My aerator (bubbler) froze over!

[joesandy1822]

Help please . . .

We have been getting some pretty cold temperatures here, for this time of year at least. It's been dropping to around 10 degrees at night, maybe even lower. Several times I've had to go out and open up the ice hole because the aerator had frozen over. The ice was very thin those times, so just a little tap did the trick. No pounding or anything that would harm the fish. However, today, it is REALLY frozen shut. Like a dummy, I put it out about 3' from the edge of the pond when I put it in this fall, so getting out to it to pour hot water onto is not gonna happen. These are things I'm learning since this is my first pond. I assumed the aerator would do the job and I wouldn't have to worry about it freezing over, or I would have put it right against the side of the pond to begin with.

What to do? Maybe I will take some type of pipe and run hot water through it to the aerator. Once I get it melted enough, maybe I can reposition it close to the side of the pond so if this happens again, I can easily just dump a tea kettle full of boiling water onto the ice to open it up again.

By the way, the aerator is a heavy duty model made for this purpose. It's not one of those wimpy little air pumps made for an aquarium, so I know it's putting out enough air to do the job. I guess it's just too cold to keep up. Maybe I should have floated the stone closer to the surface, but directions said to put it about halfway down the depth, which is about 16" below the surface. Does the shape of the air-stone matter? I just used what came in the box with the pump.

Thanks for any suggestions,

Sandy

 

[sissy]

good question and I think that is why some people use a pond heater also .2 together would work .

 

[joesandy1822]

good question and I think that is why some people use a pond heater also .2 together would work .

Ya, I'm sure that would work sissy. The original reason I chose the aerator was because I thought it would be a lot more energy efficient (i.e. CHEAP) to keep running during the long winter. I guess I may have to invest in one after all, and maybe just run it when absolutely necessary.

I've read that you don't have to really worry about the hole freezing up unless it stays frozen for over a week or two. I'm just afraid if I don't get it opened up now, the ice will get too thick and then I will have a real problem getting it open.

 

[sissy]

thats what most do ,I know I only run it when I really need but I got a 250 watt one on sale at petmountain but sure wish they sold 100 watt ones .you can use a pan with boiling water in it and just hold it on top of the ice for now

 

[dieselplower]

Hi Joesandy. What part of MI are you from if you dont mind me asking? I am right near Kalamazoo. What I have done the past 2 years is run a water pump shooting water up and above the surface a couple inches. I have yet to have it freeze over. One thing about running an air pump is that although your water may be 32*, you are putting outside air into the pond. In Kalamazoo that would mean that for the last few days, I would have been pumping single digit air into the pond, which could actually cool the pond below 32*. Moving water can get colder than 32*. This is not helping you at all. You are right though that the air pump is the cheapest to operate, and that if it ices over for a few days or a week, it should not be an issue. One thing you could try rather than pounding on the ice is to drill a hole through it will a cordless drill with a long bit. You could pour hot water onto that to open it up more. I have not found a need for a heater.

 

[Tula]

Hmmmmmm…..I'm thinking it may be time for me to add my pond deicer….I'm just running my air pump now, but it has been unseasonable cold this season. Kim

 

[Event Horizon]

My bubbler freezes over every year and I don't do anything about it. My take on it is that if the bubbler is working underneath, air with the gasses you want to escape have to be seeping out somewhere. If it were 100% air tight it would eventually blow!

 

[sissy]

Water pumping straight up will cool the water just as fast .You are pumping water up into colder air which cools it off more .

 

[dieselplower]

Really? Then why is my pond still open and theirs is closed?

 

[sissy]

could be where your pond is located also .Just like here my pond is in full sun my neighbors is in mostly shade and she has a thin layer of ice across her pond during the early morning hours .I have no ice .She called me because she wanted to know if she should shut down her filter .

 

[dieselplower]

I guess the OP will have to decide for themself if they think bringing the cold air a foot down into the pond will cool the pond more than pumping the water a couple inches above the surface. I don't think either of us is going to do a science experiment to prove either way.

 

[haver79]

We have been having single digits temps and even gotten to 4 below at night for about 2 weeks now. Cheapie aerator still going, butttttt also been running my 1500 watt heater above it.
Been plugged in now for almost 2 weeks. Yikes Im scared to get my next months electric bill. It is working good but I should get a lower wattage heater to run on days when it is a bit warmer.
Doubt in the temps we have been having the bubbler alone would keep it open.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Its crazy how cold it is. We had -8° the other night with -25° windchill. That rarely happens here, and its usually not until January. With temps like these in early December, I'm scared to think what it could be like in another month.

 

[dieselplower]

i like this thread... more and more people posting they have to run aerator and heater

 

[Dave's pond Indiana]

I am located in NW IN and I am using 2 1500 watt heaters and 3 waterfalls and 1 stream to keep my pond open. But whatever works for you is great.