What should I do if the surface of my pond freezes?

If the ice seizes the surface of your pond, above all, do not break it, because the shock wave risks killing the fish. With hot water you can make a smooth hole.

The idea is to keep a space to allow the exchange between air and water. The waste at the bottom of the basin, while decomposing, emits a toxic gas which consumes the oxygen useful to fish and plants.

In prevention use the following methods

First, and for very small pools. You have a model that everyone knows well, it is the anti-freeze floating bell . It is filled with gravel so as to give it sufficient weight so that it can sink a little in the water.

And then, with the lid, you place it on the basin, which will allow you to always keep at the place of the center of this bell, a hole in the ice, allowing a small gas exchange between water and air . Of course, this only works for small pools. This first system requires no electricity consumption.

The Antifreeze bell for pools with a volume of water

of maximum 1m3

This bell is equipped with a polystyrene float. Take the rod placed there through the float. The device includes an air pump with a small outlet. The air hose is 5 meters long with a diffuser. This will allow you to protect your koi carp and your plants.

The polystyrene disc with aerator prevents your pool from freezing. The air pump has a capacity of 1.3 liters per minute and is suitable for a pond of up to 1000 liters.

Place the pipe through the stem. Once done at the other end, place the air diffuser. It is he who will diffuse the bubbles.

Now, if you have a pool with a larger volume of water, you have the ICEFREE THERMO 330 consisting of a heating element and a trigger.

This resistance floats on the surface of your pool and as soon as it freezes. The resistance will set in. This will allow, depending on the thaw, to keep an opening of the order of 30 to 40 cm in diameter.

And finally, and by far the best system, are the air pumps

This will primarily serve you in winter, but of course also in summer. These are devices that consume little electricity and thirdly, it is a system that will guarantee you to keep the window open at all times.

The pump will push the air into the bottom. The air will come out of the diffuser and going up, it will draw the water which is a little warmer towards the surface, which will allow to always keep a hole in the ice, even if it freezes very hard at a time. given.

And so you will always have a very good gas exchange between water and air and this will allow you to keep enough oxygen in the bottom of the basin for the happiness of your fish.