Koi Pond Heater Or Koi Pond De Icer - Which Meets Your Needs?
Which piece of equipment is right for your pond, a koi pond heater or a koi pond de icer? The answer is that if you live in a colder climate where your pond freezes over in the winter then you definitely need one or the other.
You want to keep the pond temperature stable through the colder months.
If the temperature fluctuates up and down it will be detrimental to your koi's health.
A stable temperature means a healthier environment.
If you have a deep enough pond (generally meaning three feet or deeper) you should be able to keep your koi outdoors for the winter without too much trouble.
Many people choose to use a submersible koi pond heater.
Submersible pond heaters heat a much larger area than a floating pond de icer would.
They also keep your pond water temperature constant.
Particularly if you keep show koi, you may want to keep your water at a temperature that will allow them to feed year round.
When temperatures get below 50 degrees Fahrenheit their metabolism really slows down, they hang around at the bottom of the pond and should not be fed until it warms up.
The problem with this can be that in the spring, when things start to "come back to life", your koi's immune system isn't functioning at an optimal level.
However, pathogenic bacteria are coming "back to life" too.
With their suppressed immune systems, your koi can contract bacterial infections that are difficult to treat and also blemish their skin! The answer to this problem is to use a koi pond heater to keep your koi eating and help keep their immune systems functioning at peak level.
It is not really necessary for the average koi pond owner to use a submersible pond heater.
It is easier and more cost effective to simply use a floating koi pond de icer.
A de icer will float on the surface of your pond and keep a hole open in the ice cover.
This is extremely important for the health of your koi.
If your pond freezes over toxic gases will be trapped under the ice.
If you notice bubbles trapped under the ice it is most likely methane gas which is lethal to your koi.
If you do not keep a hole open you will find a pond full of dead koi when the ice cover melts in the spring.
A koi pond de icer will do the job of allowing these gases to escape.
Be warned: if your pond freezes over DO NOT use a hammer or other implement to break open a hole.
This causes shock waves in the water that can kill your koi.
An alternative method, if you don't have a de icer is to place a pan of hot water on the surface of the ice to melt a hole in the through to the water underneath.
A pond de icer contains a thermo-regulator that automatically turns on when the water around it drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
De icers are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.
If you live in a colder climate, where your pond develops an ice cover in the winter, you definitely should own either a koi pond de icer or a koi pond heater.
You want to keep the pond temperature stable through the colder months.
If the temperature fluctuates up and down it will be detrimental to your koi's health.
A stable temperature means a healthier environment.
If you have a deep enough pond (generally meaning three feet or deeper) you should be able to keep your koi outdoors for the winter without too much trouble.
Many people choose to use a submersible koi pond heater.
Submersible pond heaters heat a much larger area than a floating pond de icer would.
They also keep your pond water temperature constant.
Particularly if you keep show koi, you may want to keep your water at a temperature that will allow them to feed year round.
When temperatures get below 50 degrees Fahrenheit their metabolism really slows down, they hang around at the bottom of the pond and should not be fed until it warms up.
The problem with this can be that in the spring, when things start to "come back to life", your koi's immune system isn't functioning at an optimal level.
However, pathogenic bacteria are coming "back to life" too.
With their suppressed immune systems, your koi can contract bacterial infections that are difficult to treat and also blemish their skin! The answer to this problem is to use a koi pond heater to keep your koi eating and help keep their immune systems functioning at peak level.
It is not really necessary for the average koi pond owner to use a submersible pond heater.
It is easier and more cost effective to simply use a floating koi pond de icer.
A de icer will float on the surface of your pond and keep a hole open in the ice cover.
This is extremely important for the health of your koi.
If your pond freezes over toxic gases will be trapped under the ice.
If you notice bubbles trapped under the ice it is most likely methane gas which is lethal to your koi.
If you do not keep a hole open you will find a pond full of dead koi when the ice cover melts in the spring.
A koi pond de icer will do the job of allowing these gases to escape.
Be warned: if your pond freezes over DO NOT use a hammer or other implement to break open a hole.
This causes shock waves in the water that can kill your koi.
An alternative method, if you don't have a de icer is to place a pan of hot water on the surface of the ice to melt a hole in the through to the water underneath.
A pond de icer contains a thermo-regulator that automatically turns on when the water around it drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
De icers are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.
If you live in a colder climate, where your pond develops an ice cover in the winter, you definitely should own either a koi pond de icer or a koi pond heater.