Pond & Water Garden De-Icers
Choose from 1000 - 1500 watts, sinking, floating or convertable deicers
for your pond. Click here.
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Bird Bath De-Icers
Choose from deck mounted or
pedestal bird bath de-icers.
Click here. |
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A pond de-icer is a unit that is thermostatically controlled
(usually around 42 degrees fahrenheit) and "heats" an area of your pond so the
water temperature in that area stays above 40 degrees. It is meant for small,
backyard ponds less than 35' x 35' or so. This temperature is set by the
manufacturer so ice doesn't form (hence, a "de-icer"). It does not
heat the entire volume of water within your pond. It simply keeps an area from
freezing into ice. We have floating, submersible and convertible de-icers as shown
above. A bird bath or utility deicer works in the same way.
They keep an area within a bird bath or tub from freezing so animals and birds can drink
water during the winter. The pet bowl de-icer usually heats the
water in the bowl so the entire volume of water within the bowl doesn't freeze.
A boat and dock de-icer does not work the same way as
the pond de-icers above. They are more or less a "fan" or propeller that
works under water that draws the warmer water from the deeper part of the pond (where
water temperatures are warmer, (usually above 40+ degrees or so) up to the surface.
This continual movement of warmer water up to the surface of the pond helps to keep ice
from forming around piers and boats. They can be positioned at varying depths within
the water for optimal performance. (See the information on our site for more
specific information on their installation and use.) They are ideally used in water
depths of 4+ feet.
A surface pond or lake de-icer is a different type of unit than those
mentioned above. It consists of an air compressor (motor) that sits along the shore
(or in a garage) and has tubing that goes out to the pond or lake. From there, a
special "de-icer" tubing is connected and can be configured into a variety of
forms such as a "T', zig-zag or circle. This type of de-icing system works by
air being pushed through the tubing and comes out in slots within the tubing. Air
can be an effective "de-icer" by using this special tubing (and compressor)
because the air pressure provides movement in the water and because of this
movement, ice is harder to form. There are no heating elements as
used in some of the other de-icers mentioned above (pond and water garden de-icers, bird
bath de-icers, utility de-icers and pet bowl de-icer). They are convenient because
you don't have to install an electric source near your pond and can use them up to 2000'
feet from the nearest electric source (perhaps where your garage is). All you have
to do is plug in the compressor in your electric source (115 volts) and then run some poly
tubing down to the pond. From there, connect the special de-icer tubing and
configure to whatever design you wish.
There are actual heaters that heat the entire volume of water.
This is primarily used for small ponds around 300 - 500+ gallons or so. They are
used a lot in the aquaculture industry to keep the water in the tanks at a certain
degree. Some people have used some of them effectively outside in the winter to heat
their small, backyard pond. If you want to heat your pond, there are a lot of
factors to consider such as the depth of the pond, the outside temperature, the desired
temperature you want the water to be, electric source available, etc.. You can find our
water heaters and fish tank heaters as well as information on their use here. We do suggest
however, that you actually bring in small fish (less than 6") inside for the
cold winter and keep in an aquarium or tank. They will continue to need a filtration
system and aeration indoors besides normal fish care.
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