how to start the heating system ?

[marco]

My pond (3200 gallons) is actually under a five centimeter ice and my filtration doesn't work from now two month. I have just finish to install an electrical heater (3 KWatts) and when spring will accept to arrive, I will start again my filter and try to increase the temperature faster. So my Koi won't stay too long between 39 F and 53 F degree wich seems critical for them.
Is that the right way to work ? Can somebody tell me how many days should I take to reach the 53 F degree ?
Thank again for your help.

[andy rose]

If you have three kilowatts of electric ready to go why can you not switch it on now?
I also dont know why you have switched your filter off .
If i was in your shoes i would put it all on now and to save money on your electricity cover your pond over either all the time or at night (i cover mine at night).
Your fish will be happier in warmer water and will thrive instead of survive!
As for how long to heat up i do not know it depends if you cover it up and what the air temperature is.

[marco]

I will cober the pond with polycarbonate pannels this week end. The temperature of the air goes down to 12 F degree during the night and 41 F degree during the day. As you see I 'm not living in Kenia ...

[dick benbow]

Hi Marco,

Greetings to you! Be sure that when you cover your pond that it can still Breath. Meaning once the ice is open the pond will degas and you'll want the gas/poisions to clear and not return thru condensation.
As was suggested it's not a good idea to shut the filter off but if your pond is open and the water is being turned thru a chilling factor then the entire pond temperature continues to dip. I'm happy to hear you've optained a heater and unless you can't afford to run it it would not hurt to do so.
If a situation like this again occurs where you have lost power and your pond freezes over, a battery powered air stone to keep an open spot in the ice is helpful...

It is easier on your koi to raise the temperature then to drop it. A drop of more than 4 degrees F in a 24 hr period is hard on them. However if you slowly increase your temp by one of two degrees a day you'll do fine. Most koi keepers are concerned with the 52-58 degree mark as that is a point when problems health wise can start and the koi's immune system is just kicking in.

hopefully you koi were "clean" of paracites before winter and your pond and
filter are also clean of debris.

koi really are warm water fish and they do suffer when the water gets into the 40's.

I know it's expensive to heat the outdoors that's why a few years back I built a smaller 2,000 gallon pond inside my garage and move them in for the winter.
It keeps the heating cost low and I have control. Even bought a honda generator just in case I lost power in the snow.

[marco]

Thank you Dick for all your advices, and this summer I will do like you and bild a little pond in my garage for next winter.