Pond aeration questions

[LD1]

Well, this is kinda a follow-up on my pond building seen here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/249222-my-pond-building-pictorial.html

I have been doing a TON of reading and searching on fountains and aerators.

I basically have 3 options.

1. Do nothing like several other ponds around that I have always fished in, and rely on nature.
2. Fountain pump of some sort.
3. Aerator

I really dont like option 1 because this will also be a swimming hole and I would like the water to stay somewhat clean.
I dont like option 2 either because they are more costly to run, and just something about having a power cord in the water :EEK:

So I have pretty much settled on an aerator, and I will outline my plans and what I plan to buy, and I am looking for some constructive criticism and suggestions.

For starters, the pond is between 1/4 and 1/3 acre with a max depth of 8' and an average probabally around 4. Rough dimensions are 150' long, and kinda oval shape with one end larger than the other. About 80' on one end and 100' on the other.

Here is what I plan on buying mdpnddesc

Seems to be the best price around and made in USA:thumbsup:

Since air hose is just as cheap (or cheaper) than electric wire, instead of locating the pump out at the pond and having to build a box around it:confused2:, I think I am going to locate it in the garage about 100' away and buy air line instead. Good Idea or bad??? This way, everytime I am in the garage, I will know weather it is working or not, Plus with it being in a "controled-climate-evironment" I cant help but think it will be better for the pump.

Another option I had was to possibly buy a Chinese knock-off compressor for 1/10th the money, and buy a diffuser separatly. Like this one https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=4-1586&catname= or similar. But what concerns me is that it is the same 1/20 HP, but is only about 1/4 the CFM But it doesnt show that it is continuous duty either. I could also step up to 1/8HP like this one https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=4-1854-A&catname=, but it still isnt rated at as many CFM as the small one I first listed:confused2:

So lets hear it guys. What would you do?? or what do you currently have if you have a pond???

 

[murphy1244]

Right now I use a windmill type pump on my half acre pond. I will be adding a double pump system. Try Jones fish.

 

[LD1]

Right now I use a windmill type pump on my half acre pond. I will be adding a double pump system. Try Jones fish.

I did check them out. Their cheapest compressor is still $600. And their cheapest system is still north of a grand.

I would like to keep it $300 or under. It may not be the best at that price, but it is better than nothing. But thats all the budget will allow at the moment

 

[murphy1244]

you could dye your pond too. that should slow down the growth.

 

[LD1]

you could dye your pond too. that should slow down the growth.

I plan on doing that as well:thumbsup:

 

[speedbump]

These style blowers come into our shop a lot for motor bearings. Usually after about 7 years of outdoor service here in Florida. Fish farmers use them exclusively. They make lots of air, last practically forever, but aren't cheap. The ones you gave links to won't make 1/100th of the air that these will make. Not enough air, lots of algae. The life expectancy of the China stuff probably is less than a season.

 

[wjmst]

I have looked into this as well for my pond, which is about 100ft x 100ft and avg 5 ft deep. I just couldn't justify the $1000 price tags of most systems.

At one point in time, I acquired a small air pump. It almost looked like it would be used on a large aquarium. But I set it up and ran it for about a year. I can't say I really noticed much of a difference, but there could have been a slight improvement in the area it where the air stones were located.

So whatever you end up trying, keep us posted! I am very interested in a solution that would be under $500 as well.
Wes

 

[murphy1244]

Your biggest problem is the shallow depth you have, need more deffusers spaced out.

 

[rjok]

I would suggest you visit Pond Boss.com. In their forum they have a section on aeration. They also have a list of suppliers. We have a system from a vender in western Ohio. Works real nice. Also I believe there is an active member of the Pond Boss community that lives in central Ohio. Good luck. Rick

 

[LD1]

I would suggest you visit Pond Boss.com. In their forum they have a section on aeration. They also have a list of suppliers. We have a system from a vender in western Ohio. Works real nice. Also I believe there is an active member of the Pond Boss community that lives in central Ohio. Good luck. Rick

Already been there and read till my head hurt.

The system I linked was through one of their "resources" links.
Home to be exact

 

[djw250]

I currently use a Harbor Freight submersible pump with a homeade fountain head (PVC cap with holes drilled in it) set about 5 feet above the water. This is in the smaller of 2 oxidation ponds, about 75 x 50 x 4 feet deep. I run it about 50% of the time, and it has been in for about 4 years. I have to clean the sprinkler head now and then, but it seems to be pretty effective. One added benefit is that it lowers the water temperature in the summer by about 10 degrees. I even made a smaller version for our above ground pool after I found that out and it works like a champ.

 

[farmerbillwilson]

I've tried to cobble together an aeration system, it works, but not well. I recently purchased a Vertex System and it is worth the price. Well built, aluminum cabinet and very quiet. There are a fair number of vendors that offer this system, but I found a company that mapped out the right system and I had a custom unit 5 days after order. Worth every penny.

