SAVING Rare Koi From Freezing Ice Water

There was a mistake in the explanation though. It is NOT about geothermal heat (at least not primarily) - it is about the fact that water is at its desenst at 4 degrees Celsius. So 4 degrees warm water will sink to the bottom and therefore the most stable temperature will be at the bottom of the pond. If the pond freezes over, this might also be the warmest temperature.

as a Canadian, seeing someone get stressed out by -10 degree weather confused me so bad for a moment

Yes please, build a bigger and deeper pond, love the pond guy and professor they do fantastic work! Really great to have such good friends to work that hard for a pizza,lol. Nice tent, love the windows on the side. Looks like it's working, can't wait to get an update. Thanks George and friends, great job!

Build a bigger pond!

Definitely dig a deeper pond! Great idea to put a tent up around it! Glad you had a team to help you! A couple questions (I've put up and worked under event tents in lots of cinditions): How many pounds are the weights on each leg of the tent? Looked like you had some good weights so you're likely taken care of. There should be a minimum of 25 lbs on each leg so the tent doesn't fly away or become a spider. Do the sidewalls Velcro to the tent top? I wasn't sure looking at them whether they did or not. If they only go under the top, you may find that velcroing them will seal out more of the cold.

Guys theres a livestock tank heater for $50. I use it in my pond in winter. Thats all you need

Build up a bit mulch around bottom perimeter of tent will help to keep heat in tremendously ..we do this up north its amazing..even pile dead leaves around outside perimeter, make sure they are dry before doing so..u can even add frost blankets 2 permiter an reuse every yr..its worth it...from CT

Just want to drop a bit of knowledge here. I built and have maintained a 5000 galloon koi pond/ stream for about 12 years now. It's 4 feet deep in the deep end, but averages about 2.5 ft. I run 2 10in disc aerators full time. You mentioned one piece that is important, which is having deep enough water. However, the most important part is oxygenating the water, and making sure the ice doesn't freeze over and trap ammonia underneath the ice. (Which is the most often way fish die.) In 12 years implementing this strategy/making sure I don't have leaf buildup etc. I've never lost a mature koi, and I'm in a colder climate than you are. I've never covered the pond (only a net for leaves) or heated the pond.

What you created on the plants is called hoarfrost. It is really neat to see you created a humid environment that allowing that to happen in the cold. Normally you do not see it unless it is several degrees below freezing, like in AK. But you have so much moisture under the tent, it did it! So fun!

average summer day in canada:

Fun fact about water: flowing water is almost impossible to freeze

Please deeper pond! When you build that bigger pond, maybe you can have a greenhouse type structure as part of the design so you won't have those same issues next winter? I'd love to see that work. Have a little oasis. Maybe your mom can take advantage and grow some plants that are from a warmer USDA zone. Make a whole thing of it.

Fish don’t hibernate…. They go into torpor. Hibernation is literally sleeping. Torpor is that they slow down their metabolism in accordance with the water temp. That’s why even in the winter, if the temp rises, they swim. Animals that truly hibernate, like bears, don’t come out of hibernation, just because there are a few warm days here and there.

build a bigger pond

Never seen anyone who cares so much about his Koi’s. ❤

MVP Koi Fish for not dying instantly

Pro tip: If you leave gaps on the bottom of the tent that are big enough for a kid do walk through, the cold air MIGHT also find that gap and get in :D

seems like the submersible heater idea would have popped up sooner. and the tent is probably an HOA violation.

I am so ready for a bigger outdoor pond!!!

Lol on 0:35 in the vid the cat skidding around on the pond was so cute ☺️ 😅