My pond has some thick ice on it now. The bubbler held it off for a while but now its completely frozen over with just the pond breather running. I noticed that my area will be seeing some mild weather this week ( a few degrees above 0 C), I was thinking of opening a hole in the ice and run the bubbler for a few days. I have a raised pond with 50% of the water volume being above ground, as this is my first winter with the pond I am a bit concerned that it may freeze completely solid like one giant ice cube. I have two theories and I would like some other experience pond owners two coppers on this.
Since the ice is now acting like an insulator for the warmer water below;
A - would I be allowing more heat to escape and therefore be contributing to more ice thickness if I open another hole? Should I just leave it all closed up and let the breather do its job?
B - Or would opening a hole in the ice and allowing a bubbler to aerate the water for a few days be more beneficial for the fish?
Since the ice is now acting like an insulator for the warmer water below;
A - would I be allowing more heat to escape and therefore be contributing to more ice thickness if I open another hole? Should I just leave it all closed up and let the breather do its job?
B - Or would opening a hole in the ice and allowing a bubbler to aerate the water for a few days be more beneficial for the fish?
