Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Best Windmill For the money???

The aeration windmills as they exist today (Koenders 1.0-1.5cfm; Beckermill 2.4-3cfm) will only produce enough air to mix a small portion of the pond; approx 1/2ac to 3/4ac. The remaining parts of the pond will remain unmixed or uncirculated. For windmills and their diffusers to mix the entire 2.5 acres of your dad's pond it would take 4 or 5 windmills. One windmill will keep a small area ice free most of the winter. Cincinati does not have a lot of extensive ice cover all winter anyway. If you set the diffuser in the 20'-25' deep zone the wind speed will have to be pretty strong (8-12mph) to produce enough pressure to push air to the 23' depth. The promoted air production of windmills at 5mph wind speed is a very small volume of air that will only be pushed to about 7-9 ft deep not 20 ft deep. My windmill will be turing in a gentle breeze but not air comes out the diffuser set at 7.5ft deep until the wind speed increases to 5 or 6mph. There is a new windmill on the forefront that can produce 3cfm at higher pressures but it is still a few months from final production. The air production at lower wind speeds still needs additional development.

The most and best value for your money will be with an electric air compressor based aeration system that uses a 1/3 hp dual head rocking piston compressor to produce air of 15-20 psi to send ample air (3.5cfm) to 20+ft deep. Your other option is a 3/4 hp high pressure rotary vane compressor (8cfm). Do not expect one compressor and one diffuser to completely mix a 2.5 acre pond.