This 1250 Watt floating pond heater deicer is designed to keep a vent hole
in the ice for release of the harmful gasses from underneath. Even the
smallest of holes will suffice. Allowing your pond to completely freeze over
during the winter months will cause the harmful gasses produced by fish
waste and plant decay to congregate below the ice, becoming deadly to your
fish and plants.
This pond heater/deicer is safe to use in ALL ponds: plaster, liner, or
concrete. The Model P-418 is intended for use in ponds that are 600 gallons
or less. Ponds larger than 600 gallons will require the use of two pond
heaters/deicers tied together to act as one. Deicers will only operate when
the temperature reaches freezing. The unit is thermostatically controlled to
turn on when the water temperature approaches freezing and will turn off
according to the internal thermostat shut off temperature. The Ice Chaser is
constructed of durable cast aluminum for longevity, safety, and efficiency.
This pond heater/deicer comes with a 10 foot long three prong supply cord
and a three year warranty.
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The Thermo Cube can be used with several different devices to
help save electricity and wear and tear on your equipment. We recommend the
following devices to be used with the Thermo Cube:
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.
Jon Loewy is the Owner of
Pondless Waterfall, a water feature store that
specializes in pondless waterfall supplies, kits, and installation.
Pond Pump and
Fountain has a full line of pond kits and pond accessories
