How long can a 2 acre pond that’s 12’ deep be 100% iced/snowed over before you’d start getting concerned?
There are a LOT of variables to that question. The biggest is determining what the biochemical demand is on the pond. I agree with Theo in saying after a week I will open up my pond if it has 2" ice and 2" snow, or ANY amount of ice and 2"+ snow on it. I will toggle the aeration system on and off depending on the winter storms and snow. I want to keep between 5%-10% of the pond open, or at the very least have that much clear non-snow covered ice on it.
I expect to be getting a lot of calls this Spring to stock ponds with fish that have seen a winterkill, and get a lot of inquiries about aeration systems for a pond. It's the early part of Feb and I already have orders for systems for ponds.
For people reading the forum, look at the links that Bill Cody posted elsewhere about aeration. You can aerate the pond and do it incorrectly and actually do more harm than good. There is more to aerating a pond than running air to a pond and having bubbles come up to the surface.
