Winterizing help

[IRL]

Hi
I have some questions about winterizing my pond.  It is 1300 gallons and 2-3 feet deep.  We live in Connecticut and the ice got to be 8 inches last winter.  I have two separate pumps, running two separate filters, one going directly back into the pond and the other running a waterfall.  I have 1 10" koi, 1 11" goldfish, and a dozen or so feeders that have gotten to be 2, 3, and 4" long.  What should I do this winter?  Should I take out the filters, but keep both pumps running directly into the pond?  If I did this, should I have the pipes go into the water, or hang them a little above it, so the running water would keep a hole open?  I was also considering getting 2 stock tank heaters from tractor supply.  If I did get them, should I have one be a floating one to keep a hole in the top, and then put another sinking one on the bottom to keep the fish warmer?  If I did this, would the heater be safe to rest on the liner?
Thanks so much for you help, I know it's a lot of questions, and I hope there aren't any other threads like this already!
Here are the heaters I was looking at:

http://www.tractorsupply.com:80/liv...apis-7521-floating-de-icer-1500-watts-2170495

http://www.tractorsupply.com:80/api-15n-sinking-de-icer-1500-watts-2170712

http://www.tractorsupply.com:80/liv...-cast-alum-sinking-de-icer-1500-watts-2170843

Which one of the sinking ones would you recommend?
Thanks!!

 

[herzausstahl]

what zone are you in and what is the deepest portion of your pond? this will be my first winter so I will be experimenting also, hopefully someone with more experience on here will be able to help you, but I think I have heard that the stock heaters like you are looking at continuously heat and don't have a thermostat to shut them off, which could lead to a water temp problem. some like to use a heater and an air stone to keep a hole in the ice. most in the shallower ponds remove the pump and filters. the pumps you want to keep higher in the water so you don't circulate the lower levels and cool the water artificially by bringing the warmer lower water levels to the surface where they will get cooled. i have a filter on mine and will be shutting it down and taking it out for winter. my pond is deep enough (3 1/2' now) that i should be able to leave the pumps in over winter and just blow air into the plumbing lines to stop them from freezing. I got a 2nd cheap 450 gph pump that i will place about 12-18" below the surface with a fountain head at water level to keep the water moving there and a hole in the ice that way. 1st time doing this so I have no idea how well it will work, but with the research I've done (and a couple people I talked to in my state) it should work. just check the winterizing forum on here and you should be able to find all the answers you need

 

[taherrmann4]

With being in Connecticut you are probably in zone 6 and with your pond being 3' deep at the deepest point. My pond is about 3,000 gal and 40" deep and I live in zone 6a so similar environment except my pond is about 2x the size. I will tell you what I do every year for winter. I have an external pump that gets shut down and taken inside for the winter, the filter is drained, cleaned and the drain ball valve left slightly open to allow any water that may get in there to drain (left closed one year by spring was filled with water even has a lid on it). I drain all my lines and take out any filter media to store in the garage until spring, don't want any mice using it for bedding. After all that I take my aerator and position it around the pond to keep it aerated, then I take a pond deicer and put it in the pond but do not turn on unless my aerator can not keep up with keeping a hole in the ice. Last year my aerator did pretty well however there was a stretch of about 2 weeks that we got very cold and I had to turn it on as the aerator was not able to keep a hole in the ice. I also have a pond vac that I will use on the pond once all the leaves have fallen off the trees to try and get rid of all the debris so that it does not turn to muck by spring. Some folks cover their pond with a net for the fall to keep leaves out, with my setup it makes that method difficult so I choose to empty my skimmer twice a day, fish them out with a net, and then suck them out. I have never used one of those heaters though. I also have 3 koi that are about 18"-22" and they have survived the last 4 years in addition to all the goldfish. A few years ago I lost several big goldfish over the winter and never did figure out what was wrong, believe they had some illness but not sure.

Some folks have left their pumps running with no problems I just choose not to b/c the waterfalls and creek would freeze then overflow and drain the pond. I think Sunshine leaves hers on all year or has done so in the past so she may be able to give you some insight on it. Also check out the winterizing section as there has been quite a bit of discussion on winterizing.

