Aquarium heater in pond

I have read of people's varying experience with putting a submersible aquarium
heater in an outdoor pond over the winter. I think Ingrid did it succesfully.
Can anyone provide personal experiences, what to do and not to do? I am trying
to keep a lotus alive in an above-ground stock tank in Chicago that is too
heavy (read I am too lazy) to move and store, and want to put in a heater and
coer the whole thing with white foam insulation board. I'm not worried about
the rosy reds and feeder goldfish that were in there to eat mosquitoes, but
want to prevent solid freezing.
Thanks!

EliezerE wrote:

I have read of people's varying experience with putting a submersible aquarium
heater in an outdoor pond over the winter. I think Ingrid did it succesfully.
Can anyone provide personal experiences, what to do and not to do? I am trying
to keep a lotus alive in an above-ground stock tank in Chicago that is too
heavy (read I am too lazy) to move and store, and want to put in a heater and
coer the whole thing with white foam insulation board. I'm not worried about
the rosy reds and feeder goldfish that were in there to eat mosquitoes, but
want to prevent solid freezing.
Thanks!



Ive used 250+ watt sub. heaters in outside stock tanks but it
just barely worked even w/ 4" insulation around the tanks.


a 500 or 1000 watt "fireplug" may work but it needs a sm. pump



--
http://www.kencofish.com Ken Arnold,
401-781-9642 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

I used to use the type of heater that you put in a dogs outdoor watering
bowl bucket for a few years (BIG water bucket - people who had Piranees left
them at our house) and it worked fine but after they died (the heaters) I
didn't replace them because I decide that if I wanted the fish to go without
food that I should probably let them have cold temperatures....

DK

"KenCo" wrote in message
...
EliezerE wrote:

I have read of people's varying experience with putting a submersible
aquarium
heater in an outdoor pond over the winter. I think Ingrid did it
succesfully.
Can anyone provide personal experiences, what to do and not to do? I am
trying
to keep a lotus alive in an above-ground stock tank in Chicago that is
too
heavy (read I am too lazy) to move and store, and want to put in a
heater and
coer the whole thing with white foam insulation board. I'm not worried
about
the rosy reds and feeder goldfish that were in there to eat mosquitoes,
but
want to prevent solid freezing.
Thanks!



Ive used 250+ watt sub. heaters in outside stock tanks but it
just barely worked even w/ 4" insulation around the tanks.


a 500 or 1000 watt "fireplug" may work but it needs a sm. pump



--
http://www.kencofish.com Ken Arnold,
401-781-9642 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

yeah, I still got the 500 watt going, temp was 52 or so last I looked. got the
plastic up and over the pond to limit evaporation and losing heat. look... everybody
and their brother keeps stock tanks open to water livestock. they gotta have a
heater will do it. for smallish ponds I use a heater + small water pump and it works
fine. all you have to do is keep the water liquid. I think what you plan will work
fine. Ingrid

ode (EliezerE) wrote:

I have read of people's varying experience with putting a submersible aquarium
heater in an outdoor pond over the winter. I think Ingrid did it succesfully.
Can anyone provide personal experiences, what to do and not to do? I am trying
to keep a lotus alive in an above-ground stock tank in Chicago that is too
heavy (read I am too lazy) to move and store, and want to put in a heater and
coer the whole thing with white foam insulation board. I'm not worried about
the rosy reds and feeder goldfish that were in there to eat mosquitoes, but
want to prevent solid freezing.
Thanks!



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

Thank you all-- though once again I have the whole range from ice cubes to
jacuzzi. Knowing that some have done it succesfully is encouraging. I'll try
the foam board and plastic. Here's looking forward to spring's first lotus
leaf.
Eliezer

"EliezerE" wrote in message
...
Thank you all-- though once again I have the whole range from ice cubes to
jacuzzi. Knowing that some have done it succesfully is encouraging. I'll
try
the foam board and plastic. Here's looking forward to spring's first
lotus
leaf.
Eliezer

The other part of the equation that wasn't discussed, was cost. If my
math is correct, it will cost about $20 per month to run a 500 watt heater,
assuming about 6cents per KWhr and 30 days per month.
(500/1000*24*0.06*30 = 21.6).

I realize that it might be difficult to move it indoors, but if it must stay
outside, then that is going to be one very valuable Lotus plant.

Jerry

Ideally one only plugs in the heater when the conditions warrant it.
Therein keeping the costs down ) ~ jan

The other part of the equation that wasn't discussed, was cost. If my
math is correct, it will cost about $20 per month to run a 500 watt heater,
assuming about 6cents per KWhr and 30 days per month.
(500/1000*24*0.06*30 = 21.6).

I realize that it might be difficult to move it indoors, but if it must stay
outside, then that is going to be one very valuable Lotus plant.

Jerry


See my ponds thru the seasons and/or my filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

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

I would add insulation to the outside of the container. The lotus roots
tend to go in a circle around the perimeter of the pot. The water may stay
liquid, but the soil near the pot sides may freeze. Good luck.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"EliezerE" wrote in message
...
Thank you all-- though once again I have the whole range from ice cubes to
jacuzzi. Knowing that some have done it succesfully is encouraging. I'll
try
the foam board and plastic. Here's looking forward to spring's first
lotus
leaf.
Eliezer

uh... I guess I dont understand about freezing and lotus then cause they grow in zone
4, in shallow lakes that gotta freeze all the way down. maybe they dont like
freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw cycles like lots of other potted plants? Ingrid

"RichToyBox" wrote:

I would add insulation to the outside of the container. The lotus roots
tend to go in a circle around the perimeter of the pot. The water may stay
liquid, but the soil near the pot sides may freeze. Good luck.



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