winter evaporation

[micaaronfl76]

as im always worried about a leak...

500 gallon pond

i have the waterfall turned off but i still have the uv light working with a small pump.

i also have an aquascape bubbler that has two bubblers both are across the pond from each other.

i also have a cheap tetra pond floating heater.

i am seeing some water loss, not alot maybe a quarter inch. its freezing here and were getting alot of wind.

do u guys see loss in the winter? is it due to wind? could the bubblers be contributing.

the floating heater is only supposed to go on when their is ice, but i can tell the way the fish hang around it that its on almost all of the time, even when the water temps are over 32 degrees. (i am ordering a new one)

 

[sissy]

Uv lights are not made for colder waters the bulb and the quartz glass tube may crack .If there is no ice I don't plug mine in .I don't really lose water in the winter .But if the uv cracked you could be loosing water through that

 

[micaaronfl76]

i meant to get the uv light out before it got cold but i didnt and now the trap door that its under is sealed shut due to ice. also the floating heater is right now where the uv pump intake is so i believe that may keep the water temp a little warmer

i was reading that wind can play a major part and where the pond is there is alot of swirling wind due to the house.

 

[MitchM]

If you have open water, you'll have evaporation.
I use a pond breather which allows for a solid ice cover with no evaporation but maintains a healthy level of aeration.

 

[Lisak1]

do u guys see loss in the winter? is it due to wind?

We sometimes get more evaporation in winter than summer - my theory is the air is so dry is just sucks the water right up. I know... the brain of a scientist! Wind is another factor.

Why are you always worrying about a leak?

 

[micaaronfl76]

pond breather i never heard of that before.

the reason im weird about it is that the pond is up against the side of the house and im always worried about a leak that could potentially leak into the basement

 

[MitchM]

This is the pond breather I'm talking about:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...18057&t=1&ref=4138&subref=AA&cmpid=PPC-B-4138


We have a thread about it here:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/pond-breather.15976/

 

[j.w]

We get evaporation but we get so much rain it isn't funny.....................it really isn't funny, no laughing

 

[Meyer Jordan]

We sometimes get more evaporation in winter than summer - my theory is the air is so dry is just sucks the water right up. I know... the brain of a scientist! Wind is another factor.

Why are you always worrying about a leak?

Lisak1 is spot on. Winter air is always drier and will initiate evaporation. Add to this the ever present winter wind and evaporation could be sizable. What saves most ponds is ice-over. Even then a certain amount of evaporation does occur. Yes, ice can evaporate if the wind is strong enough, though it is hardly ever a problem causing amount. 1/4" evaporation is hardy worth worrying about. In the summer, it is normal for me to lose 2"-3" per day.

 

[Lisak1]

What saves most ponds is ice-over.

True - however, you don't want to assume that the ice level is the same as the water level. The ice can be suspended above the actual water level if it forms in a solid sheet from edge to edge on the ledges of your pond. Does that make sense? Happened to our pond last year - we realized it as the ice started melting from the center of the pond.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

True - however, you don't want to assume that the ice level is the same as the water level. The ice can be suspended above the actual water level if it forms in a solid sheet from edge to edge on the ledges of your pond. Does that make sense? Happened to our pond last year - we realized it as the ice started melting from the center of the pond.

That is because the ice also melts from the bottom up.

 

[Lisak1]

Ahhhh! That makes perfect sense! See... I have the brain of a scientist! It's just not in my head!

 

[Big Lou]

As others have stated your 1/4" water loss is due to evaporation. What I may be concerned about is your pond being along the side of your house. Please post photos.

 

[DrCase]

I am always getting a hose out , I know it's the wind bringing me down

 

[MitchM]

Yes ice evaporates.
If you've noticed how your ice cubes shrink in your freezer, that's an example of ice evaporating.