On Feb 10, 8:25*pm, Doghouse Riley Doghouse.Riley.
wrote:
Bill Grey;949837 Wrote:









"Doghouse Riley" wrote in
messagenews I wouldn't bother with a thermostat, if it's a small pond just get a-
floating pond heater and turn it on when the weather looks like it's
going to freeze, the temperature for goldfish isn't that critical, koi
would be a different matter.
Doghouse Riley-

Surely Koi won't be a problem as they should have a deep pond in which
to
live. *A pal of mine had a six ft deep pond which held some really
impresive
Koi.

At this depth a bit of surface ice would cause no problems.

Bill

The idea that there can be a layer of warmer water at the bottom of a
pool is a myth. It won't happen in normal koi pools of around five or
six feet in depth. You'd need to have something well in excess of 3
metres.
The running of filters and the movement of wish would prevent that
happening if it did anyway. Deep pools will benefit from the transfer of
some heat from the surrounding earth, which is always warmer than
surface ground temperatures

My koi pool *is five feet deep, but it has a swimming pool cover, the
filter is insulated in a room in my garage and I've a small heater in
the pool. I'm maintaining +6c. I wouldn't want it to go lower than
that.

Many koi in their first year won't survive sustained temperatures close
freezing point for long. Larger fish may, some won't, there's no hard
and fast rule with koi, so best to be on the safe side.
Goldfish are a "completely different kettle of fish."

As a newbie to pond fish I have four shubunkin so what are their
chances with part of the pond frozen over? I thought the main problem
was lack of oxygen rather than cold. The temperature in London this
morning is somewhere between -5C and -9C, the worst yet this winter,
but my little fountain is still running, just.

Instructions on the packet are to stop feeding when the pond temp is
below 4C and the fish haven't appeared since the cold weather
started..

Doug.