Ok this is the deal. I started filling my 1/4 acre pond with my well. It began to come to life, from chocholate milk to light green with 12-18" visibility. I installed a compressor with one diffuser with my pond 3/4 full. I ran it for a day and my water started turning brown. Will this settle out? Also I will be getting my CNBG and FHM in about 3 weeks, should I start aeration now or wait?
Open for any suggestions and help getting started
Thanks
Hi there Beau -
I recomend running the system so that your pond is oxygen rich when you introduce your fish. The sediment should settle pretty quickly unless the diffuser is located in an area with very loose unconsolidated matter.
Hopefully your diffuser is elevated or otherwise isolated (like Cecil's garbage can lid mount) from the pond bottom to prevent direct sediment lifting. If not, it should be.
I have the diffuser sitting on 2 stepping stones at the bottom but I think it is still too close as stated above. Have any suggestions for lifting it from the bottom?
If it's a round diffuser, maybe it will fit in a 5 gal. bucket about 1/3 filled with rocks to stabilize it.
Depending on the type of diffuser, slit size cfm input etc etc, consider just slowing it down so that soil particles can settle.. Plan on having the diffuser at least 4-7 inches off of the bottom if the disc extends over the weight base.Be sure the cfm input is matched to the acceptable suggested range by the manufacturer.
In past cases where the suspended solids are problematic the diffuser needed to be turned off for a week in order for these particles to settle out again.
Even if your aeration system is sized to turnover the volume 1/2 times per day that is enough to cause the solids to remain suspended.
If they do not drop out, then the next thing to do is a buffered alum treatment. Easier to do this prior to fish being introduced vs. worring about droping the pH too low when the fish are in already.
Can I have a system oversized for my pond. I have a rocking piston compressor that pumps 1.5 CFM of air with one diffuser and a fountain my wife wanted for looks equiped with 1/2 hp pump that should deliver 4100 gph.