The short answer
Put a thermostatic de-icer in the tank. The K&H Ultimate Stock Tank De-Icer 1500W keeps water open all day instead of only at chore time, and it runs only when the water is heading toward freezing. Plug it into a grounded outdoor outlet with GFCI protection and clip the cord up and out of reach.
We can get this moving for you quickly, and depending on where you are, your parcel can arrive in as little as 1 to 2 business days once it's on the road. Pickup in Millet, Alberta is free, and shipping is free on orders over $199.99 to most addresses.
A caged de-icer in the trough is the simplest fix. The K&H Ultimate Stock Tank De-Icer has a full guard and a cord clip to keep the lead away from teeth, and it floats or sits on the bottom.
A 1500-watt de-icer draws 1.5 kilowatts while its element is on, and the thermostat turns it off when the water does not need it. It uses most in the hardest cold and little on a mild day. Give it a circuit without much else on it.
West Virginia University Extension lists a few ways: keep water flowing, shelter the windward side with bales, cover part of the tank with insulated plywood, or float a ball to keep the surface moving. Where you have an outlet, a K&H de-icer from Pipestone Farm Supply is the steady answer.
Sources: West Virginia University Extension, Winter watering
Work from daily use. Alberta Agriculture plans on about 45 L a day per horse, so five horses go through about 225 L, a little more than a Tuff Stuff 50 gal tank holds. Pipestone Farm Supply carries Tuff Stuff tanks up to 180 gallons, so size up if you do not fill every day.
Yes. K&H calls the Ultimate safe for all stock tanks, and it works in rubber, plastic or galvanized. Pipestone Farm Supply carries it.
Set it up before the first hard freeze. Test it in cold water on a mild day, look the cord over for cracks or chew marks, then have it in place before the tank locks up.
Drop a thermostatic de-icer in it. The K&H Ultimate Stock Tank De-Icer holds the water just above freezing, and it comes with a guard and a cord clip. Pipestone Farm Supply carries it.
Sources: K&H Pet Products, Ultimate Stock Tank Deicer and zone chart
A de-icer in the trough keeps it open without chopping ice at chore time. The K&H Ultimate Stock Tank De-Icer floats or sinks and only runs when the water needs it.
Sources: K&H Pet Products, Ultimate Stock Tank Deicer and zone chart
A thermostatic tank de-icer on a proper outlet. The K&H Ultimate Stock Tank De-Icer is rated for plastic and steel tanks. Pipestone Farm Supply ships it across Canada.
Sources: K&H Pet Products, Ultimate Stock Tank Deicer and zone chart
Only if you want it on the bottom. Unscrew the float ring from the K&H Ultimate and it becomes submersible, which helps where animals push a floater into a corner.
Sources: K&H Pet Products, Ultimate Stock Tank Deicer and zone chart
K&H says it does not guarantee a recirculation pump won't freeze. It keeps water open around the unit, so protect pumps and lines separately.
Sources: K&H Pet Products, Ultimate Stock Tank Deicer and zone chart
Close by? Pipestone Farm Supply is in Millet, Alberta, less than 15 minutes from Leduc and Wetaskiwin and less than 30 minutes from south Edmonton. See drive times from your area.
Updated November 5, 2026 by Pipestone Farm Supply, Millet, Alberta.
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