Re: "Tale of Woe"... suggestions?

[Gale Pearce]

Is it possible to use a cordless drill with a "spade" bit to drill a 1" hole
to allow you to put an airstone just below the surface of the ice ?
Gale :~)
"BTC/TAK on ACK" > wrote in message
...
> When a bike-path was put in along my property line a couple of years ago
> there were a lot of electric service lines cut or "nicked". It appears
> nicked can be worse because it can take a few years before the line
> deteriorates. All of a sudden mid-day early in the week my power just went
> out! I was "lucky" that I got "temporary" power by the weekend... it will
be
> weeks [or more] until another permanent line can be trenched in because of
> deep frost. We had succeeded in keeping our pond partially open all
winter,
> but it froze over during the time we had no power... pretty thickly in
fact.
> In a way that might have been a good thing because since then we had a few
> heavy "freezing rains" that flooded much of our yard. We chose the spot
for
> our pond to avoid any flooding problem. It looks like it's in the lowest
> part of our property, so it appears to be a natural occurrence. But
actually
> there's a large hidden area which is quite a bit lower. Flooding has never
> gone beyond that area until this weekend, when it was almost a foot over
the
> pond, and the top of that even froze over until late yesterday. I was
afraid
> the pond itself wasn't frozen quite enough to keep some "adventurous" fish
> from escaping into the flood water before the flooding subsided...
> especially since the ground is frozen so deeply that it's hardly absorbing
> any water. It's apparently absorbing more than we had any reason to
expect,
> though, because the water over the pond area is gone [and no dead fish
left
> behind, thank God]. The pond itself is still frozen over though. I'm
afraid
> to "mechanically" break through the ice in the pond, with an axe for
> example, having heard that is dangerous for the fish. On the other hand
I'm
> afraid to leave it frozen over much longer because of gaseous build-up
under
> the ice. I had effectively been keeping it clear with air bubbles, and
> circulating water until last week, but that's not an option now. Any
> suggestions?
>
>

[Bonnie]

After you drill the opening, it can be reopened daily with
either the drill or with a teakettle filled with hot water.
The opening doesn't have to be open all the time, but it
should be reopened daily.
Bonnie
NJ

Gale Pearce wrote:
> Is it possible to use a cordless drill with a "spade" bit to drill a 1" hole
> to allow you to put an airstone just below the surface of the ice ?
> Gale :~)
> "BTC/TAK on ACK" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>When a bike-path was put in along my property line a couple of years ago
>>there were a lot of electric service lines cut or "nicked". It appears
>>nicked can be worse because it can take a few years before the line
>>deteriorates. All of a sudden mid-day early in the week my power just went
>>out! I was "lucky" that I got "temporary" power by the weekend... it will
>
> be
>
>>weeks [or more] until another permanent line can be trenched in because of
>>deep frost. We had succeeded in keeping our pond partially open all
>
> winter,
>
>>but it froze over during the time we had no power... pretty thickly in
>
> fact.
>
>>In a way that might have been a good thing because since then we had a few
>>heavy "freezing rains" that flooded much of our yard. We chose the spot
>
> for
>
>>our pond to avoid any flooding problem. It looks like it's in the lowest
>>part of our property, so it appears to be a natural occurrence. But
>
> actually
>
>>there's a large hidden area which is quite a bit lower. Flooding has never
>>gone beyond that area until this weekend, when it was almost a foot over
>
> the
>
>>pond, and the top of that even froze over until late yesterday. I was
>
> afraid
>
>>the pond itself wasn't frozen quite enough to keep some "adventurous" fish
>>from escaping into the flood water before the flooding subsided...
>>especially since the ground is frozen so deeply that it's hardly absorbing
>>any water. It's apparently absorbing more than we had any reason to
>
> expect,
>
>>though, because the water over the pond area is gone [and no dead fish
>
> left
>
>>behind, thank God]. The pond itself is still frozen over though. I'm
>
> afraid
>
>>to "mechanically" break through the ice in the pond, with an axe for
>>example, having heard that is dangerous for the fish. On the other hand
>
> I'm
>
>>afraid to leave it frozen over much longer because of gaseous build-up
>
> under
>
>>the ice. I had effectively been keeping it clear with air bubbles, and
>>circulating water until last week, but that's not an option now. Any
>>suggestions?
>>
>>
>
>
>

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

I agree with Gale, a drill, though a stock tank heater element will melt
thru the ice in no time. ~ jan


>On 9 Feb 2004 14:24:59 GMT, "BTC/TAK on ACK" > wrote:

