Overwintering?!

[Antiloser24]

Hello everyone, I'm a longtime lurker here on MFK, and just recently decided to come on out and post.

This summer we installed a small 100 gallon outdoor pond (plastic pre-formed pond tbs) with a few common goldies and shubunkins aswell as two ivory snails and a tadpole of some sort. But now as fall and winter are approaching I'm trying to think of what we're going to do. We we're planning on draining the pond completely and bringing the goldies inside to overwinter, because of the fear that with the cold weather the plastic pond would freeze and crack.

I'm out located here in South Jersey where its quite common for a good winter freezing, and with the pond measuring at only about 2 feet deep I was afraid of it freezing solid and loosing everything that inhabits it (thus the idea of overwintering indoors).

Here's a picture of the pond when it was first installed, of course the Sweet Potato Vines and Caladiums have grown tremendously and we also have some Water Hyacinth floating atop the pond. Hopefully within the next year or two we can upgrade to something in the 350 gallon range as things begin to grow.

Thanks in advance.
- Franco

 

[Antiloser24]

Sorry for the gigantic photos. I was unsure of how to shrink them down.

 

[bbboys]

you could try a deicer i dont think cracking will be an issue since most of it is underground

 

[Antiloser24]

bbboys: Thanks for the suggestion, I was thinking about purchasing a deicer. But, my issue is that I'd have to convince the dad to let me use it ("You'll run up the damn electric bill with all that wattage").

Do you think the pond will end up freezing solid if we we're to leave a few of the fish out for a test run this year without the deicer? It is only about 22" deep.

Here are a few pics of the pond from earlier today:

And then here is a pic of the 120 gallon goldfish tank we have indoors:

If we decide to bring all the goldfish inside, what would we do with the tadpole? It already has tiny back legs and is beginning to work on the front. Do you think he'll be through the metamorphosis come Mid October and then run off to hibernation and hopefully return in the spring? If he is still a tadpole by then I can set him up a personal ten gallon. But if he is growing frog would I need to bring him inside as well? In order to guarantee he will survive and be around for another year?

Thanks in advance.
-Franco

 

[Muske]

Do you have a basement?

100 gals., above ground, will be a challenge.

Bring the whole pond indoors. Don't heat it, sparingly feed them, return outdoors next spring.

 

[Antiloser24]

Muske: I do indeed have a basement, but moving the whole pond isn't much of an option. The pond is about a foot in the ground, with a little less than a foot above.

 

[Freshwater Tim]

Either heat the pond or bring the fish in. It's going to freeze.

 

[pondkeeper]

Either heat the pond or bring the fish in. It's going to freeze.

Aggreed. It is pretty shallow and with half of it above ground, you are asking for trouble.

 

[mrunlucky07]

For a preform it looks great. The plants really dress it up nicely!

As they said moving them indoors is by far your best bet. You may be able to pick up another preformed pond on clearance at lowes or home depot very cheap for the basement. A free 55 gallon drum or two from a carwash with the tops cut off and thoroughly cleaned could even work.

If the tadpole does not turn into a frog soon and is large (the size of your thumb) its probably a bullfrog. If its a bullfrog it can take up to three years to fully develop into a frog.

If you do keep the fish outside, with or without a heater, get an airpump. They use very little energy and will keep the water moving to help avoid freezing. If possible you can even have the airpump inside so the air is a little warmer than the outdoor temp. Goldies are hearty and if you can keep it open during the day it may work.

 

[Muske]

You've got a basement.....


Craigslist 125. A stock tank.