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  1. #1

    Heating a koi pond

    I’ve decided I would like to heat my koi pond over the winter months my pond is around 3k gallons and only been running for 4 months it’s a raised pond 2.5 feet out of the ground and 6 feet deep.

    what I need to know is what’s the best cost effective method

    thank you



  2. #2
    gas is best in the coldest moths, rest of the year a good heat pumps probably best.

    something like a dura plus 7 would be good.

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  4. #3
    I was looking at the dura plus looks like not too expensive to run

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  6. #4
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Andy1671's Avatar
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    Im running an ASHP for my 5000 gallon pond and it cost me about £300 to heat my pond last winter
    My friend used an Elecro 8kw to heat his 2500 gallon pond.
    His heating bill was £1500 for last winter and needless to say they are not getting heated this winter
    5000 Gallon Fibreglassed Pond With 54" x 27" Infinity Window
    BD300 Drum Filter
    Artesian 0.5hp - Aquadyne 4.4c Beadfilter - PS4 Protein Shower
    Badu Eco Touch - EP20 UV Sterilizer - ASHP - Venturi
    Hi Blo 60 - Medo 45 - Spindrifter Bottom Drain
    Wide Mouthed Skimmer

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  8. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Andy1671 View Post
    Im running an ASHP for my 5000 gallon pond and it cost me about £300 to heat my pond last winter
    My friend used an Elecro 8kw to heat his 2500 gallon pond.
    His heating bill was £1500 for last winter and needless to say they are not getting heated this winter
    Thats a huge diffence I may look for a used dura tec heater new ones are very expensive
    Last edited by crazyreefer; 03-01-2019 at 01:03 AM.

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  10. #6
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    It really does depend what you are trying to achieve. As Familyman mentioned heat pumps are not necessarily the best option if you are only trying to up temperatures in the very coldest of weather. The cop values quoted are quite misleading. Heating only in winter you would be lucky to get better than a factor of 2 better than direct electric heating and when you factor in the initial cost and the fact that you should still have backup direct electric heaters it can take quite a few years to recover your outlay even buying a second hand heat pump.

    Heating in the shoulder months to extend the growing period is where heat pumps come in to their own.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

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  12. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Andy1671 View Post
    Im running an ASHP for my 5000 gallon pond and it cost me about £300 to heat my pond last winter
    My friend used an Elecro 8kw to heat his 2500 gallon pond.
    His heating bill was £1500 for last winter and needless to say they are not getting heated this winter

    what was your pond heated too Andy, is it well insulated?
    David

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  14. #8
    I bought a thermotec inverter 12kw ASHP for my 2500g pond. Works great and so far even in the cold temps its been far cheaper than my 2kw elecro inline heater i had on my old 1000g pond.
    If you go for an ASHP get one with inverter technology. Even more efficient.

    Dont forget a decent pond cover too. 25mm polycarb or a good polytunnel will do the job.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  16. #9
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Andy1671's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by familyman View Post
    what was your pond heated too Andy, is it well insulated?
    David
    I tried to keep the temperature above 14 which I just about managed.
    My pond is not insulated at the moment but currently erecting a polycarb building around my pond
    5000 Gallon Fibreglassed Pond With 54" x 27" Infinity Window
    BD300 Drum Filter
    Artesian 0.5hp - Aquadyne 4.4c Beadfilter - PS4 Protein Shower
    Badu Eco Touch - EP20 UV Sterilizer - ASHP - Venturi
    Hi Blo 60 - Medo 45 - Spindrifter Bottom Drain
    Wide Mouthed Skimmer

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  18. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by pip895 View Post
    It really does depend what you are trying to achieve. As Familyman mentioned heat pumps are not necessarily the best option if you are only trying to up temperatures in the very coldest of weather. The cop values quoted are quite misleading. Heating only in winter you would be lucky to get better than a factor of 2 better than direct electric heating and when you factor in the initial cost and the fact that you should still have backup direct electric heaters it can take quite a few years to recover your outlay even buying a second hand heat pump.

