Winter Pond Temps

[MitchM]

For the last month, the pond temperature sensors have both been at 2.2C/36F.
Yesterday the 2 foot depth sensor had dropped to 1.7C/35F.
This tells me that the ice thickness is approaching 2 feet.

The water temperature at the 5 foot depth concerns me a bit because I was expecting the lowest temperature during the winter to be 4C/39F. I thought the depth of my pond would be be enough to allow for stratification and perhaps protect the fish from too cold of temperature.

 

[addy1]

Mine is sitting around 42f 5.5c

We are dipping in temps this week, heading down to 10f during the night high low 20's. But knowing our area it most likely will bounce back up. We have not had the polar smack this year.....................yet

 

[callingcolleen1]

Nothing to worry about herE. .. pond water is as cold as it gets and I am
not even go to bother lookng cauze I know it will be just above freezing as usual. Minus 20 Fahrenheit outside this fridget morning! The ponds are all circulating nicely and big red heater doing good job.

 

[haver79]

How cold is too cold for the fishies? We have been in bitter cold temps all this week. As low as -17 F. Crazy.

 

[addy1]

With the ice covering my pond has hit 41 and staying at 41F (deep end around 5.5 feet down)

 

[teeemkay]

How cold is too cold for the fishies? We have been in bitter cold temps all this week. As low as -17 F. Crazy.

We had -10 a few nights here and the koi in my pond weathered it fine. It sure was a rough week with that arctic blast. All the ice on the pond melted overnight, and the fish are swimming around fine today but are still staying near the bottom where the water is warmer.

 

[addy1]

I've set up 2 temperature sensors for this winter, one at the 5 foot depth, one at 2 foot depth. I shut off all water circulation a few weeks ago and the temps have remained the same except when the sun is shining. Then, the temperature only varies by a few degrees.
I have an improved setup, with sensors from my Davis weather station being what I'm using this year.
Today I have some ice on the pond, water temperatures are 4C/39F.
Ruby red minnows are still active at various levels and no sign of the goldfish - they're probably at the bottom.

Mine is sitting at 41F at the 5.5 foot level, it has not varied for weeks. I drilled down 5 inches ran out of bit, need a longer one to see how deep the ice is. Our ground does not freeze as deep as yours does, Mitch. Guess our ground temp stays warmish.

 

[j.w]

You don't know it addy but you are living right on top of an active volcano up on your big hill. That will keep you nice and toasty

 

[addy1]

You don't know it addy but you are living right on top of an active volcano up on your big hill. That will keep you nice and toasty

Lol, now that I did not know!

 

[j.w]

Well let's see.............how close are you to a place called Garrett Island?
Garrett Island is the geologic remnant of what was once an offshore volcano in an ancient sea. The rocky high ground on the island's west side is the remains of the volcanic core. Basalt and quartz formed by the volcanic activity are still present

 

[Dave 54]

Well let's see.............how close are you to a place called Garrett Island?
Garrett Island is the geologic remnant of what was once an offshore volcano in an ancient sea. The rocky high ground on the island's west side is the remains of the volcanic core. Basalt and quartz formed by the volcanic activity are still present

Interestingly j.w. Dartmoor has its own extinct volcano at Brentor which is about 8 miles as the crow flys from wherre I'm sat :-

http://www.brentorvillage.org/?page_id=411

As well as that there is alott of evidence of volcantic activity now long extinct around the UK including a long dead super volcano the Giants causway is one of the more famous sites :-

http://www.causewaycoastandglens.com/Giants-Causeway.T1144.aspx

Edinburgh castle is another famous volcano:-

http://www.volcano-blog.com/blog/the-castle-on-a-volcano-edinburgh

 

[addy1]

Well let's see.............how close are you to a place called Garrett Island?
Garrett Island is the geologic remnant of what was once an offshore volcano in an ancient sea. The rocky high ground on the island's west side is the remains of the volcanic core. Basalt and quartz formed by the volcanic activity are still present

around a two hour drive, it is to the east of Baltimore, near the edge of pa, we are west of Baltimore . I think the ice is keeping it nice and toasty! The volcano is not helping us.

 

[MitchM]

... Our ground does not freeze as deep as yours does, Mitch. Guess our ground temp stays warmish.

1/2 my pond is a berm as well.
It probably loses a bit of heat from that.

 

[addy1]

1/2 my pond is a berm as well.
It probably loses a bit of heat from that.

1/2 of mine is a dirt berm, but the bog is along that edge, the pond edge is along the bog, the bog along the berm. A lot of pea gravel and dirt that insulates the pond edge.

 

[MitchM]

With all this warm weather we're having, all the snow from the roof is melting and running into the pond.
The result is that the different water temperature levels are mixing so both the 2' depth and 5' depth sensors are reading 35F / 1.7C.