New Pond Roof for Winter

[revchristinejday]

For the past 5 years, I have constructed a small "green house" out of old storm window to protect my pond during the winter and run two harbor freight pumps (always afraid of one failing). But last year we had so much snow that it was difficult for me to look into the pond to make sure everything was all right.

So this year using high school geometry I has a friend who had a miter box construct two peaks, which we wrapped in thick plastic and attached to two of the former top windows. We then hinged two storm windows together for each side of the roof and attached them to the peak. Since the roof is hinged, I can lift up a side to do whatever needs to be done.

 

[revchristinejday]

Let's try photos this way

 

[Tula]

Looks great! I think the pitch of the windows will aide in the snow sliding off.

 

[cnyle]

I really like your idea. I have been thinking about a covering for my pond as well. How cold has it been in your area so far? And if its been below freezing, how did the greenhouse perform?

 

[j.w]

Pretty cool!

 

[revchristinejday]

Sorry for the late response, but I am clergy and well, it's the 4th week of Advent and Christmas is...
Let's see we are in zone 5b = lowest temperature being -10 through -15 F. There's usually 1-2 weeks of weather below 0 F. The snowfall ranges from about 70"-117". The pond is in a protected corner. The deepest part of the pond is 24" and the rest is 18"--the bare minimum in this area. The two pumps keep the surface from freezing solid. One day last winter it did freeze over, but I opened a hole over one of the pumps with some hot water...The greenhouse-type covering has worked well for me--primarily because it lets me see how the pumps are doing and that there's a hole in the ice. When it gets to spring, I can open it and start to acclimate the fish to the warmer temps, etc.

Chris

 

[revchristinejday]

Sorry for the late reply, but I'm clergy and it's the 4th week of Advent!

Let's see we are in zone 5b = lowest temperature being -10 through -15 F. There's usually 1-2 weeks of weather below 0 F. The snowfall ranges from 70"-117". The pond is in a protected corner. The deepest p[art of the pond is 24" and the rest is 18"--the bare minimum in this area. The two pumps keep the surface from freezing solid. One day last winter it did freeze over, but I opened a hole over one of the pumps with some hot water...The green-house-type covering has worked well for me: I can see that the pumps are working and if there's a hole in the ice. Plus when spring comes I can open the top and gradually acclimate the fish to the warmer weather and protect it from cold spells,

Chris

 

[callingcolleen1]

Looks like you put lots of thought and work into asembing the greenhouse.

Years ago I made a similar structure but mine was made of clear poly. The winters here are long and by spring I discovered white mold or fungas growing under the water, on the walls and even on the fish. Plastic poly not as good as glass cause the strongest spectrum of sun is filtered by poly and allowed the fungas to grow. Once I removed the dome the sun rid the pond naturally of that fungus and mold and even the fish were fine once the strong sun got rid of it.

Now I just leave it exposed and allow the ice to cover pond as I think sun shines better through the ice than it does through the poly. I leave my pumps running and have a heater. No more mold ever since that 20 years ago.

You should be fine cause yours has glass and maybe your winters not as long as up here.

 

[Dave 54]

Hey Rev Chris have you thought about double glazing your green house with polycarbonate roffing sheets we live in Plymouth in the UK and use them each winter even down as low as -10c we maintain a temperature of 7c keeping the water fluid and the fish slow but active and not sitting on the bottom of the pond which can and does cause horrific ulcers if they do for prolonged periods .
You could probably get them cut to size and the rest as they say is easy .
Would you happen to know what temperature you maintain through the winter with your current setup ?

Dave

 

[revchristinejday]

Hi Dave, I have been thinking of using some of the sheeting to double glaze the the bottom frames. But that will have to wait to a summer project (along with re-puttying the windows and painting the window frames).

I don't really know how cold the water gets. It is probably frozen across, except for the area for about a month in January into February. November & December, February-April probably in the mid-high 30's F and the water is as you said fluid. The fish are slow but active. I suspect they don't spend much time really bottom sitting.
Chris

 

[sissy]

I have always run 2 pumps the you never know when one will quit on you .The first year of my preformed pond my 1 puump died before i was able to find another one and it scared me .It was 100 degrees out and I live in rural area .All my pumps were mostly harbor freight and had pretty good luck with them .But went with laguna after i saw the energy savings .The last one I had was the 2150 and a 1200 gph ones .But pond now is around 5000 gallons so not big enough .I had something chew through my liner last winter and had to replace liner .So decided to go bigger

 

[sissy]

You could get a pond heater or pond breather .I have a heater but several on here have the breather and like them also if you pull your pump closer to the top of the water and let it pump up it will keep an opening as long as it does not get to cold

 

[callingcolleen1]

My fish sit on the bottom of pond all winter long during extreme cold, for months on end, like sometimes our winters can last from October to March, in some of the coldest winters on the planet! (below minus 40!) We do get nice chinooks winds from time to time to help break up the long cold winter, but I have never seen these horrific ulcers that you speak of Dave 54? May be something else is causing the sores? Maybe I do not get them on my fish cause my water is moving all winter long?