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#1
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pond de-icer
I don't suppose you have a link with instructions to the pond de-icer.....
Both of my water heaters (type for keeping outdoor watering hole open) died and I'm fighting a losing battle trying to keep a hole in the ice open. I cannot find an outdoor airbubbler (or whatever they are called) and I'm looking for a temp fix until I do. It is really cold of late on Long Island and pouring boiling water to open up the ice just doesn't make it with this weather. "MsNick1" wrote in message ... Hi Pete, I believe it's me you are trying to reach. Christine and Sadie, dalmatian, Kahlua and her kids, Chip & Skye (chocolate labs), Pete & Bones the Cats, Bandit the parrot, and the Reptile Critters! http://members.aol.com/msnick1/index/index.html |
#2
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pond de-icer
You do not want to keep a hole open using a bubbler, that will cause the temperature of the water to plummet, much below freezing. Your fish are ok during the winter, they can handle water that is 32 degrees, but not water that drops belore 10 degrees. On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 15:20:02 -0500, "D Kat" wrote: I don't suppose you have a link with instructions to the pond de-icer..... Both of my water heaters (type for keeping outdoor watering hole open) died and I'm fighting a losing battle trying to keep a hole in the ice open. I cannot find an outdoor airbubbler (or whatever they are called) and I'm looking for a temp fix until I do. It is really cold of late on Long Island and pouring boiling water to open up the ice just doesn't make it with this weather. "MsNick1" wrote in message ... Hi Pete, I believe it's me you are trying to reach. Christine and Sadie, dalmatian, Kahlua and her kids, Chip & Skye (chocolate labs), Pete & Bones the Cats, Bandit the parrot, and the Reptile Critters! http://members.aol.com/msnick1/index/index.html |
#3
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pond de-icer
Many people use cheap aquarium pumps to keep a small area
of the pond open during the winter. It is said that this allows unwanted/harmfull gasses to escape from the pond. Howard "Bill Marcy" wrote in message ... You do not want to keep a hole open using a bubbler, that will cause the temperature of the water to plummet, much below freezing. Your fish are ok during the winter, they can handle water that is 32 degrees, but not water that drops belore 10 degrees. On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 15:20:02 -0500, "D Kat" wrote: I don't suppose you have a link with instructions to the pond de-icer..... Both of my water heaters (type for keeping outdoor watering hole open) died and I'm fighting a losing battle trying to keep a hole in the ice open. I cannot find an outdoor airbubbler (or whatever they are called) and I'm looking for a temp fix until I do. It is really cold of late on Long Island and pouring boiling water to open up the ice just doesn't make it with this weather. "MsNick1" wrote in message ... Hi Pete, I believe it's me you are trying to reach. Christine and Sadie, dalmatian, Kahlua and her kids, Chip & Skye (chocolate labs), Pete & Bones the Cats, Bandit the parrot, and the Reptile Critters! http://members.aol.com/msnick1/index/index.html |
#4
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pond de-icer
I am using the cheap aquarium air pump, I am in zone 5, temps have between 2
and 20 degrees f. I keep the airtube about 4 to 6 inches below surface and my water temp stays right at 31 or 32, just don't go to deep or you can super chill the water. I have hole about 15 inches across all winter, so far 2 winters now with it in a coffee can turned upside down, works perfectly, have a heater just incase but haven't had to use it yet....Claude |
#5
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pond de-icer
Both of my water heaters (type for keeping outdoor watering hole open) died
and I'm fighting a losing battle trying to keep a hole in the ice open. I have horses and bought the same heater that I use in the water tanks. It floats on top of the pond. I tied it off with light cotton rope to keep in the middle of the pond. Paid $35. Works great. |
#6
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pond de-icer
What did ponds do for the billions of years before anyone thought to keep an opening in it? Fish are designed to survive the winter. Relax. On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 14:43:09 -0700, "Howard" (remove XYZ) wrote: Many people use cheap aquarium pumps to keep a small area of the pond open during the winter. It is said that this allows unwanted/harmfull gasses to escape from the pond. Howard "Bill Marcy" wrote in message .. . You do not want to keep a hole open using a bubbler, that will cause the temperature of the water to plummet, much below freezing. Your fish are ok during the winter, they can handle water that is 32 degrees, but not water that drops belore 10 degrees. On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 15:20:02 -0500, "D Kat" wrote: I don't suppose you have a link with instructions to the pond de-icer..... Both of my water heaters (type for keeping outdoor watering hole open) died and I'm fighting a losing battle trying to keep a hole in the ice open. I cannot find an outdoor airbubbler (or whatever they are called) and I'm looking for a temp fix until I do. It is really cold of late on Long Island and pouring boiling water to open up the ice just doesn't make it with this weather. "MsNick1" wrote in message ... Hi Pete, I believe it's me you are trying to reach. Christine and Sadie, dalmatian, Kahlua and her kids, Chip & Skye (chocolate labs), Pete & Bones the Cats, Bandit the parrot, and the Reptile Critters! http://members.aol.com/msnick1/index/index.html |
#7
