Fountain/Pond de-icer/heater

[Hay Dude]

Looking to buy a plug-in fountain de-icer so we can enjoy fountain a few more months. A lot to choose from. Here is my fountain. Would like suggestions if any of you have them.
Looked at stuff on Amazon primarily. Probably holds 50 gallons at most?
Here is my frozen fountain 27* at nigh here already. I have a GFI outlet in sealed box about 10 feet to the left in the boxwoods.

 

[LouNY]

If it's a closed loop system what about some RV antifreeze? or do the birds and critters drink from it?
Or a couple of floating stock tank heaters.

 

[Peter 315]

Farm Innovators 1,250-Watt Convertible Tank De-Icer - H418C | Blain's Farm & FleetThis is what we use for the horses..

 

[Hay Dude]

If it's a closed loop system what about some RV antifreeze? or do the birds and critters drink from it?
Or a couple of floating stock tank heaters.

Yeah we constantly have birds, so I want to use a heater.

Farm Innovators 1,250-Watt Convertible Tank De-Icer - H418C | Blain's Farm & FleetThis is what we use for the horses..

Am I correct in that a floating de-icer simply keeps a “hole” open in the ice for horses?

I think what I want is a heater that sits on bottom and keeps water above 32*

 

[Peter 315]

No that one sinks also and keeps the the stock tank clear of ice..

 

[Peter 315]

Allied Precision Sinking De-Icer - Jeffers Pet | Pet Supplies, Horse Supplies, Farm Supplies & Pharmacy

 

[grsthegreat]

Just get a cheap disk heater. Tractor supply sells them. You definitely dont need a 1200 watt heater for a small fountain. I use a 250watt on a 100 gallon water trough.
they even make some that look like rocks.

something like this

https://www.amazon.com/Kokopro-Outdoors-Thermostatically-Controlled-Birdbaths/dp/B0CJFPWQ96/ref=sr_1_40?keywords=fountain%2Bheater&qid=1700958966&sr=8-40&th=1

 

[grsthegreat]

you might want to empty it and fill it again with 5 gallon buckets to see volume. thats really needed info to size freeze prevention. i cant tell how large that fountain is by photo. my huge rubbermade water trough is 100 gallons.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I use this one for our pond (Small 3 level w/ waterfalls)

K&H Pet Products Ultimate 750-Watt Stock Tank De-Icer 100213392 - The Home Depot

The new "Farm Essentials" line from K&H Manufacturing has "reinvented the wheel" when it comes to keeping fresh water available in the winter. Every K&H de-icer is safe in all stock tanks, unlike nearly

www.homedepot.com

You can have it float or sit on the bottom (Which is how I use it).
Keeps it going except for a week of temps in the single digits or low teens for highs) I put it in the middle sized pond (I believe it's around 75gals.) on the bottom, that feeds into the lower pond (I believe around 300 gal) where the pump is. That feeds back up to the top through a 3/4" ID hose. Never had the hose or the upper spillway freeze.

 

[Hay Dude]

I tried a 500W pond water heater and it worked great in the large lower bowl, but the fountain has 2 smaller upper “bowls”, so it’s a bit more challenging than I thought to keep the upper, smaller bowls from freezing. I am going to place the heater next to the pump in the lowest bowl, but it may not be a final solution. Might do a 2nd, much smaller heater, like the 75 watt in the middle bowl.