I'm in Memphis and our temps are just a bit colder than yours, although we
too are supposedly in zone 7, give or take. With a 1000 gallon pond, an air
bubbler hasn't been enough usually to keep the water from freezing over
completely once or twice during the season. But not thick ice! And if your
goldfish are smaller, they may not make it through the winter. I use a
thermostatically controlled heater, like a trough heater, at the bottom
about 2' down, just to keep the water above the freezing point. Even then
ice will form in areas away from the heater. I didn't lose any fish last
winter.

A 50 gallon pond that's in a raised bed, though, is subject to freezing more
easily than a larger, in-ground pond. You might be OK with just the air
bubbler, but a heater just to keep the water from freezing would certainly
provide better protection for the fish.

Tim C.

"SeaRobin" wrote in message
.. .


Nedra wrote:
You can buy an air pump, attach an air hose to it... and an air stone at
the
end. This will keep a hole in any ice that forms and keep aeration
going in
the pond. Be sure to cover the
air pump with a bucket or something similar. Total output of dollars -
probably under
$15 or 20. You'll save a bundle! Very cheap to operate.

Nedra in Missouri
zone 6


So, you're saying if I can just keep the water from freezing over, it
won't matter how cold the water will get, the fish should survive?

SeaRobin
Alabama, zone 7b


"SeaRobin" wrote in message
...

I've read a couple of overwintering guides, but they all focus on bigger
ponds. I've got a 50 gallon kidney shaped pre-formed pond that's set
into a raised bed about that's about 2ft. high. The pond itself is just
a bit less deep than that.

Can I keep a couple of regular goldfish in there with winter temps
typically at 45-50 F during the day and about 30 F at night? Of course,
we can get temps in the teens and twenties on the odd winter day, but it
wouldn't last long. I have a pump running a bubble fountain that I plan
to remove the fountain head from to make a fatter stream of water just
gurgling up from the pond to make it less freeze prone. Do you think
the fish will survive in such a shallow pond, or should I go invest in
an aquarium and bring them in?