You wouldn't have to drain the pipe completely, just enough to get the water
level 18 inches or so below ground level. A stand pipe down into the bottom
drain would allow you to pump the piping dry without affecting the water
level in the pond.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


"Dennis Clark" wrote in message
...
RichToyBox wrote:
???
I don't think I described everything well. The bottom drain is still
two feet below the surface, on the surface is where the pump is, so, there
is no way to empty the bottom drain without draining the entire pond, and
even that will leave standing water in the pipe below the surface. It
doesn't seem water smart to drain three thousand gallons of water to get
the level below the pump, and I'm not sure that would help.
I would love to be able to drain the pipe to the bottom drain, but I
don't see how that is possible.

I've already drained the upper pond, by dumping it into the lower (six
thousand gallon) pond, so I don't need to worry about that. The filter
is also drained now, the only pond water left is in the big lower pond,
which has a skimmer (easy to drain) and the bottom drain (as desicribed)
as well as the pump's piping. I would rather not put heater tape on
the pipes unless I really have to, that is a HUGE power cost isn't it?

regards,
DLC

: If you can, plug the bottom drain and let it drain, or put in a stand
pipe
: that comes above the water line and let the water drain from the bottom
: drain at the pump. Having valves in the system near the surface can
cause
: the pipes and valves to crack and break. The other alternative, if the
pump
: is near water level, is to pump the pond down to below the pump level
and
: then remove the pump.
: --
: RichToyBox
: http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html


: "Dennis Clark" wrote in message
: ...
: Hi all,
:
: I have a large (about seven thousand gallons) double pond with a
: waterfall ledge between them. When it gets REALLY cold that ledge
: freezes over and the water rises higher and higher until it goes over
: the uppper pond's edge and floods the area. For that and other reasons
: I've decided that I just want to pull the pump and let it freeze. BUT,
: I don't want to have my pipes freeze and burst. With this size of pond
: there is an external pump of course which sits outside the pump, but
: below the water level. I have a pipe coming out of the ground for the
: bottom drain and I'm afraid that if I turn everything off and pull the
: pump that that part of the pipe will freeze and crack. Am I being
: paranoid or is this a real fear? If it is a real fear, how can I
prevent
: that exposed three feet of pipe from freezing and breaking? I'm using
: schedule 40 80PSI three inch pipe, if that helps in the decision
making.
: All my other piping will either be empty or three feet under ground.
:
: Can anyone help me with this? I'm tired of the overflows or the cost
: of running a heater to keep it thawed at the falls. Oh, the pond is
: four feet deep in the bottom pond and three feed deep in the upper.
:
: thanks,
: DLC
: --
:
:
================================================== ==========================
: * Dennis Clark
www.techtoystoday.com
: *
: * "Programming and Customizing the OOPic Microcontroller" Mcgraw-Hill
2003
: *
:
:
================================================== ==========================



--

================================================== ==========================
* Dennis Clark www.techtoystoday.com
*
* "Programming and Customizing the OOPic Microcontroller" Mcgraw-Hill 2003
*

================================================== ==========================