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Alrighty, I have a 7'x4' pond with 3 RES and 3 Koi plus a few assorted goldfish. The pond is in my living room and I have never had a heater for it. Water has always been room temp (70-75 estimated). The animals have been doing just fine. However, lately I have been thinking about getting them a nice toasty heater. Thing is I dont even know what size I would need. I can only estimate that that gallons of water is about 100. A 7x4 pond about 3/4 full. Any ideas on what wattage of heater to get?

If your turts aren't hatchlings and they're healthy, that's not a bad temp range for them (my RES lives in water that's pretty much around 70F in the winter). Having the temp constant would be good, especially in the winter, though. (How is the water staying that warm without a heater in Montana in December?)

For a heater, allow 3-5 watts per gallon of water. If you do have 100 gallons in the pond, using 5 watts per gallon, you'd need about 500 watts of heater. Since the pond is 7', rather than just one heater, I'd have two 250-watt heaters, with one positioned near the filter output and one on the opposite side of the pond.

marisa-mod is correct on the temps, however, I like mine a little higher Than 70 degrees. They seem to be a little more active. A couple of 250watt may do you dust fine. Keep an eye on your fish; turtles like fish, large or not. Good Luck!! m.

(How is the water staying that warm without a heater in Montana in December?)

It's in my living room ANd thanks for the info

Have you checked that your pond really is at room temperature?

The reason I say is I have a similar capacity pond, but it is at 70 degrees, whilst room is always at 78 degrees. I assume I am loosing heat through a concrete floor. (Yes I am using same thermometer).

Just about to add a heater, going for a 500w in the heater outflow. One concern I have is that if pond is warmer than room, then evaporation and room humidty will increase. Although I do not want to do so, I have a feeling I may need to add a perspex cover over most of pond.

You also have a challenge in that the koi and goldfish prefer colder water, so you should not increase temperature to much.

"Just about to add a heater, going for a 500w in the heater outflow."
I am just setting up a pond as well, appx 100 gal. What heater are you putting in that is 500 w? Just checked out the Fluvol 300w from Dr. Fosters site but I guess it wouldnt be enough for the pond? I like that it has a temp display in it. checking more forum info

I'm using a 300-watt heater in a 110-gallon stock tank and two 200-watt heaters in a 150-gallon stock tank. I don't think you'd need a 500-watt heater in a 100-gallon pond.

Thanks marisa. Turns out that the 250 watt jager heater I had from a yard sale works!! I never used it in the aquarrium cause it was too shallow for it. Have got the temp up to 73 in 24 hrs!! Now just have to figure out how to keep it from getting too hot. Spent the whole day watching to see if it gets too high. Dont have a manual for the dial thing. Fred really likes his new home!! Expected him to dive to the bottom but he was afraid of the water at first...now just wants to hang out in the water. Oh to get in to their minds!

I use a 150 & 200 watt heater for my 100 gallon pond and it seems to work quite well. I've seen it keep the water 18 degrees above air temperature.

Wendell, you've got the heater that my RES is going to get for Christmas (250-watt Ebo Jager) for that 110G stock tank. The 300-watt one he's got now (not an Ebo-Jager) heats, but the thermostat is stuck---once it's plugged in, it stays on until the plug is pulled out. It never gets that warm (76 -77F) if I just leave it on, but I like to keep the temp around 70F and don't like to have to keep remembering to plug it in and pull it out again.

I don't know how old your Ebo-Jager is, but once you set it to the temp you want, it should keep it at that temp and automatically go off if the water temp goes higher and go on when the temp drops. Jagers are quite accurate at keeping the temp where you want it. That temp the water is now (73F) is fine.

Thanks for the reply Marissa! I appreciate your feedback and feel more confident now. The temp doesnt want to go higher than 73 (its just freezing cold here right now and he is in a toasty area with heated floors. Fred is over 20 years old and in his new home seems happy as a clam! I think I will go ahead and order a second Ebo-Jagger as backup now that I know this is a good brand. I bought a plastic sleeve for the one I have now and will get another one for the new heater just for safety. Happy Christmas !

Same to you, wendell.

BTW, when you say plastic sleeve, do you mean a heater guard? If so, where did you find it? I used to buy Tronic ones, mainly from Big Als, but I haven't found them sold on the site anymore (at least the larger ones). The last one I bought was one I happened to see in a local pet store (the only one they had), but when I tried to order another one, I was told they weren't making them any more...