Reducing container pond temperatures?

[Joshaeus]

Hi everyone! I have noticed that my 15 gallon container water garden (which is situated on a concrete back patio on the south side of my apartment) is regularly getting warmer during the day than both the air temperature and the 72 degree fahrenheit setting on its heater. Just a few minutes ago, I went outside to check on the water garden and discovered that the water temperature was 81 degrees...on a day that never got over the 60's That's great right now, but a similar increase in the middle of summer could be disastrous for any animals I try to put in the water garden, even though the water garden would cool down somewhat at night. What - if anything - can I do to reduce this container pond's temperature? The water garden will have a water lily in it (technically it already has an aquarium water lily, but that's temporary - the final occupant is an Indiana hardy water lily I will be receiving in the mail soon). Thanks

 

[sissy]

sitting on concrete and sun on it and the concrete will over heat anything .The walls of the building will also help heat up the pond

 

[Joshaeus]

sitting on concrete and sun on it and the concrete will over heat anything .The walls of the building will also help heat up the pond

Bummer...may not be a great idea to add fish this year until I am able to see how warm it gets during the summer.

 

[sissy]

If you can raise the pond up off the concrete it may lower the temperature a little but not much .Shade will help also

 

[Joshaeus]

If you can raise the pond up off the concrete it may lower the temperature a little but not much .Shade will help also

I can try to do that. Any suggestion how to lift 120-150 pounds of water garden off of a patio?

 

[ExRoot]

I would say remove enough water to make it manageable. Better now early in the season. Good luck.

 

[Joshaeus]

I would say remove enough water to make it manageable. Better now early in the season. Good luck.

Oops! That's not what I meant...what I meant is, 'what can I put the water garden on to keep it elevated off the patio'? I have no problem temporarily removing enough water to lift it.

 

[sissy]

4x4 's would do it .Thing is if you want to remove some of the water to lift it save that water and put it back into the pond .Even heavy duty pallets would be good to sit it on as long as air can get between the concrete and pond .I have a planter that holds 20 gallons and I had it sitting on gravel and it got to hot .I had water plants in it ,so I made the same mistake .I tried to shade it but the gravel would get so hot that I could not stand on it .I had to use a water hose and ice to cool down the gravel to lift it up and I put it on 1 of those harbor freight moving things that has wheels on it .Now I move it here and there and it stays cooler