Do I need a pond heater this winter?

[Redshift0]

Question from a newbie to ponds--

I had a large liner pond built this summer, and it's shallower than was
planned: 2' instead of the minimum of 3' I had requested. Meanwhile, a
neighbor asked me to take in her orphaned koi, and I'm worried about them
surviving our Massachusetts winter.

How big a heater do I need? Do I need a water circulator too? Would I be
better off buying an indoor tank?

Some stats: the pond is 40' x 15' and about 6000 gallons; the koi are 6" to
12"

Thanks for any help,
---Steve

[~ jan jjspond]

>On Fri, 30 Sep 2005 22:44:01 -0500, Redshift0 <redshift0#comcast.net> wrote:

>I'm worried about them
>surviving our Massachusetts winter.
>How big a heater do I need? Do I need a water circulator too? Would I be
>better off buying an indoor tank?
>Some stats: the pond is 40' x 15' and about 6000 gallons; the koi are 6" to
>12"
>---Steve

Air pump w/stone and stock tank heater on the standby when temps go too
low. Or, a small pump on shelf moving water at the surface. ~ jan

[Reel Mckoi]

"Redshift0" <redshift0#comcast.net> wrote in message
. ..
> Question from a newbie to ponds--
>
> I had a large liner pond built this summer, and it's shallower than was
> planned: 2' instead of the minimum of 3' I had requested. Meanwhile, a
> neighbor asked me to take in her orphaned koi, and I'm worried about them
> surviving our Massachusetts winter.

$$ They will probably not survive the winter that far North even with a
heater. That's much too shallow a pond. You would need a huge heater to
keep a large enough area open and ice free. It would be cheaper and safer
for them to bring them inside for the winter. 500 gallon children's pools
can be found at Wal*Mart in the spring for around $15.00. But that wont
help you this year.

> How big a heater do I need? Do I need a water circulator too? Would I be
> better off buying an indoor tank?
> Some stats: the pond is 40' x 15' and about 6000 gallons; the koi are 6"
> to
> 12"

$$ Those are good size koi. You'd need a pretty large tank with a good
filter......
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
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[Redshift0]

> Air pump w/stone and stock tank heater on the standby when temps go
> too low. Or, a small pump on shelf moving water at the surface. ~ jan
>

Sorry that I'm so dense Jan, but could you explain this more? I'm new to
ponds and I'm not sure quite what you're describing. Thanks ---Steve

[~ jan jjspond]

>> Air pump w/stone and stock tank heater on the standby when temps go
>> too low. Or, a small pump on shelf moving water at the surface. ~ jan
>>
>Sorry that I'm so dense Jan, but could you explain this more? I'm new to
>ponds and I'm not sure quite what you're describing. Thanks ---Steve

Go to your local pet shop or Walmart type store and check out the aquarium
section, it will make more sense. An air pump runs air thru tubing to a
diffuser causing multiple bubbling below the surface. Moving water doesn't
freeze.... course we ponders know that isn't always so, thus a stock tank
heater on standby (in the pond, not plug in) is a good back up. ~ jan