Southeast ponds and freeze threat

[Alapondguy]

I live in Alabama, I would think the pond water would not freeze more than 6-8" during the coldest spells. If I have a 4' deep pond, does this sound correct?

 

[Lisak1]

Sound correct in what way? Are you wondering if your pond will be deep enough? Or are you wondering how thick the ice would get on a 4 foot deep pond?

 

[Jhn]

Either way you still want to keep hole open for gas exchange during the winter. How thick the ice gets depends on how cold it gets and how long the cold snap lasts.

 

[Alapondguy]

Either way you still want to keep hole open for gas exchange during the winter. How thick the ice gets depends on how cold it gets and how long the cold snap lasts.

if the depth of ice will likely max out around that and if I don't drain the pond each winter, will I need some kind of freeze prevention.

 

[Alapondguy]

Either way you still want to keep hole open for gas exchange during the winter. How thick the ice gets depends on how cold it gets and how long the cold snap lasts.

I didn't think about that...typically we do not stay below freezing for more than 48 hours, and that only happens once in a few years.

 

[MitchM]

If you rarely have temperatures below freezing for more than 48 hours, I don't think you will ever have ice thicker than 1/2" - and that would be with a dry wind.
With a pond depth that's below your frost line, (if you have a frost line), keep your water circulating and you won't have anything to worry about.

 

[Lisak1]

Why would you drain your pond? I'm so confused!

 

[bagsmom]

I'm in NW Ga. Left the pond / waterfall running 24/7. No ice except for some sculptural stuff around the waterfall. My pond is 3 feet deep at the deepest point. I really think in Alabama, if you have good water movement, you probably don't have anything to worry about.

 

[addy1]

if I don't drain the pond each winter, will I need some kind of freeze prevention.

in your zone of 8a, I would say no

 

[Alapondguy]

thanks everyone!

 

[adavisus]

You might want to research your weather records and look at what a late freeze can do. If you have had a warm, mild winter and algae has done well, a hard freeze with snow over it can make all that algae die off in one go. Sweeping the snow off the ice so light can get through the ice can avoid that

 

[ShawnInfirmity]

@Alapondguy I'm also in zone 8a (North Texas) and this most recent winter I had a lot more ice on my pond than usual since we had several days in a row with below freezing temps. With that in mind, it was only about an inch thick at most and I was still able to keep holes in the ice because I have an aeration system with two disc shaped airstones and I keep my pump/waterfall running 24/7.

 

[Mmathis]

I live in Alabama, I would think the pond water would not freeze more than 6-8" during the coldest spells. If I have a 4' deep pond, does this sound correct?

What zone are you in in Alabama? I’m in NW Louisiana (zone 8A/B-ish). While it gets cold enough here for the water temperature to drop into the 40’s and maybe into the high 30’s, my pond has never frozen. I keep my filters going all year. The most “ice” I have ever seen has been a little bit where water exits the filters and some around the edges, so thin that you could breathe on it and it would break or melt. And that only lasts for a day or 2, because the air temperature doesn’t stay low enough for the ice to stay solid.

Here, in the South, while we might get some freezes, what we have is NOTHING compared to what our Northern friends put up with. When they talk about ice and freezing, they are talking about long-term cold — as in months [or at least weeks] of freezing/below freezing temperatures. Even with any “cold” that we see, there’s no way you have to worry about 6”-8” of your pond freezing. If your pond is 4’ deep, you will be fine.

 

[Mmathis]

if the depth of ice will likely max out around that and if I don't drain the pond each winter, will I need some kind of freeze prevention.

NO. You are NOT going to get that kind of ice! You might get a “crusting” of ice, but it’s not going to last long enough to be a problem. And, why would you need to drain your pond in the winter?

The only “freeze protection” that you would possibly need to worry about in your location is using an aerator where you would suspend the air stone close to the surface. This air movement helps to keep ice from forming, therefore leaving a breathing hole open for gas exchange. I think someone else has already mentioned this. But, even if you get ice, it shouldn’t be an issue. We just don’t see the same “stuff” here in the South that you read about our Northern neighbors having to deal with.

Of course, I applaud you for thinking about these things! With ponds, you always want to prepare for the unexpected........but don’t worry about ice!

 

[Lisak1]

I'm glad you chimed in on this one @Mmathis as this is your zone. I was going to say 6 or 8 inches of ice would never happen, but didn't want to promise anything that might not be true!