Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? Questions about a timer on the aerater

What is the general opinions with using a timer? I have a bottom diffuser (4 rock style). Should it run during the day or night? Does the previous questions answer change with the weather?

I run my aerator on a timer. I started that way to save some electricity. I run 4 hours per day, twice a day for a total of 8 hours per day. I did this to save power in the summer and avoid supercooling my pond in the winter (I live in Minnesota). I use the same schedule year around. If you only run one shift it should be at night just before sunrise. I believe the lowest oxygen levels will occur right before and immediately after sunrise because plants and algae don't make oxygen at night. I run mine from noon until 4pm and again from midnight to 4am. I'm afraid I wouldn't have a clue whether something like this would work for you or not. I imagine you just have to try it and see how it works, Oxygen measurements would be a great way to tell but O2 meters are costly so I don't have one. I just picked a schedule that makes sense and I've been using it successfully for 10 years. Some real experts will have to chime in.

BZ thanks for your input. I am looking at this as a way to save wear and tear on the pump and also interested in weither or not supercooling is even a issue where i live. I have been running it 24/7 since i didnt know i could do differently. If a timer will help i'd like to know about it. Thanks again.

rcn, Seems it always "depends" to quote Bill Cody but it does.What size is your pond? What type of demand for oxygen does it have? If it was sized for you was it sized for running continously?How deep is your pond? What type of fish load do you have?What size is your pump? If your "4 rock style" is a Sweetwater or Aquatic Eco Systems model ALA4GL try putting the flat part of the stone on edge to get additional lift.These are some of the questions that come to mind to answer your question.Most aeration pumps are designed to run continously and start/stop can shorten their life.

Ted, in order of asked...
3/4 ac
What type of demand for oxygen does it have? : dont know how to answer this question
it was sized for you was it sized for running continously?How deep is your pond? I bought it but dont remember if it they said it "had to" run continously. 18 ft. with first stocking last month of 2500 gam/fhm, 500bg, 160 shellcracker. The pump is a sweetwater DA1A. What do you mean by additional lift? Thanks.

A DA1 should be a single piston compressor made for them by Gast.It has 1.5 open flow. At 18 ft with that particular diffuser I would run all of the time.Not sure where in Florida you are but with warmer water can come a higher demand for oxygen with a lower holding ability.That pump should only be pulling about 3.3 amps so should run cheaply. Additional lift can be had by exposing 90% of the flat surfaces of that square stone vs the 75% that are probably currently exposed. If a flat edge of the square stone is on the plastic plate just turn it slightly so it is now on edge. this will give additional current. Never knew why they did not ship them that way?Be sure to inspect the rubber o ring in the blue Brady check valve on the diffuser each year as they are known to crack and let water flow back towards the pump.Some years down the road when time to replace the diffuser look into a higher capacity,lower maintenance model.

When u say it will give additional current do u mean more bubbles? I am located in north central fl.

Yes, Bubbles ( too a degree) normally means additional verticle current. This inturn lifts the water to the approx 21% oxygen in the atmosphere thus "aeration" That stone diffuser has a good OTR or oxygen transfer rate but in a 3/4 acre pond lifting ability means more than OTR.A single high OTR diffuser in most ponds gets lost in the water volume, so look for lifting ability instead. That system in fine you your pond. You may sometime in the future want to replace that stone as it wears out with whatever technology has to offer at that time.It is a fast changing market.

Understood, thanks for the knowledge.