    Heating in the shoulder months to extend the growing period is where heat pumps come in to their own.
    100% support what both Familyman and Pip895 responded - normal ASHP is great except when temperature gets close to or under zero dC - than another heat source is needed as ASHP efficiency drops substantially so it is close to direct electric heater costs with its compressor running all the time - inverter version does not change this - inverter only helps when you do not need full ASHP heating output - it reduces compressor RPM to match actual lower heat demand than its rated output - but at low temperatures ASHP runs at max power all the time - so inverter does not help really in Winter - it only helps when you will not need full power of your ASHP - than it reduces frequent starts and stops of its compressor and saves energy by running at lower RPM.

    Most economical setup my humble opinion is ASHP for Spring / Fall and connection to your house heating system via heat exchanger in your basement for Winter - if you can do this ....

    Off course very good thermal insulation of your pond is a must - otherwise it will cost you a lot more - good insulation is not needed only on your pond, but also on all pipes and around filter house / filters to avoid excessive heat loss.

    Just my five cents I guess ....
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

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  20. #11
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    For many of us running gas or house central heating out to the pond isn't an option so ASHPs are the best we can do.

    The inverter v non inverter question has been puzzling me for a while. I have seen values of 30% cheaper to run than non inverter models but I can only assume they are basing that on really obscure circumstances like heating a tiny pool to within a fraction of a degree. They will appear quieter as they step up in power rather than going all out in one hit.
    On the down side the purchase cost is significantly higher. They are also more complicated and there is more to go wrong - which is important if you are buying second hand.

    I am only heating in winter so the cop is likely to be low say around 2. Given that and the fact that my pond is large and poorly insulated, when the heat pump comes on it is likely to be on for a long while and needing full power. I can't see an inverter pump giving a significant advantage. The pump will be situated well away from the house and not near any neighbours. So I have made the decision to go for a cheep non inverter model and instal my own external thermostat which will be set to 5 degrees with delta of 1 degree at night and 6 degrees during the day to try and get the majority of heating to be provided during the day at better COPs.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

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  22. #12
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai Scamp's Avatar
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    I've got an invertor ASHP and agree with Milaz/Pip. In my opinion, (and after using an invertor for 3 years) ASHP are great once temps are above 5 or so, many pond specific ASHP will run well into the minuses but COP drops to circa 1:1 and with defrosting very regular at low temps I can't see much advantage over electric. Of course they consume less (my case 1.8kw) but this just means its running for longer vs say a 6kw electro which I have as a backup.

    In terms of the invertor technology itself, other than the initial power surge from 0 to full power on a normal ASHP I think they just trickle on at lower power for longer vs shorter full power on a normal ASHP... I have read something about DC power on an invertor vs AC power on a standard ASHP being more efficient, but i cannot comment on whether thats the case..I would say my inverter is very quiet in operation, even on full whack, but again I have no other unit to compare against..

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  24. #13
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Gosai Mythril's Avatar
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    I run a 5.5Kw Crystal Enterprise ASHP on my grow on and it's yet to miss a heartbeat. This brand doesn't have as much 'Koi tax' added on like the Duratec variety and as far as I'm know, just as good, if not better. So if price is bothering you, take a look at Crystal.

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  26. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by pip895 View Post
    For many of us running gas or house central heating out to the pond isn't an option so ASHPs are the best we can do.

    The inverter v non inverter question has been puzzling me for a while. I have seen values of 30% cheaper to run than non inverter models but I can only assume they are basing that on really obscure circumstances like heating a tiny pool to within a fraction of a degree. They will appear quieter as they step up in power rather than going all out in one hit.
    On the down side the purchase cost is significantly higher. They are also more complicated and there is more to go wrong - which is important if you are buying second hand.

