On Wed, 13 Sep 2006 20:00:14 +0100, cymric
wrote:


I live in the Chicagoland area and have a new pond. Its about 2-3 feet
deep in the middle and about 7 feet across. I have six goldfish and
one Koi and wonder if they can overwinter or do I need to bring them
inside?
I am in Southern NH, USDA zone 5b probably close to your winter
climate. My pond is 40 inches deep. I put a bubbler in to keep a
hole in the ice and the fish do fine.

My first year I used an aquarium bubbler protected from the elements.
I failed to move air during a cold snap and I had to do a hurry up
backup system using my compressor. I think what happened comes from
using a diaphragm type bubbler pump. In cold weather the diaphragm
gets stiff and cannot generate the pressure needed to get air down 36
inches or so (that should be about 1.5 psi).

Now I have a set up that runs off my compressor which is in a garage
nearby. It works and fine and the fish survive just fine.

What a boring way to spend the winter - swimming slowwwwllllllyyyyyyy
around, day after day after day, ad nauseum.

John