Heated pond

[FrankS]

I live in North Dakota and for the last week or so the temperature has been
VERY cold. The night time temps have been as low as -28 degrees F for
several nights with the daytime high temps staying below minus 10 degrees
for about a week now. This is cold even for us natives.

I have a small pond, about 300 gallons, stocked with gold fish, a comet, koi
and shibunkin(sp?) and maybe a crayfish or two. The pond was nearly covered
with snow and frost that I was sure the fish would be crispy critters by now
but this afternoon I braved the cold and went out to check on them. I was
surprised and, to say the least, pleased that everyone seemed to be in as
good as spirits as possible under the circumstances. I use a 1200 watt
floating stock tank heater and a bubbler pump but I wasn't sure if the
heater could keep up with the constant cold temps. This, to me, is proof of
the hardiness of pond fish and the value of a $30 heater. My real problem
is evaporation, the cold air is very dry and the comparative warm water
makes for rapid evaporation so I'm the only guy in the neighborhood with a
garden hose stretched out in the back yard all winter.

Anyone have a similar experiences?

Frank

[KK]

In article >,
"FrankS" > wrote:

> I live in North Dakota and for the last week or so the temperature has been
> VERY cold. The night time temps have been as low as -28 degrees F for
> several nights with the daytime high temps staying below minus 10 degrees
> for about a week now. This is cold even for us natives.
>
> I have a small pond, about 300 gallons, stocked with gold fish, a comet, koi
> and shibunkin(sp?) and maybe a crayfish or two. The pond was nearly covered
> with snow and frost that I was sure the fish would be crispy critters by now
> but this afternoon I braved the cold and went out to check on them. I was
> surprised and, to say the least, pleased that everyone seemed to be in as
> good as spirits as possible under the circumstances. I use a 1200 watt
> floating stock tank heater and a bubbler pump but I wasn't sure if the
> heater could keep up with the constant cold temps. This, to me, is proof of
> the hardiness of pond fish and the value of a $30 heater. My real problem
> is evaporation, the cold air is very dry and the comparative warm water
> makes for rapid evaporation so I'm the only guy in the neighborhood with a
> garden hose stretched out in the back yard all winter.
>
> Anyone have a similar experiences?
>
> Frank
>
>

I'm doing the same thing in Minnesota - added water yesterday. This is
the second winter that I've used a tank heater - really boosts the
electric bill - but easier than setting up tanks in the basement.
The fish were swimming around and lookin good yesterday.
Karen

[Tom La Bron]

FrankS,

I don't have your extreme lower temps but I off and on suffer your dry
winter air. When the temps get high enough for me to run water through the
hose I turn it on to top off the pond, although recently we have been
fortunate to be getting some nice rain showers that have filled the ponds,
especially, after the last couple of days that put a layer of ice on the
ponds.

Tom L.L.
---------------------------------------
"FrankS" > wrote in message
...
> I live in North Dakota and for the last week or so the temperature has
been
> VERY cold. The night time temps have been as low as -28 degrees F for
> several nights with the daytime high temps staying below minus 10 degrees
> for about a week now. This is cold even for us natives.
>
> I have a small pond, about 300 gallons, stocked with gold fish, a comet,
koi
> and shibunkin(sp?) and maybe a crayfish or two. The pond was nearly
covered
> with snow and frost that I was sure the fish would be crispy critters by
now
> but this afternoon I braved the cold and went out to check on them. I was
> surprised and, to say the least, pleased that everyone seemed to be in as
> good as spirits as possible under the circumstances. I use a 1200 watt
> floating stock tank heater and a bubbler pump but I wasn't sure if the
> heater could keep up with the constant cold temps. This, to me, is proof
of
> the hardiness of pond fish and the value of a $30 heater. My real
problem
> is evaporation, the cold air is very dry and the comparative warm water
> makes for rapid evaporation so I'm the only guy in the neighborhood with a
> garden hose stretched out in the back yard all winter.
>
> Anyone have a similar experiences?
>
> Frank
>
>

[[email protected]]

