4000 gallons pond help !

TheCichlidMan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 9, 2011
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Romania
Hi everybody ! As you know my last thread was about a 300 gallons tank but i want pretty big fish in there and that tank is too small. In my backyard i have enough room to make a pond this size ( all measures in feet ) 13x9x5
My first question is about heating this pond and i don't know the best way to heat a pond this size to keep a good temperature even on winter . I m waiting for your help mates thanks.
 

dazzapolypterusweeksii

Aimara
MFK Member
Sep 25, 2010
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leicester,uk
My tropical pond is 24 foot by 7 foot by 4 foot and im using a 3kw electro evo titanium heater.electric bills are made nowadys so I recommend insulation insulation insulation that was the tip I was given and god its the best advice I could of got I used 200mm of insulation on walls and ceiling and the heater is rarely on even on frosty nights.

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corn fed

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 24, 2014
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Nebraska
Yes!! Insulate it till you can insulate it anymore!!! If you can figure out a way to elevate it off the ground and insulate it underneath I can only imagine that will help.

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TheCichlidMan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 9, 2011
204
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Romania
i'll put insulation on every walls but without ceiling could a 3kw heater maintain the water temp at minimum for cichlids during winter ?
 

Yoimbrian

Dovii
MFK Member
Feb 11, 2013
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Where are you located?

I'd need a nuclear reactor to keep a pond that size without a lid heated enough for cichlids in my backyard. But I'm in Minnesota, -20 is not uncommon at night.


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Drstrangelove

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Oct 21, 2012
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First off, the depth and total amount of gallons are a good start.

Several factors to consider:

1) the Earth has a natural temp of 56-57F. That changes along some portions of the surface, e.g., temps go lower in the top-soil layer and soil can freeze due to ambient air temps. (This is the so-called the 'freeze line'.) Underneath the pond, unless the freeze line goes very deep, the ground will still be 56-57F.

2) wind and ambient air temps will strip heat faster than anything, so deeper ponds with wind breaks are better than open air shallow ponds

3) certain fish handle low temps a lot better (naturally living in temps 55-65), and in large ponds that freeze over from time to time there will be many who last the winter if the pond is not too shallow

4) should you look exclusively at tropicals (especially cichlids) ones that handle lower temps are preferable


Overall, insulate well (especially at depths down to the freeze line), keep 'most' of the pond below the surface and block off wind. Temporary winter structures (tent's for example) might provide a lot of savings if needed. Obviously, your particular part of the world has it's own weather patterns that will affect this, as well as the particular topography of where the pond is place.
 

TheCichlidMan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 9, 2011
204
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Romania
thank you very much i understood what i have to do , the pond is 5 feet deep , i can put a lid on so i'll have a little barrier between air and water what fish do you suggest me to keep ? i'd like to have fewer big predators than many cichlids and i'd like some suggestions please
 
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