Pond
"Heaters", Pond De-icers
Use a pond de-icer or pond "heater" to heat a small
opening in the top of your pond where it normally would freeze over in the winter.
By having a de-icer you will keep an area thawed in the pond, thus allowing the release of
toxic gases from decomposing organic matter to escape and at the same time, allowing
oxygen to enter your pond. Used primarily for ponds containing fish. The pond
de-icers are not heaters. They will not "heat" your pond. They have
automatic thermo-regulators inside of them and turn on when the water temperature is
around 40 - 44°F. The "heat" generated by the de-icer will keep an area of the
pond's surface from freezing, thus allowing the toxic gases to escape and oxygen to
enter. For an actual heater that will heat the water, click here.
Use an aerator (small ponds can
use the Ornamental Pond
Aerators) during the winter to provide oxygen to the fish since your pumps,
waterfalls, and fountains will most likely be turned off which was the source of
oxygenation during the warmer months. For those of you with large ponds, you can use
your large aerator all year round, even in the winter which has many benefits: It
continues to add oxygen to the water, continues to help break down organic matter within
the pond, and keeps an area of the pond open from ice, thus allowing the toxic gases to
escape and oxygen to enter the pond. It creates for an overall healthier pond.
Use Microbe-Lift®
Autumn Prep to add beneficial bacteria in your pond during the fall and winter to
continue decomposing the organic matter (leaves, fish wastes, sludge, silt, etc.) in
your pond. It gives your pond a great head start for the Spring and works in cold
temperatures below 55°F (a lot of products on the market only work with temperatures above
55°F).
If you're looking for a de-icer to
prevent the formation of damaging ice around boats and docks, we have
those too! Click
here! We also carry bird bath de-icers at this link.
A little information about the different
de-icers and how to determine which one you may need:
A floating de-icer will keep an area of the pond's surface open during
the winter. When water temperatures are colder than 40 - 44° F, the unit will turn
on and therefore start to "de-ice" or heat an area and keep it from freezing.
Because it floats around, it can therefore keep a nice size of the pond's surface
open. Adding a thermo cube (product code FITC3) will add more energy efficiency to
the floating de-icer because it senses air temperature instead of water temperature.
If the air temperature is above 40°F or so, then it should be warm enough to
start melting some of the ice on the top of the pond. The thermo cube will then turn
off the floating de-icer so you save money on your electric bill. (The movement of
an aerator providing oxygen and some movement to the water also helps to keep an area of
the pond open as well).
A submersible de-icer is
thermostatically controlled just like the floating de-icers except there are different
variables in regards to temperature. Since the submersible ones sit on the bottom of
the pond, pond depth has an important role.
The surrounding soil of a dug out pond acts as an insulator to the water, and therefore
keeps the water temperature of your pond from freezing. This occurs at depths of
about 3' deep and deeper. The soil temperature at that depth doesn't go below
approx. 40°F (unless you live in the artic) so the surrounding soil acts as an insulator
to the pond water. Since the soil temperature doesn't go below 40°F at 3'+ depth, neither
will the water at the bottom of your pond. If your pond is 3' or deeper, you
wouldn't need a submersible de-icer but a floating one. If your pond is shallower
than 3', then you could use either a submersible one or a floating one (or a convertable one). The
floating one pretty much guarantees that an area of the pond's surface will be open.
A submersible one does not. It's just if you want to "heat" the bottom of
your pond, too. So what is at the bottom of your pond that you would want it
"heated"? Well, fish are in the pond for some people while others have
plants. The submersible de-icer will help to keep the fish from freezing but
small fish at 5" or smaller should be brought indoors. They don't have enough
fat on them to insulate their bodies and keep them warm during the winter and may die.
Larger fish will often "hibernate" around the submersible de-icer as even 40° F
gets mighty cold but at least they have some fat on them to keep them warm. Hardy
aquatic plants should have been prepared and placed in the deepest part of the pond,
preferrably around 3' deep in order to survive the winter.
For those of you with above ground ponds, we
recommend you bringing the fish, etc. inside during the winter. If you absolutely
cannot do that, then the best thing would be to try to insulate the pond itself by
stacking some bales of straw around it in addition to using a submersible de-icer and an
aerator. Keep checking the pond during the winter to see if part of the pond's
surface stays open. Remember, the outside of your preformed pond needs to be
properly supported with soil or some type of frame work since the plastic could crack with
freezing and thawing temperatures. By adding the straw bales outside, it will help
keep it from cracking due to thermal shock.
Good luck! :o)
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Thermo Cube
This unique, patented device plugs into any 115 volt electrical outlet. The unit
senses air temperature, and turns the power on to it's dual outlets when the
temperature reaches 45 degrees Fahrenheit. This is especially useful for controlling
pond deicers, saving on unnecessary energy usage, because although the pond deicers
themselves are thermostatically controlled, they are sensing water temperature,
which does not fluctuate as rapidly as air temperature. As a result, a pond
deicer used without Thermo Cube often stays on even when the air temperature is quite
mild.
Product Code: FITC3
Our Price: $19.85
BUY!
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