The old hole in the ice issue

[BenignVanilla]

This will be my first winter so I am dabbling in ideas with keeping a hole
in the ice. Originally, I was going to use a bubbler but I am trying
something different and want some feedback. I have a small filter box full
of filter media and a small, tiny, little pump that sits in side of it. I
have it sitting in some shallows, and with the pump plugged in, it is just
powerful enough to splash water about 2-3 inches into the air. I am thinking
this will do plenty. Any thoughts? Should I take it out of the filter box so
if that freezes, the pump can still get water from the pond?

--
BV.
WebPorgmaster
www.IHeartMyPond.com
Help Support IHMP by shopping at Amazon.com thru our associates link,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/dcg8118-20.

[Gale Pearce]

I use an airpump myself, but many use a pump like you describe, although
I've never heard of putting it in a filter box
I think the big question is how much water do you have over your pump vs
how thick your ice will get in your area - there must be others here in your
area to let you know from experience how many inches of ice to expect, then
allow yourself some leeway - as long as the filterbox will let water in to
the pump (and doesn't plug up) you will be fine - IMO
Gale :~)
> This will be my first winter so I am dabbling in ideas with keeping a hole
> in the ice. Originally, I was going to use a bubbler but I am trying
> something different and want some feedback. I have a small filter box full
> of filter media and a small, tiny, little pump that sits in side of it. I
> have it sitting in some shallows, and with the pump plugged in, it is just
> powerful enough to splash water about 2-3 inches into the air. I am
thinking
> this will do plenty. Any thoughts? Should I take it out of the filter box
so
> if that freezes, the pump can still get water from the pond?
>
> --
> BV.
> WebPorgmaster
> www.IHeartMyPond.com
> Help Support IHMP by shopping at Amazon.com thru our associates link,
> http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/dcg8118-20.
>
>

[John Hines]

"BenignVanilla" > wrote:

>This will be my first winter so I am dabbling in ideas with keeping a hole
>in the ice. Originally, I was going to use a bubbler but I am trying
>something different and want some feedback. I have a small filter box full
>of filter media and a small, tiny, little pump that sits in side of it. I
>have it sitting in some shallows, and with the pump plugged in, it is just
>powerful enough to splash water about 2-3 inches into the air. I am thinking
>this will do plenty. Any thoughts? Should I take it out of the filter box so
>if that freezes, the pump can still get water from the pond?

Water "splashed" into the air will still freeze. The bubbles from my air
pump freeze over. It doesn't stop the air from flowing, but on a cold
morning, there is a dome of frozen bubbles over the air bubbles.

KISS BV, you don't need anything more than a piece of pipe stuck into
the pond, with air bubbling through.

I've got a small, deep water, Tetra air pump (~$12) which is going to be
used for the third year. Attached with some fittings to 1/2 inch PVC
pipe, inside a bucket cover.

That and a watering can with hot tap water, on a daily or as needed
basis, to unfreeze things, and top off the pond, and add a bit of heat.

That serves me on all but the coldest days (chicago zone5), when I power
up the stock tank heater.

[Cybe R. Wizard]

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 09:40:57 -0500
"BenignVanilla" > wrote:

> This will be my first winter so I am dabbling in ideas with keeping a
> hole in the ice. Originally, I was going to use a bubbler but I am
> trying something different and want some feedback. I have a small
> filter box full of filter media and a small, tiny, little pump that
> sits in side of it. I have it sitting in some shallows, and with the
> pump plugged in, it is just powerful enough to splash water about 2-3
> inches into the air. I am thinking this will do plenty. Any thoughts?
> Should I take it out of the filter box so if that freezes, the pump
> can still get water from the pond?
>
> --
> BV.

I tried a pump for several years but, no matter how hard I tried to keep
it from happening, it always built up an ice dam, then started running
water to places I didn't want/need it. I once ended up with about half
of my water frozen on top of the original ice layer whereupon it started
running out onto the ground. Get the bubbler.

Cybe R. Wizard
--
Unofficial "Wizard of Odds," A.H.P.
Original PORG "Water Wizard," R.P.
"Wize(ned) Wizard," A.P.F-P-Y.
Barely Tolerated Wizard, A.J.L & A.A.L

[Hank]

"BenignVanilla" > wrote in message >...
> This will be my first winter so I am dabbling in ideas with keeping a hole
> in the ice. Originally, I was going to use a bubbler but I am trying
> something different and want some feedback. I have a small filter box full
> of filter media and a small, tiny, little pump that sits in side of it. I
> have it sitting in some shallows, and with the pump plugged in, it is just
> powerful enough to splash water about 2-3 inches into the air. I am thinking
> this will do plenty. Any thoughts? Should I take it out of the filter box so
> if that freezes, the pump can still get water from the pond?


BV, I used a pump in a filter box for my fist two winters and had
no problems if the water was only slightly breaking the surface. Too
high with the water column and it froze into a dome and put water on
top of the ice. (zone 7 NJ) I now
use an air stone because I like adding the extra oxygen.


--
My little puddle.
www.geocities.com/hankpagel/hankspond1.html

[john rutz]

Gale Pearce wrote:
> I use an airpump myself, but many use a pump like you describe, although
> I've never heard of putting it in a filter box
> I think the big question is how much water do you have over your pump vs
> how thick your ice will get in your area - there must be others here in your
> area to let you know from experience how many inches of ice to expect, then
> allow yourself some leeway - as long as the filterbox will let water in to
> the pump (and doesn't plug up) you will be fine - IMO
> Gale :~)
>.

I did that my first winter, it worked Ok even with 6 in of ice, the out
put from the filter box developed I nice Ice fall but the water kept
flowin under it ( the pump was about a foot down )

John Rutz