>When a bike-path was put in along my property line a couple of years ago
>there were a lot of electric service lines cut or "nicked". It appears
>nicked can be worse because it can take a few years before the line
>deteriorates. All of a sudden mid-day early in the week my power just went
>out! I was "lucky" that I got "temporary" power by the weekend... it will be
>weeks [or more] until another permanent line can be trenched in because of
>deep frost. We had succeeded in keeping our pond partially open all winter,
>but it froze over during the time we had no power... pretty thickly in fact.
>In a way that might have been a good thing because since then we had a few
>heavy "freezing rains" that flooded much of our yard. We chose the spot for
>our pond to avoid any flooding problem. It looks like it's in the lowest
>part of our property, so it appears to be a natural occurrence. But actually
>there's a large hidden area which is quite a bit lower. Flooding has never
>gone beyond that area until this weekend, when it was almost a foot over the
>pond, and the top of that even froze over until late yesterday. I was afraid
>the pond itself wasn't frozen quite enough to keep some "adventurous" fish
>from escaping into the flood water before the flooding subsided...
>especially since the ground is frozen so deeply that it's hardly absorbing
>any water. It's apparently absorbing more than we had any reason to expect,
>though, because the water over the pond area is gone [and no dead fish left
>behind, thank God]. The pond itself is still frozen over though. I'm afraid
>to "mechanically" break through the ice in the pond, with an axe for
>example, having heard that is dangerous for the fish. On the other hand I'm
>afraid to leave it frozen over much longer because of gaseous build-up under
>the ice. I had effectively been keeping it clear with air bubbles, and
>circulating water until last week, but that's not an option now. Any
>suggestions?
>

[Offbreed]

BTC/TAK on ACK wrote:

> When a bike-path was put in along my property line a couple of years ago

Learn how to make paragraphs. That hurts my eyes to read.

[Dan D.]

I agree with what everyone else said!

I'm just posting here to see if I CAN.
(news server problems....)

Peace!
Dan D. Louisville KY good ole USA
http://ky-dan.com

[Dan D.]

And just one more try.
Please ignore or forgive me!

Dan D.

[Bonnie]

Dan D. wrote:
> I agree with what everyone else said!
>
> I'm just posting here to see if I CAN.
> (news server problems....)
>
> Peace!
> Dan D. Louisville KY good ole USA
> http://ky-dan.com
>
>

Hi Dan,
You're coming through loud and clear!

--
Bonnie
NJ

[Dan D.]

>Hi Dan,
>You're coming through loud and clear!
>Bonnie
>NJ

Hi Bonnie! I hate to take over this thread but that's what usually
happens after a few replies anyway ;=))

I was posting occasionally via Google groups but they take a whole
day to show up.
Google only updates the groups once or twice in 24 hours.
That makes any kind of back and forth conversation pretty tough BUT
google always works and is accessable via any web browser -
even at work (gasp!)

I've been trying to get into the groups from home off and on for a
couple
of weeks.
My dial up tech support was no help.
I use free agent. It's GREAT.
I had my real log in info in there and a bogus e-mail
address to stop the spammers from getting it.
I could download messages from the NG but could not post.
I put in my true e-mail and it let me post.
THEN I put in a bogus e-mail and it still let me post.
Go figure......

Is it Spring yet??

We REALLY want to put in an upper pond and a stream to a lower pond
this year. We've been talking about it for a long time.
I bought all the stuff to build a veggie filter but I'm now thinking
I'll just use the upper pond as a veggie filter and keep the fish in
the lower one.
Now all I gotta do is order a load of top soil and start digging!!
We need to build up the area in order to get water flow
where we want it.

There!
That oughta make up for all my non-posts!

Pray for Peace!
Dan D. Louisville Ky good ole USA
http://ky-dan.com

[Bonnie]

Dan D. wrote:


> We REALLY want to put in an upper pond and a stream to a lower pond
> this year. We've been talking about it for a long time.
> I bought all the stuff to build a veggie filter but I'm now thinking
> I'll just use the upper pond as a veggie filter and keep the fish in
> the lower one.
> Now all I gotta do is order a load of top soil and start digging!!
> We need to build up the area in order to get water flow
> where we want it.
>
> There!
> That oughta make up for all my non-posts!
>
> Pray for Peace!
> Dan D. Louisville Ky good ole USA
> http://ky-dan.com
>
I'll be looking for the photos of your completed project.
It really sounds nice!
It isn't Spring in NJ yet :-(

--
Bonnie
NJ

[Offbreed]

BTC/TAK on ACK wrote:

>>Learn how to make paragraphs.

> Thanks for the input... it'll be very helpful, I'm sure.

Sorry, lost track of which news group I was in. That would be counted
as *polite* where I normally hang out, I lurk here to relax and learn
a bit about aguaculture.

[[email protected]]

so tell us how it goes. and if you got a big enough spade bit you might want to drop
a 100watt aquarium heater down in there below the level of the airstone. it will
keep a nice hole open!!! I had the same problem, electricity went out and froze over
had to drill hole. that is when I decided to tent my pond every winter. Ingrid


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

[[email protected]]

you dont have electricity? an extension cord?

