Advocates against say that you should turn off the pump in winter. There is an obvious saving to be made in electricity and this can increase the life of the pump by giving it a winter break. Coupled with this is the reduction in algae and blanket weed growth in winter due to colder temperatures and less sunlight so the filter is not required to cleanse the water as much.
Reduced capacity
In general though, I would say it is advisable to keep the pump running in winter albeit in a reduced capacity than in the warmer months. Some pumps come with the ability to control multiple water features. Such as a water fall feature and separate statue water features. It is best to run only some of the water features rather than all. Not only will keeping at least one of the water features going introduce oxygen into the pond, it will keep the water on the surface circulating and this has the added benefit of helping prevent the pond icing over as quickly, when the temperature drops.
Another benefit of running the pump as long as possible is the reduction of nitrogen in the pond. Nitrogen buildup happens naturally due to the rotting matter which decays in the bottom of the pond. Nitrogen buildup can be bad news for health of any resident fish population. A pump helps remove this nitrogen and recycles the water replenishing it with oxygen.
If your pump has a UV filter it would be good practice to take out the bulb and save it for spring. As mentioned above algae and blanket weed does not present as much of a problem in winter and running the UV filter through winter will only decrease the life of the bulb.
That said, there are occasions when it is advisable to switch your pump off completely, namely when the pond starts to freeze over. If the pump or the pipes start to freeze this will inevitably increase the pressure on the pump and may result in a burst pipe.
It is advisable to ensure that should the pond freeze over and the pump is left off, a hole is kept in the ice to allow release of nitrogen in the pond to escape. A boiled kettle poured continuously onto one spot is the best way to gently melt the ice until the temperature warms up.
The pump should be removed from the pond and cleaned out at the start of spring to remove any leaves or matter which may have got trapped. Good husbandry of your pump will keep it prolong its life and help keep your pond and fish healthy.
Lastly, the decision to switch off the pump or leave it running during winter is down to the pond owners opinion and experiences. I would say from my own experience that the overriding benefit to keeping the pump running is the oxygen introduced to the pond which can only benefit the health of the fish.
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