Fermenter cooling from my fish pond!?

I've just started conducting an experiment.

I will be going all grain soon, which will mean moving operations to the garage. I also have a 6000 Gallon Koi pond right next to the garage, which pumps water 24/7 into three 55 gallon filters inside the garage.

I have just rigged up an experiment where I am diverting some of the pond water to a hose wrapped around a 7 gallon fermenter filled with water. The ambient temp has just reached 85, the fermenter is holding steady at 70! Still a long way to go yet, and a LOT of monitoring, especially at night time. I reckon though, that even if the fermenter experiment fails, I will still be able to use the pond water to run through a wort chiller during fall, winter and spring.

What the hell, even if everything is a total washout, I just LOVE to experiment!

wow If that can hold it steady at 70 that would be great. Not to mention no loss of water.

Great Idea! Not sure about the wort chiller tho.... if a leak develops, the pond water isn't really "sanitized"

Arneba28 said:

wow If that can hold it steady at 70 that would be great. Not to mention no loss of water.

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Loss of water is what started me off on this. I've already made an arrangement whereby I water my garden entirely from pool water/rain water. I get a bit freaky when I see the chance to save a buck.

mrtoofay said:

Great Idea! Not sure about the wort chiller tho.... if a leak develops, the pond water isn't really "sanitized"

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That kind of contact just ain't gonna happen. I just simply would never let that happen!! I would spend an obscene amount of money on equipment that would save me $2....I guess I need a new set of priorities.

Great Idea! Not sure about the wort chiller tho.... if a leak develops, the pond water isn't really "sanitized"

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If any water (pond or tap) get in your beer it's bad news.

Update: Ambient temp 95. Fermenter 73. Hmmmm Maybe I need to do this with windows cracked open. Hmmmm

Still not a chance in hell though that that pond water is getting into the brew!!

For a minute there I thought I was going to see another setup like this;



From this thread;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=66260

Revvy said:

For a minute there I thought I was going to see another setup like this;

From this thread;
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=66260

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LOL!! Now that's just silly!!


If I ever get to this stage, just shoot me!!!










Well, maybe my experiment is silly too....but hey, I gotta give it a try.

For the record, my pond is 5 feet deep and mostly below ground, and the pumped water is coming almost directly from the bottom (where the cooler water should be) OK, it has to pass through another two 55 gallon filters on the outside of the gararge, but I can divert that too to get to cooler water if need be......Anyways, give me a break! It's only an experiment!!