how to keep a pond from freezing without electricity

how to keep a pond from freezing without electricity

Here are some answers from Quora.com

• Mark Goodwillie-If you have a faucet and have public water, you can allow it to drip.

This brings in new water which comes from a pipe that is buried in the ground normally below the frost line.

That is the depth in your area that doesn’t freeze during the Winter.

Of course, in an extremely cold prolonged period, the ground can freeze to a deeper level and freeze your pipes.

If you have sunlight, put a container of water inside your car. The light will heat the air inside and keep the water from freezing.

 

Alex Rodd– One option is to put it near a source of heat. For instance, you could build a fire under a water tank or install steam tracing on a water pipe.

Another option is to insulate, although this can only delay freezing if the water is static.

If the water doesn’t need to be pure, you can mix it with another chemical to lower its freezing point.

A suitable antifreeze might be alcohol or glycol.

 

Barry Scheps-If you’re referring to the water in your PIPES, within a cool or poorly-insulated house…we used to shut off the water heater and allow the cold and hot water taps to run at a “trickle” whenever the temperature outdoors dropped into the teens or below.

That worked at my grandmother’s house during my childhood years!

If you don’t mind spending the money, you could also get your walls professionally insulated

(the insulation should be applied to the sides of the water pipes facing the OUTdoors or siding of the house!).
Naturally, this would also save you money in house-heating-cost

Winter is coming, and this will be the first Winter that you go through with your Koi pond.

Think of Winter as a down period for your pond, as less events happen during Winter then any other time.

However, there are special precautions that you need to take before Winter arrives, to ensure that your koi pond and fish survive.

Clean Up- Take about a weekend to completely go over your pond. Clean up and unwanted bulk material in and around your pond.

Inside your pond, clean up all leaves, slit, and other material from the bottom.

Also, remove any plants or flowers that will not make it through the winter. Around the pond, clean up anything that can blow into your pond, as you are not likely to notice this debris until the end of winter.

Taking the time to make sure that as much debris is removed as possible will prevent potentially harmful bacteria and parasites in the future.

Stop Feeding- You must remember to stop feeding your Koi during the winter. When fall begins and the temperatures hover around 55 to 60 degrees, only feed once a day.

Once the temperatures drop below 50 degree for the first time, stop feeding completely. Even if the temperature goes above 50 degrees, still reframe from feeding your fish.

The majority of Koi fish, when healthy and the temperature is above 50 degrees, take at least four days to completely digest food.

If you mistakenly feed your fish to late the food will not digest and will end up killing your fish. Do not mistake you Koi as hungry when they open to their mouths to you.

This is more of a learned reflex then hunger. If you are concerned about not feeding them, remember that fish eat other things besides the food you provide them, especially if your pond contains a large amount of natural plant life.

If they are at all hungry and you are not feeding them, they will fill up on this.

Check Up- Do you seasonal check up on all your equipment. This includes everything from your koi pond filtration system to your store of preventable medications.

Since the majority of ponds in the world lie dormant during the Winter, you are less likely to be able to find the products you need.

Make sure your emergency kit is ready and up to date, which should include medications, bags, nets, and your water testing kits.

Prepare For Cold Weather- Prepare for cold weather by investing in the items you will need during the summer.

Koi have been known to withstand constant temperatures as low 39 degrees, and temperatures slightly lower then 39 degrees, for short periods of time.

When buying a heater, remember to research what size you will need to adequately heat your pond during the winter, otherwise ice will still form, causing potentially dangerous amounts of gas in the water, due to it being trapped under the ice.

In extreme events, it may be a good idea to have an emergency tank inside available.

Turn Off All Water Sources- In colder temperatures, your koi pond heater will be working hard to maintain a water temperature suitable enough to keep your fish alive.

If you have water features such as waterfalls, streams, or constant moving fountains, make sure to turn them off during Winter.

These features will circulate water and constantly bring new, and cold water into your pond. With these switched off, the only water that your heater will be responsible for is the standing water in your pond.

how to keep a pond from freezing without electricity how deep should a koi pond be for winter

Winters can be harsh in places where koi originate, and today’s established koi varieties are hardy enough to spend
the winter in an outdoor pond in all but the coldest climates.

An outdoor koi pond must be sufficiently deep, however, to ensure that the fish will not become trapped in any ice
that forms.

Pond heaters can help to prevent the surface from freezing over. As water temperatures drop, koi spend more time at the bottom of the pond, and start to eat less.

Young fish may be better housed in an aquarium over the winter, since spending time in this torpid state temporarily
slows their rate of growth.

Hot weather also brings its hazards. Increasing water temperature can reduce the amount of oxygen in the koi pond to dangerously low levels.

Evaporation increases and the pond is likely to require regular refilling with dechlorinated
water.

Fish should be checked more regularly for signs of disease in summer because infectious agents can multiply more quickly in warm weather.

Screening may also be required in very hot weather, to provide shade over the pond and so help to prevent pale-colored fish from suffering sunburn Canopies fashioned from bamboo matting on wooden supports are a popular
decorative option for this purpose

 

how to keep a pond from freezing without electricity How do you keep a pond from freezing?

The snow, ice, and surrounding earth will help insulate your pond from the frigid air. De-Icer:

If your pond threatens to freeze completely, you may need to install a de-icer to keep at least part of the water above freezing.

Your koi fish will need a few feet of liquid water in the pond throughout the winter.

 

how to keep a pond from freezing without electricity  What happens to the fish in a pond when it freezes?

It is true that some fish can spend the winter frozen in ice and come out swimming once the ice melts.

Not all fish get caught in the ice, of course. Ponds and lakes freeze from the top down, meaning that beneath the icy surface there is usually a layer of liquid water where fish swim

How deep does a koi pond need to be for the winter?

A pond for goldfish or water lilies need be only about 2 feet deep for zones 5 or greater.

Ponds built in colder areas may need more depth to keep the pond from freezing solid.

Ponds built for koi should be close to three feet or deeper to allow these larger fish enough space.

What happens to the fish in a pond when it freezes?

It is true that some fish can spend the winter frozen in ice and come out swimming once the ice melts. Not all fish get caught in the ice, of course.

Ponds and lakes freeze from the top down, meaning that beneath
the icy surface there is usually a layer of liquid water where fish swim

Do you keep pond pump on in winter?

If you are in a region that does not get below-freezing temperatures
very often, you safely can leave the pond pump running all winter.

Even in a very cold climate, reasons may exist to leave the pump running. Keeping a pond pump running in winter, however, requires some winter maintenance.

At what temperature does a pond freeze?

Liquid fresh water achieves its maximum density at a temperature of 4 °C (40 °F).

This means that a pond or lake cannot freeze until the entire body
of water is cooled to 4 °C. Only then can the upper surface of the water cool to below 4 °C, and then eventually freeze.

Can koi fish survive in a frozen pond?

Koi are capable of surviving through an entire winter in a frozen
pond, provided their water has sufficient oxygen.

Poor-quality water will not sustain koi if they are frozen on top, as
they will not be able to surface in order to breathe.

Survival under ice is possible for koi; many wild populations do so.

Do fish die when the water freezes?

It is true that some fish can spend the winter frozen in ice and come out swimming once the ice melts. Not all fish get caught in the ice, of course.

Ponds and lakes freeze from the top down, meaning that beneath
the icy surface there is usually a layer of liquid water where fish swim.