The ice looks like a modern sculpture and makes a facinating sight but gradually the ice free area of our pond is closing. If it freezes over completely it will be bad news for the fish which incredibly can be seen still slowly swimming beneath the ice covered surface. If there is no hole in the ice the toxic gases created by organic matter decaying in the pond will not have any way to escape and could poison the fish so we'll have to keep an eye on things.
We have another problem in that our new heating system has packed up so happy days eh? More on Martyn's blog as I don't want to talk about it shudder, shudder, brrrr!
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WOW its really frozen.Do you have to drill a hole for the fish when it is completely frozen or crack the surface?
ReplyDeleteHello Diana, cracking the surface can shock the fish and kill them so the idea is to use hot water to thaw the ice if possible. With the running water this is a much as our pond has ever frozen (it's particularly bad this year)so we haven't had to do this. You can also buy little heater to float on the pond
ReplyDeleteOh no, I hope you manage to get your heating fixed soon, it's no fun in this weather. What about floating a ball on the pond? I've heard of people doing this, but it might just be far too cold to work.
ReplyDeleteThe heating came on for a minute or two this afternoon and then packed in again - no fun at all!
ReplyDeleteYou're right people do float a ball on the surface but I think in these conditions it would just freeze it in - it usually works when the ice isn't too thick. At the moment even water birds are getting stuck in the ice. They fall asleep on water and wake up frozen in!
Yikes. Swans do an excellent job of keeping an open patch of water for all the birds ... but they migh be a bit big for your pond!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to use this web to show to the people how the world is.
ReplyDeleteFa!
Hi Mal, Just read my last comment reads as though water birds are stuck in our pond!!! You are right in that one swan wouldn't fit in our pond but it is swans that are getting stuck.
ReplyDeleteMal - the swan article is on Martyn's blog and I am also pleased to say the heating is now working - iced up condensate pipe but seems to have been a problem with the pipe used in the installation so we are following this up.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your heating's working again, would be no fun having a freezing cold Christmas both inside as well as outside!
ReplyDeleteHope it stays that way Damo but if it is really cold the chances are it will freeze again.
ReplyDeletePleased the heating's working again, seems to be a common problem at the moment with these very cold temperatures. We're lucky to have a real fire as well which has proved to be a godsend on at least a couple of occasions.
ReplyDeleteGosh it is beautiful but best get a hole drilled for those fishes.
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas to you and yours x
Our pleasure was short lived Rob as the heating packed up again in the night. We have a gas fire which has helped and we bought a couple of electric heaters too but we have no running hot water. WE had storage heaters that kept going regrdless for 20+ years and this is what happened when we decided to 'upgrade'!
ReplyDeleteThe fish are OK for the moment Carrie as the hole is still there and actually widened as the temperatures rose a little yesterday. Don't worry we'll keep an eye on things
Our on/off heating is back on again fingers crossed!
ReplyDeletewow...they are some incredibly cool/cold pictures!!
ReplyDeleteLots of it has thankfully thawed now Tanya
ReplyDeleteGood to know that your pond got better. It really was hard frozen!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a very merry Christmas and a Happy new year!
It still has ice Fer but it is slowly thawing. The ice sculpture is smotthed off now!
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