Pond Breather

[AngelaM]

Is anyone else using JUST a pond breather for winter months? I'm in zone 6 and we have a lot of snow here. My pond is frozen with at least 10 inches of ice. The pond breather seems to be working nicely except when the snow is deeper than the pond breather. Any tips for keeping the top clear of snow?

 

[Lisak1]

@addy1 and @MitchM both use pond breathers in snowy areas. Perhaps they will chime in here!

 

[brokensword]

That's all I use; works great. That's surprising that you have that much snow as I don't think 15" has 'stayed' so far this winter. (and I'm surprised your ice is that thick; was out today and half my pond is ice free, so it couldn't have been that thick) Typically, the heater wire inside the tube helps keep the area of the pond breather clear but Mitch would be the one to ask as I'm sure he gets far more than 15" that sticks around. If the snow covers the top, you could always brush it away (safely; don't fall in if the ice seems thin beneath all that snow!) but I haven't since the three/four winters I've been using it.

 

[addy1]

and I'm surprised your ice is that thick; was out today and half my pond is ice free, so it couldn't have been that thick)

We drilled through ours and we measured 10.5 inches of ice. We last time it was this cold here, was 80 some years ago.
Mine got covered with snow, in the past, ignore it, the pond breather will create a hole in the snow and just keep working.

I am using just the pond breather. I have many times in the past and it has worked great, no fish kills.

 

[MitchM]

As addy says, it will clear it's own hole through the snow.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Is anyone else using JUST a pond breather for winter months? I'm in zone 6 and we have a lot of snow here. My pond is frozen with at least 10 inches of ice. The pond breather seems to be working nicely except when the snow is deeper than the pond breather. Any tips for keeping the top clear of snow?

All I use is a breather. It does work great. I was just looking at getting a second as a backup just in case, and it seems prices have gone up on them. As for snow, I just shovel a circle right around it.

 

[EricV]

I addition to what others have said, I wouldn't really worry about some snow getting on top of it. Gas exchanges through snow. It's mostly air. (People buried in avalanches can survive for hours.)

 

[AngelaM]

That's all I use; works great. That's surprising that you have that much snow as I don't think 15" has 'stayed' so far this winter.

I'm really close to the Bay so it gets cold here. My pond is totally frozen. I can walk on it right now. I don't think we have had 15" of snowfall total but pretty close. I'm getting a lot of drifting because my yard is surrounded by open fields. Every time the pond breather makes a hole for itself, the wind blows and it drifts over again. I'm thinking next year maybe some snow fencing by the pond if I have any problems this year.

 

[AngelaM]

I addition to what others have said, I wouldn't really worry about some snow getting on top of it. Gas exchanges through snow. It's mostly air. (People buried in avalanches can survive for hours.)

Thank you! Good to know. This is exactly what I was wondering!

 

[AngelaM]

We drilled through ours and we measured 10.5 inches of ice. We last time it was this cold here, was 80 some years ago.
Mine got covered with snow, in the past, ignore it, the pond breather will create a hole in the snow and just keep working.

I am using just the pond breather. I have many times in the past and it has worked great, no fish kills.

Glad to hear this! I'm also hoping for no fatalities. This has been the worst winter we have had in many many years! I'm so over it!! On a good note, Joann's and Hobby Lobby have started to put out their spring decor and I got a really cool turtle to put by my pond.