Especially if a fish farm is being operated, it is necessary to keep the garden pond free of ice over the winter and to prevent it from freezing over completely. With the appropriate devices, the oxygen supply is maintained in permanent frost and the formation of rot is counteracted.
How can you keep a garden pond ice-free?
To keep a garden pond ice-free in winter, ice preventers, pond heaters or air vents can be used. These devices provide oxygen supply, prevent rot and protect fish and plants.
In Central Europe we have almost gotten used to mild winters, but a shallow garden pond can freeze over relatively quickly, even in light frost. Once it is covered with ice, the leaves and mud on the bottom of the pond lead to undesirable fermentation processes and the formation of fermentation gas. Both have a negative effect on the plants, animals and microorganisms in the ornamental pond, as oxygen is now becoming scarce.
Ice preventer for light frost
With the ice preventers available in stores (€18.00 on Amazon), it is possible to prevent the pond from freezing completely, at least in moderate frosts. The floating bodies made of thick Styrofoam are anchored to the ground above the lowest point and ensure an ice-free zone, which, however, is only as large as the inner diameter of such devices, which should be at least 60 cm.
In larger pond systems, several ice preventers can be used in different places, in cases of severe permanent frost in combination with air vents that ensure slight water movement at a depth of approx. 30 cm.
Freedom from ice with pond heaters
The electrically operated devices, which work on the principle of an immersion heater, prevent complete freezing. The size of the ice-free section of the pond depends on the current water temperature and the electrical power of the stainless steel heating rods, which protrude approx. 25 cm deep into the pond water and are fixed to a Styrofoam floating body. Some technical device features:
- Power range between 100 and 3000 watts;
- integrated frost monitor function;
- many different designs (instantaneous water heaters, pond balls, heating tapes) possible;
- Remote control via smartphone app;
Important for ice-free ponds
If possible, start using ice preventers in late autumn, but at the latest when ground frost sets in and before the bank area freezes over. A simple bubble wrap can also be used to prevent a garden pond from freezing over if it is laid out on the surface of the water with the air-filled nubs facing down.
Tip
Be sure to avoid clearing a frozen pond of ice by drilling, sawing or even using a pickaxe. The noise and the extreme sound waves cause the fish to panic, which drives them to flee towards the bottom of the pond, where they ultimately freeze and die.
