I have 2 100 watt deicers in my pond and they have both stopped working (today is when I noticed) in the middle of our 5-10" blizzard!! I've taken them out right now to see if they can warm up and then will go try them again. The power source is working...wonder if it is a extension cord problem. Help!!! What do I do?? How else can I troubleshoot? I've melted a hole right now with a tea kettle, won't stay for long.
Eeek help!
Put a ball in the water. That may help until you can get another. BEV
Art,
it is peculiar how both your heaters stopped. I am wondering if your extension cord or power source is the problem. Have you checked your cords etc? How old are your heaters? Do you have back up heaters and power cords?
Carolyn
Extension cords generally have a fuse inside that you should be able to find easily. You might check and see if the fuses are bad.
Susanne, do you have a large pump you can put in to create alot of water movement at the surface? This might keep an opening in your pond. Was that a floating deicer that failed?
Well after watching it last night and this morning, I think I may have freaked out prematurely. I dug the thermometer out of the "ice" and it read 40. ??? How on earth could the water be 40 when there is at least 2 inches of packed snow on the surface. LoL! So, I guess my heaters weren't broken, my brain was/is.
I was thinking that the surface was completely covered in ice, but I guess it was snow that had made a surface--would that block gas movement the same way ice will? Even now, only one of the heaters is turning on (they are both surface deicers) and the other is covered in snow and looks to be ice/snow locked in its place. I feel safe so long as one is on and working.
You are all so kind to help me out, thank you so much. I've read too many horror story about losing fish and I guess I jumped the gun. I am just waiting for something to go wrong. This pond mechanics stuff might just be too much for me. lol. Susanne
This is why i live in flroida. we dont freze =]
39-40°f would be a normal pond water reading towards the bottom of a pond, where the slightly heavier, warmer water has settled. A cosey place for fish to be dormant as long as the water quality remains good
Regards, andy
http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/adavisus/
Hang in there and keep on remembering the good summer months and the enjoyment you get from your pond. Winter will pass. It does take some time for a heater to catch up to the weather. Linda
Thank you :) I need someone urging me on! lol. Dh just tells me to stop being so neurotic. This is my second winter in zone 5a, and obviously my first with a pond. I will make it! And it's not like my koi are prized specimens. You just get attached, ya know.
art_n_garden what garden zone did you migrate from?? And yes you will make it. We get attached to what we nuture. Fish, plants, animals, kids, DH, etc. So you go girl.
hehe. I grew up in Houston, zone 9 and went to school and lived in zone 7 for about 6 years and skipped down 2 more zones a year and half ago. Unfortunately, my plants have gotten no say in my zone jumping, lol!