I use a 500 watt aquarium heater in a 1600 gallon 4' deep pond but I have the pond
covered to prevent water loss. this is essential for keeping the heat in as well and
preventing the loss of too much water.
on 1-16 the water temp was 50oF and was the last day I fed them. then came the cold
snap and the pond temp dropped to 40o where it is now. I am in zone 5, Milwaukee.
but just covering the pond with plastic over arched pvc or a wood lean to you can
really keep the water open all winter no problem with a little heater and a pump.
I am heating my pond so my fish dont go "dormant" for so long each year. last year
the temp was below 50o for 6 months. I am hoping to cut down the "down time" to 2
months using this 500 watt heater. It is only like having 5 - 100 watt light bulbs
on all the time. I also hope to stop swinging temps that bring on ich. so far, so
good. temps have not fallen below 40o. Ingrid

"FrankS" > wrote:
>I live in North Dakota and for the last week or so the temperature has been
>VERY cold. The night time temps have been as low as -28 degrees F for
>several nights with the daytime high temps staying below minus 10 degrees
>for about a week now. This is cold even for us natives.
>
>I have a small pond, about 300 gallons, stocked with gold fish, a comet, koi
>and shibunkin(sp?) and maybe a crayfish or two. The pond was nearly covered
>with snow and frost that I was sure the fish would be crispy critters by now
>but this afternoon I braved the cold and went out to check on them. I was
>surprised and, to say the least, pleased that everyone seemed to be in as
>good as spirits as possible under the circumstances. I use a 1200 watt
>floating stock tank heater and a bubbler pump but I wasn't sure if the
>heater could keep up with the constant cold temps. This, to me, is proof of
>the hardiness of pond fish and the value of a $30 heater. My real problem
>is evaporation, the cold air is very dry and the comparative warm water
>makes for rapid evaporation so I'm the only guy in the neighborhood with a
>garden hose stretched out in the back yard all winter.
>
>Anyone have a similar experiences?
>
>Frank
>



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

[GrannyGrump]

>Someone posted a message about raising the water level before the freeze
>and melting a hole in the ice and pumping a couple inches of water out
>from under the ice. The sheet of ice above the water insulates the
>water underneath and saves on the electric bill as well as keeping the
>fish alive.

This would accomplish the gaseous exchange, until there was no more
oxygen in the air between the water and the ice....

[Gale Pearce]

Rather than a stock tank heater (1200 - 1500 watts), K & H manufacturing in
the US has a 100 watt heater they say they tested in Minnesota that works on
the power of a 100 watt light bulb, ~ twice the price of the higher powered
ones, but should pay the difference in a month or so - link below
Gale :~)

http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/skus/pd/PDHE-8001.asp?E+scstore

:
>
> > I live in North Dakota and for the last week or so the temperature has
been
> > VERY cold. The night time temps have been as low as -28 degrees F for
> > several nights with the daytime high temps staying below minus 10
degrees
> > for about a week now. This is cold even for us natives.
> >
> > I have a small pond, about 300 gallons, stocked with gold fish, a comet,
koi
> > and shibunkin(sp?) and maybe a crayfish or two. The pond was nearly
covered
> > with snow and frost that I was sure the fish would be crispy critters by
now
> > but this afternoon I braved the cold and went out to check on them. I
was
> > surprised and, to say the least, pleased that everyone seemed to be in
as
> > good as spirits as possible under the circumstances. I use a 1200 watt
> > floating stock tank heater and a bubbler pump but I wasn't sure if the
> > heater could keep up with the constant cold temps. This, to me, is
proof of
> > the hardiness of pond fish and the value of a $30 heater. My real
problem
> > is evaporation, the cold air is very dry and the comparative warm water
> > makes for rapid evaporation so I'm the only guy in the neighborhood with
a
> > garden hose stretched out in the back yard all winter.
> >
> > Anyone have a similar experiences?
> >
> > Frank
> >
> >
>
> I'm doing the same thing in Minnesota - added water yesterday. This is
> the second winter that I've used a tank heater - really boosts the
> electric bill - but easier than setting up tanks in the basement.
> The fish were swimming around and lookin good yesterday.
> Karen

[[email protected]]

there are different models that look like that, work the same way and are a LOT
cheaper. Ingrid

"Gale Pearce" > wrote:

>Rather than a stock tank heater (1200 - 1500 watts), K & H manufacturing in
>the US has a 100 watt heater they say they tested in Minnesota that works on
>the power of a 100 watt light bulb, ~ twice the price of the higher powered
>ones, but should pay the difference in a month or so - link below
> Gale :~)
>
>http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/skus/pd/PDHE-8001.asp?E+scstore



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Tom La Bron]

FrankS,

You might consider a procedure the Japanese use on their ponds where the
winter is severe. They place boards across the pond at the appropriate
width and frequency and then use the boards to support bales of hay covering
the entire pond expect for one small area at one end for gas exchange.
Barring this technique, you may want to consider using Styrafoam sheets,
like the ones used on the side of new construction homes. I presently have
one shutting off my back porch where I have extra tubs with fish in them.
You would have to figure out a support mechanism for snow weight and
probably for weights used to hold the sheet(s) down, and you would still
have to leave a small opening to allow for gas exchange, but it has worked
for me over the years when I deemed that I needed it.

