bottom draw or fountain? - 09/09/03 03:45 AM
I have a 3/4 acre pond in southeast texas; pear shaped; 12' deep at the dam, rising to 4' in the narrow/shallow end. I get waterflow only in heavy rains because of insufficient watershed; water levels drop dramatically throughout the summer. I would prefer an aeration system that also provides aesthetics. The current issue of Pond Boss seems to favor an aerating fountain for my situation. I've contacted some of the Pond Boss advertisers. One recommends a diffuser system as his first choice, with a bottom draw system as his second choice--focusing on maximizing oxygenation. The other recommends an aerating fountain because it will create more water movement, which they think will better discourage algae, plus they point out that the thermocline isn't really a problem in south texas. Thoughts? If I chose between the bottom draw and the fountain aerator, which would be better?