Winterizing U.V. light ?

[rockinron]

I read in a pond magazine that I need to (remove) my U V lamps for the winter.
Since I ran my stream and a separate waterfall all last winter, I just kept everything running...
This year, I'm thinking of turning off the stream, and waterfall. If I drain all the pipes is there cause for concern?
Has anyone done what I am proposing?

 

[fishin4cars]

That's really the best way to protect your equipment from cracking when freezing.

 

[Waterbug]

There would be less concern. But the pipes have to be drained whether the lamp is removed or not since the case could crack, so I'm not sure what reason the magazine was using. You could see if the manufacturer has anything on the subject.

 

[HARO]

The slightest amount of water in that UV, and you will wind up with a cracked sleeve. That quartz glass is fragile and expesive! John

 

[CountryEscape]

I removed my UV light, John, and connected the pipes back together, as planned when I added the UV. Thanks for the reminder, as I just remembered that my UV light is still laying outside, and temps today here in IL going from 55 this morning to 30's by afternoon. Oh, how I love this IL weather! Probably going to be in the 60's again this weekend. LOL heading outside right now to get that UV light. I think if you have no worries about the lines freezing in the winter, you could leave it all hooked up, but if you are turning off your waterfall and stream, you should bring in your UV light, just to be sure. I'm planning to leave all my stuff running as long as possible, and when I turn the waterfall off, the lines will naturally drain, and I have a cover for the filter. Good luck!!!

 

[Catfishnut]

I read in a pond magazine that I need to (remove) my U V lamps for the winter.
Since I ran my stream and a separate waterfall all last winter, I just kept everything running...
This year, I'm thinking of turning off the stream, and waterfall. If I drain all the pipes is there cause for concern?
Has anyone done what I am proposing?

Rockinron,

Moving water has a lesser affinity to freezing. If you turn everything OFF and drain the lines, you have to be assured to drain them completely and that no rain water or condensation weeps into the system over the entire winter. Even if you purge your lines with compressed air, you really cannot always be certain that just a little moisture might be left in the system or might develope in the system over the winter. If you have any component that is highly expensive, I wouldn't take the chance and I would take it apart and store it inside if the system is going to be down anyway.

If you have a very elaborate system (I mean difficult to disassemble) you might consider pumping RV antifreeze through the plumbing lines and leaving it in the lines over the winter. That may sound bad for a fish ponder to consider, but in the spring you will purge that all out anyway. You must ensure that you do a good job of purging the lines, of course. RV'ers do it all the time and they drink out of those same lines afterwards. I personally do it every year for my cabin waterworks. Never had a broken pipe (except for the year that I waited too long to turn the system down this way). Got a really bad, hard, early frost and burst a valve.

I'll let you do your own research on the subject, but I trust the use of RV antifreeze when applied properly. But, even so, you are still safer to disassemble your higher price items and store them inside.

Gordy

 

[HARO]

While we're on the subject, I've read on the forum about people using pressure washers to clean parts of their pond set-ups. If you are one of them, make sure you bring the apparatus into the house or a HEATED garage where it will not freeze. Almost every spring I hear from someone who had a washer freeze and split; they are not cheap, so protect them. John

 

[rockinron]

Thanks for the input Gordy, and other members. I believe you all gave me a lot of food for thought. So basically, i can turn off everything, which then leads to freeze issues... Guess I'll need to decide about the whole show, as in which would I rather do... Thanks again.

 

[Reeves J]

I read in a pond magazine that I need to (remove) my U V lamps for the winter.
Since I ran my stream and a separate waterfall all last winter, I just kept everything running...
This year, I'm thinking of turning off the stream, and waterfall. If I drain all the pipes is there cause for concern?
Has anyone done what I am proposing?

I remove my UV light and replace it with 'spacer' pipe and let the waterfall run all winter. We are in mid Illinois so it does ice over but there is still water flow under the ice. Fairly quick change in spring and fall.

 

[Mmathis]

@Reeves J This is a 10 year old thread. Doubt that OP is still around.

 

[j.w]

I remove my UV light and replace it with 'spacer' pipe and let the waterfall run all winter. We are in mid Illinois so it does ice over but there is still water flow under the ice. Fairly quick change in spring and fall.

@Reeves J
Start a new thread on the forum and introduce yourself and we would love pix of your pond!