Salt Water in a Jug to prevent freezing

jay3534 · Jan 3, 2018

Thanks for all the replies
Looks like breaking ice is the way it is and will be

Looking4new · Jan 3, 2018

/pine said:
Just an off the wall thought...what about a 12 volt water pump to keep the water circulating fast enough to keep it from freezing?

and hook the battery to a solar panel. Would probably work.

k0ua · Jan 3, 2018

Looking4new said:
and hook the battery to a solar panel. Would probably work.

It will not work. Haven't you ever seen a frozen fountain in the park? Like the other poster said, if you can pump a source of warmer water up and keep mixing it with the water that is near freezing, then yes, it can work, but he doesn't have a source of warmer water to pump and mix. The water will freeze, and likely destroy the pump too. What is going to work is a stock tank heater, and as cold as it has been getting lately in some locations, he will need a darn good one too!.

TheMan419 · Jan 3, 2018

k0ua said:
It will not work. Haven't you ever seen a frozen fountain in the park? Like the other poster said, if you can pump a source of warmer water up and keep mixing it with the water that is near freezing, then yes, it can work, but he doesn't have a source of warmer water to pump and mix. The water will freeze, and likely destroy the pump too. What is going to work is a stock tank heater, and as cold as it has been getting lately in some locations, he will need a darn good one too!.

Op said tank is too far from electric for a heater.

1500 watt heater says it will keep 100 gal ice free at -20. Ours kept ~70 gal ice free at -15.

japody · Jan 3, 2018

We have a Mirafount waterer. It does not use electricity to keep from freezing. It utilizes an earth tube that is about 4 feet deep. They come in different sizes based on your herd size. Pretty easy to install - needs a pad set on gravel and a water line. Works well and have never had it freeze up. Only maintenance is cleaning it out every 6 months.

Miraco MiraFount 3354-S - Miraco

dieselcrawler · Jan 3, 2018

I've been taking buckets of hot tap water to the barn for our horses. Couple buckets of hot water mixed with the cold water seems to be helping... has to work until I can get to the store and buy a new tank heater.