Above ground: To cover or not to cover

[Lardeelion]

Or rather, *how* to cover.

My pond is a 300 gallon stock tank. About 8 inches are below ground, and the rest is above. The tank has a frame built around it, and I've lined the frame with insulation and soil. I kept my goldies alive last winter in a tiny 50g, even through the polar vortex. I had it covered with wood and surrounded with straw. The deicer died during the coldest snap and amazingly a little air pump (and a lot of hot water) kept the tiny pond open enough.

My plan this winter was to cover the bigger pond with some sort of domed frame and a thick plastic to let in light and maybe add the tiniest half-degree of warmth. But my husband showed up with plywood and a tarp to cover it. If I used wood, I'd want to leave a little bit uncovered to check on them. How much light does the pond need?

Thoughts on the best way to winterize this particular pond?

Zone 6b. Northern WV.

Thanks.

 

[Priscilla]

LOL! Sounds like what me and my husband. I have the grand ideas and he shows up with plywood!

 

[Dave 54]

Your best bet is to copy Val and I Lardeelion in that we use polycarbonate roofing sheets to cover our own pond with they can come in differing thicknesses ours on the pond is double glazed .
Even at -15c weve not had ice on the suface of the pond

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

Or rather, *how* to cover.

My pond is a 300 gallon stock tank. About 8 inches are below ground, and the rest is above. The tank has a frame built around it, and I've lined the frame with insulation and soil. I kept my goldies alive last winter in a tiny 50g, even through the polar vortex. I had it covered with wood and surrounded with straw. The deicer died during the coldest snap and amazingly a little air pump (and a lot of hot water) kept the tiny pond open enough.

My plan this winter was to cover the bigger pond with some sort of domed frame and a thick plastic to let in light and maybe add the tiniest half-degree of warmth. But my husband showed up with plywood and a tarp to cover it. If I used wood, I'd want to leave a little bit uncovered to check on them. How much light does the pond need?

Thoughts on the best way to winterize this particular pond?

Zone 6b. Northern WV.

Thanks.

Looking at your pond it would be more than simple to lay a couple of sheets of Polycarbonate roofing sheets on the top of the pond, its flat edged just like our own pond if at all your worried about the cost of this sheeting most recycling yards have it so second hand it doesnt cost the earth.
Once in place atop your pond just a few rocks will hold it down even in the highest winds. A big plus that unlike wood and a tarp its also very light but the best part is it allows natural light through it

Dave

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Your winter set up for last year sounds a lot like what I had to do with my stock tank. Hubby went and bought a piece of plywood and some bales of straw. We put the straw around the tank and then covered them with a tarp (putting bricks on it to hold it down) The plywood went over top of the tank and then bricks on top of that to hold it down as well. I didn't want to completely cover the top of the tank so I had a small part of it left uncovered. On days that is was nice I took the cover off for a little bit to let the fish get some sunlight. I also used an air pump and stock tank heater. The water never froze and it stayed pretty much between 49-54 degrees the entire cold winter. I used a rubbermaid container with a lid that my husband drilled holes in for wires and for air circulation to keep the air pump safe from the elements. Oh almost forgot I also lined the inside of the container with foam material to help insulate it.