should I get a top floating heater or a submersible heater?

~ janj JJsPond.us wrote:
On 12 Jul 2005 13:02:31 -0700, wrote:

Most of my pond floor is about 12" under water - a little area is 18"
or so. I will probably have to move all the liles into the 18" area
for them to survive the winter which wouldn't leave any room for the
pump/fish. Can the lilies survive here (NE Ohio) in the 12" water (top
of the planter only 6" from the surface)? That would leave me room for
the pump and fish lower down...

Forget the pump, sounds like it may be too strong to use. An air pump w/air
stone and a stock tank heater (w/guard), and a stock tank heater backup,
may be the better way for you to go. Now a stock tank heater would only be
needed when really cold, but with only 12-18" to store your lilies in, an
Zone 4/5, you'll need one just to keep them alive, not just the goldfish.
The lilies will be fine as long as the crowns don't freeze. A stock tank
heater will keep the ice layer from getting too thick.

Goldfish, since you're looking for something to eat the duckweed and
not be too prolific I recommend getting some fantails over feeder goldfish.
They eat just as much duckweed (don't feed them) and if you do get too many
they are much easier to catch. ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

wrote:

should I get a top floating heater or a submersible heater?

Normally I wouldn't recommend heaters, but Jan's right (if you're really
zone 4/5 - I used to live on the other side of lake Erie, and we were zone
5/6 - I would have thought you'd be no colder and get better protection
from snow cover). So submersibles are the best way to go. Floating
heaters just radiate a lot of the heat straight into the air.
--
derek

wrote:

should I get a top floating heater or a submersible heater?

Normally I wouldn't recommend heaters, but Jan's right (if you're really
zone 4/5 - I used to live on the other side of lake Erie, and we were zone
5/6 - I would have thought you'd be no colder and get better protection
from snow cover). So submersibles are the best way to go. Floating
heaters just radiate a lot of the heat straight into the air. Derek

And with the above in mind, another thing you could do is cover the pond
similar to what I have shown on my website. Boards supporting screen door
or shade cloth ~ 6" above the surface of the water. When you get snow it
traps the heat and makes an igloo affect. This is when wireless submersible
thermometers come in handy. ;o) ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

If you can handle koi, they seem more likely that goldfish to eat
duckweed. Our koi take care of all the string algae and the duckweed.

Jim

wrote:
I bought a house with a man made pond about 15' in diameter. 60% of
the surface covered with either pond plants or shade from surrounding
trees. I have a waterfall pump circulating water from one side through
a hose to the other side where it spills it back into the pond.
Unfortuneatly, the surface has been growing a green algae and also
thousands of tiny yellow/green seeds or leaves are in the pond. Are
those tiny seeds part of the algae or a product of one of the pond
foliage? I currently don't have any fish in the pond; would adding
fish make that go away? If not, what can I do to keep it relatively
clean?
thanks!!