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If you live in an area with extreme temperature changes and freezing winters, you will need to install a pond heater & de-icer to ensure that your fish and plants survive.
As the colder months progress and your ponds freeze over, gas begins to build underneath the surface. This gas creates a toxic environment for your fish, and fresh air is unable to enter back into the closed ecosystem.
While most people believe that ice is the problem, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Your plants and fish will adapt to having ice on the surface and cooler temperatures underneath the surface. What they can’t change to is the gas building up and collecting.What Are The Best Pond Heaters & De-Icers?
To help you combat the ice in your pond, we have put together a list of the best pond heaters and pond de-icers. Each of the heaters below can help keep your fish and plants safe even during the coldest nights.
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1. K&H Pet Products ThermoPond Perfect Climate Deicer - effective and affordable
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K&H is one of the most well-known brands featured on our list. The ThermoPond Perfect Climate Deicer is an excellent example of the quality turned out in K&H’s factories. It is a thermostatically-controlled deicer that is designed to be economical and powerful.
The deicer floats in your pond but can also be fully submerged, if necessary. It features a 12ft long cord that makes it easy to place. The internal thermostat will enable and disable the heater based on the temperature of the water immediately surrounding it.
Read What Other Owners SayDid You Know?
The ice isn’t the problem. Gas building up under the surface of your pond is the problem.
2. K&H Thermo-Pond Floating Pond De-Icer - incredibly energy-efficient
Highlights
Another amazing heater from K&H is the Thermo-Pond Floating Pond De-Icer. It is designed to operate at 100 watts and will maintain a large hole in the surface ice of your pond.
The low wattage requirements mean this de-icer is incredibly energy-efficient and will not run your electricity bill through the roof.
This is a floating heater and is considered safe for use in plastic-lined ponds and ponds that are stocked with curious fish. The unit will only activate once temperatures around it drop below the freezing point, and it functions in temperatures down to negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit.Did You Know?
A quality pond heater will create a hole in the surface of the ice where gas can escape, and oxygen can enter into your pond.
3. Allied Precision 7521 Floating Pond Heater - Powerful de-icer/heater
Highlights
One of the more powerful de-icers on our list is the Allied Precision 7521 Floating Pond Heater.
It features an incredibly powerful internal motor that uses 1,500 watts of power. These heaters should be installed in your pond before they begin icing over. The plastic liner will help protect your pond’s liner and any fish you have stocked in it.
This is another thermostatically controlled unit that detects the surrounding temperature and enables or disables the heater based on the exact temperature. That means it saves energy and only runs when it’s necessary.Did You Know?
Purchase a heater that’s powerful enough for your pond, but don’t make the mistake of buying too large, thinking it will completely clear the ice.
4. Farm Innovators Model P-418 Premium De-Icer - Reliable
Highlights
The Premium Pond De-Icer from Farm Innovators is a floating heater that works to keep a small hole punched into the surface ice in your pond. The internal thermostat kicks the unit on when temperatures drop below freezing and disable the unit once they begin to warm again.
The heater utilizes 1,250 watts of power through a 10ft long cord. The length of wire makes it easy to keep an extension cord out and away from the water. The heater is safe for plants and fish though you will want to use a cover to protect your pond’s plastic liner.Did You Know?
Removing all of the ice in your pond isn’t the goal. Your goal is to create holes in the surface of the ice where gas can escape, and oxygen can enter.
5. LagunaPowerHeat Heated De-Icer For Ponds - safe for your fish and plants
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LagunaPowerHeat is another well-known company. They have built their name by manufacturing high-quality pond heaters and de-icers. The units coming out of Laguna’s factories have a reputation for lasting multiple seasons without creating many issues.
The built-in LED light helps you know when the unit is heating up when it has reached its desired temperature, and when it is beginning to cool off before it powers down. This unit is safe for fish and plants but will need to be anchored to prevent it from drifting around your pond.Did You Know?
It’s worth spending a little more to buy a quality unit, especially one with a thermostat so that you can control the amount of power being delivered.
6. Allied Precision 15N 1500-Watt Sinking Pond Heater - Life saver
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Another excellent heater / de-icer from Allied Precision is the 15N 1500-Watt Sinking Pond Heater.
It is constructed using stainless steel, which makes it safe for fish and plants and helps prevent rust, even in saltwater ponds. The internal heating thermostat ensures that the unit only engages when temperatures drop below freezing.
The thermostat is located on top of the heater to help prevent potential electrocution and fire hazards. This is a submersible heater. That means you will need to protect your pond’s liner because the heater could damage it if left unattended for weeks at a time.Did You Know?
Avoid trying to save money on the equipment in your pond. The purchase of new equipment is a long-term investment, and low-quality products force you to buy the equipment twice.
7. TetraPond Pond De-Icer w/ Thermostat - Surprisingly Effective
Highlights
TetraPond is more known in the aquarium space but has begun manufacturing products for outdoor pond and water garden keepers. Their pond de-icer with an internal thermostat is one of those products.
The thermostatically-controlled de-icer operates on 300 watts of power, which will help keep your electric bill down. It can operate in temperatures as low as negative 20 degrees and will work best if you install it before the surface ice begins freezing over.Did You Know?
Floating pond heaters need to be installed before the ice begins to form.
8. Laguna PowerHeat Heated 315W De-Icer - Prevents itself from overheating
Highlights
The last (but not least) heater on our list is the Laguna PowerHeat Heated 315W De-Icer. It automatically activates when temperatures drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit and has an LED light that lets you know its current status.
The internal thermostat will automatically engage and disengage the unit based on the water temperature. With a 22ft long power cord, the unit is easy to install and does not create electrocution risks or fire hazards.Did You Know?
