Hi Joel
This is the first year I have had a problem with my bubbler - it has
been below 20 F for 3 weeks now, mostly ~ 10 F - My ice is ~ 8" thick- pond
is sealing up to the point airpump will not pump air into pond until I make
a hole with spade bit - In the past years, the air would keep a small hole
open , but not this year - It was OK as long as I kept tapping on the thin
ice dome to break it every day, or 2 , but I allowed the ice to get too
thick above airstone (5" - 6") - now I need some warmer temps to get the ice
above the stone thinned down - this won't happen again - I will keep the
thin ice dome from getting too thick again

Gale :~)
P.S. - zone 7 - 35 mi east of Detroit

" This is was a test run for trying to keep a hole open over the winter, I
used bubbles, we are also having one of the coldest winters in years, -10F
and the ice is about 8-12inch think.

my question is:

the water did freeze up around the airline, I know its still pushing air
under the ice, the air must be escaping somewhere, is this enough to let
the gases out?

The bad news is, my test pond will have to be filled in as I'm selling the
house and will build again when I move.
my current small pond is only a 4 x 3 x 4ft, when I move I want to do
something diffferent then just a hole in the ground, I want shallow water
to see the fish, could I make the pond 18-24inch deep and at one end and
have a hole 4 ft for the winter at the other end and have the water fall
spill into the shallow water?

Joel.