DId we all survive the long winter?

[capewind]

I hope you are right Wayne, but after poking around with the pole, I doubt I missed anyone this check.

 

[MitchM]

The ice is almost gone from my pond, maybe another day or two with some above freezing temps.
I lost 2 koi for sure, and I managed to see one swimming around yesterday, seemingly looking for his friends, I guess.

 

[capewind]

Im sorry... hopefully the other guy still has a friend out there... Hubby just got home a little while ago. Told him I wanted him to go out and see who he can find ... just not tonight ... was working all day, and just took off for an errand ... so in the next day or two, we shall see if he can find anyone else ...

 

[waynefrcan]

Only you know your pond best, wish you some good luck finding the rest!

 

[waynefrcan]

Mitch, you my closest forum ponder, how was the winter for you? Edm was worse this year then last. Longer frozen period and more snow.

 

[MitchM]

First winter for me, Wayne. Last time I saw the fish was mid-October. Iced over by the end of that month.
Not as much snow as usual, but I'm going to bring in the fish next winter. I'd like to see them year round.
Heater was too expensive as well. I'll just leave a bubbler going next year. See how that goes.
Is your ice all gone?

 

[Dave 54]

First winter for me, Wayne. Last time I saw the fish was mid-October. Iced over by the end of that month.
Not as much snow as usual, but I'm going to bring in the fish next winter. I'd like to see them year round.
Heater was too expensive as well. I'll just leave a bubbler going next year. See how that goes.
Is your ice all gone?

Mitch in our first year outside our koi who were living at a balmy 22c for ywenty two years suddenly found themselves in the coldest winter on record in our part of the UK thankfully we din't loose any but boy what a learning curve we had but that made us consider heating the pondbut not in a conventional way i;e in line heater , instead we added a small 800 wat oil heated radiator to the now insulated filter housing it heats up the oil then switches off holds the heat then cools down over a number of hours.
It works a treat

rgrds

Dave

 

[waynefrcan]

Yes ice gone for a week now. Bringing the fish indoors creates another set of problems. Most important is water volume. My first indoor tub was 300 gals and just wasn't enough.

 

[Dave 54]

Still cold here it was -3c last night in our part of the UK and this is set for the forseeable future brrrr

rgrds

Dave

 

[callingcolleen1]

We all had a mild winter here in Alberta, some milder than others, like me. Nobody had to deal with minus 40 or colder this year, like we have had last year and other years. I remember lots of very cold winters with many days of minis 45 and colder! I also remember one year the snow fell in the first week of October and never left till half way to April. I had to have my heater plugged in those years non stop for months it seemed.

My fish were always fine with the water running non stop. My main hoses never froze as they were running non stop. The only time my hoses froze in past years was in the old bottom pond when I had a very small pump with a clogged filter. There was a couple times the breaker would go and the power went out in minis 40 and I got out there and melted a hole in the ice, got the pumps going and used another hose that was not froze. Those days were not fun let me tell you, I would wake up in the wee hours of the morning and happened to look out the window, and saw the ponds surface was frozen, and panic would set in quick!

This last winter was a piece of cake for me, we had lots of warm wind and very little cold. I think the coldest we had this year was only (and then only for a short period of time) minus 24c, which is the warmest winter that I can remember ever! Past winters I always would plug the truck in if it got below minus 25c, but this is the first winter I never even had to plug in the truck!!

I do however feel bad for you guys up in northern Alberta, your cold just never quit, it went on and on and on for days! I don't think the warm Chinook winds get up that way very often .....

 

[MitchM]

I think we're going to have to dub Medicine Hat the new "banana belt" of Canada. B)
My elevation probably has something to do with it. We're sitting at about 1370 meters.
I am surprised that Wayne's pond was ice free sooner than mine was.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Wayne is in the city and city's are always warmer with the "cement jungle" heating factor.

 

[addy1]

We are out in farm fields, always 5 degrees cooler than frederick proper.

 

[waynefrcan]

We now in the death zone for our little fishes. Too cold to feed and warm enough to start up the bad bacteria & parasites. I hope mine make it.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Yes Wayne, I too hope that your fish make it! I love your beautiful pond and it will be sad if none made it cause you really put your heart into that wonderfully created pond and island. If they don't make it maybe just keep them in the garage for the winter or something....