On 28 Sep 2004 13:21:03 -0700, (MC) wrote:

===After much research, I've decided to use solar bubble wrap pool cover
===floated on the top of my pond and a titanium tube-style heater. The
===pool cover will have a border of about an inch to allow gases to
===escape. My questions a
===
===1) How do you use one of these acquarium-type heaters? I would imagine
===it would burn the pond liner if I just throw it in there. If I suspend
===it, I would be concerned of it getting knocked loose. Do I need a
===wire/mesh case to keep the fish from burning themselves?
===
===2) I've read bio filters are useless below 50 degree. So I won't run
===it. Is it better to remove it from the pond, or just leave it? I
===anticipate the heater will keep my pond around 40. I don't intend on
==="heating" it, just keeping it from freezing solid.
===
===
===
===FYI: I am in zone 5, 500 gallons, 30" deep, 6 Koi


No, an aquarium type heater is not going to burn anything inside a
pond enclosure, and your liner should be safe. There is just too much
mass that acts like a giant heatsink along with outside temps for thr
heater to reach any temps capable of hurting fish, liner etc. Look at
it this way, your gas furnace or even your electric furnace gets
pretty darn hot, but air ocming out of it is nowhere near the temp of
what the air is after its heated in the furnace combustion chambers
plenum or goes across the heating elements all due to the quanities
and masses of the duct work etc, same thing for the aquarium heater,
it will never get caughtup to a tmp capable of doing pond any damage,
expecially in cold weather.
Visit my website: http://www.frugalmachinist.com
Opinions expressed are those of my wife,
I had no input whatsoever.
Remove "nospam" from email addy.