Accidental pondkeeper

[Kristi Kelty]

What kind of regular winter weather pattern is suggested for use of the pond heaters? (ie. if one gets x amount of freezing weather each winter, etc.)
Thanks,
K

 

[dieselplower]

I would say use of a heater is based on a few things. One, if the pond owner wants to feel warm and fuzzy like they are saving the fish. Two, if the pond was not designed properly to safely keep fish outside during the Winter. Three, if you want to throw money away. Michigan Winters can be cold and long and I dont use a heater.

 

[koshki]

Diesel, while we are both in Michigan, I live about a quarter mile from Lake St. Clair, which has a bit of a tempering effect on our weather. We frequently get less snow and higher winter temperatures than relatives that live 20 and 30 miles inland. My guess is that Kalamazoo would tend to be colder, longer than we are here.

Which is not to say that we don't get cold. But our hard freezes are generally not more than a couple weeks or so.

As I alluded in the title of my thread, we didn't get into this situation with a deliberate plan, so you're right, we didn't design this properly, or at least not for the use we now have. We have already spent quite a bit of money just getting this up and running, so finding the cash to buy an aquarium, set it up and get on the care learning curve is a bit more than I think we can bite off right now.

I've successfully kept birdbaths open all winter with a modest heater. I was hoping that I might be able to keep my "mini-pond" at 33° during the worst of it.

 

[koshki]

you can buy a plastic container that sits on the ground and fits into your sunroom and let them overwinter there.

Lol, John, check out my sunroom!

Here is my 10 x 18' sunroom before we moved in:



And here it is last winter when all the orchids were moved in from their summer outdoors:



You may not be able to tell, but there is only one spot in the room where I can turn my wheelchair around 180°! Sadly, as much as I wish, there is not room enough for an aquarium!

 

[dieselplower]

Diesel, while we are both in Michigan, I live about a quarter mile from Lake St. Clair, which has a bit of a tempering effect on our weather. We frequently get less snow and higher winter temperatures than relatives that live 20 and 30 miles inland. My guess is that Kalamazoo would tend to be colder, longer than we are here.

Which is not to say that we don't get cold. But our hard freezes are generally not more than a couple weeks or so.

As I alluded in the title of my thread, we didn't get into this situation with a deliberate plan, so you're right, we didn't design this properly, or at least not for the use we now have. We have already spent quite a bit of money just getting this up and running, so finding the cash to buy an aquarium, set it up and get on the care learning curve is a bit more than I think we can bite off right now.

I've successfully kept birdbaths open all winter with a modest heater. I was hoping that I might be able to keep my "mini-pond" at 33° during the worst of it.

Hey, sorry, I wasn't directing my comment at you or your pond. If you use a heater and cover you may be able fo keep the pond open.Being smaller might actually be an advantage in this situation, at the heater isn't trying to heat 1000 gallons but rather just a small amount. I really don't know though

 

[koshki]

Thanks. I think the best I can do is try and hope for the best.

And if it doesn't work, then maybe I can convince hubby to rework it next spring. I already want a bigger pond anyway!

 

[CountryEscape]

I think if you are heating only 6" deep of water, first of all the water is probably going to get warmer than you would want it, and second the heater is going to run 24/7 in your coldest part of winter, trying to keep the water from freezing. The other problem I see is what type of heater will you use? Most float on the top, but go down at least 4-6". If that heater touches your liner, will it melt and cause a hole in your liner? I can't imagine trying to heat 6" of water in the winter, but you may get it done. the heaters I use are stock tank heaters, so maybe you will find one that is not as high of wattage. They all usually run on a thermostat, not letting the water get below something like 35 degrees. Having the rocks on the bottom may save your liner from a melted hole. I agree, however, to remove the rocks eventually as they will get just as black and covered with algae as your waterfall. If they don't, and your barley pellets do that good of a job, I want to know the brand you are using! LOL
Your water is very clear and beautiful, and your fish look very happy. I would guess there will be disaster this winter, but who knows, maybe you will prove us all wrong and keep those beauties to next year, and then talk your DH into expanding or at least deepening the pond for next winter! Good luck.
Welcome to this great Forum, too! :blueflower:

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Koshki I love your sunroom! Very nice~

 

[dieselplower]

There is a part that is deeper than 6" though, correct? What are we talking?

