How to calculate gallons in a pond?

[Marie]

My pond is 12x8 feet. Deepest part is 4 feet with some shelves along the edges of pond. I was guessing around 1000.

 

[Lisak1]

Your pond may be closer to 2000 gallons @Marie - which is good news in terms of the number of fish you have!

 

[Marie]

That's good news. Still am rehoming the babies. I have a waterfall also and live in zone 5. Didn't think I could run it in the winter. The pump I have is submersible, wouldn't it ruin the pump? Still undecided about how I am going to winterize, need to make up my mind, winter is coming soon.

 

[morewater]

My pond is 12x8 feet. Deepest part is 4 feet with some shelves along the edges of pond. I was guessing around 1000.

Bad guess, try 2500g

 

[tbendl]

http://www.apifishcare.com/help-calculator.php
http://www.pondvolumecalculator.com/
Here's 2 links to calculate your volume.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

1750 - 2000 gallons.

 

[brokensword]

Marie; I also live in zone 5 and this is what I do; last year I put in a pond breather (go to the Winterizing forum and look for threads about the pond breather, if you're interested) and also augment that with an aerator suspended about a foot below the surface (I've read NOT to place it at/near the bottom). And just for emergencies, I bought a cattle trough heater to melt a hole if I need to. The idea is to try and keep a hole open in the ice so any toxic gases that might build up are released. The aerator isn't to provide oxygen, it's just one way to keep a hole open. Since Michigan had such hard winters the past two years, I found I needed the pond breather too when the ice pinched/cracked my airline. Depending on fish load, organic decomposition load and surface area, having the pond covered by ice isn't necessarily a bad thing. Once the water temp hits 39 deg F, the water will invert and the coldest water then is at the surface, not at the bottom where your fish will hang out. I've also read that it's a good idea to clear the snow away so sunlight can penetrate the ice. Re your pump; mine is a submersible and I unplug it as the ice begins forming and leave it in the pond near the bottom. It'll be fine stored that way.

 

[DoDad]

I also makes a difference what shape the pond is round, square etc.

 

[morewater]

I also makes a difference what shape the pond is round, square etc.

I'd assumed a rough rectangle with an average depth of 3.5', taking into account the shelves around the perimeter.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Whether or not the sides of the pond are rocked or bare liner greatly affects total capacity.

 

[morewater]

Whether or not the sides of the pond are rocked or bare liner greatly affects total capacity.

Displacement obviously plays a major role in determining total volume, and as there was no information provided in the original post as to the perimeter, I opted for maximum capacity. Just shy of 2500g is about right, in my estimation.