De icer recommendation

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I’m looking for a recommendation for a good small pond de-icer (2k gallon pond). I live in zone 5.

thanks
 
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I don't have a pond breather, but having used a de-icer over the years I don't recommend it. The problem we have had with ours is it won't sit upright in the pond. It's a design flaw with how it's weighted or where the cord is or something. And unless the bottom of the unit is in contact with the ice it's useless. If you have an iced over pond and set it on the ice, it will melt through. But if you try to be pro-active and put it in the pond before it freezes to keep the pond from icing over, it's like a Weeble - it wobbles. Haha! I don't know the actual brand we have - there's no branding on it, oddly. I've seen others that are more disc shaped that would sit flatter on the pond, so those might do better.

If I were going to replace my de-icer, I would choose a pond breather instead.
 
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This is the one I've had the most success with:
And, though technically my pond is 'too big' for the unit, I just keep it anchored right in front of the skimmer (by hooking the cord over a branch laid across the opening). That makes sure to keep open water right in front of the skimmer for the pump. Otherwise, we keep the waterfalls running, which keeps the necessary hole open in the ice.
 
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I have used the K&H pond deicer for many years. It is thermostatically controlled. I put it in the water and plug it in before the water freezes. To stop the "weeble wobble" that Lisa stated, I tie a thin string to opposite sides of the deicer and secure the other ends of the strings to opposite sides of the shore. This also helps to keep it in place where I want it to stay for the winter. I think the "weeble wobble" is caused by the electrical cord.
Be aware that I use the 250 watt model which is great for keeping the perfect hole in the ice. I once had a 750 watt model, but it was way too powerful. It kept a big open area of water in the ice.

I tried the pond breather and it might just be a coincidence, but I lost one of my really big koi that winter. Probably just a coincidence though. When I pulled the pond breather out of the pond in the spring, the main tube broke off, so it's out of commission anyway. I guess I was a little too rough with it. I tried to epoxy it together, but it didn't work out.
 
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the "weeble wobble" is caused by the electrical cord.

Exactly correct. Like I said - design flaw. You shouldn't have to rig it to get it to stand upright. They needed to weight it better or counterbalance it or something.

@BKHpondcritters - that's the type I was referring too. Doesn't look "top heavy" like mine.
 

j.w

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@tuan515
I don't use one, just my waterfall but I am in a warmer zone. Some here use the Pond Breather w/good results. Others use the floating deicer heaters that work well for them.
 

addy1

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I just use the pond breather, we have either warm or cold winters, sometimes ice on the pond is deep other times I never even turn the breather on.
 

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