bubbles to prevent freezing?

[A6D9]

ok this is not exacly RE related but you all are so smart I had to ask and hope you can help.

My friends horse bucket heater is broke, and she can't afford a new one.

so my first question is,

if I can install a bubbler for fish tanks and make bubbles come up from the bottom would that prevent the water from freezing?  I understand the bubbles would have to be on 24/7   but to me it sound sworht it, a tiny air pump is allot cheaper and energie efficiant then a heater.

and my next question is, with $$ a huge factor here,  anyone have any other suggestions to prevent any freeze up this winter?

any help is greatly appreciated

[wdyasq]

What the bubbles will do is cause the water to circulate. If you are talking a pond, you may be able to get warm water from the bottom and circulate it melting the surface ice. A pipe extending low in the pond with an air-stone would pull warm water up without using higher pressure air.

If you are talking about a horse trough, with "X" amount of water, it will work until the heat in the water is dissipated to the environment. This depends on a lot of factors. One could insulate the tank and /or partially cover to delay this effect.

Ron

[A6D9]

thanx Ron,

as far as I knwo the bottom of the tank is below frost line and should stay above freezing by ground temps.

Gona have to try it to see.   here to hoping

[wooferhound]

Heat Tape

maybe

Coffeemaker Element

possibly

Light Bulb

maybe not

[ZooT]

Maybe just painting the bucket flat black might help a little if it's in the sun.

[TomW]

Fire works pretty well for thawing it occasionally so animals can get a drink. They used to make stove that submerged in the tank and you filled from the top. Wouldn't be too hard to rig something up. I bet any metal cylinder would work if it was sealed enough to keep water out. Just sink it in the water with sand in the bottom add fire and maybe a lid. They make a hot tub wood burner called a "snorkle stove" might google that up to see the general concept.

Cheers.

TomW

[spinningmagnets]

I have a goofy suggestion, so feel free to point and laugh (set the milk down, and swallow before reading!).

A while back somebody posted about how he cheaply made 20 foot deep holes by hooking up a water hose to a section of pipe. He put a "T" on it just before the hose on top, so he could spin it. As he twisted and pushed down, the down-flowing water did the boring and mud ran up the outsides of the pipe. If you hit a rock, you'd have to start a new hole, but...

I'm guessing if you go down 8 feet the temps will be at least 50F.

Put a dark trough where it will get as much sun as possible, and a small Savonius VAWT could circulate the trough water through a loop of PVC pipe in the 8' well next to it.

Even if you still want to use a bubbler, by introducing bubbles near the bottom of the well-loop on one side, it would cause some circulation.

[kurt]

used to have a membership at a camp ground/fishing lake /rifle range / trap club. they had an air pump that fed air to the bottom of the lake for the fish the spot were the air came up never froze over in the winter was clear of ice for a 30' circle and the ice was thin for allot further around then that you had to be careful of it when ice fishing so you did not fall into the lake.  

[elvin1949]

Maybe light bulb YES

 Old fishing trick,lower light into water then

turn it on.Good for fishing.Only problem is carossion sp? of contacts.

 So a light bulb on a thermostat [and/or timer] will work if you solder the wires to the light bulb.

Incondesent bulb of course.

later

Elvin   So i can't spell worth a hoot