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pond de-icer
On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 20:49:21 GMT, Bill Marcy
wrote: You do not want to keep a hole open using a bubbler, that will cause the temperature of the water to plummet, much below freezing. Your fish are ok during the winter, they can handle water that is 32 degrees, but not water that drops belore 10 degrees. Welcome aboard Bill, I'm so glad you cleared that up! |
#8
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pond de-icer
I love the theory Bill, but wouldn't a big pond be a lot less affected by
gases than our "making an assumption here" smaller, say 500 to 2000 gallon ponds. I would love to think your right, and I'm not saying your not, just going by what pretty much "assumption again" everyone here has said post after post. I guess the question here would be has anyone ever lost any fishies do to the pond freezing over, not solid, just frozen top layer so no gases could escape........I am a rookie here at best, only a year or so's experience, not arguing here, if there's no need, cool sign me up. Just don't want my fishies mad at me......Claude |
#9
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pond de-icer
Claude, You are absolutely right in your deductions.
Bill is really off-base in his rather Demanding tone that fish will be okay in an iced over pond - and for us to Relax. Who in hell does he think he is? I have only been ponding since 1994 so I don't know everything. But one year we had a prolonged period of horribly cold weather. I lost several to many goldfish... about 3 inches long. The bottom of my pond was not all that clean either. I learned from books and articles (before I stumbled on this group) on the situation. All advice was to keep a hole open in the pond - the advice was to use a pan of boiling water to get a hole open in the pond and to maintain it. I bought a De-Icer from a farm equipment place - and cleaned the bottom of the pond. Then I found out about CSA/BZT powder. Kept up the maintenance doses. No more losses. You can draw your own conclusions. Nedra in Missouri http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836 http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118 "Claude" wrote in message ... I love the theory Bill, but wouldn't a big pond be a lot less affected by gases than our "making an assumption here" smaller, say 500 to 2000 gallon ponds. I would love to think your right, and I'm not saying your not, just going by what pretty much "assumption again" everyone here has said post after post. I guess the question here would be has anyone ever lost any fishies do to the pond freezing over, not solid, just frozen top layer so no gases could escape........I am a rookie here at best, only a year or so's experience, not arguing here, if there's no need, cool sign me up. Just don't want my fishies mad at me......Claude |
#10
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pond de-icer
Bill wrote What did ponds do for the billions of years before anyone thought
to keep an opening in it? Fish are designed to survive the winter. Relax Mother Nature handled those ponds and she did not get it right all the time. Even natural ponds can have fish kill over the winter. We all have a relatively small body of water, lots of plants and lots of fish - there ain't nothin' natural about our ponds. Keep a hole open in the ice for safety! k30a |
#11
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pond de-icer
Claude wrote:
I love the theory Bill, but wouldn't a big pond be a lot less affected by gases than our "making an assumption here" smaller, say 500 to 2000 gallon ponds. I would love to think your right, and I'm not saying your not, just going by what pretty much "assumption again" everyone here has said post after post. I guess the question here would be has anyone ever lost any fishies do to the pond freezing over, not solid, just frozen top layer so no gases could escape........I am a rookie here at best, only a year or so's experience, not arguing here, if there's no need, cool sign me up. Just don't want my fishies mad at me......Claude Yes, I lost all my fish. It was a very cold winter with a very heavy snow load. I tried to keep an opening in the ice by putting a tea kettle on it daily to melt the ice. Then we had a blizzard and the snow load from the porch roof went on top of the pond, I had to let the snow melt before I could get to the fish. When that finally happened all my fish were dead. That was a horrible experience that I would wish on no one! -- Bonnie NJ |
#12
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pond de-icer
[original post is likely clipped to save bandwidth]
On Tue, 28 Jan 2003 01:28:42 GMT, Bill Marcy wrote: What did ponds do for the billions of years before anyone thought to keep an opening in it? Fish are designed to survive the winter. Yes, but EDPM has not been around for billions of years. It doesn't allow gasses to escape via soil. gerry -- Personal home page - http://gogood.com gerry misspelled in my email address to confuse robots |
#13
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pond de-icer
[original post is likely clipped to save bandwidth]
On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 20:49:21 GMT, Bill Marcy wrote: You do not want to keep a hole open using a bubbler, that will cause the temperature of the water to plummet, much below freezing. Your fish are ok during the winter, they can handle water that is 32 degrees, but not water that drops belore 10 degrees. If the water is still liquid, it is at least 32 degrees. I agree, fish can't survive being frozen solid (1below 32). gerry -- Personal home page - http://gogood.com gerry misspelled in my email address to confuse robots |
#14
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pond de-icer
I didn't have a problem with Bill's tone... You seem a bit on edge though...
