"Gill Passman" gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk wrote in message
.. .
Moving the fish indoors is not an option - we are already over-run with
tropical tanks - 6 at the last count and more planned he, he....a heater
is
a good option and one I have already thought of....

## And that should work. Since my propagation pools outdoors are on the
surface I drop an inexpensive heater in each one. It floats through a block
of Styrofoam. The fish spend the winter under these dangling heaters. Even
the cheap aquarium ones work and last for years. :-)

Our winters vary....this year was very mild down here but not in the rest
of
the UK where there was a big freeze. When I had a pond before I saw a good
2-3 inches of ice - used a football to provide air.
Maybe if I dig down an extra couple of feet where I can without going into
the soakaway this might provide additional sanctuary for the fish - and
have
the bulk of it 2-3 feet with a heater - what do you think?

## That should work. You also need to keep a hole in the ice for air/gas
exchange. My heaters usually keep a small hole open - but then the pools
are only 150 gallons each. My bigger ponds (800 and 2000 gallons) don't
usually freeze over in winter. If they do it's only for a day or so. A
small cheap pump keeps an opening in the ice.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." :-)
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