A quality pond de-icer isn’t going to consume a large amount of electricity.
Best Pond Heater & De-Icer Buying Guide
To put it simply, a pond de-icer heater is built to help remove ice from your outdoor pond during the colder months. They do not usually remove every bit of ice, but they are great at eliminating ice within a specific vicinity of the heater.
The amount of ice they can remove dramatically depends on the power of the unit that you’re using in your pond. At their core, a deicer is designed to keep your pond from freezing over entirely, not necessarily removing all of the ice from the surface of the pond.
When your pond is frozen over, gases begin to build up under the water’s surface. These gases can be harmful to your fish and plants and create dangerous situations, especially as the ice begins to thaw during the spring.
A quality deicer ensures that there are holes in the surface of the water where these gases can escape from. The hole created by your deicer and pond heater also ensures that oxygen can reenter the pond to give your fish and plants a healthy supply of fresh air.
Before you purchase a deicer or pond heater, there are a few areas that you will want to address to ensure you’re getting the right equipment for your situation. Each of those factors is listed below to help you find the exact heater for your outdoor pond.Usage
Temperature
Control
Gas
Wattage
Size
Maintenance
Indicators
The first aspect you need to address is how you’re going to be using the pond heater. To give you an example, the size of your pond and your pond’s inhabitants will determine the wattage you need to keep the fish happy and healthy.
Wattage and temperature ranges come a little later, but understanding that the size of your pond and the types of fish and plants you have in it affect the kind of heater you’re buying is first.
The depth of your pond, the total number of gallons, and the surface area of your pond will all affect the size of the heater you’re going to need. As the temperature begins to drop, your fish are going to find a haven in the depths of your pond.
That means you want to ensure your pond heater is not only removing parts of the ice from the surface of the water but also flows that warm water back down to the depths. This is where your filtration system comes into play. Again, we’ll touch on that a bit later.One thing you’ll want to keep at the front of your thoughts is that you only need to use a pond heater if the water in your pond freezes. Using a heater in a pond that isn’t frozen over can create harmful environments for your fish.
Even though the temperatures are dropping and the water is getting colder, your fish will acclimate themselves to the changing temperatures. Using a heater when it’s not a requirement can create an environment where their natural cycles are thrown off.
That also means you’re going to want a heater with a thermostat. The thermostat will help the heater run only when temperatures are in a range where ice will begin to form. Once the ice starts thawing on its own, you want to avoid using the heater.A quality pond heater will allow you to control the temperature being produced. If the heater gets too hot, your fish could be injured. On the other side of that, if your heater doesn’t get warm enough, ice will not thaw, and the gases under the surface will build up.
If the heater you purchase does not have a thermostat, you will need to monitor the temperature of your water consistently. A thermometer will become your best friend to ensure your heater is only working to reduce ice and not warm the water in your pond.The primary reason you should be using a pond heater is to remove the toxic gas buildup that happens when air gets trapped under the surface of your pond. This gas needs to be released through the holes in the ice that your heater will create.
If you do not have holes punched (or melted) into the surface ice, the gas begins to build up and will starve your plants and fish for oxygen. The best filtration and circulation systems will only recirculate the gas if you do not create holes for the gas to escape.The wattage of the heater you’re thinking about buying determines how much power will be used but also how much heat that power is being converted into. De-Icers run on lower wattages than pond heaters do.
In our list, we have featured a wide variety of wattages and power levels to help with a wide range of pond sizes and temperature ranges. De-icers are used to create holes in the ice where heaters are used to heat the entire pond to keep it from completely freezing.The size of your pond is another factor that affects the type, style, and size of the heater or de-icer you’re going to buy. If you have a small pond, a single de-icer will often be more than enough. However, for larger ponds, you may need multiple units.
This is especially true if you have a pond that is deep and wide. If your pond is stocked with fish, you may need to use two or three de-icers placed strategically throughout the pond.As with any equipment for your pond, your heater or de-icer is going to require a regular maintenance routine. You will need to check in on the status of your equipment from time to time to ensure it is functioning correctly.
By its nature, a heater will begin to build up minerals around the surface, which can cause your heater or de-icer to work harder. As the unit starts to work harder, the internal components will feel the pressure. This means your equipment will eventually fail.
Because you are using an electrical device inside of an aquatic environment, you also need to ensure that the equipment is in good shape. If you knick the wire, for instance, you could end up electrocuting yourself or your fish.
Regular maintenance prevents these problems, so purchasing a heater / de-icer that is easy to maintain will make your life substantially less stressful.Monitoring the equipment you’re using is easier to do when your equipment has indicator lights to let you know its status. Purchasing a heater that has indicator lights can help you quickly identify what state it is in.
If the heater is currently working to warm the water and remove ice, a light indicator will let you know. If the heater is not currently functioning, the lights will go out, and you’ll be able to identify what you need to do maintenance quickly.
Having these lights is incredibly helpful. Unfortunately, many manufacturers help reduce the price tag of their heater by removing these lights and control boards. That means you will end up doing more work to save a few dollars upfront.What Is The Best Pond Heater & De-Icer In 2019?
Pond heaters and de-icers are an essential part of your pond’s ecosystem if you live in areas where the water will freeze. They are a requirement for releasing gas and creating space for fresh oxygen to enter into the ecosystem.
A good pond heater will help your fish thrive throughout the colder months. After reading this guide, you should be well-informed and able to make the right decision based on the size of your pond and your specific requirements.
Through our research, we have found the best pond heater / de-icer in 2019 is the K&H Products Thermopond Perfect Climate De-Icer.Top Editor's Choice on Best Pond Heater
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