Why a Pond Heater-Deicer Is Necessary
One of the most frequently asked questions in the
fall-winter pond season is, “Do I need a pond heater or
deicer for my pond?” There are several factors to consider
before answering that question. Let’s take a look at what
happens to a pond in the winter and when a deicer would be
needed. In the fall, our ponds start to change with the
weather. Debris, which has settled to the bottom of the pond
during the spring and summer, is now joined by hundreds of
falling leaves. Over the winter, this debris will begin to
decompose. As they decompose, a slightly toxic gas is released
that harmlessly dissipates into the atmosphere after it rises to
the pond surface. In northern locations, where the pond freezes
over completely, the gases have nowhere to go and begin to build
up. These gases can, over time, harm or even kill your fish.
To avoid the untimely demise of your favorite fish, you will
want to keep a hole open in the ice to allow for the release of
these gases.
Now what you do not want to do is go out to your pond with
an axe and chop away! Many people think that this will help but
what they are unknowingly doing is sending massive shock waves
through the pond with each strike of the axe. If that doesn’t
kill the fish outright, it will leave them brain dead.
A better way to vent these gases is to use a floating pond
deicer. The de icer is a nearly indestructible heating unit
that is fish and liner safe. The deicer will come with an
internal temperature switch that will turn on only when the
water hits below freezing and will turn off when water
temperature rises to about 45 degrees. The floating pond deicer
will keep a hole in the ice. A common-sized deicer is about
1250 Watts. It will maintain about an eight inch diameter hole
in a 600 gallon pond. For larger ponds, a good rule-of-thumb is
to add an additional unit for each 600 gallons of water.
To obtain the fullest benefit from your deicer you should
try to install it in an area that is not exposed to high winds
as cold winds can pull the heat off of the deicer thereby
decreasing its effectiveness. Many customers utilize various
types of wind blocks and achieve excellent results even in windy
weather.
As a final thought, I would like to address the common
misconception that a shallow pond of 12-24 inches is not good to
winterize with fish in it. While there may be some locations
where your water will freeze several inches deep your pond does
not become a solid block of ice. The fish may perish in the
frozen pond but it will likely be from the toxic gases produced
by decaying matter. For small and shallow ponds I strongly
suggest the use of a pond deicer. A properly placed pond deicer
can be the difference between life and death for our favorite
Koi or goldfish.