Good luck.

 

[HARO]

IRL; I think you got some incorrect info on the stock-tank de-icers. They are thermostatically controlled to come on just above the freezing point, and will not turn your pond into fish soup! I've been using them for over twenty years, and have never had a problem. However, they will open a hole about 4-5' across, which is more than I need, so I have mine on a switch and only turn it on for four hours or so two or three times a week and only after the surface is frozen over for a day or two. I remove all pumps and filters at first freeze-up and seldom lose a fish. John

 

[herzausstahl]

Thanks Haro for clearing that up, thought I read that somewhere on here, but wasn't sure on the info. Haven't used them myself.

 

[IRL]

Thanks for the info!
So should I buy an aerator, or will my pump work if it is say 12" below the water surface?

 

[addy1]

I think your pump would work as long as you don't freeze deeper than 12 inches. I am going to go the aerator route, ours froze 8 inches deep last year. I let it freeze solid, but at the time did not think I had any fish (there were 4) but this year have a boat load of fish.

 

[herzausstahl]

IRL,
I will be using a 450 gph pump about that far below the surface so I will let you know how it works. It isn't one of my main ones, but one I found on clearance (so if it dies, I won't be out a lot of $). Will post a pic on here for you when I get it all hooked up when I begin my winterization.

 

[sissy]

I got my 1st pond heater for this winter ,after last winter not taking any chances .I keep my pump going to help with oxygen in the pond as I turn my air pump off .I got my heater from pet mountain for 30 dollars and no it can not touch the liner as it could damage it .Mine has a safety guard around it.I do this to my pump

 

[sissy]

I got my 1st pond heater for this winter ,after last winter not taking any chances .I keep my pump going to help with oxygen in the pond as I turn my air pump off .I got my heater from pet mountain for 30 dollars and no it can not touch the liner as it could damage it .Mine has a safety guard around it.I do this to my pump

 

[Catfishnut]

IRL,

I like the last heater you listed, the sinking, cast aluminum one. But, I don't know if it is safe for a pond liner. You might have to set it atop a brick shelf or a wire frame to keep it off the bottom liner. You would also want to ensure that it is fixed there, too. The fish will eventually be around it when it is on, so they could possibly knock it over. I didn't see a price on the ad for this one, but I like the design. The cast aluminum fins will disperse the heat better, I think. With multiple thermostats, it is assured to turn on.

I think I would personally disconnect the filter system over winter and just operate one pump to circulate water only. Let it drop into the pond from a few inches above.

I cannot say that this is the correct way of going about things, but my gut instincts are leading me to this conclusion.

Gordy

 

[sissy]

thats why I picked the kh one it has the protective guard around it and the fish hibernate and seem to not care .My neighbor bought it last year and it was great for keeping the ice open on her pond ,but I will still use my pump idea ,I have never sunk one in the pond but I did have the stock heater for the water trough I keep out for the deer and it did move and melted the side and I did burn my arm with it trying to get it out before it melted all the way through .Forgot to unplug it was trying to get it out fast and did not think first about what I was doing .

 

[Nova]

I am going to take my pump out and put in a small pump and fountain to keep the ice open. But what do I need to do with the pump I take out? I hear some say to keep it submersed in water and some say you don't have to. Being in South Carolina we could have very mild winters, no snow or ice, or we could get a couple feet of snow.

 

[addy1]

With a submersible, most say to keep in a bucket of water so the seals do not dry out. With my external, I just oil the o rings and put it away.

 

[sissy]

Make sure when you store the pump in the bucket of water that the water does not freeze in the bucket .Last winter my neighbors pump froze in her garage and cracked the casing .She had always kept it in her garage before with no problems but last winter was bad here and she forgot about the pump .The water in the bucket froze and expanded and cracket the pump in 3 places .She had a laguana with extended warranty and they would not cover it because it was her fault ,she was mad .She bought the harbor frieght one with the extended warranty and waterfall over flowed and pump burned out and she took it back and they replaced it no questions asked .I guess the bigger pump companies have included a clause that says if you damage it they will not replace it .Not sure since she is still in contact with them .With a pond and the strange weather you have to be prepared for the worse