Installed a 3 station aeriation system in my 1/3 acre 8.5 deep pond this summer. I live in Indiana. I was just wondering at what air temperature range should I start thinking about just running (1) station in the shallow location. Thanks, Chris
The reason I want to run in the winter is I had my first winter fish kill last year in 10 years. It was a strange winter but I would like to make sure. Thanks, Chris
I don't fire up my shallow diffusers until the ice is on. I have waited until the ice was 3-4" thick before running. It will open a hole in short order.
I tend to go by the depth of snow cover on the ice, the quality of ice itself, and the expected duration of ice cover as determining factors. I don't think I have ever ran the system to prevent ice cover, only to open a hole once it's already locked up.
Just like Tony I try and crank mine up just before ice. Close to shore in about 1/3 the maximum depth of my ponds, which in my pond sets the diffuser on the bottom in three feet of water.
Max depth of my ponds are 9 feet.
As a matter of fact, I'm not running aeration at all right now. My compressor is here in the shop, with a rebuild kit on order.
So with all the comments it seems like I am wasting electric by running my aerator now. Does everyone just run in the hot months from say late May to late September or so and then just turn on in winter as needed? Say when pond has been frozen and has had snow cover on it for awhile.
Thanks, Chris
Running an aerator 24/7/365 will help slow down the eutrophication process. Especially if the pond is deep enough that a thermocline sets up, or if the pond is deep enough that the dissolved oxygen level drops near the bottom of the pond.
Up here, I'll switch my clients aeration system over from deep diffusers to shallow diffusers when the water temps are in the 40's to low 50's. I'll switch them back in the spring at the same water temp.
That way I don't have to go through the 15 minute per day doubling that every day start-up procedure in the spring.
I find at least in northern areas, it is not as important to run aeration when the water temps drop below 55-50F when stratification is minimal compared to summer conditions 65F-90F. Bacterial decomposition and pond overall DO consumption decreases as fall progresses and DO consumption is significantly lower as water temps go from 50F to 39F. At temps less than 55F toward 39F the DO tends to be at naturally high amounts and lasts longer than warm water times. At the fall, early winter season the natural top to bottom mixing (fall turnover) increases until ice cover. Hyperventilating a pond with 24/7 aeration is really not all that beneficial as water temps drop from 50-39F. Prior to and at ice formation DO amounts are the highest throughout the pond as any time of the year other than 1-2 wks after ice out.
To understand what you are saying Bill - I'm in Wisconsin and the temps are 50's right now so don't need to run aerator. I really don't need to worry about running aeration again until just as temps get to 32?
Bill, I agree with you. That's what I do with my own pond, but for some reason the majority of my clients with aeration systems are the "hands off" type.
In my pond, here's what I do:
Turn off the winter diffuser when the ice melts in the Spring. Turn on the summer diffuser when water temps are in the low 50's. Turn off summer diffuser when water temps drop into the low 50's and then fire up the winter diffuser when ice forms.
I find at least in northern areas, it is not as important to run aeration when the water temps drop below 55-50F when stratification is minimal compared to summer conditions 65F-90F. Bacterial decomposition and pond overall DO consumption decreases as fall progresses and DO consumption is significantly lower as water temps go from 50F to 39F. At temps less than 55F toward 39F the DO tends to be at naturally high amounts and lasts longer than warm water times. At the fall, early winter season the natural top to bottom mixing (fall turnover) increases until ice cover. Hyperventilating a pond with 24/7 aeration is really not all that beneficial as water temps drop from 50-39F. Prior to and at ice formation DO amounts are the highest throughout the pond as any time of the year other than 1-2 wks after ice out.
X2! When the temps ate similar from top to bottom as in the fall and spring the wind mixes the water naturally.
Bill, I agree with you. That's what I do with my own pond, but for some reason the majority of my clients with aeration systems are the "hands off" type.
In my pond, here's what I do:
Turn off the winter diffuser when the ice melts in the Spring. Turn on the summer diffuser when water temps are in the low 50's. Turn off summer diffuser when water temps drop into the low 50's and then fire up the winter diffuser when ice forms.
Ditto!
Thanks for a lot of good inputs guys! My pond is only 8 feet deep and was just built in fall of 2013 so not much vegetation yet. I have two aeration diffusers. One in 8 feet and 1 in 3 feet. My plan was to run both during the summer and only the shallow one during the winter but have at least one running all the time. Sounds like I am wasting money aerating in fall and spring so I am shutting it down till I see some ice forming!
Bill D. In the summer I would move the shallow diffuser into 5-7ft of water. Maybe spread the two out at both ends of the pond. Generally in summer water will mix naturally down to 5ft and often 6 ft deep unless the pond is in a woods with little wind action.