solar pool heater = pond heater?!

[aquaculture]

Scroll down a bout 1/3 down the page of this link and ya can see some solar pool heaters! Looks like it can be setup to heat ponds and help loewr the cost of heating the indoor or outdoor pond.

http://nationwidepools.com/abovegroundaccessories.htm

 

[clgkag]

Black pvc on a black board would have pretty much the same effect. Just using the dark color to draw heat and running the water through it.

 

[ITHURTZ]

It would work, except for winter time, or cloudy days. And you would have to adjust the valve to adjust the flow if its 90 out and full sun, or part sun, night time etc.

Gf's pops put that on his roof last year for his above ground pool.

First time I saw this was when I was 19 doing the pool biz. These guys had PVC pipe painted black on their roof. When we winterized it we had to drain those pipes, MAAAAAANNN did that come out hot. That pool stayed 90 degrees without a hiccup.

Only problem would to be able to maintain a steady temp, not having 70degree water one day, then 90 the next, yes its possible with solar.

 

[jlnguyen74]

Forget about winter or cloudy day... Evening is long enough to make the fish get sick

 

[Rayshot1]

interesting idea..

 

[Divasen]

Very interesting idea, but how will you regulate the temp? is it even possible with this system

 

[ITHURTZ]

you cannot maintain a constant temp 24hrs a day no.

 

[The1and only]

It would help lower the heating cost and you could just have the pump that feeds it shut off at certain temps with a controller. Then toss in a regular aquarium heater for the night and it would work. Just not as the only heater.

In high school we made a solar water heater out of black PVC and aluminum as a reflector and it got the water really hot for like $50.

 

[Zfishies]

ive been "training" for this. the probs ive encountered are; what happens at night? the coldest times, what happens on a cloudy day? the only one i solved so far is how to stop when the temp gets to high, (just add a temp controll valvue (sp?))


hope in the future they will/should solve these issues then ill be jumpin on that ban wagon. i think they will add maybe a battrie that charges from the solor and from that battrie it creats heat whitch the water will flow through?

 

[ITHURTZ]

It would help lower the heating cost and you could just have the pump that feeds it shut off at certain temps with a controller. Then toss in a regular aquarium heater for the night and it would work. Just not as the only heater.

In high school we made a solar water heater out of black PVC and aluminum as a reflector and it got the water really hot for like $50.

It" could" lower the costs, but if its 90 outside and the sun is beaming on your pond, you dont think the pond is going to get hotter? A 800 gallon swimming pool sitting in the sun for a day can easily hit 87+degrees on a summer day just from soaking up the rays.

I guess it depends on how "big" this pond is and the stocking. Top of the water is warmer than the bottom, fish can choose as they please to choose the temp they want.

But IMO its not really worth it, there is just too many cons to out weigh the pros. In that sense, buy solar panels or a decorative windmill turbine. Those you are basically guaranteed to spend less on electric.

But hey if you live in a area where winter never comes and you have big tanks inside, solar heat might just be your answer.