Log in

View Full Version : Water temps at various depths


Roy
September 5th 04, 06:32 PM
After reading some posts on water temps at different depths I fooled
around taking readings in my pond at different depths. In the middle
my pond is right at 21 feet. The temp at this depth is 61 degrees. It
stays at approximately this temp untill I get to 15 feet where it then
gets into the 70's. The temp gradually increases from 15 foot depth
and 72/73 deg until it hits approximately 4 feet of depth where it
gets into the high 70's. The water never gets into the low 80's
unless I am in the upper 6 to 10 inches of water. One inch of water
gives me a temp of 86 deg in the sun, with outside temp of 90 deg.
This is one reason I run my suction line for my fountain and aerator
pump etc from the deep section of the pond so I can shower the
shallower areas with colder water, and keep my overall temps at the
upper levels lower. I know just by waling around in the waters up to
you knees in the area aerated by the pump it is much cooler as
compared to walking around areas not aerated by the pump in other
sections of the pond.

I would assume the opposite would be true in winter...The warmer
(more uniform water temp) water would be deeper as compared to water
chilled by wind and lack of sun during winter.

I used an electronic thermometer and probe lowered into the water
while attached to a tape measure. I wll have to repeat this once it
gets into the winter season here and see just how low my bottom temp
is then as compared to the upper levels. I cana't vouch for the
accuracy of the thermometer but its sucessfully used for hatching oout
poultry etc so its pretty close..


Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wife,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.

Ka30P
September 5th 04, 08:07 PM
Roy wrote >>I wll have to repeat this once it
gets into the winter season here and see just how low my bottom temp
is then as compared to the upper levels.<<

Just don't fall in! ;-)


kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

Jim and Phyllis Hurley
September 5th 04, 10:06 PM
Cold water sinks. In the winter, the top may freeze, but the bottom will be
cold if you don't circulate. The ground, however, will heat the pond as
compared to the freezing air. Earth is essentially your
buffer/insulator/stabilizer in both summer and winter. Jim's brother made
an eco house that cools in the summer from the earth and stores winter sun
in milk jugs of water. Heating and cooling are accomplished by reversing
the fan that blows the air. One fan!

Phyllis

--
____________________________________________
See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley
Ask me about Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $120+ per child) at: jogathon.net

"Roy" > wrote in message
...
> After reading some posts on water temps at different depths I fooled
> around taking readings in my pond at different depths. In the middle
> my pond is right at 21 feet. The temp at this depth is 61 degrees. It
> stays at approximately this temp untill I get to 15 feet where it then
> gets into the 70's. The temp gradually increases from 15 foot depth
> and 72/73 deg until it hits approximately 4 feet of depth where it
> gets into the high 70's. The water never gets into the low 80's
> unless I am in the upper 6 to 10 inches of water. One inch of water
> gives me a temp of 86 deg in the sun, with outside temp of 90 deg.
> This is one reason I run my suction line for my fountain and aerator
> pump etc from the deep section of the pond so I can shower the
> shallower areas with colder water, and keep my overall temps at the
> upper levels lower. I know just by waling around in the waters up to
> you knees in the area aerated by the pump it is much cooler as
> compared to walking around areas not aerated by the pump in other
> sections of the pond.
>
> I would assume the opposite would be true in winter...The warmer
> (more uniform water temp) water would be deeper as compared to water
> chilled by wind and lack of sun during winter.
>
> I used an electronic thermometer and probe lowered into the water
> while attached to a tape measure. I wll have to repeat this once it
> gets into the winter season here and see just how low my bottom temp
> is then as compared to the upper levels. I cana't vouch for the
> accuracy of the thermometer but its sucessfully used for hatching oout
> poultry etc so its pretty close..
>
>
> Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
> Opinions expressed are those of my wife,
> I had no input whatsoever.
> Remove "nospam" from email addy.

Crashj
September 5th 04, 10:50 PM
On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 16:06:05 -0500, "Jim and Phyllis Hurley"
> wrote:
>Cold water sinks. In the winter, the top may freeze, but the bottom will be
>cold if you don't circulate.

