# heating an outdoor turtle pond?



## markars (Feb 7, 2010)

Hi,

Just in the process of setting up a 1000 litre outdoor pond in sydney for my turtles to grow out in.

Does anyone know anything about setting up a pond heater? All the internet results only returned a result about floating pond heaters designed to prevent the entire surface from iceing up.

I spoke to the dude at the pond shop and he said put about 8 fishtank heaters in it, however there has to be a purpose designed thing out there?

I figured that the must be someone on this site with heated pond, so if any one can help me out it will be most appreciated.

Thanks
markars


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## Daryl_H (Feb 7, 2010)

i dont know of any but what id do if you dont need heap of heat it make a home made solar heater for it like a mini pool heater... ie use some thin 4-6 mm black polly tube and put it up on your roof use a good pond pump to push water up onto the roof and then back down into your pond... but depends how much heat you need as this wont heat like crazy but lot better than nothing


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## JAS101 (Feb 7, 2010)

what type of turtles are going into the pond ?


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## markars (Feb 7, 2010)

in this pond i am going to put a sub adult pair of northern snapping turtles and a sub adult pair of northern red faced turtles- But the idea is to monitor it over winter with a temp recording thermo hooked to my computer so if it works and there is no dips or lows ect i will set up another one and put a three year old pair of piggies in it. The snappers and red face are a little hardier and will tolerate the lower temps for a little while until i pick it up on my computerised weather station. (thats if it all works as it is supposed to)


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## imalizard (Feb 7, 2010)

Can I ask why you need the heater? By having the water warmer then air temperature the turtles are at risk of RI. If you have the pond at least 60cm deep at some point a heater is not necessary.


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## JAS101 (Feb 7, 2010)

markars said:


> in this pond i am going to put a sub adult pair of northern snapping turtles and a sub adult pair of northern red faced turtles- But the idea is to monitor it over winter with a temp recording thermo hooked to my computer so if it works and there is no dips or lows ect i will set up another one and put a three year old pair of piggies in it. The snappers and red face are a little hardier and will tolerate the lower temps for a little while until i pick it up on my computerised weather station. (thats if it all works as it is supposed to)


ahh yeah , i was going to get some saw shells but i couldnt as they wouldnt last the winter in melb . unless i was to heat the water [ might be something i do in the future ]


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## markars (Feb 7, 2010)

pond will be 800 deep, the recommended temp for these turtles will be 27-30c outdoor water temp in my ponds dips to about 17.5 degrees. why do you say that they will be at an increased rick of R.I? 365 days per year my turtles are exposed ambient air temps lower than the water temp- my house is climate controled at 21.5 degs and water temps are between 23-25 for local turtles and day time high of 31 for my piggies

In the wild nearly every night (summer and winter) the air temps dip lower than water temp and in winter most days the air temp is lower than water for 2/3 of the day.

I have kept turtles indoors and outdoors for 23 years and have never had a case of RI caused by this, Have only ever encountered RI when have had heater malfunctions.

Why also the statement that if the pond is 600 deep it wont need a heater- especially when the species was mentioned?


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## markars (Feb 7, 2010)

> dont know of any but what id do if you dont need heap of heat it make a home made solar heater for it like a mini pool heater... ie use some thin 4-6 mm black polly tube and put it up on your roof use a good pond pump to push water up onto the roof and then back down into your pond... but depends how much heat you need as this wont heat like crazy but lot better than nothing [/QUOTE
> 
> I had thought of this and i will be trying this system in my weed and food growing pond so as i can monitor the results, It will not work overnight but it may help me save power in the day by heating the water and reducing the load on what ever i and up using.
> 
> ...


 
Well hopefully some one has a method that we can both use. If i find anything on the net i will pm them to you.


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## imalizard (Feb 7, 2010)

I was always told that when the water temperature is higher then the water temperature it increases the risk of RI. I was mainly talking about in winter when the temp of the air is quite different then the water temp(in a heated pond)

When the pond is 600 deep the temperature of the water doesn't fluctuate as much as when the water is only 300. I said this as your post about the type of turtles you were getting wasn't there, i was still typing.


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## Guest (Feb 7, 2010)

the most commonly used is the solar heater as Daryl_H said otherwise you can use a heat pump but their very expencive! there are other options like the link below but the id imagine the power bill would go through the roof
Submersible Pond Heaters for ponds.tanks and water gardens

I think a solar pool heater is probably going to be your best bet
let us know how you go though im also interested in doing this


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## bundysnake (Feb 7, 2010)

i would use a old electric hot water heater, install a pump to the inlet side of the hot water system (to pump water from the pond, be sure to have a filter on this inlet). On the outlet weld in a solenoid valve controlled by a probe therostat, when the thermostat asks for heating the solenoid opens and the inlet pump will turn on.

I think that would work.


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## bundysnake (Feb 7, 2010)

maybe even try one of those instant boiling water thingos, with the same setup as described above.


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## markars (Feb 7, 2010)

> the most commonly used is the solar heater as Daryl_H said otherwise you can use a heat pump but their very expencive! there are other options like the link below but the id imagine the power bill would go through the roof


 
Thant is an awesome link- thank you vry much, it seems it would cost me about $3.20 per day based on my electricity tarrif. Definently woth a look

Bundy, would you have to use a big hot water heater or are you thinking like a miniboil? or like a caravan hot water heater?


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## markars (Feb 7, 2010)

seems great minds thin a like with the miniboil bundy


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## bundysnake (Feb 7, 2010)

personally id probably just go with a 120 litre electric hot water heater (set the heaters thermostat as low as possible so its not chewing heaps of power) then set the thermo in your pond to whatever temp you like.

You could try the mini boil but id hate to install it all just to find out it won't do the job.


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## Daryl_H (Feb 7, 2010)

Daryl_H said:


> i dont know of any but what id do if you dont need heap of heat it make a home made solar heater for it like a mini pool heater... ie use some thin 4-6 mm black polly tube and put it up on your roof use a good pond pump to push water up onto the roof and then back down into your pond... but depends how much heat you need as this wont heat like crazy but lot better than nothing


 
just had an idea in regards to overnight cheap heating
you could try running a 15/25w heat cord with the polly tubeing overnight


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## Daryl_H (Feb 7, 2010)

bundysnake said:


> i would use a old electric hot water heater, install a pump to the inlet side of the hot water system (to pump water from the pond, be sure to have a filter on this inlet). On the outlet weld in a solenoid valve controlled by a probe therostat, when the thermostat asks for heating the solenoid opens and the inlet pump will turn on.
> 
> I think that would work.


 
the problem with this is that old elecrtic water systems leach from the metal they have inside thats why fish keepers dont just start with warm water you have to use cold fresh water and the heat it in the tank... not sure if it would be good for the turtles long term


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## markars (Feb 7, 2010)

thanks daryl h this is an idea i can test tommorow night as i have all of the ingredients at home.


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