I'm so upset! Two dead Koi! l

[callingcolleen1]

Colleen, I'm sorry this thread has turned out this way. Obviously, what you do with your pond works for you. If I'm not mistaken, and correct me if I am, you run a 1200- 1500watt heater in your pond system. The pond breather is 40 watts. I use 1500 watt heaters when we have hard freezes and my electric bill jump significantly! I read the bad reviews online and it seems that a lot of them were posted by people who did not understand how the pond breather worked or had ponds that were doomed anyway( 500 gallons with koi). The issue with the breathers tipping is probably due to the depth of the pond. If the ball that holds the pump sits on the bottom, the breather will tip. The water depth needs to be deep enough for the pump to be suspended off the bottom. I do a lot of online shopping and bad reviews are just that- bad. Most people that post don't know how to use what they bought or there is an issue with shipping, damage, etc. Nothing to do with the actual product. I agree that the pond breather may not be acceptable where you live but it works for a lot of other people. Personally, I could not afford to run my high wattage heater for more than a couple of days a winter. I'm interested to know how many days you run yours.
No offense- I love your videos and you do a fantastic job with your ponds.

I only run one 1500 watt heater for all 4 large connecting ponds and I was going to use the 1250 watt instead but that heater quit working. I only heat the ponds when temps are at least -10 or more below Celsius. (14 Fahrenheit. You probally rarely get that cold. The running water from pond to pond keeps the ice down quite well. If you are happy wirh the breather and your weather is much milder than mine, then it should be fine fir you. BUT if your fish are large or Koi and you get a unexpected winter blast below -20 Celsius (-4 F) then I would be very concerned as it does not work well for everybody. It is safer in my opinion to leave your pumps run if possible, or use a spare pump below the water (like @CountryEscape ) as that is very low watt option that will keep larger hole open for bigger fish.

Just remember if the water fails to circulate you could risk losing your fish. I would not trust that device for large koi and it did not work well for the lady that started this thread either.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Colleen, there are so many inaccuracies in your statements, I don't know where to start.
People come here for help, if they receive wrong information, they won't come back. You need to stop giving out information that is inaccurate.

If you don't want to use a pond breather, don't. Other people do and it works great.
You obviously don't understand how pond breathers work or what their purpose is.

Keep doing what you're doing for your pond, other people will do what works for them.


.

I only post the facts thankyou.

 

[Lisak1]

I do a lot of online shopping and bad reviews are just that- bad.

So true - also, people are far more likely to post a negative review than a positive one.

Most Pumps don't take hardly any energy and use less watts than pond breather.

A pump that uses less than 40 watts of energy? That would be one tiny pump.

 

[audioenvy]

A pump that uses less than 40 watts of energy? That would be one tiny pump.

My QT tank pump uses 20 watts (has a wattage display right on it) and is 1250 gph.

 

[Lisak1]

What’s the brand @audio if you don’t mind me asking. Ours is a 4-8000gph and is in the 600 watt range!

 

[audioenvy]

What’s the brand @audio if you don’t mind me asking. Ours is a 4-8000gph and is in the 600 watt range!

It's a new line of pumps sold by Seaside Aquatics called the Periha. It comes in several different sizes and can be used submersed or external (I've used it both ways). It's inexpensive, small, and extremely energy efficient. I believe the 6600 gph unit uses about 120 watts.

 

[callingcolleen1]

So much grief from people for offering a good solution to wintering their ponds. @addy1 @MitchM and everybody else that used the pond breather and it worked wonderful for you... GOOD keep using it!! BUT this is NOT ABOUT YOU! this is about this poor woman who is not happy that her koi died using the pond breather that you use. I am just offering a simple solution that can work for everybody! I am not selling anything just giving my advice for free.

Second, pond breather does not work for everybody as it is now evident {and what works for you does not always work for others} To say that "well they did not use it right as it worked for me" is not helping this lady. Some people have a much larger fish load and maybe a smaller pond and harsher winters. This woman who started this thread is probably mad that you all are claiming that everybody out there that lost their fish with the pond breather is because "they did not know how to use pond breather" is actually a bit mean. How do you know they all used it wrong? The pond breather has problems, first problem is it should be rated for what low temps it can safely be used at.

Third, this woman has koi and neither Mitch or Addy have any koi so saying that the pond breather worked fine for my little fish in a giant pond is not good advice for the lady here who's koi are dead after using the pond breather. What works for Addy and Mitch does not work for others.

Fourth NO SUCH THING as SUPER COOL or SUPER CHILLED POND WATER! You HAVE to HAVE PURE WATER and our ponds contain minerals and salts and cannot be super chilled. Can we please quit using that phase as it scares people and some who live in England lost their koi cause they shut off their pumps and turned down their bubblier and killed their fish because they were so afraid of this super chilled water that does not exist naturally on planet earth. Science 101... They are using VERY PURE WATER like bottled Figi water or distilled water.

Fifth Listen to Aquascape tell you how to best winter your pond...... run a PUMP!!!!!

 

[MitchM]

It's a new line of pumps sold by Seaside Aquatics called the Periha. It comes in several different sizes and can be used submersed or external (I've used it both ways). It's inexpensive, small, and extremely energy efficient. I believe the 6600 gph unit uses about 120 watts.