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I believe she said it was 50 or 60 gallons with 6 inches being the deepest.

 

[koshki]

The deepest part is directly in front of the skimmer, which I think is about 18" or so. This really wasn't designed with fish in mind...I know you guys must be laughing about my silliness. But I didn't think I was going to talk him into building the waterfall in the first place!

Let me ask some different questions. In the winter, does the water need to circulate? I know the fish don't eat when the water is colder than 50°, but do they go into torpor?

If I could put a tank of some sort in my unheated garage, would I need to have some sort of water circulation? What else would they need? Things rarely freeze in the garage during the winter, but it does stay below 40° pretty consistently.

 

[koshki]

Koshki I love your sunroom! Very nice~

Thanks, Kristi! When we bought this house in 2005, I had one struggling orchid, and one near death. Then I joined an orchid forum similar to GPF, and the insanity took over. In that photo, I think I was at about 250 orchids.

I sense the same kind of fever taking hold as I read here!

 

[dieselplower]

If there is not some circulation the water will freeze sooner.

 

[Dave 54]

Sorry to come in on this really but you quite siply will not be albe to do what you are thinking .
The recomended depth for Goldfish is 4ft, the recomended depth for koi 4.5f - 5ft.
Your going to have to re-think things rather rapidly I'm afraid......
My partner and I like your goodself are disabled my partner suffering Facioscapularhumeral Muscular Dystrphy myself Chronic Osteo Arthitis both knee joints/Fybromyagia.
We to love spending relaxing afternoons by the pond but in the winter we have to leave the koi outside and we come inside.
Thankfully weve insulated/covered every possible thing we can so that the koi may stay warm outside but what is needed is depth which unfortunatelly you seem to be lacking.
You simply cannot heat 6 inches of water and keep it fluid if you have long hard winters which it appears you have.
Our own pond is 1,000 imperial Gallons and will require heating throughout three months of the winter.
It seems logical your fish need to come in as do many of your beautiful pond plantsif they are tropical and may need to come indoors also.
I can only suggest that you give up the sunroom until the spring and get your DH onto making a deeper pond for you.....
In the mean time he'll have make you a small pond for them in the sunroom where at least they can be indoors .
Try not to worry as many folk make the mistake you have and many more after you will do the same.
Had you read some more into it you would have found this out .
It's not a worry though you have some room forthem in the sunroom

rgrds

Dave

 

[CountryEscape]

Dave, I think she already pointed out she only has one area where she can even turn around in the sunroom, so with her wheelchair necessities, that's out.
Koshki, I think you were asking about circulation if you bring the fish into your garage for the winter. The answer is yes, some sort of circulation and/or filtration. If you just have filtration, you will also have circulation, is what I mean by that. It can be primitive, just something deep enough and enough gallons for the fish to make it through the winter easily.
What everyone on here says and I repeat, the bigger you go, the easier it is to take care of. I know that doesn't make sense in a way, but it's true. If you go bigger next year, and make sure you have adequate filtration, the pond will pretty much take care of itself for most of the summer. I don't do much to mine after spring clean out of any accumulated muck that may have gathered on the bottom of my ponds during the winter.
I didn't realize you had 18" of depth in one area, but still that's just not enough. If you were in a warmer climate, you would have cooked your fish during the summer. It's not just for winter they need the depth. And, the fact you've already had a raccoon or some predator relieve you of your fishes in the past, that's yet another reason to go deeper. If you have straight down sides, it makes it VERY difficult for most predators to get the fish.
So, get yourself some type of a tote or large muck bucket or something big enough for the fish to stay in during the winter in your garage. As long as it doesn't freeze, and sounds like it won't, they will be fine. Just give them some filtration and feed very little. Not sure how they will handle things in there with no food at all, so if the water is warmer in there for now, you might get away with feeding them a while longer. Someone else that keeps fish inside for the winter can chime in here as to feed requirements.
Good luck!!!