winter getting to you or is it the politics ? "Nedra" wrote in message hlink.net... Claude, You are absolutely right in your deductions. Bill is really off-base in his rather Demanding tone that fish will be okay in an iced over pond - and for us to Relax. Who in hell does he think he is? I have only been ponding since 1994 so I don't know everything. But one year we had a prolonged period of horribly cold weather. I lost several to many goldfish... about 3 inches long. The bottom of my pond was not all that clean either. I learned from books and articles (before I stumbled on this group) on the situation. All advice was to keep a hole open in the pond - the advice was to use a pan of boiling water to get a hole open in the pond and to maintain it. I bought a De-Icer from a farm equipment place - and cleaned the bottom of the pond. Then I found out about CSA/BZT powder. Kept up the maintenance doses. No more losses. You can draw your own conclusions. Nedra in Missouri http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836 http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118 "Claude" wrote in message ... I love the theory Bill, but wouldn't a big pond be a lot less affected by gases than our "making an assumption here" smaller, say 500 to 2000 gallon ponds. I would love to think your right, and I'm not saying your not, just going by what pretty much "assumption again" everyone here has said post after post. I guess the question here would be has anyone ever lost any fishies do to the pond freezing over, not solid, just frozen top layer so no gases could escape........I am a rookie here at best, only a year or so's experience, not arguing here, if there's no need, cool sign me up. Just don't want my fishies mad at me......Claude |
#15
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pond de-icer
I'm getting into this discussion late and have been a lurker, but I feel I must comment about fish survival under ice. It all has to do with OXYGEN, rarely being frozen solid. Any body of water which freezes over and does not allow for production of or free oxygen exchange from the air will have low oxygen content resulting in a fish kill. Here in northern Wisconsin, we have frequent winter kill in some of our lakes. When does this happen? It happens when we have early ice cover followed by thick blankets of snow retarding or even eliminating light penetration. (The ice doesn't even need to be very thick.) Without light the algae (still alive and functioning) are unable to produce oxygen and the organic matter in the water/sediment causes an oxygen demand on the water due to microbial action. The net result is winter kill. How can we prevent it? Get oxygen into the water. How? Naturally it occurs when flowing water enters the lake carrying with it some oxygen. Also, spring holes may keep the ice from forming. What can we do? Keep the lake open by aerating (very commonly done here) either using compressed air or some mechanical devise powered by electricity or by air (wind). I pass a lake not too far from my house which has had periodic freeze outs for the past several decades. Two years ago, an aerator was installed to keep the lake open and to aerate the water. Since then we have seen no fish kills and the newly stocked populations of game fish are thriving. Now in our area we commonly have 24 inches + of ice on most of our lakes, so shallow artificial ponds would be expected to freeze solid, or nearly so. Without question this would kill the fish. So in our area we would expect to need to heat the water to keep it open and unfrozen. In fact, most of the people I know who have garden ponds remove the fish and sensitive aquatic plants and over-winter them in the house and don't worry about keeping the water unfrozen. My $0.02. Bill -- Bill and Nancy Weiler Tony, Wisconsin http://home.centurytel.net/spinandfish/spinandfish |
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