Pond Breather Creating Ice Cone

[Redbird]

I purchased a pond breather for my first pond winter and it now has created an ice cone almost to the top of the tube. It’s working as I see water moving inside. I’ve seen other similar posts but nothing about how to fix - did I not put the top on correctly or is this just something that happens with all pond breathers in really cold climates like MN? My concern is this will continue to displace water from my pond beneath formed ice to top of ice

 

[Tula]

I believe it's fine, but will also also allow other members to chime in

 

[mrsclem]

As long as the water is flowing inside the tube, it should be fine. The black tube is a 40w heater that keeps the water from freezing.

 

[Redbird]

Water is definitely moving...just don’t understand how this ice cone is forming if there’s not coming from top cap/or it’s functioning properly. Guess we’ll see...really cold temps won’t be here for several weeks.
Appreciate the feedback

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I've had that happen before, nothing bad has come from it. I am surprised by how much of your breather is under ice, though as long as the top is exposed it should be fine.

 

[JamieB]

Which part of MN? I’ve got an uncle that recently moved from Grand Rapids ND to Grand Rapids MN, same town just different state! Lol. And I used to live up north of Duluth as a kid. God I miss the pines, and the wild blue berries.

 

[Ronfire]

It looks like part of the heating element is outside the tube, mine is all inside the tube. I think it should be inside the tube but hard to change it now until spring.
Wonder if this makes the difference.

 

[Redbird]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback on what you did. Instructions clearly reference hearing cord outside gas exchange tube so I didn’t change anything with how I received it pre assembled in package. Yours is a good tip however and I do feel this is related to cold temps we experience in MN that is created some type of freezing and overflow from the cap or bubbling up from below the base and belching water up thru the center of this ice cone to cause the cone to continue to grow. Earlier in winter when it was doze in light ice I would see a big air bubble come from below the base to the ice surface around the base. Regardless, thanks again and if this makes it thru the next 2 months I’ll retrofit it to what you have for next winter

 

[brokensword]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback on what you did. Instructions clearly reference hearing cord outside gas exchange tube so I didn’t change anything with how I received it pre assembled in package. Yours is a good tip however and I do feel this is related to cold temps we experience in MN that is created some type of freezing and overflow from the cap or bubbling up from below the base and belching water up thru the center of this ice cone to cause the cone to continue to grow. Earlier in winter when it was doze in light ice I would see a big air bubble come from below the base to the ice surface around the base. Regardless, thanks again and if this makes it thru the next 2 months I’ll retrofit it to what you have for next winter

I agree with Ronfire; wire should be inside the largest tube. Pic below show this;

Breathers and aerators

I was researching aerators and read that someone lost fish using an aerator. I am really sorry the person lost the fish. How terrible and heartbreaking. :( I thought about getting an aerator, but not at the risk of harming the fish. How did the fish die by using an aerator? How is a breather...

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Pond Breather Leaking

Has anyone else had an issue with their pond breather leaking water onto the ice? In the pic its hard to see but water is slowly but continuously leaking from the breather onto the ice. The ice around the breather is about an inch higher than the rest of the pond as the slow leak eventually freezes.

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