Suggestions on Pond Heaters

[Elephino]

I have to move a handful of boulders around the falls to prevent to much splashing. Other than that I run it year round and w/o any problems. I used a cow trough heater the first year. Went to Palms Springs for a week and came home to a fried out heater and solid pond. lost $145.00 dollars worth of imported Koi and now do away w/the heater. Another easy approch is to use a small (couple hundred gph) pump placed on some bricks or platform just below the surface. If you have a skimmer, you can add a few fitting and pipe to route it out to the front of the skimmer. This will keep an area free of ice. One more, a large (3-4") air stone w/a large air pump. I have never tried or seen this done, but seems like it would work.
View attachment 244729

How big is the pond, how big is the pump?

Does half that pond freeze, is the inlet for the pump near the waterfall?

 

[Muske]

Gallons - 1200+

Pump - 4000 gph

The whole pond freezes(surface) except for an area around the falls and skimmer. The pump is in the skimmer opposite the falls. A small hole about 10-12" stays open in front of the skimmer box. Plenty of oxygen in the pond year round.

 

[Dr Joe]

To heat the pond your going to need about 3kw of heater (not a de-icer).

One source http://www.heatingyourpond.com/submersible-heaters.html this is NOT a constant temp heater so it should be used with additional heater(s).

Air stones work, but in very low temps the pump needs to be housed indoors and of suitable volume to keep water surface clear. They also keep water from stratifying better than waterfalls, but can be used in unison with a waterfall.

Dr Joe

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[jasoneri]

Thermo-Pond makes a nice heater, you just need a little hole. I use this heater and a little airstone dropped threw the middle down about 8". The heater is only 100watts. Will cost about $10 a month. I got my heater at eponds.com. The ice accually insulates the water at the bottom so if you put a pump at the bottom you are mixing up all the warmer water from the bottom pond.