Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions My twist on the RC51 system

Finally all of my parts and pieces arrived, I'm fortunate to be a welder/fabricator which comes in handy for part of this project. I read RC51's diy aerator system and ordered exactly the same stuff. I built my diffuser base a little different. I used a 4X8X 38"long piece of alum. extrusion for the base and built a manifold out of a stainless tube that was bent on each end, welded a couple of threaded 3/4 pipe ends, and a 1/2" nipple in the center with a 5/8" hose barb, welded an eye in the center, it balanced perfectly. I deployed it and ran it 15 mins. Boiled real nice and had A not so fragrant aroma coming from it, still need to build housing for it (eco 7 comm. pump) which I was pleasantly surprised how quiet it runs. Thanks RC!
Charlie

Make sure you know how to ease into start up of aeration.. Bad smell is not good and to much could kill everything.. 1hr first day 2hr 2nd day 4hr next then gradually step up your run time.

I'm also a Machinist/fabricator and it woulda been pretty sweet if you had the tools and know how to directly bore and tap that block of aluminum so you wouldn't of even needed tubing..

Also you might want to think about directly welding the tubing to the aluminum because vibration could wear holes ar through that tubing around your welded on loop..

Yeah, I read somewhere, 1/2 hr the 1st day, 1 hr 2nd, but if bad smell 15 min. 1st then 1/2 hr. I could of did it a bunch of ways. The tube was a scrap hand rail. Total time spent was 1/2 hr.

Well it it turned out awesome man.. Wish I'd had a scrap hunk of aluminum like that sitting around when I built mine..

frogholler, you're right on the times. 1/2 hr at first. I'd even consider 15 minutes the first day, doubling the time every day if the BOW is below 1/2 ac. and the pond is a year old or older. If there's fish in there, erring on the side of moderation is better.

Thanks, I actually think it was one of your posts about start up, is why I only ran it 15 mins. the 1st day. Does the time of day matter? There are fish, thanks always for everybody's input. This site is addicting.
Charlie

That conctruction is awesome! And to think I use 5 gallon buckets and cement for my stones. I am such a slacker.

Thanks, hey use what you got! you can't see it from the bank and the fish don't care, except they're breathing easier.
Charlie

Charlie that's awesome dude!! I like the base man! Glad I could help you out. I must take a good look at that base! I may use that next time I have to replace mine. Very nice idea buddy!!! Very nice!!

Time of day doesn't matter.

I like it Charlie!!!

Kinda partial to Stainless Steel and Aluminum myself.

The only thing to watch for is electrolysis of the Aluminum.

Thanks, I'm up to 2 hrs. No floaters. It may be me but it looks like the DW has slowed a bit, constant battle. Gonna be a hot weekend here in the East.
Charlie

Don't you mean Galvanic Corrosion? Cathode/Anode type of stuff.

For DIY, not a big issue in this application.

I like it Charlie!!!

Ideally the disks are too far apart which tends to keep the bubble patterns separate andless efficient. Lets see what other experts (Vertex's testing) say about this. IMO it is better to have the bubble patterns merge early and form one column of rising water. One larger column tends to combine the energy to be more effective at moving more water and more current at the surface.

Yep, that's what I meant. We saw 1/8" 5052 aluminum sheet "rot" thru where it was attached to stainless with stainless fastners.

Being a marine fabricator, I deal with it all the time. Really don't think it's going to be an issue, I guess I could slide some delrin shims between, I'll do that if/when the time arises. So, how far are they supposed to be?, I don't remember exactly but I think they are 22" on center, wouldnt be a big deal to hack them down and reweld, if that's what the experts think, I'm learning as I go,with a pond as small as mine (.165 ac) it's got to help no matter what, Thanks for everybody's input.
Charlie

Charlie, I think you will be OK on the dissimilar metals for a while.
Here is a short primer on Galvanic Corrosion.

Galvanic Corrosion

Your pond is not a Sea Water pond, is it

Don't know about the spacing, but understand and appreciate Bills statement.

Hey Charlie,

Bill has a very good point here. He is correct in saying these fusers are a bit to far apart. Good point Bill I did not even catch that when looking at the base. With that said I think you will still be ok though. Your pond is fairly small so this is not as big of an issue. If you were to start getting up into the .25 and bigger ponds then I would have put your fusers right about where your zip ties are in your picture above. You would want your fusers about an inch awasy from each other. Like Bill says all that force closer together would give you much better lift. In your instance though with your pond size I think your ok.

I agree with RC, for your small sized pond it won't make a lot of difference. Two boils even separate will turn the pond over quickly. Ideally I wouldn't have them farther apart than 6".

Any equations, charts, graphs, technical... on how far apart to put the diffusers in any given situation??? Could be helpful to some people.

The only time I get to use "It all depends" is based on how much money the customer has for the project, and their credit history

Fasteners probably came from China and were 200 series, and not metallurgically sound at that. Big scandal in the past about that.

My unfinished hatchery troughs (0.060x11"x22"x120") which are 5052-H34 and have been sitting outside for about 4 years, and they still look great. The 6061-T6 is looking a bit White/Grey. I just have to weld on the end caps and poke in a few holes. Currently have no place to hook the TIG welder up. Looking for a reasonable place to rent was a total bust. I ain't paying 6-8 bucks per sq ft triple net. That is crazy!

I weld on the Anapolis, Md. harbormaster's boats alot they're all bare alum in salt water, trouble starts when you paint alum improperly and corrosion starts between the paint ant the alum. I build alot of sailboat masts, if you put a dab of silicone on the threads you can still get them out 20 yrs. later, like to have a dollar for every snapped off ss fastener I had to weld a blob of metal onto and twist out with vise grips, I'd be rich and wouldn't have to build my own system, but prob. would anyhow. JKB- you don't have the place or power? I have a miller 300 sychrowave at work and a little 200 amp Miller dynasty I take out on the dock and get to bring home with me, great little machine for light gauge stuff (alum) or pretty much handle anything DC tig wise. Good luck finding something.
Charlie

I have vacant property up north a bit. I was only trying to find something on an intermittent basis to do a project or two. Getting pretty close to build time, so it is not an issue any more. Have a Syncrowave 250 and a Power Mig 300 with a 50 ft Python. Have new firmware for the PM to bump it up to a 350MP, Same animal.

It amazes everyone that I can have this Python in knots laying all over the place, change aluminum wire, feed out the old stuff, and string the new.

I won a few bucks on disbelief bets