Ah, yes, but the coldest water rises since it expands just as it
approaches 32*F. As it freezes the ice floats to the top and then
forms an insulating layer on the pond, especially with a little snow
on it. So within the pond there is a natural circulation.
I am not disagreeing with your point, just amplifying the physics of
the circulation.
The greehouse sounds nifty.
--
Crashj
--
Crashj

KenCo
September 6th 04, 07:40 AM
Jim and Phyllis Hurley wrote:
> Cold water sinks. In the winter, the top may freeze, but the bottom will be
> cold if you don't circulate. The ground, however, will heat the pond as
> compared to the freezing air. Earth is essentially your
> buffer/insulator/stabilizer in both summer and winter.



the ground is 50-55F at 4-5' depth and thats why
water pipes are set a 4-5' below ground depending
on what zone your in.


his 21' depth is assuring it will never freeze.



Jim's brother made
> an eco house that cools in the summer from the earth and stores winter sun
> in milk jugs of water. Heating and cooling are accomplished by reversing
> the fan that blows the air. One fan!
>
> Phyllis
>


--
http://www.kencofish.com Ken Arnold,
401-831-5739 cell 401-225-0556
Importer/Exporter of Goldfish,Koi,rare Predators
Shipping to legal states/countries only!
Permalon liners, Oase & Supreme Pondmaster pumps


Linux (SuSE 8.2) user #329121
Please Note: No trees or animals were harmed in the
sending of this contaminant free message We do concede
that a signicant number of electrons may have been
inconvenienced ;)

Jim and Phyllis Hurley
September 6th 04, 05:03 PM
Point well taken.

Jim

--
____________________________________________
See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley
Ask me about Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $120+ per child) at: jogathon.net

"Crashj" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 5 Sep 2004 16:06:05 -0500, "Jim and Phyllis Hurley"
> > wrote:
> >Cold water sinks. In the winter, the top may freeze, but the bottom will
be
> >cold if you don't circulate.
>
> Ah, yes, but the coldest water rises since it expands just as it
> approaches 32*F. As it freezes the ice floats to the top and then
> forms an insulating layer on the pond, especially with a little snow
> on it. So within the pond there is a natural circulation.
> I am not disagreeing with your point, just amplifying the physics of
> the circulation.
> The greehouse sounds nifty.
> --
> Crashj
> --
> Crashj

Crashj
September 7th 04, 04:57 AM
On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 02:40:32 -0400, KenCo > wrote:

>Jim and Phyllis Hurley wrote:
>> Cold water sinks.
<>
>the ground is 50-55F at 4-5' depth and thats why
>water pipes are set a 4-5' below ground depending
>on what zone your in.
>his 21' depth is assuring it will never freeze.

Crikeys, mate, where is he going to pile all that dirt?! Should work,
though; permafrost in Alaska probably isn't that deep.
;-)
--
crashj
--
Crashj

Roy
September 7th 04, 05:27 AM
On Tue, 07 Sep 2004 03:57:00 GMT, Crashj
> wrote:

>===<>On Mon, 06 Sep 2004 02:40:32 -0400, KenCo > wrote:
>===<>
>===<>>Jim and Phyllis Hurley wrote:
>===<>>> Cold water sinks.
>===<><>
>===<>>the ground is 50-55F at 4-5' depth and thats why
>===<>>water pipes are set a 4-5' below ground depending
>===<>>on what zone your in.
>===<>>his 21' depth is assuring it will never freeze.
>===<>
>===<>Crikeys, mate, where is he going to pile all that dirt?! Should work,
>===<>though; permafrost in Alaska probably isn't that deep.
>===<>;-)
>===<>--
>===<>crashj


Heck that dirt has long since been utilized elsewhere that I removed
form my pond when I dug it...I went deep as I always hated seeing the
typical ponds in this area that are usually only 4 or 5 feet deep,
looking so bad when they start to loose water with evaporation and
rely on rainfall to fill. I went deep for more water, cooler water and
more capacity.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wife,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.