-----Answer-----
No, you cannot add antifreeze to the waterfall.  I leave my waterfall running year round.  Where do you live?  I have a biofilter at the top of my waterfall.  I put my de-icer in there and cover that with a Rubbermaid tub lid held down by two four pound lead diver's weights.  This keeps the water going down the falls warmer.  When things really freeze in the summer, I will also toss pond salt onto the ice sculptures to help melt them.  Otherwise, I also pour hot water down the waterfall to help keep it open.  If ice blocks the falls, the water can be diverted outside the pond liner or on top of the ice if the entire pond is frozen over.  You have to really keep an eye on it.  If you're in US Zone 6 or smaller, it's usually better to turn off the falls for winter.  I'm in Zone 6/7.  Good luck!

Robyn
fishpondinfo.com

Answer
So, you're kind of in that iffy region where you won't know if it's safe to leave the waterfall running unless you do it, and you encounter problems or not.  Factors that effect this include pond volume and depth, waterfall setup, and so on.

If you turn off the waterfall, and you have a submersible pump, the pump should remain in the pond on the buttom to stay wet. So, you don't have to rip up your landscape.  The idiots who put in my pond also buried my pump's cord.  I bought a spare pump, and, when my original dies, I'll have to cut the plug off and pull the wire out through the ground, plants, and rocks!