minecraft-java-edition
I built an automatic fish farm in an Ice Plains biome (which I now realise was the worst idea) and the water keeps freezing, even though I placed torches above it as this thread suggests (although I believe this only melts ice, rather than prevents it from forming).
I can't place a block above the water to stop it freezing because fish farms require direct sunlight access.
How can I prevent the water from freezing?
Fish can be caught in any body of water. Unlike pigs, cows, or chickens, fish don't exist until they're caught, so it doesn't matter where your water is.
You do need a minimum size body of water so that the lure doesn't get stuck on a block -- as long as the bobber is free-floating, you should be good. I've actually managed to cast into water falling from a "spring" block, have the bobber travel up to the top of the falling water, and then catch a fish.
Any form of light except sunlight will melt nearby ice. Specifically, ice will melt in a light level of over 11, so torches will melt ice 3 blocks away.
Placing a block anywhere above the water will also stop it from freezing (although not melt it if it is already frozen), so long as the water is not exposed directly to the sky.
Ice will not hydrate farmland. However water has a 9*9 area in which it hydrates farmland, so you don't need a water source next to each crop.
Also, crops can grow even on dry farmland, just at a slower rate.
Best Answer
I found that placing a glass block above the water prevents the water freezing while letting sunlight through