View Single Post
  #6   Report Post  
Old 29-01-2003, 05:35 PM
Gale Pearce
 
Posts: n/a
Default Hole in Ice - Canada

Hi Nedra - I have a 1500 watt stock tank heater in the pond now- it has been
hanging on my garage wall for the last 8 yrs - only used it once 9 yrs ago -
I have been plugging it in for a couple of hours every 2 or 3 days - it is
supposed to be "tropical" by Sun (40F) - will see if I can make some headway
with the ice around the airstone then
Gale :~)

"Nedra" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Hi Gale,
The temps where I live have been -5 to -10 F.(wind
chill) almost
all winter long... this is usual stuff for me to deal with.
My only answer is to use a De-Icer as near to the air
stone as possible. Thankfully the De-Icer kept
a large open spot in the ice and snow. The De-Icer is
made by Farm Innovators. I would imagine that you
can get something comparable online... but I don't have the specifics

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Gale Pearce" wrote in message
...
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.