cas's pond

[sissy]

Another reason like fantails no babies so far .But I would love a couple

 

[cas]

My neighbors oak tree drops it's leaves from fall until spring, requiring me to keep a net over the pond in the winter. When there is wet heavy snow, the net gets pulled down into the water and freezes. This has never been an issue because my aerator would still keep a hole in the ice. However, I have started to use a pond breather and when the net gets weighed down, it pulls the pond breather under the water (not a good thing).

So what I tried this year was pounding 6 stakes into the ground and then criss-crossing rope tightly over the pond to hold up the net. This did not work. The wet snow was still able to drop the net into the pond.
So what I tried next when the ice thawed, was using 1" PVC to hold the net up over the pond breather. Note to others - a 10 foot length of 1" PVC will bend with the weight of wet snow.
So what I am trying now is the same 1" PVC pipe with wooden broom handles stuffed in the center. I have been lucky so far because the pond has iced over before the net has had a chance to be pulled down.

Does anyone have any other suggestions to try? I wondered about using 2x4's, but I read somewhere that if the wood is treated, the chemicals can leach into the water and kill the fish. Any comments on this?

Here is a picture showing the rope and the PVC over the pond. Note that I am still using the aerator. If the pond breather gets pulled under the water, I can unplug it and then use just the aerator.

 

[MitchM]

Maybe use a 10' length of rebar inside the PVC? Wood would be stiffer than rebar though.
Untreated 2x4 should be fine.
It depends on how many leaves you have falling in your pond I guess.
It's too cold here for oak trees, but we do have a lot of poplar leaves that fall at the same time as snow, so I just let them fall in and clean them out in the spring, maybe.
I have tried a net and got the same results as you, the leaves weighed the net down and the net froze in the pond for the winter.

If that was my pond, I might just use a combination of untreated 2x4 and the net. Make sure you put the 2x4s on edge, not flat.

Or - maybe, place a net on the surface of the pond, cut a hole for the breather, secure the net around the edges, let the leaves fall where they may and pull the net and leaves out together in the spring once the ice is gone.

 

[cas]

Thanks @MitchM . I appreciate your input. So the untreated wood should be OK. Good point - didn't think about the 2x4's being stronger when placed on edge.
Many oak leaves. And they all find their way into the pond if no net.

 

[Tula]

Last winter I used 2 inch PVC pipes and it held my net up. This year I decided to try making a lean to cover , using an old solar cover. Well....we had an epic fail with a 2 inch rain fall !!!

Once we got that mess cleaned up, we tried 2 x 6 untreated lumber in 16 foot runs. So far so good ! It's held up to both snow and rain. I put a few cement blocks on top of the water fall to increase the steepness of the angle and stuff just seems to slide off it.

I peeked under the cover today and can't believe the water is open, given our cold temps. I still run PVC pipes horizontal to the wood and secure my pond breather, aerator and de icer to them.

 

[cas]

Sounds like a good idea @Tula . Do you have any pictures? I would love to see them.

 

[Tula]

I'll take some pics tomorrow....but I warn you, it's not a thing of beauty - Ha ha!

 

[Tula]

This picture shows the slant / angle of the cover. I'm using a pool solar cover we were finished with, so I folded it in half, so it's double thickness. When the PVC failed and we changed to 2 x6 untreated lumber, I raised the height, which meant I needed to add an old tarp over the back.

I warned you, it's not a thing of beauty ! I'll post a couple other pictures, couldn't get them to all load in one post.

 

[Tula]

2 x 6 untreated lumber, in 16 foot runs.

 

[Tula]

Attractive view from my kitchen window - LOL !

 

[sissy]

hey whatever works and it works

 

[Tula]

hey whatever works and it works

I really did this as an experiment and because I had a used solar cover, but I have to say, I'm amazed at the difference of the pond being ice free and the fish, more active.

 

[sissy]

I may have to keep my eye out for one .

 

[addy1]

You are all nicer than me, I leave my pond uncovered and let it freeze.

 

[sissy]

I wonder if my sister still has hers after they had there pool removed .