PetSmart has pond heaters / deicers on sale

[Julles]

At least down here in Houston.  Don't remember the price (pond heaters, in an area where the average annual temp this time of year is about 60* don't register on my radar  ), but I believe they were under $20.

The kind that float and put up a stream of water, along with heat, to keep an opening in the ice. Round and black, about a foot across.

[Zoe]

I live south of Houston in the Lake Jackson area. What prep did you do in Houston?  I turned off my pumps today.   I feel so sorry for my fish.


Zoe

[Sunbeam56]

Fish will be fine. Its the mammals that suffer.
Put an air line in your pond, so the water doesn't freeze over. Turn off any falls. You can super-cool water if its sprayed out through freezing temperature air.
Don't worry.

This is going to be a record setting four days. I can't recall four days of below freezing weather since I moved here in 2000. Not that I'm an old-timer, just that is going to be REALLY cold.

Bring the dogs in, you can clean the carpet later.
Feed the cows and horses an extra ration. Give them access to a barn if you have it - if they have anything between them and the night sky, they will be warmer.

This is  nothing like North Dakota.

[Kittyzee]

Nothing like Ohio either:  I mentioned to someone today that it's beginning to feel warm when I'm outside and it's only 20*.  That's a sign that it's been cold for a loooong time!!   

[bulldog]

Same here in eastern Indiana pond is froze over all but air hole. Need to get net off but is frozen to pond.

[Julles]

I'm in downtown Houston, which is always warmer than the suburbs.

I haven't turned my pump off, and don't plan to.  (Of course, I could be persuaded to change my mind.) 

I figure that if the water continues to run, it will not freeze.  The pond is below ground, and therefore the temperature of the water is warmer than the air, and will be nowhere near freezing.  During the days, it's going to warm up well above freezing.

[Kittyzee]

I don't turn my pump off either Julles.  It runs 24/7--365 a year.  I try and keep a hole open near where the water comes out of the hose and even in these temperatures, the hole will stay open several days before I plug the deicer in again.  The cats love it too--they will get drinks when they can.   

[Zoe]

I did turn the pumps off yesterday. Nelson's suggested to do it and I took their advice. We also have a piece of pottery that flows in our bog so we drained that after we turned it off. We have an air pump in both our ponds and run air stones form that year round.  You are right Sunbeam the mammals need extra attention.  Thanks for the information.


Zoe

[PondmaninAL]

Fish will be fine. Its the mammals that suffer.
Put an air line in your pond, so the water doesn't freeze over. Turn off any falls. You can super-cool water if its sprayed out through freezing temperature air.
Don't worry.

This is going to be a record setting four days. I can't recall four days of below freezing weather since I moved here in 2000. Not that I'm an old-timer, just that is going to be REALLY cold.

Bring the dogs in, you can clean the carpet later.
Feed the cows and horses an extra ration. Give them access to a barn if you have it - if they have anything between them and the night sky, they will be warmer.

This is  nothing like North Dakota.

 

 

I'm only running an air pump in the poly stock tank where my fish are and it has kept a hole in the ice so far.

[PondJoy]

Well, I considered starting a new thread that read "I'm alive and well" but I'd rather just slip in through the back door.  I can't tell you how happy I am to be back with you all.

Let's just keep it simple and say that the last 6 months have been a nightmare with a tragedy thrown in for good measure. 

I came back on this thread because the cold weather is really on my mind.  So if you don't mind me coming back into the fold, I will add my 2 cents worth of statements and/or questions.

Statement:  It's cold!  Well, not as cold as it will be starting tomorrow.  What is going on?  This is Texas for crying out loud!!!  Just ask Julles...she agrees I'm sure.  (Hi Julles!!!)  I didn't get too worried about the fishes last year, but I am a little concerned now.

I go back and forth about the waterfall.....I have never turned it off, but there is that "super cooling" effect.....I can't imagine the water freezing, but seems like to me that if I turn off the falls the water might freeze in the pipes....but if they are underground...??? who knows.

I have water hyacinth every year that are just the most fabulous things (yes, I know I'm not supposed to have them) but if I lose them all now I won't have any way to get any more.  So tonight I am going to put some in containers and bring them inside for a few days and see what happens.

I have one koi (still) and he/she is huge and beautiful.  The other 19 (including 2 babies..where did THEY come from?) are goldfish and everyone seems fine and happy.  It's just hard to imagine being concerned about the cold.....I'm on the coast!!  I have actually thought about getting a floating heater if only to make ME feel better... 

Well, that's enough of me.....I'm so glad  to "see" everyone again.....this forum has done a lot to keep me sane and I look forward to mingling again...you all are terrific.

Pat

[Julles]

I've changed my mind, too.  I have an external above ground presserized filter, and, even if I keep the pump on and water flows through it constantly, I started thinking about those 22* temps for hours, and perhaps the ice would work its way into the exposed hoses and freeze solid. 

So later today I'm going to turn off the pump, and then drain the filter, so it and the hoses won't sit full of water that could freeze and expand and burst.

And even though people assure my my parakeets will be fine in their insulated and heated outdoor cage (as long as they're protected from the wind and rain), I'm going to err on the side of better safe than sorry, and go outside and round them up and cram all five of them into the one cage I have and bring their unhappy selves indoors - for a WEEK until this blows over. 

They are sooo cute and adorable and fun to watch, I just can't see stubern-ness on my part being a fair reason to threaten their well-being, especially since all it will take is an hour or so of chasing  and a few bites  to bring them indoors.

Thanks for mentioning the hyacinth, Joy - I had not realized they would not survive.  Gee, the garage is already crammed with staghorn fern, plumeria, and tons of other plants; there's hardly room for my van! 

You're right - we South Texans on the Gulf Coast ain't used to all this hubub!

 

[Julles]

Joy, check the "Pond Chat" forum. http://www.americanponders.com/forum/index.php?action=post;topic=10619.0;num_replies=8   Jerry is planning a road trip through Texas.  And we're already counting YOU in on the itinerary.   

[Julles]

OK, I've emptied the filter canister/hoses and turned off the pump. 

Just for fun, I put a thermometer in the pond, and so we can see what the water temperature actually drops to.  Right now, it's at an even 50*

I also put a thermometer in the bird's cage, to gauge how cold it actually gets in there.  It won't be a totally accurate reading, because I left only the Plexiglass around the cage, and removed the fabric insulation.  Right now, it reads about 60,* although I think it's actually warmer than that.

[Zoe]

I had not given the filters a thought until today and also the external pump. I drained both of my filters (two ponds) and said that is enough!  Then I came to the forum and it was mentioned that filters were drained. So now I feel better about the extra work on the filters.  Good idea on keeping up on  water temp.   I live south of Houston. I wonder what the difference will be.

Zoe

[Sunbeam56]

60 is too cold for tropical birds. Glad you decided to bring them in.
Frozen pllumbing can be repaired, dead pets can't be.

The water, if you have the falls off and water is not circulating THROUGH THE AIR, will stay at about the same temps. Not a problem.
Blow in some air, and the temps will drop. Sometimes precipitously.

I'm envious of your garage full platyceriums.

[fishlipsmcgee]

Same here in eastern Indiana pond is froze over all but air hole. Need to get net off but is frozen to pond.

Bulldog try to get that net off as soon as you can.  The only time I ever lost fish was when I didn't get the net off before a snowfall & freeze.  The weight of the show caused the net into the water and it froze in the ice.  When it thawed enough for me to lift the net, I found that two koi had gotten caught in the net and died.  I felt terrible.