Nedra wrote:
Mickey, I have an approx. 3,000 gallon pond (zone 6) ...
alot of our northern ponders just use a couple of airstones
placed about 6 inches below the surface of the water to
keep a hole open in the ice. The airstones provide aeration
and degate the use of pumps - just thru the winter of course.
I also have a De-Icer that I use when the horrid
winter winds kick in. Pond is on the north side of the house
and gets no sun at all in the wintertime.
You may want to think about just shutting down the filtration
and pumps and go to airpump/airstone for the winter.
Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118
and I just shut down pumps when ice starts forming on the pond
( 8000)galons )
i dont use an air stone as the N side of the pond is next to a concrete
patio and there is a 2'x25' area of liner facing the sun which heats up
enough to keep a hole open along that side
John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico
never miss a good oportunity to shut up
see my pond at:
http://www.fuerjefe.com