Pond in the foothills

[MitchM]

Well, the ice cover has decided to freeze "upwards". The sensor was sitting on top of the ice, but was not moveable because the sensor wire was frozen in place below it.
What that means is that the floating temperature sensor I had is now encased in ice, which means it's probably ruined.
The tupperware container I had it in distorted from ice formation and let melt water in which has now frozen.
I'm getting on and off again temperature readings.
I'm going to see if I can track down the manufacturer's 10' sensor wire so I can mount the transmitter on a post or something next winter.
I'll guess that my ice cover is at least 2 feet thick right now. I don't have a drill bit that long that I can test for sure.

(where's John's grumbly face...)

 

[callingcolleen1]

Oh that sucks Mitch! I wonder if you can rescue it? Maybe if you ran a hose hooked up to the hot water from the house, and ran it over the device it might lossen it from the ice? That is what I do if I have to. I drag the hoses in and defrost them in the tub, when the power had gone out one year, and hooked the hose to my handy hose attachement in the bathroom, and throw the hose out the bathroom window to the ponds. I have defrosed many holes open in the ice that way. If it is not to cold today, maybe you could still rescue it ?

I have that video on my thread, "my pond runs all winter" titled "Proof running water melts ice quick"? On that video I melt a hole in the ice that was about two inches thick, in a matter of minutes with cold tap water only? If you could just push and slide the hose into place over the frozen deicer, and leave the water to run gently for a few minutes, it should cut a hole into the ice and free the deicer.

 

[MitchM]

The tupperware container is half buried in ice right now Colleen.
If I ran hot water over it to free it, it would just fill up with water. Plus the sensor cable would still be frozen all the way down through the ice.
It's not going anywhere for a while.

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, you learn more each year you try different things, Mitch. Yesterday was in the high 30's here, so everything thawed out again, and I shut off air bubbler in koi pond. Those stinking koi were ALL under the ice cover on the far end, not one of them ventured over to the part not covered in ice, so I could see them. I saw the goldfish, though, and many of them were swimming about. None dead, so that's a good sign. This morning, about 23, and koi pond had ice cover, but I could "push" it to break it, so got the air bubbler and heater going again.

 

[j.w]

Can't imagine myself living where the ice freezes that thick. Sorry about losing your sensor thingy to the ice Mitch. Maybe it will be ok when it thaws. What is it that would cause it to die just sitting in ice?

 

[MitchM]

When the ice starts to melt, it conducts electricity and shorts something out in the transmitter.
When it freezes again, the conductivity is lost so it starts transmitting again.
When it finally thaws enough for me to remove it from the pond, I guess I'll see then how much corrosion has taken place.

 

[j.w]

Ok I see so that is why you had it protected in the tupperware box but the box warped so water leaked in and prolly fried it or will fry it if you can't get it out soon.

 

[addy1]

Unreal two feet of ice. I am so glad mine freezes melts, freezes melts, jsut the first winter it froze solid.

 

[MitchM]

I'm starting to wonder if putting in a pond was such a good idea....lol.
If I had a larger supply of electricity, I could see maybe putting in a larger pump with big filters.
We're pretty limited here and I already max out on our electricity supply sometimes as it is.
If the goldfish make it through ok this spring, I'll probably just continue on as is.

 

[addy1]

fingers crossed for you............

 

[MitchM]

When I think about it, the benefit for the local wildlife from the pond and enjoyment we get from seeing it all makes it worth it. I just feel bad for the koi I tried the first winter.
I'm actually in the process of setting up a webpage with a full time pond webcam so we can better capture all the activity.
You may have noticed that my weather banner has changed. That's transmitting from the home weather station in our front yard. The banner I used to have was inaccurate from what the temperature actually was, too much too often.
..and setting up a webpage is like learning another language!...

 

[addy1]

One of those things I have thought of doing never have done, setting up a web page, maybe some day. lol

I use davis weather station, it transmits the data to a web site, wonder if I could get it loaded here. Will need to check into that.

 

[callingcolleen1]

well if you want to leave it as natural as possible, and use next to no electric, I have read that fsrmers used to put a bale of hay into the pond before the big freeze up, and that wouod allow air to get down to the deepest part of the pand. The hay straw is hollow inside and that allows air to exchange. Just stick with goldfish and minnows then, Koi need too much attention.

I would also try to keep a bigger pump running with the bigger filter, even a good home made filter, I see there is threads on homemade filters.. maybe you could invent a good underwater pre pump filter, that would keep the ice from getting so thick.
Keeping the pond water running would be like the creek, then it would defrost quicker
Don't give up Mitch, you already have so much invested nto the pond, and that huge liner must have cost a lot of money, and all the effort you put into digging the biggest hole I every seen!

 

[MitchM]

That's why I use, Addy. I have a Davis Vantage Pro2 and use it with more elaborate software from www.weather-watch.com

 

[MitchM]

I forgot about that!. - No Colleen, I'm not going to let that liner go to waste! I was going to build an elaborate waterfall the first year, but with how severe our freeze/thaw is, I'm really going to have to keep it simple so I don't have to rebuild the darn thing every year.