HTH

Tom L.L.
--------------------------------------------
"FrankS" > wrote in message
...
> I live in North Dakota and for the last week or so the temperature has
been
> VERY cold. The night time temps have been as low as -28 degrees F for
> several nights with the daytime high temps staying below minus 10 degrees
> for about a week now. This is cold even for us natives.
>
> I have a small pond, about 300 gallons, stocked with gold fish, a comet,
koi
> and shibunkin(sp?) and maybe a crayfish or two. The pond was nearly
covered
> with snow and frost that I was sure the fish would be crispy critters by
now
> but this afternoon I braved the cold and went out to check on them. I was
> surprised and, to say the least, pleased that everyone seemed to be in as
> good as spirits as possible under the circumstances. I use a 1200 watt
> floating stock tank heater and a bubbler pump but I wasn't sure if the
> heater could keep up with the constant cold temps. This, to me, is proof
of
> the hardiness of pond fish and the value of a $30 heater. My real
problem
> is evaporation, the cold air is very dry and the comparative warm water
> makes for rapid evaporation so I'm the only guy in the neighborhood with a
> garden hose stretched out in the back yard all winter.
>
> Anyone have a similar experiences?
>
> Frank
>
>

[Michael Shaffer]

You can make one yourself for free, all you need is a tupperware
container and a 4 milk jugs and an adapter to plug the bulb into an outlet.
Mike

Gale Pearce wrote:

> Rather than a stock tank heater (1200 - 1500 watts), K & H manufacturing in
> the US has a 100 watt heater they say they tested in Minnesota that works on
> the power of a 100 watt light bulb, ~ twice the price of the higher powered
> ones, but should pay the difference in a month or so - link below
> Gale :~)
>
> http://www.mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/skus/pd/PDHE-8001.asp?E+scstore
>
> :
>
>>>I live in North Dakota and for the last week or so the temperature has
>
> been
>
>>>VERY cold. The night time temps have been as low as -28 degrees F for
>>>several nights with the daytime high temps staying below minus 10
>
> degrees
>
>>>for about a week now. This is cold even for us natives.
>>>
>>>I have a small pond, about 300 gallons, stocked with gold fish, a comet,
>
> koi
>
>>>and shibunkin(sp?) and maybe a crayfish or two. The pond was nearly
>
> covered
>
>>>with snow and frost that I was sure the fish would be crispy critters by
>
> now
>
>>>but this afternoon I braved the cold and went out to check on them. I
>
> was
>
>>>surprised and, to say the least, pleased that everyone seemed to be in
>
> as
>
>>>good as spirits as possible under the circumstances. I use a 1200 watt
>>>floating stock tank heater and a bubbler pump but I wasn't sure if the
>>>heater could keep up with the constant cold temps. This, to me, is
>
> proof of
>
>>>the hardiness of pond fish and the value of a $30 heater. My real
>
> problem
>
>>>is evaporation, the cold air is very dry and the comparative warm water
>>>makes for rapid evaporation so I'm the only guy in the neighborhood with
>
> a
>
>>>garden hose stretched out in the back yard all winter.
>>>
>>>Anyone have a similar experiences?
>>>
>>>Frank
>>>
>>>
>>
>>I'm doing the same thing in Minnesota - added water yesterday. This is
>>the second winter that I've used a tank heater - really boosts the
>>electric bill - but easier than setting up tanks in the basement.
>>The fish were swimming around and lookin good yesterday.
>>Karen
>
>
>

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

I think perhaps GG didn't realize there would be a hole in the ice layer,
but I'm assuming, so hope I'm not committing the Ass U Me injury from doing
so. ;o) ~ jan

>On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 , GrannyGrump wrote:
>>
>>>Someone posted a message about raising the water level before the freeze
>>>and melting a hole in the ice and pumping a couple inches of water out
>>>from under the ice. The sheet of ice above the water insulates the
>>>water underneath and saves on the electric bill as well as keeping the
>>>fish alive.
>>
>>This would accomplish the gaseous exchange, until there was no more
>>oxygen in the air between the water and the ice....
>
>Didn't know that was a problem, since the hole is still open and can't
>refreeze with the water not reaching it. Are you telling me hydrogen
>sulfide is heavier than air and will be trapped in the space displacing
>oxygen? >Hal

~ jan

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

Regarding this thread.

