This is awesome! I was trying to figure out what to do in MN for temps near 10 degrees F over night in a location without electricity. This will allow me to use a portable generator and keep the water open all night! THANK YOU SO MUCH for doing this video! I am wondering what the smallest wattage would be that you would recommend. This 20 watter looks like it is very powerful.
Thanks for commenting, I really appreciate the feedback. As for a recommendation on wattage, I'd only be guessing. My 20 watt keeps the water pen and doesn't bother the horses. Going smaller or larger could change that result. This is just a suggestion, I don't know if it would work or not. Could you hook a small inverter up to a deep cycle battery with a solar panel to recharge?
@@aroundthecounty1139 OMG!!! That's EXACTLY what I am setting up!! Except with the exact same bubbler as you are using! I bought it and so far it's working great with a table top generator/electric rechargeable battery. But it only runs for 8 hours and it costs $180. SO YES I just ordered 2 deep cycle batteries from walmart.com for $100. and we also have solar panels out there already, so plan on using those to keep the batteries going plus we can run them home and charge with a battery charger. I hope this will be good to zero degrees and I can add more insulation to the tank as well. I moved it inside the shelter, insulated it and covered half of the top with hard insulation as well. To keep the water warm I was also wondering about a fish tank heating light.
We are thinking of doing something like this, but running it off of a small solar panel. They are relatively inexpensive and still looking into various panels and their reviews.
I have one cord out to my tank. I bought the bubbler and have the 1500 W coil heater. The timer you suggested says that it's not for use with above ground pool pumps. I'm wondering if it's adequate to use with the 1500 W coil heater. I would like to find a timer with a dual plug where each plug could be programmed to shut on/off. I could run the coil heater for an hour, have it shut off, then run the bubbler, etc. No success on finding that kind of timer, so far. Also, it helps to fill plastic bottles half way with salt solution and let them float in the tank. The salt creates a little heat. That in combination with the movement from the bubbler and a tank cover usually does the trick. If we get a cold snap for a few weeks, that coil heater is necessary. Thank you for the video. The bubbler idea definitely helps and saves money.
Salt does not create heat. Putting salt inside the water bottles has zero effect other than lowering the freezing point of the water inside the bottles.
I dont have electricity near the horses water and we usually dont have to worry about the water freezing. When we have a cold front like today it is 2 degrees Fahrenheit -13 with wind chill. So I got 4 big rocks yesterday, cleaned them off and baked them this morning at 425 degrees in the oven for 30 mins. Took them down and placed them on the water tubs which were about 2.5 inches of frozen ice. Melted through and warmed up the water enough so they could drink water. Its 2 hours later and it did not freeze again yet. Sounds weird but it's what I came up with 😆
That's a great idea! We do what works in our situation. My next idea is to build an insulated box that fits over our tank with a door to open when the horses are out.
That's a good idea. You've probably already thought about this, but you could get a basetball net, zip-tie one end shut, place the rock in the net, then with a rope synch the other end of the net and hang the tag end of the rope out of the trough, this way the rocks are easy to get back out of the tank without too much trouble. Then on day two have a second set ready to go for your baked rocks in the enclosed basketball net and rope line, and when the water is clear of ice on day two, hoist out the first rock/set of rocks from the previous day using the tag end of the rope - now you've got rocks ready for the oven/next day - and keep the rotation going.
The pump came with only about a 5" hose, but you can purchase an 8' section for about $4.50 at home depot. Just go to the plumbing area and they have the exact same size hose.
Our horses have never bothered with the air line or cords. I have seen some people use black threaded pipe or conduit to run the cords through. Since this video I have built an insulated box with partial cover to held lower costs further. This may also protect the cords from the horses.
I wish people would stop saying this. Either that phenomenon is widely misinterpreted, the experiments were faulty, or it’s completely inapplicable to the factors and environment in which a stock tank is used, because (all other factors being equal) cold water in a stock tank will always, ALWAYS freeze before hot water does.
This is awesome! I was trying to figure out what to do in MN for temps near 10 degrees F over night in a location without electricity. This will allow me to use a portable generator and keep the water open all night! THANK YOU SO MUCH for doing this video! I am wondering what the smallest wattage would be that you would recommend. This 20 watter looks like it is very powerful.
