Hey! The strangest thing happened this morning! When I went to check on the pond, the thermo pond heater had broken through the ice and was floating on the water underneath. I guess the water from the aerator froze into kind of a mound and now the ice is raised above the water. I thought about this for a moment and then I went for the ax! I KNOW I KNOW I am not supposed to break the ice but since the ice is suspended above the water....what could it hurt. With you all in mind, cause I know I am going to catch s*** for this, I walked out onto the ice and made the hole bigger. Here as some pictures. I love the one before I made the hole bigger, you can see the neat icicles hanging from the ice to the water. In case you are going to ask, no I did not see any fish. Could you imagine their view! "OMG here comes Mom with a double headed ax...swim....swim....man she's really lost it this time :P

K! you are in trouble now! I am glad you didn't fall in.
In the middle pic it looks like the thermo whatcha ma jig is below the ice a few inches? :blink: Like maybe the pond water is 2 to 3 inches below the ice. :huh:

Ya it is! Isn't that soooo weird? That's why I thought I should chop most of the raised up ice out. All around the edges of the pond it is on the water, that's where I was sure to stand :o

The only other weird thing now is that the aerator hose was frozen into the ice and when I chopped it out it is floating on the water now but there is still a frozen chunk of ice stuck around the hose so the aerator hose is now "travelling" around the open area. I guess that is okay? Does anyone think I should try and remove the frozen ice chunk to keep the hose still? I braced it up the best I could with the 2x4's!

The hose can't go very far can it? I would think that it would help keep the hole open??

Hey ya, it just might do that...good thinking T!

:) Now say off the ice! :angry: :rolleyes:

I meant to mention at some point that in ponds that are really frozen, you naturally get that gap of air between the ice and water. Since you kept a hole in the ice, some water will evaporate as water vapor. As the liquid water level goes down from evaporation, the ice stays where it was. The air pocket that's created helps to keep the pond from freezing further because air is a good insulator. I read somewhere that one way to help large ponds do better over the winter was to pump out water from under the ice once it freezes to create that air pocket on purpose. The air pocket also makes it dangerous to walk on so be careful! The air pocket may extend over the entire pond.

I also meant to mention that in your photos you previously posted, it looked like the aerator was still working but under the ice. When we get a lot of snow quickly here, my ponds sometimes appear to completely vanish but, in fact, they are "open" under the snow blanket. In your case, the ice created a little "house" over the open area. The "house" is created mostly from splash water. I get little ice "houses" over parts of my waterfall when it goes below about 20 degrees F. I break them with the end of the pond net or a sledge hammer if they're thick.

Exactly Robyn! You beat me to the punch. Perfect explanation.

KK; you know it's coming sweetie; MIB!! But, LEAVE THAT ICE ALONE!!!

I've been monitoring your pictures. Aerator I'm not worried about, pond heater is doing fine, exactly what it's supposed to.

Now put that double edged axe away. He-hehe Go get that pan of water boiling. hehe-he. ROFLMAO Isn't that something they used to tell husbands to do during delivery.

KK, glad you're a good sport! For puttin up with me especially.....

Cheers,
John

So was that "BAD" then to break the raised ice? I didn't know it would act like insulation. I guess I should of asked before I went at it! Do you think it will be okay? What should I do when the ice starts to re form?

What about covering the hole with a blanket held up off the ice with 2"x4"s.
You could use the quilt off hubbys side of the bed. He wont mind. Much. :lol:

Now, was that supposed to funny, lol, or do you think covering the hole would be a good idea?? Since the hubby spends about two nights a month at home, ya, I don't think he would mind ;)

OH Kk you are crazy. I would have to agree that the ice would act as an igloo. You didnt let big chunks fall to the bottom? dont want then to be chunked in the head.

Be careful. You would never be able to get out if you fell in please please please.

C2

I made sure I scooped out all the ice chunks with my big net, but I have never heard of sinking ice!!! I made sure the 2x4 was handy in case I fell in, I would be able to get out. I really feel a lot better seeing that bunch of open water though.

While the little ice house you had may have slightly helped to keep the pond less cold, it was also preventing gas exchange so it is good to remove it from time to time during warmer spells (for you that is above 10 degrees F!?). I would not try to elevate a blanket over the hole. It would probably fall in. There's NO way you'd get it back out once it froze in until spring. Now, you could try something solid. I put the lid to a 50 gallon Rubbermaid tub on top of my biofilter where the waterfall comes out to keep the wind and snow off of the de-icer I put there. I'm not sure what would work best for you. Since your entire pond is sort of protected by the green house plastic (that's what it is?), then you shouldn't have problems with wind and snow on the opening. It's just the actual temperature causing problems.

All of you guys have got KK falling in the pond. I picture a scene like with the Antarctic penguins under the ice trying to find an opening to get up for some air! KK, how far from the edge is your aerator/de-icer opening? If it's near the edge, you shouldn't be risking falling in.

well if KK if you fall in go the areator that could be your scuba gear.Ice doesnt sink? ....hu who woulda thunk it.

But remember my ONE great idea. yeah just one....

C2

My hole is right in the middle of the pond, so it is about 7 feet in from the ends and about 5 feet in from the sides. I actually have a big huge square piece of styrofoam out in the garden shed that was left here when we moved in. That might just work to cover part of that hole up. It was -20F all day and the water under the ice hasn't started to freeze yet. I am pretty happy seeing all that open water moving around in there.

The only 'flack' you'd get from me is STANDING ON THE ICE!!! :angry: If you had ended up in trouble, nobody would have known until they missed you. :(

OH FOR PETE'S SAKE!!! FINE! I won't stand on the ice anymore! You guys are such mother hens!!!!! Just Kidding! I am honoured that you all care so much :P Safety is like my middle name so I assure you I never do anything stupid, well too stupid! I doubt I will have to chop anymore ice anyhow. The water under the ice is flowing freely and I am hoping that it doesn't re freeze under there???? That would make me very happy!!

Last winter I tried using plywood to keep a hole open where my stream dumps into the pond. In fact two layers of 1/2 inch plywood. I hate to say it, but didn't help much. That's when I added the 100 watt light bulb that did the trick.