Water for outside hockey rink (Need help)

[gogojuice]

I live in a rural area.

I would like to make an outside rink for my boys to play on.
One of the problems will be getting water outside. There is no access.

At worst the temperature can be approx -40 celsius. (they won't play then)

I need to find a water source.

The only way I can can think about it is to haul it out there with the tractor in a cart and then use a sump pump to allow me to flood the ice after they play.

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[kevinwak]

How far is it from your water source? A hose won't freeze as long as it stays flowing. I plan on building my boys an ice rink this winter and was going to use water from my dugout. I would pump it out with either my Honda has lump or a small electric pump. I'll just take the pump and hose in each time.

 

[gogojuice]

Thats the problem. I'm about 250-300 feet from the house water. I had one near the house.. but they are getting bigger and need to move to the back yard.

 

[/pine]

...At worst the temperature can be approx -40 celsius. (they won't play then)
I need to find a water source....

Is snow not a source?...might be less trouble to set up a small hopper/propane heater...if your tractor has a loader...sorry if this is deemed idiotic...I'm from the south...

 

[zzvyb6]

How far is your rink going to be from an inside water source? That water comes from underground as is relatively warm, so, a large diameter hose from the house to a rink is doable if the distance is not too great. The 'warm water will keep the hose from freezing until you shut off the water. Meanwhile, a rink base that's made from packed snow will hold the warmer water until it levels out. Once you get the hose back inside, you can drain it and wait until the next resurfacing.

Or, you could get several IBC containers and pack blocks of foam around them to transport water to a rink for flooding on sliis of small trailer. If the water is 'warm', it won't freeze. Then you take it back to your warm garage, fill it once more and keep going.

Or, get a swimming pool tanker truck out there and put 2 inches of water all around a full size rink with snow buildup for edge boards. If its packed down it will freeze overnight and be ready to use. Then the question will be how to resurface it or scrape it. The biggest problem you will have is when a wet snow falls and makes the surface rough. If you are sorta clever, your could make a scraper system from an old but straight post hole digger and a rototiller. They do make tractor powered ice redurfacing machines. A tractor's weight might break the ice up on your rink, but if it was mounted on a sled and powered by a small motor, your team could build up some legs by pulling it around, starting in the center. Drag a piece of carpet behind it with a water tank soaking it with warm water and you have a red-neck Zamboni or Olympia resurfacer.

Maybe you could even borrow a local rink's machine and trade time for repair. They need a lot of service. Maybe your team could foot the work, eh ?

 

[zzvyb6]

Why not just trench an underground water line out there and put in a freeze proof hydrant ? Now's the time while the ground is soft. All my water lines to and from the barn are that distance. No problem.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Why not just trench an underground water line out there and put in a freeze proof hydrant ? Now's the time while the ground is soft. All my water lines to and from the barn are that distance. No problem.

Either this, or run a line with a way to blow it out with compressed air after each use. I'd use 3/4" black poly pipe, it's cheap and the smaller it is the easier to blow out the water. I assume you have frost-proof sillcocks, attach it to the sillcock with a quick-attach. Put a matching quick-attach on an air compressor. Keep the compressor nearby. After each use turn off the sillcock, unsnap the pipe, snap it onto the compressor and blow it out.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Oh, and run the pipe out there now while it's somewhat warm. Leave it in the sun first if you can to get it good and floppy. In January it will be as stiff as rebar.

 

[Deere Dude]

I would get a few 3/4" minimum flexible hoses and fill from the house. They won't freeze with water ripping through them. When done, blow them out with air as someone mentioned. The problem will be if it is very cold some residual water will still freeze up. Then you have to either take it inside a heated basement or garage to keep from freezing. Or, run some RV antifreeze through it. It should only take a gallon to pour in the end and force it through with air.

Either way will be a pain if it is very cold.

 

[tcartwri]

I used to build a 24 x 40 rink in the back yard using haylage wrap for the base. The pump would run for 12 hours to get the first layer in.... It's allot of water.