Mini Heated Pond

[DaveyG]

I have been running a small (300 litre) mini-pond in my garden for about a year.
It is heated to cater for temperate fish (Rainbow Shiner, Red Shiner, Odessa Barbs, Golden Barbs and White Cloud Mountain Minnows).
It has a 4000 lph pump with an external filter to provide a high flow environment for the Shiners.
Planting includes aponogeton henkalianus, Anubias Barteri (nana), Java Fern, Java Moss, Hornwort and a couple of mini pond lilies.
I have included a few pictures of the plants, fish etc.

 

[martin-green]

Only asking, how are you heating it? and is the pond outside?

 

[DaveyG]

The pond is heated by 2 x Aqua Medic 300 watt titanium heaters via an Inkbird temperature controller. It’s outside and is constructed from sleepers with 25 mm of insulation on the sides and bottom. Filter and hoses are also insulated.
I also cover it with an insulated clear plastic sheet.
The pond is also monitored with a Seneye (which I originally purchased for the aquarium).
I have pictures of the construction process if anyone is interested.

 

[J@mes]

Always interested! Throw them up

 

[Edvet]

Yup pics

 

[TBRO]

Love the idea of a nature aquarium/pond! Do you get the fish breeding?

What kind of temp does it maintain?


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[DaveyG]

A few pics of the construction phase of the mini-pond.
I also have some graphical output from the Seneye if anyone's interested.

Insulation fitted into wooden surround

Pond surround with channels for Pipework etc.

Liner and Pump fitted

Filter plumbed in prior to insulation

Water pump used during the summer for oxygenation and cooling

 

[DaveyG]

Temperature is set to 19.5 degrees with a 1.0 degree drop before heaters cut in.

 

[DaveyG]

Just to follow up on some of the questions :-
1) Breeding : I haven't seen any fry in the Pond so I am assuming if the fish have tried to breed they have been eaten. I use a small underwater camera to take a few minutes of video regularly. I tend to do this when I feed them so I can see if there are any problems with the fish. Haven't seen anything on the footage.
2) Temperature : Heating worked well over the winter months (see graph and Seneye output). Had more work to do over the summer period to try keeping the temperature from escalating.
I used a combination of an insulated cover (at peak periods), the water feature (shown previously) and a DIY blower. This was used to blow cooler air under the cover across the water surface.
The warnings (red exclamations) on the Seneye are false positives for "out of water" caused by direct sunlight hitting the sensor.

Fig 1) Temperature Graph - produced from Seneye data

Fig 2) Latest Seneye readings showing heating cutting in during recent cold spell and pH

Fig 3 ) Free Ammonia and Kelvin readings from Seneye for same period as above.

Fig 4 ) Temperature / pH at end of May (note daily fluctuation of pH with temperature increase during the day).

Fig 5) Temperature / pH reading in April (after the cold snap)

 

[zozo]

Lovely little project.. Tho i guess it aint cheap..

I wonder, what is the power consumption on the heaters during British winters. I guess that would almost be 24/7 about 600 watt in the coldest periods if you go sub zero. Quick calculation for my country would be 0.6 kwh x 24 = 14.4 Kwh / day x € 0.20 kwh makes +/- a € 90,- if it heats 1 month 24/7
No idea what the pound sterling price is per Kwh?

I would love to have such outdoor heated pond, i thought about it in the past, but the energy cost holds me back. Can't afford it..

 

[DaveyG]

I know that during the coldest period we had this year the heaters were on for 6 hours per day. At the current external temperatures heating will turn on twice a day for about an hour.

 

[zozo]

I know that during the coldest period we had this year the heaters were on for 6 hours per day. At the current external temperatures heating will turn on twice a day for about an hour.

Quite positively surpised about that.. That's pretty doable.. Do you also monitor the min/max air temps outside the pond?

 

[DaveyG]

No, I just rely on local weather information via the phone etc.
I did intend to purchase a weather station but never did.
I must admit I never anticipated the extremes of temperature we experienced this year.

 

[frederick thompson]

No, I just rely on local weather information via the phone etc.
I did intend to purchase a weather station but never did.
I must admit I never anticipated the extremes of temperature we experienced this year.

Have you thought about putting a frame around and over the pond
And run it like a green house.
Its the wind chill that you have to beat.
On my grow on QT. in my shed its all celotex around my 500 gallon tank
I run it on a a titanium heater at 22c.
And it runs pretty cheaply.
I like that you run a heater outside.
I have just put my pond cover on this year. First time ever.
As i had 3 koi carp with hypothermia last year.
And don t want it to happen again
All the best with your pond
Fred


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[DaveyG]

Good idea about the frame and cover. Unfortunately I have very little room around the structure to erect it. I do keep the Pond covered with clear plastic insulated sheeting (designed for conservatory roofs) which helps with the heat loss.
I must admit I though that the cold was going to be the issue, but, it wasn’t. Trying to disperse heat during the summer months proved difficult.
I am currently running the pond on 1 300W Titanium heater and that has no problem at maintaining the temperatures I require for the livestock (1.5 hours for a 1 C rise in temp).
I will put some more graphs of temperature etc. up soon.

 

[frederick thompson]

Nice one davey. Good to hear your covering up. In cold weather.
In the summer like the one we have had. You need air in the pond mate.
That helps to keep temps down.
I run a ea air pump 90 on my main koi pond 24/7. At full throttle
And on my qt grow on. A ea air pump 70. I find this works.
To counter act the heat. And the fish need the air anyway.
My air runs from bottom of tank and pond upwards so it circulated the whole pond. Acts as a mover to clean the bottom floor as well.
And push crud to bottom drain. Then on to filters.
In winter when the pond is covered i leave a small gap to release the Co2
Gases.



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[DaveyG]

I recently had a problem with 1 of the 300W heaters in the pond (or so I thought). Turns out it was the RCD playing up. I have however, decided to run on 1 heater at the moment which is working fine. Here are the Seneye readings for the last 24 hours. Looks as though 1 x 300W heater is coping well in the current cold snap.

Temperature / pH readings for the last 24 hours.

NH3 / NH4 readings for last 24 hours.

 

[Oldguy]

No idea what the pound sterling price is per Kwh?

Nether do I, and I live in the UK. Depends on your supply company and tariffs and what deals you have. We have half price electricity called Economy 7, runs for seven hours over night. House and our lives run on timers Lol. Wife pays for electricity, I try and hide when the bill comes.

 

[Oldguy]

mini-pond in my garden

Very interesting project. Thank you for sharing.

 

[DaveyG]

Here is the latest update for the pond.
I have attached a picture of a lily which produced a bud last week. I thought it would die off in the cold but it actually flowered.

Here are the latest temperature / pH and NH3 / NH4 readings form my Seneye. Last 72 hours.

Heating ( 600W total) is currently on for approximately 3 hours each day.