Pond chiller

[chicken-necker]

I have an outdoor pond approx. 2000 gals. Iwould like to keep the water temp at 60-65 degrees during the summer (philadelphia area) I don't have $1600 for a commercial pond chiller. Is there anyone on the forum that has experience on these matters? I've tried A large cooler(120 qt.) filled with ice and copper tubing then pumping pond water through the tubing and back into the pond. This was not practical as the water in the tubing melted the ice too rapidly to cool such a large volume of water. Any help would be appreciated. 

[125blackfire]

monsterfishkeepers forum will be able to help allot more. The members on that website are allot more familiar with fish tanks/ponds that size.

[jefftoleft]

try using dry ice instead of regular ice

[CaptMoose]

If'n you can bury a closed-loop of piping in the ground you can get cooling that way.  Google geothermal heating.  The ground is always 50-55 degrees when you get deep enough. 

[Dreampixels]

I have an outdoor pond approx. 2000 gals. Iwould like to keep the water temp at 60-65 degrees during the summer (philadelphia area) I don't have $1600 for a commercial pond chiller. Is there anyone on the forum that has experience on these matters? I've tried A large cooler(120 qt.) filled with ice and copper tubing then pumping pond water through the tubing and back into the pond. This was not practical as the water in the tubing melted the ice too rapidly to cool such a large volume of water. Any help would be appreciated. 

I would think with a Chest Freezer, a heat exchanger, a pump, antifreeze, large insulated tank, time and Patience you might be able to come up with some thing.

Circulate a mixture of water and antifreeze which will not freeze in the chest freezer thorugh old ai rcondtioning coils that you have put in the freezer. Once the water leaves the freezer run it through more air conditioning coils in you insulated water tank, cirulate the water in your inulated tank into your pond. A few thermostats, a pump here or there and I would say it could be done much cheaper then 1600 bucks.

Old ariconditioning coils are great heat exchangers - it their job in life.

[captaincrab55]

I have an outdoor pond approx. 2000 gals. Iwould like to keep the water temp at 60-65 degrees during the summer (philadelphia area) I don't have $1600 for a commercial pond chiller. Is there anyone on the forum that has experience on these matters? I've tried A large cooler(120 qt.) filled with ice and copper tubing then pumping pond water through the tubing and back into the pond. This was not practical as the water in the tubing melted the ice too rapidly to cool such a large volume of water. Any help would be appreciated. 

Any method used to cool the water will have a cost associated with keeping the water cool...   Shade sounds like the first thing to try and most reasonable method.....     

BTW,  How deep is the pond and what's the water source?

[jack1747]

Why would ya want to cool a pond? 

[tattoo]

I have 3 ponds and have nerer cooled them. 

[Feddog82]

The OP could possibly be trying to keep a cold water fish (Rainbow, Brown, or Brook Trout) alive and well in his pond.  These species of fish fair much better in colder water.  Flowing water such as creeks stay colder much easier but ponds can only do so by being spring fed or deep.  A 2000 gal pond in your back yard is most likely neither one so a chiller would be necessary to keep the water at an optimum temperature.

[ted527]

If'n you can bury a closed-loop of piping in the ground you can get cooling that way.  Google geothermal heating.  The ground is always 50-55 degrees when you get deep enough. 

probably your cheapest shot at doing what you want.

[ted527]

I would think with a Chest Freezer, a heat exchanger, a pump, antifreeze, large insulated tank, time and Patience you might be able to come up with some thing.

Circulate a mixture of water and antifreeze which will not freeze in the chest freezer thorugh old ai rcondtioning coils that you have put in the freezer. Once the water leaves the freezer run it through more air conditioning coils in you insulated water tank, cirulate the water in your inulated tank into your pond. A few thermostats, a pump here or there and I would say it could be done much cheaper then 1600 bucks.

Old ariconditioning coils are great heat exchangers - it their job in life.

chest freezer compressor is way to small, only sized for keeping frozen food frozen.

[Mutzy crab man]

Why would ya want to cool a pond? 

I have a pond also.....Why would ya want to cool a pond? 

[chicken-necker]

I have a pond also.....Why would ya want to cool a pond? 

To keep trout during the summer months.I can currently keep them for 8 months but when the water temp exceeds 72 degrees they will stress out. The pond is well shaded and well aerated and filtered but it is a sky pond i.e. fed by rainwater. If I could figure a method to keep the temperature under 70 degrees in the summer I could keep trout yearlong.

[chicken-necker]

probably your cheapest shot at doing what you want.

Sounds feasible, how deep to the thermocline(55 degrees)?

[chicken-necker]

I have 3 ponds and have nerer cooled them. 

Hi Tat how you doing, I'm trying to keep my trout year round. 72 degrees and over is fatal to trout.I can keep them omly for 8 or 9 months currently.

[tattoo]

I'm doing good . don't know about the trout , i have koi and gold fish in my ponds , good luck with your pond , hope you can figure out a way to keep it cool . 

[jack1747]

monsterfishkeepers forum will be able to help allot more. The members on that website are allot more familiar with fish tanks/ponds that size.

If anyone knows how it can be done DIY those guys will....  http://WWW.Monsterfishkeepers.com

[CaptMoose]

I googled "diy geothermal" and got lots of hits. 

This link has the US map of ground temps.  http://www.geokiss.com/res-design/GSHPDesignRec2.pdf

[ted527]

Sounds feasible, how deep to the thermocline(55 degrees)?

might want to talk to a well driller in your area and find out were the water table is, if you can hit water with your loop it will give you better transfer.

might even be able to just use well water to do the cooling.......


anything you can do using ground temperature to do the job would be cheaper than running a mechanical cooling system.

[Weber]

Geothermal is the way to go to accomplish your needs, but the problem is that it is going to be more then $1600.

I have never done a job just for a pond or a pool, but normally for heating and cooling.

You would need to think about what you would want to do with the heat.  Possibly use it with a coxial coil to heat your homes hot water, dual purpose less wasted energy....

[Reservoir Dog]

If'n you can bury a closed-loop of piping in the ground you can get cooling that way.  Google geothermal heating.  The ground is always 50-55 degrees when you get deep enough. 

This is the way to go.