My aerator (bubbler) froze over!

[koiguy1969]

joesandy... i live close by as you know. you have a decent sized pond. and if i recall, a fairly small fishload. your hole freezing over for a week or 2 shouldnt be a huge problem. my pond is only 1200 gals. i do absolutely nothing for the winters, and until this year i have left fish in the outdoor pond. last year, i left 120 fish 2-3" long in mine. no pump, no aerator, no hole, no nothing. now i'm not saying its not a good idea to use these. just saying i never have and i've never lost a fish. so dont panic.

 

[joesandy1822]

joesandy... i live close by as you know. you have a decent sized pond. and if i recall, a fairly small fishload. your hole freezing over for a week or 2 shouldnt be a huge problem. my pond is only 1200 gals. i do absolutely nothing for the winters, and until this year i have left fish in the outdoor pond. last year, i left 120 fish 2-3" long in mine. no pump, no aerator, no hole, no nothing. now i'm not saying its not a good idea to use these. just saying i never have and i've never lost a fish. so dont panic.

Hi Mark. Yep, 3,000 gallons and only about 20-25 goldies and shubunkins. I checked yesterday and the hole is still open from my intervention a few days ago. I've think I've gone out two or three times so far and reopened it, but I've relaxed a lot since I read several places exactly what you said. Unless it closes and stays that way for more than a week or two, I probably will leave it be and see how we fare in the spring.

Thanks! Looks like we might be getting a bunch of freezing rain over the next few days. Oh joy . . .

 

[callingcolleen1]

I heard something about a wicked winter storm coming that way, hope the freezing rain does not knock the power out! Stay home and stay safe Sandy!

 

[joesandy1822]

I heard something about a wicked winter storm coming that way, hope the freezing rain does not knock the power out! Stay home and stay safe Sandy!

Thanks!! I need to get out there and fill my bird feeders. They are sure going through the food this winter. I think they eat better than we do. I'm sticking close to home, although we have a 10-hour hike coming up next week. Hopefully the bad stuff will clear out before then and stay away for awhile so everybody who has to travel will be safe.

My fish hole is still open. With all the rain, the snow is thawing too. It's warmed up the past couple days. With all the water everywhere, if it freezes, it's gonna be an ice skating rink.

Keep safe, everybody, and Merry Christmas in case I don't get back here before then.

Sandy

 

[addy1]

Thanks!! I need to get out there and fill my bird feeders. They are sure going through the food this winter. I think they eat better than we do. I'm sticking close to home, although we have a 10-hour hike coming up next week. Hopefully the bad stuff will clear out before then and stay away for awhile so everybody who has to travel will be safe.

My fish hole is still open. With all the rain, the snow is thawing too. It's warmed up the past couple days. With all the water everywhere, if it freezes, it's gonna be an ice skating rink.

Keep safe, everybody, and Merry Christmas in case I don't get back here before then.

Sandy

I bought two feeders that hold 18 lbs of food each, They are great, takes the birds one month to empty both of them. No more every other day out to fill them.

 

[Pond skipper]

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.

If what you’re saying is true, can I run my waterfall all winter? Would that keep it open. I was thinking this a few years ago but then remembered that time that Niagara Falls froze.. or would it be better to just reroute one of the waterfall supply hoses so it comes out a few inches above the water? Also, if I’m using my waterfall pump to pump water from the bottom of the pond and then spit it out a couple inches over the water, does that not do the same thing i.e. take warmer water drain the bottom of the pond and have it get colder as it goes back in after being in the air? I’m desperately trying to find a solution as my pond of shallow and I used a pond heater last year and lost all my fish when it was overwhelmed with the cold and froze over anyway.

 

[Ronfire]

I like the "Pond Breather" only uses 40 watts. I run 2 for the winter in case one quits while I am gone .

 

[Lisak1]

remembered that time that Niagara Falls froze

Niagara Falls froze because Lake Erie froze behind it, stopping the water from flowing to the falls (if my memory of history serves me!)

Our waterfall have what appears to be a complete ice cap over it, but the water underneath just keeps on flowing.