    I am only heating in winter so the cop is likely to be low say around 2. Given that and the fact that my pond is large and poorly insulated, when the heat pump comes on it is likely to be on for a long while and needing full power. I can't see an inverter pump giving a significant advantage. The pump will be situated well away from the house and not near any neighbours. So I have made the decision to go for a cheep non inverter model and instal my own external thermostat which will be set to 5 degrees with delta of 1 degree at night and 6 degrees during the day to try and get the majority of heating to be provided during the day at better COPs.
    Pip - just suggestion - you do not need to run from house central heating line to your pond / filters - but it can be done otherwise - as I did it - I have small 45W circulation pump permanently pumping water from my moving bed filter to my basement where I installed desk heat exchanger - connected to house central heating system - from which heated up water returns to moving bed filter - off course both in and out pipes are well insulated - and house central heating is not exposed to freezing temperatures - as it does not go beyond house walls - just food for thought.......all what is needed - it is to run two well insulated pipes from the filter house and back to your basement - gaining all the heating efficiency of your central heating system of your house.
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

  27. #15
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mythril View Post
    I run a 5.5Kw Crystal Enterprise ASHP on my grow on and it's yet to miss a heartbeat. This brand doesn't have as much 'Koi tax' added on like the Duratec variety and as far as I'm know, just as good, if not better. So if price is bothering you, take a look at Crystal.
    I did look at the Crystal ASHPs they are not inverter versions - (at least the ones for sale on ebay don't appear to be) which makes quite a difference to the price. They have much better thermostats than the Dream type which seem to be a bit basic.

    Unfortunately I'm not sure who gets the bigger markup - koi keepers or swimming pool owners who are the other main customers for ASHPs lol.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

  28. #16
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by milaz View Post
    Pip - just suggestion - you do not need to run from house central heating line to your pond / filters - but it can be done otherwise - as I did it - I have small 45W circulation pump permanently pumping water from my moving bed filter to my basement where I installed desk heat exchanger - connected to house central heating system - from which heated up water returns to moving bed filter - off course both in and out pipes are well insulated - and house central heating is not exposed to freezing temperatures - as it does not go beyond house walls - just food for thought.......all what is needed - it is to run two well insulated pipes from the filter house and back to your basement - gaining all the heating efficiency of your central heating system of your house.
    Its 35 meters though! so 70m of well insulated pipe! The only way would be to lay gas pipe and install a new boiler but that would be quite an undertaking.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

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  30. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by pip895 View Post
    Its 35 meters though! so 70m of well insulated pipe! The only way would be to lay gas pipe and install a new boiler but that would be quite an undertaking.
    Yes - this is too far - high level heat loss estimate is about 0.6kW per hour of heat loss for every 30m of well insulated in the ground pipe (15m each way) - for every 5dC temperature difference between pond water and surrounding environment temperature - so recommendation is to limit the length to about 7.5 m one way - total of 15m for minimized heat losses - I have built my filter shed next to our house - so heating pipe length is only three meters or so - for total of 6 m length - but need 15 m one way from pond to filter house for my pumped setup - so need 0.6kW / h / 5 dC to compensate just for heat losses in total of 30m of underground well insulated pipes.
    Last edited by milaz; 10-01-2019 at 07:22 PM.
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

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  32. #18
    Member Rank = Tosai NuneatonKoiAron's Avatar
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    Interesting read through this post for someone who is looking at adding heat to a new pond.

    Has there been many people who fit a small boiler into there filter house? I am considering running a split from my mains gas to the filter house and putting in a small boiler unit which can feed both a heat exchanger and a radiator so I can help avoid frost in the winter on both fronts.

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  34. #19
    This can be done - however remember to use antifreeze additive in your houce central heating water system if you will be running it outside of your house - otherwise in case of any failure in the circulation it can freeze in the outdoor pipes.

    This is the reason I run circulation pump from my filter with pond water into the house where the heat exchanger is located - so no damage to house central heating system can happen due to freezing.
    You get what you pay for - or better - what you make yourself.

  35. #20
    Senior Member Rank = Rokusai Simon Fish's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NuneatonKoiAron View Post
    Interesting read through this post for someone who is looking at adding heat to a new pond.

    Has there been many people who fit a small boiler into there filter house? I am considering running a split from my mains gas to the filter house and putting in a small boiler unit which can feed both a heat exchanger and a radiator so I can help avoid frost in the winter on both fronts.
    Possible issues for the gas.
    Gas pipe needs to be sized to give a maximum pressure drop of 1 mbar from meter to appliance, how far meter to boiler, if its far end of a long garden its not happening or its bottle gas.
    Another possible issue is total use through the meter, depending what else is in the house another boiler could go past the meters capacity, 64kw or 6m3 for a standard meter, more than that it's a meter upgrade.

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