Country Escape's 2nd pond - Goldfish only

[callingcolleen1]

My ponds are pretty darn frozen right now, using the 1250 watt heater right now, seems to be keeping holes open in the ice, not sure if I will switch to 1500 just yet, first time using the 1250 watt so this is test. Sometimes I think the 1500 watt is "overkill" and it makes the extention cord warm. I will keep using the 1250 watt for now, but may switch to 1500 watt tomorrow, cause it is suposed to go down to minus -18 Fahrenheit. Going down to minus -12 fahrenheit tonight. Right now we are at -4 F (-20 C)

I am sure the fish are NOT having a "party" under the ice tonight!!

 

[CountryEscape]

I can't imagine having to deal with those temps, Colleen, but you have proven time and again that you CAN do it! Thanks for your support and knowledge. Hoping you're totally correct on my fish issue, and thinking you ARE! My poor goldfish have been through a lot, but the fact the fantails were all spotted and swimming fine, leads me to believe the larger fish that are the ones that were laying on their sides maybe did eat something that didn't get digested before the cold snap. Plus, it came really fast, just like the current one is going to arrive. Temps dropping from 66 today down to ... crap now they are saying 8 degrees Fri. night!!! Holy cow, that's almost 60 degrees in 48 hours. That's just WRONG. Poor poor fishes .... Almost makes me want to heat their water so they don't have to go through such a drastic change in temps. Only minor water movement right now, but will be shutting down the waterfall tomorrow evening, when the temps go below freezing. Will be fine until I get home from work.

 

[sissy]

I saw a house on epic homes on TV that heats his pond and house with geothermal heat from the ground .They live in Montana and pond stays around 65 degrees all winter

 

[callingcolleen1]

Must be nice, I could use geothermal heat right about now!!

 

[sissy]

thing is he said it came with a 75 thousand dollar price tag .His house was 25 thousand sq. ft. and the pond he said was 7 ft deep 100 ft around and he had 7 waterfalls ,said his favorite number was 7 .That was also 5 years ago price tag .It was right in front of the house and it was the first thing you see .He was single also .He would make a great catch also . :cheerful:

 

[CountryEscape]

Geo thermal is fine, but when they are attached to a pond and using the water down deep to heat house, etc. they are even more expensive when you have to replace the water pump. My former husband built a house that used this, they had a 5 acre pond, use the much warmer water in the bottom of the pond to help heat house. Theory is that the temp of that water is warmer than the air that forced air uses. Two years after it was installed, the water pump went out, to the tune of $6,000! That's not much of a savings if you have to replace high cost items that often! Not sure how a pond could be at 65 degrees in Montana, unless he was putting a LOT of money into heating it. The ground temps are not 65 degrees down deep, are they? Sounds like that guy had money to burn, so good for him! :blueflower:

 

[sissy]

He said his pipes ran under the pond and he did not use the pond .He said the old way they used to do it never turned out good and he developed this system because he wanted to enjoy the pond all year round and enjoy the fish .I guess by what he said he studied all about geothermal and he figure he could use 2 systems one for the pond and one for the house .I taped it because it was so interesting I really don't know ce as he says he is off the grid and has solar also .He was a commercial developer and that how he makes his money .I still cannot wrap my head around what he says .But I guess it must work since his house is a log home and he has built more systems for other people there .I guess if you have the money anything is possible .I wanted geothermal but even the system I looked at 11 years ago is not as good as the systems they have now and the cost has really gone down .I watched a show on this old house about the new systems and then on Mike Holmes show on HGTV Holmes on Homes .They did one up in Canada for a military family .( actually they improved on the system that was put in on the inside )

 

[CountryEscape]

After the "big snow" first week of January, I had a 3' drift going down the length of the goldfish pond for a very long time.

But, then it would warm up and melt, snow again, melt .... hoping that this is what I will see the rest of this winter, as I'm tired of the snow.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I am tired of the cold and snow too, looks like spring is in your way! Is that view of the goldfish pond? Looks like you have your ponds build up too, makes it easy to acess and view when it is build up a little above ground, less bending too!

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, Colleen, both of my ponds are above ground level, the goldfish pond more than koi, but back side of koi is 2 landscape stones higher than ground level. My property is so flat, although slight drop off away from house, that I didn't want any ground water getting into the ponds. Even the stream is above ground level.
I'm also ready for spring, but thinking you are more than me, by the looks of your temps. Nope, not going to trade temps with you anytime soon, thank you very much!

 

[Big Lou]

God bless you all. I know you are tired of the snow and cold.

 

[j.w]

Guess I should count my lucky stars that we don't get much snow here. Glad it is almost over for the bad winter back there CE. It won't be long now..................hopefully!

 

[CountryEscape]

Holy cow! Got my electric bill for Jan 15 to Feb. 15! DOUBLE normal amount for this time of year! Yikes!!! I called, thought something was wrong, she assured me daily I was using an enormous amount of electricity all the days of sub zero temps. And, this bill was for time AFTER the first artic blast we got, with all the snow, which was I think around Jan. 3-8. So, lesson learned. No more tank heaters running 24/7 in the ponds. I guess with the water as cold as it was, they ran constantly. Also had one in the horse trough. I'll break the ice from now on, unless it gets frozen solid. Ponds will have to get melted once a week and run air bubbler or something. The lady at electric company said I went from normal 11-20 kilowatts used daily to 111-120/day! Wow, I had no idea!!! My bill for Dec. 15 to Jan. 15 was $185, this bill for Jan. 15 - Feb. 15 was $355! I've NEVER had a bill over $185 ... NEVER. But, since I've lived here, I've never had such a long cold winter either. I guess I should count my blessings, since I contracted my propane, so at least I'm not paying $5/gallon on that!

 

[sissy]

you may have to do energy retrofit .My house was done in 2004 and 2x6 studs and i had the blower door test done on my house but they did not find a lot of things just a few vents that needed resealed and still waiting for the blower wheel to come in for the heat pump and my dryer vent was loose .Amazed at how much heat you loose through a dryer .They suggested one of those indoor trap and seal retrofits but I have not been able to find it here so have to order it .Plus freezer uses more than it should .Thinking of getting rid of the separate freezer as I don't put much in it and don't need it .

 

[Big Lou]

Yikes CE!