When to start?

[herzausstahl]

Thanks Addy, I always wondered what kind of wireless you used and the price isn't bad either. How does it handle when your pond freezes over (or doesn't it)?

Blessedfamily,
I picked up a 450 gph pump on fall clearance for around $35 and will just plumb a pvc riser connected to a bubbling fountain head (also got on clearance) that I am going to put on a shelf near the surface. It only uses 45 watts so won't break the bank either. Will see how it holds up and if not I won't be out too much $. My other pumps would be too strong to use for it.

Baeya,
Glad to know that ordinary aquarium pumps in a container would probably burn out. I wonder if it was the cold that burnt out the motors. The air stone idea I know would work in my area also. Did you guys have any ventilation in the containers for the pumps?

J.W.,
Glad to know that my plan will work.

Sunshine,
Would love to leave mine running all winter but it would chill the water too much as it ran down the stream. I would probably run into a problem where the water enters the pond because it is deep enough the top layer would freeze and could potentially dam up. The rest of my stream has walls that are high enough, even if it did dam up it would probably run over/around/ or under, which thinking about it now would be really cool, only problem is my big pump is connected to 2"PVC with a lot of slack in the pond, so I don't think I could prop it up on a crate and get it to stay up there without falling off. Thought about a 2nd pump to run my filter waterfall, but the way it is set up would be real easy to dam up and I don't want to be running out there to remove ice dams all winter. I did use one of the ball valves from Menards, but I made sure I picked one I could turn in the store. I also turn it every now and then to loosen up and build up around the rubber valve.

Tmann,
What did you do to protect your outdoor faucet so you could use it after the temp dropped below freezing?

Thanks everyone!

 

[taherrmann4]

It is called a frost free valve and every time you turn off the faucet the shut off point is just inside the house so any water that is left in that 8 -10" drains. I also will put one of those styrofoam faucet cover things just for added protection. But once it gets really cold and I shut my pond down for the winter I shut it off in the house and drain the lines.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_118089-6930...ty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=Wall faucet valve

 

[Sunshine]

I think I'll leave it run this year. See how it does, I can always shut it off if I run into problems. I have always used an Aquascape 3400gph, this year, I got rid of that (cost a lot to run) and got a 2100gph Pondmaster. We'll see if it's enough pressure to keep a hole open.

 

[blessedfamily]

I just bought a Sunterra Aerator Diffuser at a garage sale for 10.00..it aerates up to 750 gallons--my pond is a little less than 1,000..would this work over winter???? Or would I need more? It is Sunterra Aerator Diffuser 210100. Thanks Amber

 

[taherrmann4]

Yes I would think that you will be fine using this for winter aeration.

 

[addy1]

Sunshine in this pic I have attached there is a ball valve with a white handle it is extremely easy to open and close. When I say easy a 5 year old could turn it without a struggle. I don't recall where I got it (maybe if I had Sissy's organized system down I would be able to tell you).

Mine have that white handle, real easy to turn, one end glues in one end you can unscrew from the piping.

I will have to look for one like that. Mine has a red handle, got it from Lowes. I couldn't turn it at the store, but hubby thought it might loosen up ... lol

they never loosen up in my experience


tmann all of our faucets are the frost free, so far none have frozen up

 

[blessedfamily]

Perfect..nice and cheap

 

[ididntdoit99]

I have never had a problem with losing water. Well, except one year when hubby was trying to keep a hole open with a floor scraper and punctured a couple of holes in the liner. The water went down to a foot. Fish all made it ok and I got a bigger pond

Okay, maybe I"m a dummy for believing everything i read on the net, but isnt it a bad thing to try to puncha hole inthe ice with anything if it freezes over? I heard it would send s shockwave through the water and freak out your fish, stressing them.

 

[addy1]

i have read that and seen it posted, but not sure. i broke the ice last year, just to see how thick it was, but had no clue fish were in there.

this year, with the herd, will put in a air stone.

 

[taherrmann4]

Yes I have heard the same thing. Mine froze over solid last year while I was waiting on my deicer to arrive, when it did I just took a pot of boiling water with a lid on and set it on the ice to melt a hole. If it is very cold take some aluminum foil and make a tent over the pot to help insulate it.

 

[Sunshine]

Okay, maybe I"m a dummy for believing everything i read on the net, but isnt it a bad thing to try to puncha hole inthe ice with anything if it freezes over? I heard it would send s shockwave through the water and freak out your fish, stressing them.

Yes, you heard correctly .... He didn't know. I never told about that because I'm usually the one that takes care of it. He knows now I do use an ice pick thing to chop the ice off the waterfall when it gets thick.

 

[baeya]

Yes, there was a hole cut into the side of the container for the air hose to come out...basically the container was for cover, we kept it under the deck. They did work for us for at least two winters.

 

[addy1]

Well, wish I would of known that 4 check valves ago .... lol I get everything at Lowes, Home Depot or Menards. I'll have to go to Tru Value down the street from me. I have ball valves on the drains ... I can't turn them, they came from the home improvement stores.

These are the ball valves I use, 2 inch and they open and shut easily. I got the ones that have one side that can screw off the lines, so we can pull our pump for the winter, you can get ones that both side are couplings. Picked them up at a plumbing store.

 

[Sunshine]

I'll be looking for those. It will make my life so much easier.

 

[herzausstahl]

Tmann,
Thanks, I just checked mine and it appears to be frost free also, and thinking back it must be because last winter I forgot to turn the water off in the basement and it was fine this spring. Been looking for a styrofoam covers.

Amber,
I agree with Tmann, should work fine and be nice and cheap (speculating since this is my first winter with a pond). At 3.4 watts your electrical cost should be hardly noticed also. Just make sure you put the stones up high like it says in the manual so you don't circulate the water layers.

Baeya,
thanks for the knowledge on the air pumps. I have an older aquarium one I might try if I need to use it.