Do You Need to Heat Your Pond Water?
No!
Want to Heat Your Koi Pond?
Fish Pond Heating in USA, UK & Water Temperature Control.
Pond Heating is a luxury few pond keepers can afford. Nor is it necessary for the vast majority of pond keepers (koi or otherwise). Here are a few fish pond keeping pointers for your consideration:
1 – Koi are colored carp
Koi are colored carp in the extreme and carp have been around a long time and have survived extreme weather conditions worldwide.
2 – Koi and carp can and do withstand very low water temperatures
Koi and carp can and do withstand very low water temperatures… witness the actual winter conditions in Japan… far far worse than the USA and or the UK.
3 – Yet the best koi in the world
Yet the best koi in the world are bred in Japan although it must be said that the Japanese do resort to artificial temperature control as well. At the same time koi (carp) are very tolerant of temperature changes and are quite happy to live and thrive in warm water during summer and cold water in winter.
4 – Koi actually benefit from a cold water
Koi actually benefit from a cold water dormancy period and are alerted to the need to breed when water temperatures start to increase, coincident with longer daylight hours that occur in Spring.
5 – Pond Heating is extremely expensive
Pond Heating is extremely expensive by virtue of the physical properties of water made worse by the large surface area of a fish pond exposed to the atmosphere.
6 – Koi can quite happily exist in water covered by ice
Koi can quite happily exist in water covered by ice although it’s a good idea to try and keep a hole in the ice. (Click here to see a top rated De-Icer to create a hole in the ice surface) This to allow noxious gasses to escape. Water freezes from the top down due to a unique property of water which occurs at 4 degrees Centigrade. Learn more about ice on fish ponds.
Here Are Some Reasons for Koi Pond Heating in Winter
You can continue to feed fish and exercise control over their growth rates and health conditions by maintaining summer type conditions and feeding regimes. However bear in mind that koi spawning is prompted by temperature changes in spring along with increases in daylight hours so if breeding koi fish is an objective then ensuring a cooling off period is important.
Here are just 6 reasons to control your pond water temperature:
1 – Extreme variations in water temperatures between night and day can be reduced.
2 – The warmer water enables the koi pond’s biofilter to continue with its metabolic function to purify the pond water.
3 – You want to compete in competitions with the best koi keepers around.
4 – You are one of the few really true koi enthusiasts for whom money is no object
5 – You can consider the possibility of keeping more exotic fish.
6 – Koi tend to become sluggish around 10º C/50º F and stop feeding at about 8º C/46.4º F
Here is the Perfect heater for your pond – If that is what you want:
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