Had To Pour Boiling Water In The Pond

Had To Pour Boiling Water In The Pond To Open A Hole...Again this year

I have had the heaters in the pond for weeks, but not plugged in because it has been above freezing. I know the temps were getting colder and even some snow flurries predicted. what was I thinking??? I think it's a state of denial. It happens every year. I wake up and remember OMG it was freezing last night. Sure enough, the pond is covered in ice. I pour boiling water on a spot to open an emergency hole them plug in the heater. Whew! They're swiming around and no one's floating. Pulled it off again this year. Will I ever learn?

I didn't realize that your temps got that cold there, JW.

My pond is only 2 feet deep. I keep a 100 watt Thermo Pond heater plugged in most of the winter. Once I finally get around to plugging it in - that is. If we have a warm spell, a few days above freezing I will unplug it just to save on electricity.

When we get a big snowfall or several days of cold temps I also plug in a 1250 watt deicer. That will actually clear the whole pond over a day or two (my pond is very small) and I think keep the ice from getting too thick since it doesn't accumulate all winter since my pond is on the shallow side.

I have been doing this for several years and it seems to work. I at first tried puttina a submersable pumb on a plant shelf so that it was just under the surface and acted as sort of a bubbler. I think that in the really cold temps I had a problem with it not being able to do the job. To be on the safe side I would get a high wattage deicer that you can just plug in when needed. I keep mine in the pond all winter on a seperate extension ( I know-not recommended-very dangerous)that I can just reach out the doorwall and plug in when needed. Py pond is right off the deck so it is close to the house.

As the the floating ball theory I don't know about that. When I net my pond in the fall I actually float a large beach ball in the pond to hold the net up and out of the water. It looked frozen in there yesterday when the pond froze. That reminds me, I better get that net off and that ball out of the water. We're supposed to get snow tonight.

My 365 gallon pond is two feet deep at it's deepest point in the middle. All of my lilies are planted at that depth.

Happy ponding,

Rich

There is a plug that acts as a thermostat and only turns on your deicer when temps get to a certain point.

Esther,

Do you know where one can find one of these plugs you refered to?

Happy ponding,

Rich

Thanks for the info, I'll have to check one out and what kind of limits it may have.

Happy ponding,

Rich