I am having trouble deciding on how to aerate. I have power about 200 yards from my pond which could be run $$ to my pond if needed. I basically have three options and would appreciate input and advice.

1) Windmill aeration
2) Run/bury power to pond for compressor
3) I have read somewhere that I can have a compressor at my pwer source and just run pvc/air tubing to my pond which is cheaper than burying power.

Thoughts?

Electric Aeration is much surer and, if properly sized, MUCH more effective than windmill aeration. (Take it from the guy with the windmill aerator that was working during my iced-over fish kill.) Especially when you are becalmed.

Option 3 is true - you could bury 1/2" or 3/4" line to the pond, which should be plenty big enough for a 200 yard air run, much cheaper than you could bury wire. But if I only had 200 yards to go to get electric to my pond, I would be thrilled to death (actually, I have 170 yards to go, but only becasue I already buried about 250 yards to get to the nearest barn). Ask yourself what else you could use/might want electric for at the pond, and if the added expense of burying the power vs. an air line would be worth it.

Hi there! Option 3 is quite common - I design systems all the time using PVC and shoreline valve boxes. Golf courses often use this method to avoid cabinets and compressors on the greens. Sometimes power is too far and expensive to run or you may not want to hear the compressor from the pond and would rather locate it in a barn or garage. Unless you have other reasons for having power pond side, just run the airline and save yourself some money.