Thanks for commenting, I really appreciate the feedback. As for a recommendation on wattage, I'd only be guessing. My 20 watt keeps the water pen and doesn't bother the horses. Going smaller or larger could change that result. This is just a suggestion, I don't know if it would work or not. Could you hook a small inverter up to a deep cycle battery with a solar panel to recharge?
@@aroundthecounty1139 OMG!!! That's EXACTLY what I am setting up!! Except with the exact same bubbler as you are using! I bought it and so far it's working great with a table top generator/electric rechargeable battery. But it only runs for 8 hours and it costs $180. SO YES I just ordered 2 deep cycle batteries from walmart.com for $100. and we also have solar panels out there already, so plan on using those to keep the batteries going plus we can run them home and charge with a battery charger. I hope this will be good to zero degrees and I can add more insulation to the tank as well. I moved it inside the shelter, insulated it and covered half of the top with hard insulation as well. To keep the water warm I was also wondering about a fish tank heating light.
We are thinking of doing something like this, but running it off of a small solar panel. They are relatively inexpensive and still looking into various panels and their reviews.
I have one cord out to my tank. I bought the bubbler and have the 1500 W coil heater. The timer you suggested says that it's not for use with above ground pool pumps. I'm wondering if it's adequate to use with the 1500 W coil heater. I would like to find a timer with a dual plug where each plug could be programmed to shut on/off. I could run the coil heater for an hour, have it shut off, then run the bubbler, etc. No success on finding that kind of timer, so far. Also, it helps to fill plastic bottles half way with salt solution and let them float in the tank. The salt creates a little heat. That in combination with the movement from the bubbler and a tank cover usually does the trick. If we get a cold snap for a few weeks, that coil heater is necessary. Thank you for the video. The bubbler idea definitely helps and saves money.
Salt does not create heat. Putting salt inside the water bottles has zero effect other than lowering the freezing point of the water inside the bottles.
I dont have electricity near the horses water and we usually dont have to worry about the water freezing. When we have a cold front like today it is 2 degrees Fahrenheit -13 with wind chill. So I got 4 big rocks yesterday, cleaned them off and baked them this morning at 425 degrees in the oven for 30 mins. Took them down and placed them on the water tubs which were about 2.5 inches of frozen ice. Melted through and warmed up the water enough so they could drink water. Its 2 hours later and it did not freeze again yet. Sounds weird but it's what I came up with 😆
That's a great idea! We do what works in our situation. My next idea is to build an insulated box that fits over our tank with a door to open when the horses are out.
That's a good idea. You've probably already thought about this, but you could get a basetball net, zip-tie one end shut, place the rock in the net, then with a rope synch the other end of the net and hang the tag end of the rope out of the trough, this way the rocks are easy to get back out of the tank without too much trouble. Then on day two have a second set ready to go for your baked rocks in the enclosed basketball net and rope line, and when the water is clear of ice on day two, hoist out the first rock/set of rocks from the previous day using the tag end of the rope - now you've got rocks ready for the oven/next day - and keep the rotation going.
So where is the info on the bubbler you bought?
Sorry. Here is the amazon link www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B002JPRNOU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Is there a hose that comes with the pump ? I’m wanting to try your way this winter in Colorado
I believe I purchased a small length of hose.
The pump came with only about a 5" hose, but you can purchase an 8' section for about $4.50 at home depot. Just go to the plumbing area and they have the exact same size hose.
I'm not sure what you mean by keeping the bubbler above the height of the water trough to keep water from siphoning back thru the bubbler
If you lose power and the air pump is located below the waterline, water could flow into the air pump ruining it.
Can you tell us what brand is the bubbler?
I have a hydrofarm. here is a link to a similar pumpamzn.to/3qjXfuv
The link doesn’t work any more.
What was the rating of the bubbler?
Thanks.
Yah but how do it without your horses eating the cords we’re trying to figure out how to put it without them chewing on the cords
Our horses have never bothered with the air line or cords. I have seen some people use black threaded pipe or conduit to run the cords through. Since this video I have built an insulated box with partial cover to held lower costs further. This may also protect the cords from the horses.
Hot water will freeze before cold water
I wish people would stop saying this. Either that phenomenon is widely misinterpreted, the experiments were faulty, or it’s completely inapplicable to the factors and environment in which a stock tank is used, because (all other factors being equal) cold water in a stock tank will always, ALWAYS freeze before hot water does.