Heater for 80 gallon outdoor pond

[LDZ]

Can anyone recommend a heater for a 80-90 gallon outdoor pond made from a polyethylene livestock watering trough.  The pond is located in a covered three sided patio so not directly exposed to the elements.  Some times it can get cold enough to freeze and snow where I live so it will be too cold for anything but gold fish and koi with out a heat source.  I really don't want gold fish and the pond is too small for koi.   Thank you for your advice.

[Fish Folk]

On 6/25/2023 at 8:04 PM, LDZ said:

Can anyone recommend a heater for a 80-90 gallon outdoor pond made from a polyethylene livestock watering trough.  The pond is located in a covered three sided patio so not directly exposed to the elements.  Some times it can get cold enough to freeze and snow where I live so it will be too cold for anything but gold fish and koi with out a heat source.  I really don't want gold fish and the pond is too small for koi.   Thank you for your advice.

Thanks for your question. If you don't mind, could you please share some more details about your situation and project goals?

(1) Where are you located. Latitude and approximate altitude is fine if you'd rather keep your hometown private. This helps with approximating a gardening zone standard, which is determinative for what fish you choose to keep.

(2) What species are you hoping to work with? Every species of fish has an ideal temperature window.

If I recall correctly, most heaters are reliably effective for raising temperature ca. 10-degrees Fahrenheit above a consistent external temperature point. If your temperature falls below 50-degrees Fahrenheit consistently, you may struggle to keep your fish in a safe zone -- depending on what species you are interested in working with.

Many outdoor tubbing enthusiasts bury 50% or more of their tub in the ground, allowing geothermal temperature balancing to assist. Unburied, tubs are prone to fluctuation more easily. 

[LDZ]

I'm sorry for not including this information.   I live in the growing zone 8b.  I am leaning towards Japanese Rice Fish because they don't seem to require higher temperatures.  I have seen some people over winter them outside during freezes and they do good.  The problem comes with the other species I would like to have, Reticulated Hillstream Loach  if I can find a way to keep the pond in their temperature zone.  The pond is located on a patio concrete slab so I can't bury it.  I appreciate your input.

[madmark285]

On 6/25/2023 at 8:04 PM, LDZ said:

 Some times it can get cold enough to freeze and snow 

How about a spa (hot tub) heater, UCEDER Spa Hot Tub, 1.5Kw $100. During extreme cold periods, covering it would help.

 

[Andy's Fish Den]

If it gets cold enough to freeze, you are going to need a large heater and some insulation and a cover to keep it warm enough to have happy fish. Look up some older LRB videos on YouTube from when he lived near Indianapolis. He had outdoor tub ponds that he kept year round, they were made in a way that they were insulated and then had covers on them, and had heaters in them, if I am remembering right he had in the neighborhood of 2000-2500 wats of heaters running to keep them warm. Now, he probably had 200-250 gallons of water circulating between his few tubs but even with one tub if you're using say a 300 watt heater, if it is on constantly trying to keep the water above 50* and its below freezing out, it will add to your power bill quite significantly. 

[LDZ]

Thank you!!