Pond Boss
Posted By: SML8591 Should I start aerating in the fall or wait? - 10/16/12 11:33 AM
We just moved into a property with 2 ponds. The larger one is probably 1 to 1.5 acre and contains at least a bunch of sunfish and painted turtles. There are lots of algae and muck, as the pond has been neglected for about 2 years after the previous owner died. I applied some Cutrine Plus a few days ago, and I want to get an aeration system. Is it worth it to start aerating in the fall or should I wait unti spring to install a system? Is there anything else that I should consider doing now? My goal is a clean pond that will provide a good fish habitat and swimming hole. Thanks in advance!
Hey SML,

How deep are these ponds? Or should I say how deep is the pond you want to put air in?

Your question holds a lot of "it all depends in it" Here is a question you need to ask yourself first.

1. At this point am I worried about losing fish in my pond this winter? If yes then install air in a shallow spot about 3 to 4 feet deep to keep a hole in the ice. That will help the fish with much needed D.O. If no then I would not worry about it till Spring. Unless you have done a lot of research on Air systems I would read, read, read some more about it all before you jump into anything. The right system for your pond depends on a LOT of things. For example depth of pond is one thing, shape of pond is another and how you set your air system up. There are a lot of experts on this site that will help you out so think it through good and be patient. If you wanting to put air in just to start getting the pond cleaner I don't think you will miss out on much if you want to wait till spring. Read up some more and get a good plan in place for April! That just my 2 cents.

Good Luck and show us some pics of these ponds if you can!

RC
SML How old is the body of water
The large pond which will be aerated originally was a grist mill pond. It is pear-shaped, with the "stem end" of the pear being the dammed end that originally powered the mill's turbines. The pond is spring and runoff water fed. A small run used to feed the pond as well, but most of that run now disappears into a sink hole upstream since last September's flooding in the area, and water no longer reaches the dam's spillway. Some of it seeps through the dam and lays/runs slightly through the mill's tail race and into a larger creek on the property. I plan to restore more flow to the pond, raise the water level, and restore flow through the mill's tail race by using a Rife ram pump to feed water from the large creek, less than 50 yards from the pond. I have not yet determined how deep the pond is, but am planning to get out on a canoe this weekend to check it out. There is a lot of muck on the bottom, and I would be surprised if it is more than a few feet deep right now, but who knows? I am not greatly concerned with losing a few fish over the winter, but would rather not. The pond is well over 200 years old, as the original working mill was built of wood in 1792 and then replaced with the current stone mill in 1857. The stone mill was converted to a residence in the early 1970's, completely renovated during the 2000's, and we moved in a few weeks ago. According to a neighbor who has lived here all his life, the guy who owned it from the 70's until 2000 was an avid fly fisherman and kept a variety of fish in the pond, including trout. From 2000 to 2010, the owner kept the pond in good condition, but was not a fish enthusiast. The pond's surface looked good until about mid-August when it experienced an algae bloom. Since moving in in late September, other than sunfish, we have not seen or caught anything else. Before anyone suggests draining down and digging out the pond, I have no interest in doing that, nor is my ultimate goal to create the perfect trophy bass environment. I just want a healthy pond with decent fishing and swimming for family and friends. Thanks a lot!
If someone could point me to info on a good way to post a satellite image of the property, I would be happy to post an overhead view.
Here are some pics. The last one shows where the tail race comes out under the house and the garage that was added a few years ago.


Beautiful property!

If you want an aerial view type the address into google then click on the "maps" tab, you should see the aerial view but you might have to click on the button that says "satellite". Hit the "PrtScn" button on your keyboard then open Microsoft paint, right click on the screen and paste the image. From there you can edit the picture and crop the part you want. Save the image and upload it to photobucket and then post the link on the site.
Thanks! Let's give it a try...

Any experts wish to weigh-in? Aerate or not in the fall?
Vry nice place. I would say fish the pond pretty heavy to see if there are desirable fish. If so I would over the winter,with muck and dead plants good chance a fish kill could happen. We had a very mild winter here in PA last year. I noticed more then normal plant growth this year. If you can put a boat in and check your water depths that would help with answers as well.
Sir, you have a beautiful place. A mill pond is my favorite body of water.
Check out Bing maps too. Hit the birds eye view button. Also I wouln't know what it would hurt to put a diffuser in a shallow area for the fall and winter. You can always move it come next spring
Thanks, all. I think I'm going to aerate in a shallow area as suggested. I realize that improving a pond takes patience, but I would like to do at least something as an early step towards my goal.
Beautiful!! What is the deal with the other pond? You may be able to aerate both with a single system. To aerate through the winter or not.... getting a system installed now would ensure that you don't loose any fish over the winter. My hunch is that these ponds are pretty shallow and could be candidates for a winter fish kill. By keeping your DO levels high all winter you will get some what of a jump start on bacterial breakdown of the muck, all though the colder temperatures slow everything down. Feel free to email me your address and as soon as you know depths I can get you a recomendation.
You must be very excited to have such a cool historic property! You found the right site to get tons of great info on maximizing your pond goals!
Thanks! The small pond is really shallow and full of muck, leaves, etc. The former owner used to have a waterfall set up on one end of the small pond, and it supposedly was very well landscaped. The flooding of Sep. 2011 did some damage to the small pond and the pump and waterfall features were removed. I would like to restore the small pond, too, but my first priority is to improve the large pond. I like the idea of aerating both ponds with one system.
So we got out on the pond in kayaks, and the depth is only around 4 feet. Tons of muck and leaves on the bottom, which was expected, but still disappointing. The good thing was that we got a lot of rain on Friday, and the bulk of the surface algae was washed over the spillway. With a pond that shallow, what type of aeration should I be looking at?
You should be looking a shallow water system, Sue probably will check in here on Monday and let you know for sure, but I think the Vertex PondLyfe system might work in your situation.
© Pond Boss Forum