How To Select The Right Pond Deicer

Koi ponds situated in regions that receive harsh winters require elaborate procedures and tools to remain safe. One such tool is the deicer, and below are some reasons why every pond owner living in the northern hemisphere should have one.

How Cold Weather Affects Ponds

Ponds will change in response to the weather. During summer and spring, debris will be collected that will settle to the bottom, and by autumn, leaves which have descended from nearby trees will be added to the mix. When winter finally arrives, these materials will be in the process of decomposition. This decomposition will result in the release of gases that under normal circumstances would be dissipated into the air. However, because the surface of the water will usually be frozen by this time, it will be difficult or impossible for the gas to escape, and fish that are immersed in it will eventually perish.

Why The Ice Must Be Opened Carefully

However, one shouldn’t just take an ice pick or axe and begin smashing the frozen water surface to release the gases. The reason is because doing so can harm the fish even more. Breaking open the ice manually results in large aquatic shockwaves which reverberate through the whole pond, which would startle, stress and damage the fish so much that many would die shortly after. Instead, you want to install a pond deicer, a nifty device that will gradually open a whole in the frozen surface and keep it open without disturbing the fish that reside within.

How Do Deicers Work And Which Ones Are Ideal?

The pond deicer is a piece of equipment that is designed to release the hazardous gases which are trapped in the pond once the water freezes. They come in different shapes and sizes, but the one thing they all have in common is that they will feature temperature switches that act as thermo regulators which trigger automatically whenever the water reaches freezing temperatures. No matter how cold the weather gets, it will keep an area of the pond’s surface thawed which allows for ventilation.

Pond deicers use a lot of energy, so you want to buy a model that has low wattage so your electric bill doesn’t get too high. You also want a brand that is heavy and resistant to strong winds otherwise its heat might be blown away which will lower its effectiveness. One way to solve this problem is to install the deicer with wind blocks if you live in an area such as Chicago that is windy.

Deicers are a necessity for deep and shallow ponds. Some models float while others are submerged. They come in wattages which range from 200 to 1500. Choose a brand based on effectiveness, not price and look for a model which is adequate for your pond’s size because if the deicer is too small it won’t be effective.