Insulating a stock tank in winter -- how many degrees of water temp will this preserve?

[Mmathis]

During the coldest parts of our winters, so far, the pond has gotten down to the mid-30's -- the deepest section is a few degrees warmer. This year, in addition to the pond, I will be keeping a few fish in a 300 gal Rubbermaid stock tank, which naturally will be above-ground and exposed. I plan to insulate it [though no plans for how, yet], but was wondering what kind of difference I could expect in the water temp. for an insulated tank...... I know, there are too many variables involved for an acurate calculation, but just looking for a ballpark idea.

Trying to make plans.....

 

[dieselplower]

None it will just take slightly longer to cool. You would need to heat it to see any difference.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Last year I had a leak in the pond during the winter months and ended up moving my fish to a stock tank for the winter. The tank is only 75 gallons so I was worried about that but my fish all survived without any problems.

One side of the tank was up against my house and I put straw bales around the other sides of the tank to help insulate and protect it from direct wind chill. I covered the straw bales with tarps and had them held down with bricks. Then I put just a simple piece of plywood over the top of the tank. Added an air stone and a livestock water heater and the temps in the stock tank stayed pretty much in the low 50s all winter (no matter how cold it got) I did not cover the entire top of the tank with the plywood. I wanted them to get at least a little bit of light and it was easier to check on them that way with out having to take the cover off every time.

 

[Mmathis]

Thanks, DP and Maria!

I hesitate to put a heater in the tank. Since it's only 300 gals, I'd be afraid of getting it too hot [we don't get the same cold you guys get]. Any other suggestions as to things I can do to keep the water temp from going no lower than what the pond would be, preferably without resorting to a heater? I was thinking about using some pink insulation stuff, and building a frame around that and the tank -- but I'm pretty much clueless.... But then, I don't really know what kind of tank temperatures I'm going to even have!

 

[addy1]

My 300 gallon stock tank is 1/2 buried 1/2 exposed, the fish do fine. The ice does get to around 10 inches deep off and on. No heater no aerator. Rosey reds and some gold fish

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I don't see why you couldn't wrap it with insulation and then build a box around it. I'm sure it would help keep the temperature more stable that way.

 

[haver79]

What about a heater that only comes on when the water reaches a certain temperature? Could also add bubble wrap inside your pink insulation frame?

 

[Lardeelion]

Last year I had a little 50g half-in-ground/half-out pond with two little goldies. I surrounded it with straw and covered the straw with a tarp. I put a piece of plywood over the top and left about 5 inches open to the light. I kept a de-icer in there, which died during the polar vortex, but kept the ice open with just an airstone. the temps were in the low 30s but the fish went to the bottom and survived, as did the plants. This year I've got the 300g stock tank and it's surrounded by a wooden box filled with dirt and wrapped with insulation from Lowe's (the silver kind that comes in a roll). I was hoping to find an old hot tub lid to put over it, but haven't had any luck. My husband is going to hinge two pieces of plywood together so I can lift one side.

 

[addy1]

My honey bought a fore closure years ago, he finally picked up a piece of plywood in the front yard. Under that piece of plywood was a small preform, in the preform living in the dark, making it over winter were gold fish. He was shocked. Goldfish can be tough fish.

 

[dieselplower]

Oh yes, very tough! One winter I thought I had got all the feeder fish sized goldies out of an above ground preformed pond. I left it full for the winter and being in michigan it froze nearly solid. Come spring I found 4 black goldies that I didn't see when netting the rest out! No air hole, no nothing!

 

[addy1]

My deck pond had a few fish left in it, never saw them, in the spring I saw one tiny 1/2 fish that survived the winter and the two "adults" were around 2 inches long.

 

[Dave 54]

During the coldest parts of our winters, so far, the pond has gotten down to the mid-30's -- the deepest section is a few degrees warmer. This year, in addition to the pond, I will be keeping a few fish in a 300 gal Rubbermaid stock tank, which naturally will be above-ground and exposed. I plan to insulate it [though no plans for how, yet], but was wondering what kind of difference I could expect in the water temp. for an insulated tank...... I know, there are too many variables involved for an acurate calculation, but just looking for a ballpark idea.

Trying to make plans.....

Weve insulated the sides of our free standiing pond with 22 mm polyctyreene sheets wrapped those in silver sided bubble wrap, then bought loft insulation in the form of recycled plastic that is very similar to quilt batting Maggie then put decking around the whole thing , placing Polycarbonate roofing sheets over the pond plus lagged all our pipes .
You could also lag or box in your filters using the 22 mm polystreene sheets as insulaton , the net result for us is a pond that runs at 7c even with an outside temperature of - 15c

Dave