The pond dig has begun!

[sissy]

It is cold here but still no ice on the pond .

 

[j.w]

Cold here also and I have thin sheets of ice in small areas in the mornings but they melt away w/ the sunshine each day. Pump and waterfall running all winter. Hope you get you problems fixed the way you want it to work CE and it doesn't freeze your fingers to the bone working out there!

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, tonight I'm pretty sure both skimmers were struggling to work as ice had formed in front of them probably deeper than the opening, which is only 4". So, I shut off those pumps, which turned off the bog in the koi pond (no problem) and stream going to the goldfish pond (again, no problem). The koi pond has the air bubbler doing it's job, and the goldfish pond has water bubbler, with heater running in the center to help it out, and the big pump is still pushing water through the large bog, I could see it still flowing. I have no idea how Colleen keeps water running in her ponds in her cold! I sure don't have the knack at it ... yet! At this point, I'm pretty sure I'll shut things down next winter, just keep a hole open once the water freezes over most of the pond, and not worry about the pumps. All pumps are at least 20" or more below the surface, so no worries of them freezing solid. Guess I'll find out if the skimmer boxes get damaged, but I can't imagine they won't hold up to the ice, since some people build them into the liner wall, so no way they would be brought inside for the winter. I just wanted to see if I could keep my water running, but not much luck. Maybe the water will stay somewhat warmer without as much water movement. We shall see ... but I don't have a bottom thermometer, so have no way to know at this point. That's on my "to buy" list for this summer.
Temps today went from I think 9 this morning to about 20 maybe, and now dropping again. Supposed to be warmer the next few days, back into the 30's, so it's all good.
Stupid horses played with the floating heater and got it on top of the board I had across the top of the water trough to keep them from messing with the heater. So, it was not heating the water and was frozen solid the top probably 10" or so. Good thing the water level was low, just added water and checked to make sure the heater was still working, and they are back in service. Just will have to check more often for them messing around with it.

 

[sissy]

poor horseys get all the blame

 

[CountryEscape]

Actually, if you want me to be honest, the "horses" have not done this for 2 years ... I have a sneaking suspicion that Clyde (the mule) is the culprit. But, not placing any blame ...

 

[sissy]

poor clyde bad mule and putting blame on horses .I have seen mules that actually laugh when they do something they should not do .My uncle in NJ had 2 of them like that.He kept them in the cow pasture and when they did not like what they were eating they would open the gate and go to the next pasture and cows would follow them and when my uncle would find them he would yell at the mules and they would just laugh at him .

 

[j.w]

Had to post this CE so you can prepare yourself for what Clyde might learn from this horse...............better not let him see this or your horses either for that matter :razz:

 

[sissy]

hey JW I think he was trying to go see his girlfriend .notice how he looked in each stall before he found what he wanted.The one must have wanted an ice pop .

 

[j.w]

Yep I noticed how he passed the first stall and then opened the next couple :luxlove:

 

[sissy]

sneaky leave the girls out and it is party time and poor guys can only watch and envy the stud muffin :razz: not to dumb is he

 

[j.w]

He's a smarty pants alright!

 

[CountryEscape]

That's a great video, JW! He was opening all kinds of latches, not just one. Some of the doors were already open it looked like, but he knew how to slide them over. And, in the chest freezer, I figure that's where they keep either grain or mineral salt or something like that. Old chest freezers are a hot commodity in this area for that reason. They keep mice and moisture out, and can be locked (to keep out sneaky nosey horses!). Friend had old freezer, upset as how to get rid of it. Told him I'd advertise it for free for him, and he could not believe it but the first day he had close to 10 calls for it! Then he was mad, thought I should have charged for it. Go figure ....

 

[callingcolleen1]

CE I don't have any filter after the pump, just before, and that is under the water. I do use a big 1500 watt heater and that helps too. I have lots of ice on the bottom pond and the water way appears frozen but the water still moves well under the water. Maybe you pumps are too big for winter use? I shut half the pumps down and just leave some flowing. I run about 1200 gph to the top pond right now, and everything flows good, no problems. I also don't have a skippy so I don't know the effects of that system in winter. I also don't have a big waterfall either, maybe that makes a big difference?

 

[sissy]

The kh heater 250 watts is working great .It melted the ice that was there and with wind and temps being around 6 degrees last night I was not sure ,but it worked .

 

[CountryEscape]

I also have a 1500 watt heater, Colleen, but it doesn't do much to actually warm the water, just keeps the ice from forming where it is floating, or at least that's what it seems to me.
I think the waterfall gathers way too much "cold" as it is more above ground and in the open so the winds can chill it quicker. I never thought about LESS pressure, thinking MORE pressure/gph going through the Skippy would be the key, to keep more water moving, but what do I know. I'm not totally giving up, just probably for this year, unless we get a big warm spell again and I can get things thawed out enough to check that pump.
OK, so we would like to see the underwater filter that you have on your pump after your thaw, Colleen. The only filters I ever make sure and keep cleaned out are the skimmer filters, and they are easy to get to. The underwater pumps have never gotten clogged up, as they can take large pieces through them. One of those Lagunas goes to the waterfall, the other through the large bog in the goldfish pond. The bog pump is still running just fine. Like you said, iced over, but can see water running underneath the ice back into the pond.