Pond deicer or pond heater?
We are well into Fall and many of us are ready to, or at least thinking about, winterizing our ponds and water features. While many of us refer to a pond deicer as a pond “heater”, it isn’t really. There are actual pond heaters that heat the whole pond over the winter. They use a massive amount of electricity and in most cases, are not really needed.
When is a pond deicer needed?
The pond needs a deicer if you have fish and live in a region where the weather is cold enough that the pond will freeze over. If you are on the Colorado Front Range, you are in growing Zone 5 and the pond will freeze over!
A deicer is meant to keep a hole open in the ice just for gas exchange. Even when most of the pond is frozen over, oxygen needs to incorporate into the water through the waterfall. Gasses also need to escape. Gasses that are trapped under the ice for days at a time are toxic to the fish and can even cause them to die. Debris, even small amounts, will break down in the water over the winter. This process will release gasses that need to escape.
This photo shows a pond that is just starting to freeze over. The aerators are able to keep small spaces from freezing over. When there is more severe weather for longer periods of time, the aerators will not be enough.
When wouldn't you need a deicer?
If you don’t have fish, you really don’t need a deicer.
A fully concrete (whether or not you have fish), may need an actual pond heater. These are larger systems that raise the overall temperature of the pond water. We know that here in Colorado the freeze and thaw cycle will cause ice to contract and expand, potentially causing damage to a concrete pond.
Which pond deicer is the best?
Let’s look at several brands of deicers that are comparable. I’ll cover a few of my top picks.
The Aquascape 300 Watt Floating Pond Deicer
I have used the Aquascape deicer for years.
It is 300-watts, stainless steel and is activated when the air temperature is about 35 degrees. It uses less electricity than a stock type heater.
I like the light that it has. When it is on the light turns red. When it is not working (but has electricity) the light is blue. So if the electricity goes out there is no light – but I find it hard to see in the daytime.
A really good safety feature it has is that it turns off completely if it is removed from the water.
It comes with a 3 year manufacturer’s warranty and has a 22 foot power cord.
It runs about $139 on Amazon and can usually be delivered within a day or two. The Aquascape Deicer on Amazon.
The TURBRO 400 Watt Floating Pond Deicer
This 400 watt stainless steel deicer comes with a light that turns red when it is on (it comes on when the temperature is 35 degrees) and turns blue when it is off. The power cord is 32 feet long. This may sound too long, however, I normally recommend that you plug the deicer into a different outlet than the pump (or aerator if you are not running the pump) so that if one outlet loses electricity the pond will still have the deicer running from another outlet. But with this deicer you don’t have too!
I love the addition of a GFCI protection built right into it! Because it has it’s own GFI, if it trips it, the other equipment you have plugged in will keep running! Even if you need to plug it into an outlet that doesn’t have a GFCI, you are still protected from electrical risk right from the deicer. Be aware that because there is a GFI box with the plug prongs on the back, it may not fit into an outdoor outlet. We got a foot long extension cord to get past that issue and covered with a fake rock. With a slightly longer extension you can use a cord connection cover. The Turbo deicer is listed on Amazon for $90.
The Farm Innovators 1500 Watt Submergible Water Tank Deicer
This is a typical stock tank heater which can be bought on Amazon or at your local Murdoch’s.
The nice thing about this deicer is that it does not float, which can be good for putting in front of the skimmer opening to help keep the water flowing. This is not always necessary, but if your system needs a heater that is submerged, this will work.
These are usually 1500 watts and they definitely use more electricity. It won’t come on until the water is near freezing. It has an aluminum construction that “resists rust”, but in my experience, they rust. They are also almost twice the size of the floating heaters and don’t have a cage enclosing the heating element. The stock heater on Amazon runs just under $50. These can be bought with a red plastic piece that makes it float.
I feel like it is a good product, but for a pond I would rather use a floating deicer.
The K&H Pet Products 100 Watt Thermo-Pond 3.0 Pond Deicer
This black deicer is the K&H Pet Products Thermo-Pond 3.0 Pond Deicer. This 100 watts floating deicer is about 9 inches round with a 12 foot cord and should keep a hole open for gas exchange. While I have not personally used this I have many clients who have and seem to have good luck with it. No indictor light. I don’t see any warranty mentioned. I did find it on the K&H Thermo- Pond Deicer Amazon.
The Aquagarden 100 Watt Pond Deicer
I bought this Aquagarden pond vent(deicer/ heater) this year to try out. It has a 15 foot power cord and is 100 watts. It says it has a thermostatic temperature control like the other ones, so it should not turn on unless the water is near freezing. There is no indicator light to confirm if it is on or off.
I like the idea of it because it should use minimal electricity and create a vent in the ice in the center of the ring for gasses to escape. So far I like it. It works!
Originally, I purchased this on Amazon, but now it is not available. The only other place I found the Aquagarden Ice Vent was Menards. It is listed at about $45. You can order it there, but they do charge roughly $11 for shipping.
What you need to know for ALL deicer use:
#1. Always plug a deicer into a GFCI electric outlet. A GFCI protects you (or anyone else) from being electrocuted if there were any damage to cords or equipment.
#2. Do not use an extension cord for your deicer. Plug it directly into the outlet. Alright, I know some of you will anyway so if you do, please put on an outdoor extension cord cover. (click on the words for the Amazon link)
#3. When removing any heater, make sure it is unplugged for about an hour before picking it up and taking it out of the pond. I have had many people not think about it and burn their hand!
#4. DO NOT put a deicer IN THE SKIMMER! I have seen a pond that had a clogged skimmer basket. When the water could not get in, the deicer not only burned the skimmer, but it started a fire and completely melted a hole through the skimmer!
Want to read more about getting your Colorado pond ready for winter? Read more HERE.
* This blog was NOT written by AI. This was written by me. I am not a professional writer, I am a pond person. Therefore, if you see a typo, please do not call the typo police, throw red flags or send me notice of type by pigeon.
**** This post contains affiliate links. On some of these items we may earn a small commission. My first priority is giving you real information about real products. This is a professional review. I am an independent blogger and the reviews are done based on my own opinions