 

[Pettrix]

Well, this is kinda a follow-up on my pond building seen here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/249222-my-pond-building-pictorial.html

I have been doing a TON of reading and searching on fountains and aerators.

I basically have 3 options.

1. Do nothing like several other ponds around that I have always fished in, and rely on nature.
2. Fountain pump of some sort.
3. Aerator

I really dont like option 1 because this will also be a swimming hole and I would like the water to stay somewhat clean.
I dont like option 2 either because they are more costly to run, and just something about having a power cord in the water :EEK:

So lets hear it guys. What would you do?? or what do you currently have if you have a pond???

AERATION IS MANDATORY unless you want the pond to become a toxic, smelly, dead, mosquito haven swamp.

I have a pond (albeit a lot smaller than yours) and aeration is key to keep the aerobic bacteria alive, along with the fish. The aerobic bacteria eat away at the waste and give the fish their much needed oxygen. It also keeps the water agitated so their is constant motion in it.

Aerobic bacteria (oxygen based) eat the organic compounds at a rate 100 times faster than anaerobic (not oxygen based) bacteria. It's weird but some of the same principles apply in septic systems as well. (aerobic systems work better than anaerobic systems)

Option#1 does NOT apply because this pond is NOT "natural", it is man made, and therefore it will not work like a nature made pond because nature did not make it. Natural ponds are spring fed or rely on a stream, creek or river for the inlet. Digging a hole in the ground and filling it water will turn into a mess, very quickly. You are trying to replicate nature, which requires oxygen, filtration, plant life, introduction of fish, etc.

Give the pond oxygen, you give it life.

My other question is will the pond be lined with something to keep the water from draining back into the soil?
Will you stock the pond with fish?

I highly recommend checking this site out and maybe even giving them a call, they know their ponds:
http://theponddigger.com/
http://www.theponddigger.com/supplies/Aerators-and-Pond-Air-Pumps/c13/index.html

 

[LD1]

Well, I went ahead and ordered this kit mdpnddesc

I figure for the price, I'll try it out. It doesnt say, so I called, and it is a thomas pump, so that is good:thumbsup:

Cheapest I could find a comparable thomas or gast pump was still close to this price. and this kit comes with the difuser and 50' of hose. I will go to harbor freight and get another ~150' of air hose so I can mount this in the garage and run the air-line out to the pond.

If we ever get any darn rain, I'll let everyone know how it works. I know that more air is better, but I also dont want something that will put too much hurting on the electric bill I hope this pump works out, cause for the price I couldnt find anything better.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I run Sugar Creek Fountains for 8 years now. It works well enough, in hot summer times I time it to go only at night, since cold air is better for aeration.

But the real aeration is via compressor, no question about it.

I tried cheap compressor from HF to pump air in the water and it lasted 6 month or so. Y9ou should get a gast or thomas compressor from ebay and diffuser from one of the suppliers. You can rig the rest up yourself.

 

[LD1]

Y9ou should get a gast or thomas compressor from ebay and diffuser from one of the suppliers. You can rig the rest up yourself.

That is what I was planning on doing, but pricing the gast and/or thomas 1/20HP compressors, they were still $220-$230 by them selves. So I went ahead and got the $289 kit which I figured wasnt bad, cause it IS a thomas compressor, comes with the diffuser, 50' of hose, fittings, and power cord (which usually isnt included in the $220-230 comp. only deals I saw).

I figured If I tried to save $50 by getting the compressor only, I'd spend way more than that by the time I got the diffuser and hose. As it is now, all I will need is about another 150' of hose.

 

[murphy1244]

That is what I was planning on doing, but pricing the gast and/or thomas 1/20HP compressors, they were still $220-$230 by them selves. So I went ahead and got the $289 kit which I figured wasnt bad, cause it IS a thomas compressor, comes with the diffuser, 50' of hose, fittings, and power cord (which usually isnt included in the $220-230 comp. only deals I saw).

I figured If I tried to save $50 by getting the compressor only, I'd spend way more than that by the time I got the diffuser and hose. As it is now, all I will need is about another 150' of hose.

Is the hose weighted? better buy some cheap bolts and zip ties too.

 

[LD1]

No the hose isnt weighted. I was planning on laying some old clay tile in the bottom of the pond and running the hose through that to keep it down. The aerator is self weighted also so that will help.
If I dont use the tile, I will come up with some other means because weighted hose is $$$ and I dont see myself buying any anytime soon.

 

[Pettrix]

Is the hose weighted? better buy some cheap bolts and zip ties too.

They do sell weighted marine air hoses. It resists UV and does not break down in water.

 

[farmerbillwilson]

They do sell weighted marine air hoses. It resists UV and does not break down in water.

Use the weighted tubing, you will be much happier in the long term. Weighing the tubing down with bricks is difficult. Try these guys, they answer their phone, give good advice and have fair pricing on aerators. https://www.organicpond.com/