Will I Need A Heater?

[Carp4U]

My pond is about 1.5 m by about 0.75 m by about 0.80m deep. These are all guesses btw! It has a filter and fountain with a pump and lots of live plants in. It has 5 koi carp, and 7 shubumpkins. I recently got 3 of the koi and 5 of the shubumpkins, and they are quite small. The other 4 have been in since i basically started the pond last August and are a good size. Last year i didn't use a heater in the pond, and the surface froze over occasionally but the fish were fine. The fish i have have accustomed to the water but i'm scared because they're much smaller and newer that when the water starts getting colder that they won't survive. Do you think i should invest in a heater for my pond and can you give me a bit of info about them, how they work and if they're like normal tank filters etc.

Cheers!

 

[WILDER]

Never heard of a pond having a heater.
My dad kept koi fish for over 25 years and I never needed a heater, the ponds freezes over and there ok.

 

[black angel]

you can get heaters but the heating is for swimming pools and just wouldnt be costworthy in a pond...maybe you mean a floating heater? these are just to keep an area open from ice and sometimes it doesnt work. i wouldnt worry about a heater and the fish will be fine. if the pond is frozen for more than a couple of days try and clear a hole to release gases. never bang the ice to break it, the shockwaves will go through to the fish.

 

[pacificoutdoor]

You can leave the fish in the pond, though do make sure that something is keeping a hole open in the ice and something is keeping the water moving. I have heard from some people that (if you have a stream) that is enough to keep a hole open in the ice. The reason there needs to be a hole in the ice is to provide oxygen and allow gasses from the dying plants to leave the pond.

 

[gladfrog]

You can leave the fish in the pond, though do make sure that something is keeping a hole open in the ice and something is keeping the water moving. I have heard from some people that (if you have a stream) that is enough to keep a hole open in the ice. The reason there needs to be a hole in the ice is to provide oxygen and allow gasses from the dying plants to leave the pond.

the amount of fish you have is excessive for your pond what are the stats? yes u can get a heater its a good idea especially in such a small pond it wont heat the pond just keep a patch clear of ice

 

[Honeythorn]

Keeping the water's surface in motion also helps prevent ice forming too quickly.

 

[chr15_8]

alot of koi keeper heat there ponds. mainly using gas.

i have kept koi for about 5 years now and have a 3kw heater in place but havent got round to connecting it yet.

aslong as you havent abit of surface movent (my water from the pump enter in at about 2 inch under water level) the pond wont freeze over. the only time fish will be in danger is if it freezers over.

winter is one of the easyiest season to look after as there are less parasite in the water. its in spring whene the tempreture warms up and cools down too much making the temp unstable.

i dont think pond heaters are the same as pool heaters (they might be but i woulndt rish it as you dont know if there copper etc in them)