Many of you have had me describe what I do, as pictured on my website the
leaf screens that are about 6" above the water surface. When they become
covered with snow underneath the water surface does not freeze. Similar to
letting the surface freeze and then pumping the water down so one has an
ice dome. Unlike the ice dome I did not go out and make a hole anywhere in
the snow, I thought the snow would be porous enough to allow gas to escape
an air to enter (I have slow circulation going on within the ponds w/air
stone in filter). Should I have made a small hole in the snow above the
ponds, or would the air pump doing it's thing be enough? Would the snow
barrier allow hydrogen sulfide to gas off or would it build up underneath?
~ jan

Leaf screen pictured on Page 1 of My Pond Photos
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Defrosted~
Tri-Cities, WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

[GrannyGrump]

>I think perhaps GG didn't realize there would be a hole in the ice layer,
>but I'm assuming, so hope I'm not committing the Ass U Me injury from doing
>so. ;o) ~ jan

I think I was thinking of snow covering the ice, and it didn't occur
to me that the hole would remain open, until later after posting.
:)

[Nedra]

Jan, I think I would remove some of the snow from the screens.
Depends on how deep the snow is, I suppose. Snow is very
heavy around here (usually) and wouldn't be all that porous.
I wouldn't take the chance.

My 2 cents ....

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"~ jan JJsPond.us" > wrote in message
...
> Regarding this thread.
>
> Many of you have had me describe what I do, as pictured on my website the
> leaf screens that are about 6" above the water surface. When they become
> covered with snow underneath the water surface does not freeze. Similar to
> letting the surface freeze and then pumping the water down so one has an
> ice dome. Unlike the ice dome I did not go out and make a hole anywhere in
> the snow, I thought the snow would be porous enough to allow gas to escape
> an air to enter (I have slow circulation going on within the ponds w/air
> stone in filter). Should I have made a small hole in the snow above the
> ponds, or would the air pump doing it's thing be enough? Would the snow
> barrier allow hydrogen sulfide to gas off or would it build up underneath?
> ~ jan
>
> Leaf screen pictured on Page 1 of My Pond Photos
> http://users.owt.com/jjspond/
>
> ~Keep 'em Defrosted~
> Tri-Cities, WA Zone 7a
> To e-mail see website

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

That's what I'm thinking, it wasn't heavy at first, but after the rain
came.... ~ jan

On Fri, 06 Feb 2004 21:44:00 GMT, "Nedra" > wrote:

>Jan, I think I would remove some of the snow from the screens.
>Depends on how deep the snow is, I suppose. Snow is very
>heavy around here (usually) and wouldn't be all that porous.
>I wouldn't take the chance.
>
>My 2 cents ....
>
>Nedra
>http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
>http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118
>
>"~ jan JJsPond.us" > wrote in message
...
>> Regarding this thread.
>>
>> Many of you have had me describe what I do, as pictured on my website the
>> leaf screens that are about 6" above the water surface. When they become
>> covered with snow underneath the water surface does not freeze. Similar to
>> letting the surface freeze and then pumping the water down so one has an
>> ice dome. Unlike the ice dome I did not go out and make a hole anywhere in
>> the snow, I thought the snow would be porous enough to allow gas to escape
>> an air to enter (I have slow circulation going on within the ponds w/air
>> stone in filter). Should I have made a small hole in the snow above the
>> ponds, or would the air pump doing it's thing be enough? Would the snow
>> barrier allow hydrogen sulfide to gas off or would it build up underneath?
>> ~ jan
>>
>> Leaf screen pictured on Page 1 of My Pond Photos
>> http://users.owt.com/jjspond/
>>
>> ~Keep 'em Defrosted~
>> Tri-Cities, WA Zone 7a
>> To e-mail see website
>

~ jan