$

[fshfrk]

$500.00 electric bill in Dec and $450.00 in jan. maybe it's the 11-300 watt heaters in the 2 ponds but somthing has to give. I have not turned on the A/C for 4 1/2 months. anyone got any ideals for heating the ponds next winter? I'm thinking about bring the big one in and shutting down the 100gal. normaly these bills would be $250.00 at the most. I have a good rate with spark-12.85 pkwhr. any ideals?

[newb]

WOW. that is horrible. If you decide to break down one of those ponds, I can give a few of your guys a good home.

[imagirlgeek]

I'll have to find it again, but last winter I was looking for something to heat the pond and ran across a floating heater that was energy efficient. If I remember right, it was about $150, but it would be worth it if it really did cut the cost in the long run. I'll try and find it and post back here.

[JStrider]

I know you have stuff over the top, but do you insulate the plastic sides and bottom of it? you could wrap some blankets around it and use a ratchet strap to hold it in place.

also its on the back porch area... I don't remember if the porch was just screened in, or if it was glassed in, if its just screen, you could hang plastic over the screen to prevent the warm air from escaping.

and the 100 gallon... I thought you just had goldfish in it? if thats the case you can just let it get cold and reduce feeding.

[Zulaab]

Honestly.... If I owned a pond.. I would be picking up all the fish during the winter and putting them in several 300 gallon rubber tanks in the garage, where I would at best a small heater attempting to keep the water at no more than about 72

[fshfrk]

in years past I did wrap the back porch in plastic and now that I think about it that had to make a big difference. the winters have been so mild the last couple of years I did not bother to do it. the other pond has 5 comets( feeder gold fish). I paid .10 each for so that is stupid of me to run 3 250-300 watt heaters in it. I'm still thinking I should bring the big pond inside. Since there is no woman to shot that ideal down I think I might just do it.

[CichlidFan]

Do I dare mention that there is a very good chance that utility bills will be increasing in the spring. And, oh yeah, we're all going to have to tighten the belt a notch for the sake of mother earth....get ready for carbon taxes.

Don't shoot the piano player, just do your research on the new world order/government, coming soon to a county near you.

CF

[tnguyen]

Is there a need to use a heater in pond? My brother-in-law got a pond and never use a heater.

[CichlidFan]

I would think it kind of depends on what he keeps in the pond, and how cold the water gets during those nights that get close to freezing....Some fish can take the cold better than others, but I could not tell you which ones do....??

CF

[morphlizard]

I have had my pond for 5 years and have never used a heater, most types of goldfish can handle it. Most people up north use those floating pond heaters simply to keep a small hole in the top of the ice, not to heat the entire pond. Those large plecos sometimes don't make it through it but I have never kept those in my pond. My skimmer pump now uses less than 140 watts so I'm doing OK w/ regards to the pond adding to the electric bill.

[JStrider]

in the little pond with the comets, I wouldnt worry about them at all, just keep the filter running, and as the weather cools feed less, and when the water temp is below 55 dont feed at all.

but the big pond with the tropicals I'd go with wrapping the porch in plastic, and more heavily insulating the sides and bottom of the container.

altho, setting up the big pond as a permanent indoor pond could be really cool, I wouldnt want to move it every spring/fall... that would just be a pain!

[Cesar]

John, come on mister "doityourself", like I mentioned before get a small water heater and some copper tubing with a temp probe. Energy efficient all for about $200 unless you go the tankless route, which in the long run would be more energy efficient.

[morphlizard]

$500.00 electric bill in Dec and $450.00 in jan. maybe it's the 11-300 watt heaters in the 2 ponds but somthing has to give. I have not turned on the A/C for 4 1/2 months. anyone got any ideals for heating the ponds next winter? I'm thinking about bring the big one in and shutting down the 100gal. normaly these bills would be $250.00 at the most. I have a good rate with spark-12.85 pkwhr. any ideals?

* 11 x 300 = 3300 watts x 24 hours/day x 30.5 days/month = 2,415,600 Total Watt-hours
* 2,415,600 Wh / 1000 Wh = 2415.6 kWh
* 2415.6 kWh x 12.85¢/kWh = $310.40/mo.; $3724.86/yr.

Look at what swimming pools do that run all year. I suspect that many use gas heaters. I would simply avoid tropical

[fshfrk]

I'ts kind of hard to believe that I spent more than $1200.00 or more to heat a pond that I am going to give all the fish away in a couple of weeks. kept this pond at 80 all winter. I'll leave it on the porch till the fall then it's coming in. may be i'll leave it and get some koi. got my eye on a 600 gal at tractor supply. guess I won't be calling it a dinning room any more. thanks ya'll