Those pumps are DC aquarium pumps made in China.
Similar to Jebao.
Chinese pumps typically have a high failure rate. Perhaps they are improving on their technology. I hope so.
I don't know what the UL rating is on Periha, but you can't even find them for sale in Canada.
Specifications are hard to find, but I doubt they are rated for outdoor use.

You can be sure that Colleen's pumps use more than 40 watts.

Colleen, pond breathers are not anti-koi devices. They work for all fish. Pond breathers keep water healthy, no matter what fish are living in it.
If you had been following AngelaM's thread with an open mind regarding the history of her fish, you should remember that they were most likely exposed to high ammonia levels before Angela took possession of them.

 

[Lisak1]

Hmmm... the video said you CAN choose to keep your waterfall running. OR use a recirculating pump and de-icer. He also tells you why people may choose not to keep a pump on all winter. And advocates cold water bacteria be added. In spring they will show you how to empty your pond and power wash it... I appreciate the contributions they make to the water gardening hobby, but they are in the business of selling products. What if the pond breather is their next new thing?

 

[Lisak1]

So much grief from people for offering a good solution to wintering their ponds

Also let me add that there has been lots of support for what you do - no one is giving you grief about your winterizing method. The only "grief" you may be getting is for that dead horse you keep beating. You don't like the pond breather. You think no one should use them. Got it. But if anyone is advocating only one right method, it's you. Unless I've missed the suggestions you've made for people who can't or don't want to keep a pump on...

 

[audioenvy]

Specifications are hard to find, but I doubt they are rated for outdoor use.

I own one. It's great. Two year warranty from US vendor. I've used it underwater as well as externally. They were all over the show floor at this years Central Florida Koi Show. But this is a tangent.

As long as you guys who use only a pond breather all winter realize it absolutely positively does NOT add any oxygen to the water then carry on. It may be that there is enough oxygen in the water over the winter or enough exposed surface area on warm days to get some limited re-introduction of oxygen into the water or maybe the fish load is small enough that they don't deplete the oxygen. But a pond breather is not adding any oxygen to the water.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Also let me add that there has been lots of support for what you do - no one is giving you grief about your winterizing method. The only "grief" you may be getting is for that dead horse you keep beating. You don't like the pond breather. You think no one should use them. Got it. But if anyone is advocating only one right method, it's you. Unless I've missed the suggestions you've made for people who can't or don't want to keep a pump on...

I never said nobody should use them ever. I said if you like them and it works for you then use them many times.
This thread is about the lady that used them and lost her koi. I am simply giving people other options who lost their koi using the pond breather. Please re-read this thread.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I own one. It's great. Two year warranty from US vendor. I've used it underwater as well as externally. They were all over the show floor at this years Central Florida Koi Show. But this is a tangent.

As long as you guys who use only a pond breather all winter realize it absolutely positively does NOT add any oxygen to the water then carry on. It may be that there is enough oxygen in the water over the winter or enough exposed surface area on warm days to get some limited re-introduction of oxygen into the water or maybe the fish load is small enough that they don't deplete the oxygen. But a pond breather is not adding any oxygen to the water.

Your awesome! Finally somebody who actually knows about running pumps all winter. I have ran my pump all winter for 27 years as the running water keeps the ice down very well, especially if you run several upper ponds all with one pump. The upper ponds I keep only the biggest koi as they require the most oxygen and the upper ponds also have the cleanest water. My bottom pond is for goldfish and lots of marsh plants. Never lost a koi running pumps for 27 years in Canada where I get extreme cold down to -45 and colder with wind chill. I have learned much after many years and seen so many dead koi in my friends ponds around town that never had running water.
Then there is so many people that believe the water can get super chilled running ponds all winter. No such thing as super chilled water on planet earth. You have to have super pure water like distilled water....

 

[audioenvy]

I do run my full system all year--but I cover the pond and I heat the filtration area with a space heater.

I'm not saying everyone has to run their full system all year. I didn't do it the previous winter and my fish did not die--but I had far fewer fish (all of which were very small) and the pond never froze over. The only thing I can say conclusively is that IF your fish need more oxygen than stagnant water can provide (and that depends on a number of factors) then you need a way to reintroduce oxygen into the water. A pond breather will not do that. A submerged aerator would do that--and would definitely not on its own cause the water to get too cold.

Nobody on here would recommend not using an aerator in the summer even though the entire surface of the water is free of ice and therefore serves as a HUGE "pond breather." There are two reasons: (1) more oxygen is required when fish are being fed and (2) warm water cannot hold anywhere near as much dissolved oxygen as cold water. Water at 40 degrees holds 60% more oxygen than water at 80 degrees all other things being equal.

For some ponds, the extra oxygen in the water and the reduced oxygen requirement (due to not feeding) are enough all by themselves that so long as harmful gasses can escape there is no need to reintroduce oxygen to the stagnant water during the winter. But a tiny hole in the ice adds no appreciable oxygen to the water. That's my only point.

 

[MitchM]

I ....then you need a way to reintroduce oxygen into the water. A pond breather will not do that. A submerged aerator would do that--and would definitely not on its own cause the water to get too cold.
.... But a tiny hole in the ice adds no appreciable oxygen to the water. That's my only point.

I’m getting the impression that you also don’t understand how a pond breather works.
Why do you think the effect of an aerator is different from a pond breather?
Both serve the purpose of exposing water surface to air by circulating the water.