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    Thread: Building a winter cover

    1. #1
      Spirits's Avatar
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      Exclamation Building a winter cover

      I started today building my winter cover I spaced the supports 3 feet apart Thinking (hoping) that will work out OK.

      Another Question :I will see a stretch of a month of mid to high teens Do you guys/gals think I should let my FB run? If not should I drain it or what?

      I have 3 circuts

      Skimmer -> pressure filter -> TPR

      Mid level pic ups -> Pre filter -> 4500 evo -> mechanical filter -> FB -> GPR

      4" BD -> 350 gal SC -> 3500 evo -> 300 gallon bio -> water falls

      My plan is to shut down BD to not draw cold water down also won't get cooling effect from falls. Leave mid and skimmer circut run ?

      This will be the first winter for this pond hows my plan sound?
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    2. #2
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      Can't help you with your question as I don't have to close down any part of my ponds, but your frame looks real good. You did a great job on it.
      Susie


    3. #3
      lobie is offline Member
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      The only thing I would worry about is the build up of snow.

    4. #4
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      It don't get cold where everyone else lives

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    5. #5
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      It gets cold here....I just got my pond cover put back on yesterday. Thankfully my son came home home on a surprise visit from college this weekend, so he was able to help me get it in place...all I have to is put the plastic on now. I haven't run any filtration through the winter on mine since I started using the cover...I just have a large aquarium pump with a long air stone running.

    6. #6
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      What kind of cover are you placing over the pvc? I think 36" is a little to wide especially where you live. I would have gone no more than 24". When we lived up the road from you in Hazleton PA, we built a frame out of cedar 2x4's with a pool solar cover over it. The pond went no lower than 43 degrees. We left the BD w/air running all winter. The pump was in a heated pump house. Heater was a cheap one from lowes. We shut down the falls and skimmer, we did not have a mid level on that pond. We also ran the filter system all winter and never had any problems. The PVC on mine was for venting. I put in on the end of November and took it off the end of March depending on temps.
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      Chuck

    7. #7
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      Quote Originally Posted by ahhuhz View Post
      What kind of cover are you placing over the pvc? I think 36" is a little to wide especially where you live. I would have gone no more than 24". When we lived up the road from you in Hazleton PA, we built a frame out of cedar 2x4's with a pool solar cover over it. The pond went no lower than 43 degrees. We left the BD w/air running all winter. The pump was in a heated pump house. Heater was a cheap one from lowes. We shut down the falls and skimmer, we did not have a mid level on that pond. We also ran the filter system all winter and never had any problems. The PVC on mine was for venting. I put in on the end of November and took it off the end of March depending on temps.
      I built my pretty much the same, using 6 mm Plastic.

    8. #8
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      You have a great start, just a couple of ideas for you. Weight of snow will cause your PVC hoops to spread, you should consider some kind of stop for your lateral PVC lines. In addition, a center support will help you very much. I have attached a pic of my pond cover to help with this discussion.
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    9. #9
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      I live right down the road from you I'am trying the same thing this year, my pond is a little wider than your,so i had to build a aframe, I'am useing a pool solar cover. The last winters i ran my skimmer and waterfall with all the guts removed with just a net over with on problems. So I,am going to run the skimmer and waterfall under the solar cover with a bubbler, and and pond heater at the skimmer just in case. Hopeing it work. No photo yet.

    10. #10
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      Thumbs up

      Quote Originally Posted by Spirits View Post
      I started today building my winter cover I spaced the supports 3 feet apart Thinking (hoping) that will work out OK.

      Another Question :I will see a stretch of a month of mid to high teens Do you guys/gals think I should let my FB run? If not should I drain it or what?

      I have 3 circuts

      Skimmer -> pressure filter -> TPR

      Mid level pic ups -> Pre filter -> 4500 evo -> mechanical filter -> FB -> GPR

      4" BD -> 350 gal SC -> 3500 evo -> 300 gallon bio -> water falls

      My plan is to shut down BD to not draw cold water down also won't get cooling effect from falls. Leave mid and skimmer circut run ?

      This will be the first winter for this pond hows my plan sound?
      Spirits you help me a lot with that cover that you build and I'm thankful for looking @ this thread, now I know how to make a cover for my little water garden that have some kois and we're looking for a cover to buy and since I saw yours now we can make one and cover with a net on top to protect from predators, that's why I like Koiphen so much, you can get ideas from someone else that helps you a lot, good job Spirit
      ZULMA

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    11. #11
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      What are you covering in Orlando Florida? I hope you are kidding.
      Chuck

    12. #12
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      Quote Originally Posted by ahhuhz View Post
      What are you covering in Orlando Florida? I hope you are kidding.
      Well I'm not kidding and we don't have hard winter or snow, but the purpose of my cover is like a net, for leaves, predators, birds, ducks, etc.. that's what we have here, specially me that I have a retention pond in the back, and I was looking for a pond cover for predators and debris and they sell it for 90.00 or more and is the same thing that he build that's why I said we can build one just like that maybe smaller for that purpose and since have like a dome form it won't interfere with the plants, got it, that's the only purpose and I guess it would cost me less than the one that sell for 90.00 or more........................
      ZULMA

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    13. #13
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      Here is my winter cover.
      Name:  P1010069.jpg
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      Name:  P1010075.jpg
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      Zoran

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    14. #14
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      That is very smart how you designed that Zoran. I need you to take a look at our pond and see what you could come up with that wouldn't set me back the national debt.

      Doug - out

    15. #15
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      danjols, great cover and construction, if we ever get to build a cover for our pond I'll be sure to look up your pictures again for design ideas. Your property looks very nice.
      Steve


    16. #16
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      This the one i,am going to try, putting a net over till it get colder,then pool solar cover over top.
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    17. #17
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      koifish1950 your design looks like a real good one, I hope it works well for you. This is when I sometimes wish our pond was a bit smaller and it was even on all sides, it's 14x20with the patio on one side and the other three sides are odd shaped large rocks, a design to cover ours will really need some planning so it holds up to the bad winds we have also figuring out how to anchor it somehow on the patio side.
      Steve


    18. #18
      koifish1950 is offline Member
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      This pond is 11 by 18, I got a solor cover 16 by 24, so i will have room to put stones on the side, hoping wind don,t get in under it.

    19. #19
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      Here's mine. I actually build a "sitting" room on the end, so I can walk in (upright), sit with the fish and dogs and stay warm. It's pretty cozy in there, if the sun shines. I've been in there and it's been upwards of 90 degrees in January. I use the thermal greenhouse (6 mil thickness). Maybe overkill, but I enjoy it.
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    20. #20
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      Another awesome thread Please keep adding your winter covers and tips for us..This is now a sticky
      Marie

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