"BTC/TAK on ACK" > wrote:

>So far I've been drilling holes every day... getting electricity anywhere
>near the pond still hasn't happened. So I drill, then pray for a thaw,
>drill, then pray for a thaw, drill, then pray for a thaw...
>
>You get the picture, I imagine
>
>Mila


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

[John Hines]

"BTC/TAK on ACK" > wrote:

>So far I've been drilling holes every day... getting electricity anywhere
>near the pond still hasn't happened. So I drill, then pray for a thaw,
>drill, then pray for a thaw, drill, then pray for a thaw...

Bucket of hot tap water. Opens up holes in ice real easy, except for the
lugging from the house.

Fisherman have battery operated air pumps, for their minnow buckets.

[[email protected]]

as long as there are no breaks in the wire before it gets where the plug can be hung
high and use dielectric grease (automotive section of hardware store) to waterproof
the connection. plug the other end into a ground fault interrupter. Ingrid

"BTC/TAK on ACK" > wrote:

>Electricity? Yes, finally. Extension cord? I'm a little apprehensive about
>using one since it would have to travel from my house, through an area that
>has flooded [in an icy sort of way] a couple of times in this week, before
>getting to the pond.
>
>Mila


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

[mikey]

BTC/TAK on ACK wrote:
> Electricity? Yes, finally. Extension cord? I'm a little apprehensive about
> using one since it would have to travel from my house, through an area that
> has flooded a couple of times in this week, before
> getting to the pond.
>
> Mila
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>you dont have electricity? an extension cord?
>>
>>"BTC/TAK on ACK" > wrote:
>>
>>[i]
>>>So far I've been drilling holes every day... getting electricity anywhere
>>>near the pond still hasn't happened. So I drill, then pray for a thaw,
>>>drill, then pray for a thaw, drill, then pray for a thaw...
>>>
>>>You get the picture, I imagine
>>>
>>>Mila

No disrespect, nor personal intended Mila, but it truly amazes me that
many people will think nothing of running 100-200 feet of extension cord
across their yard or "swimming pool" to run a Halloween or Christmas
lights display. A display that probably draws 2-3 times the amperes of
electricity, than a small heater and/or air pump draws, but are afraid
to run one 25-100 feet to "Protect" their precious fish or pond.

I have had one run, 50 feet, across the backyard to the 100 gal preform
pond since last May, with no ill effects, just remember to connect it to
a Ground-fault receptical. I use a portable GF right at the pond on mine.
(see it @ http://www.ourkoipond.com/PondPics2.htm)

My set up draws about 4.5 amps (300 watt aquarium heater, 200 watt pump,
and 50 watt air pump) I use a 50 foot 14/3 gauge outdoor type cord. It
can safely carry 15 amps (3X what it presently carries)

The problems arise when people try to take the really cheap, cheap way
out and use several of the 6' Home Depot $.89 (2 wire) extensions. That
are meant to be used on a table lamp.

Chagoi
http://ourkoipond.com

just my $.02

-- Microsoft XP ---> "X"tra "P"atches, "X"tra "P"roblems, "X"tra
"P"rofit, "X"tra "P"ain, "X"tra "P"anic, "X"tra "P"athetic, "Xtra
"P"ernicious --- take your "P"ick

[Offbreed]

BTC/TAK on ACK wrote:

> Electricity? Yes, finally. Extension cord? I'm a little apprehensive about
> using one since it would have to travel from my house, through an area that
> has flooded [in an icy sort of way] a couple of times in this week, before
> getting to the pond.

How far is it, and do people, animals, or cars go through the area? Is
it in an area you want to keep "pretty"?

Outdoor grade extension cords (max length 100 feet) are pretty safe to
use outside, so long as no one trips over them, or cars catch them
against a rock, or something. I'd suggest against using several cords
to extend beyond 100 ft. It can be done, but requires a familiarity of
electricity you do not have to keep it safe. Nothing hard to do, just
lethal if you get it exactly wrong.

Then there's diferent ways to string wire. Tall tripods made of
saplings with the wire over the top (take them out and throw away come
the thaw), run it around long ways stapling exterior grade hookup wire
along a fence (permenant so you can add a light to the pond for summer
nights), and so on. There's even a plow attachment you can use to bury
the right kind of wire under sod, and without needing a trencher.

[[email protected]]

exactly. I have used extension cords for quite a while, never got around to running
electricity out to the ponds at my mothers. Been fine, hasnt melted down, isnt even
warm to the touch. but use a heavy duty one. Ingrid

mikey > wrote:
>The problems arise when people try to take the really cheap, cheap way
>out and use several of the 6' Home Depot $.89 (2 wire) extensions. That
>are meant to be used on a table lamp.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

[[email protected]]

plain old PVC that the plug drops thru is fine for protecting the wire. I ran mine
along the fence and the weeds covered it in a single year. Ingrid

Offbreed > wrote:
>Then there's diferent ways to string wire.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.