Hi all! New to the forum (and pond management) I've read a ton of posts trying to find answers but most shallow-pond posts have referred to smaller ponds (less than 1 acre). I'll try to keep it brief and really appreciate any (low-budget) advice as the pond has been neglected for several years (very old pond but very clear water). My pond is oval (420' x 220'), 2 acres in size, avg depth 4-5' with a 9' deep channel at the dam about 150' long and 10'wide at the bottom. Theres' no run-in or run-off, it's fed by a well pump (when I turn it on), and it's also surrounded by trees and barely affected by even strong winds. You can probably guess I have filamentous algae and duckweek issues (but it's also plentiful with LM bass, some bluegill and crappie). From everything I've read, I'm in need aeration so I can hopefully stop spending money on chemicals and dyes. Vertex sent their estimation that I need 3 double 9" diffusers, one in the 9' depth (along the long side of the pond opposite my electrical power), and one at each end in the 4-5' depth. And of course the $3,600 cost to do it.
Using the 1 1/4" tubing feeding the pond from the well, I extended it out 100' to make a homemade fountain (looks nice but that's about it). I'm very handy with electrical, plumbing, etc., so I decided to make my own aeration system. So here's my questions with a tight budget: What would be the right size pump (ideas of make/model)? Will bottom diffusers be effective in the 4-5' depths as Vertex suggests? I plan on a diffuser in the 9' depth and if instead of a fountain shooting up using the well water, I made two of them (out of PVC) and designed it so the water (from high pressure using small holes) was aiming directly into the water at each end of the pond instead of diffusers, would that provide enough oxygen and water movement?
Also, I attached an aerial view of my pond with dimensions and depths if anyone feels they could help. Sorry for the long story but any help would be appreciated to help with a low budget system.
Thank you all again and thanks for the great forum PB!
After just going thru the same thing last summer of trying to do an aeration system on a budget, here are a couple pics of what we built for about a third of the price you stated above.(including having to run over 300ft of electric)
We purchased 2 Vertex double diffuser discs(ours are for deep water), 200ft of weighted air hose, as well as a used pump from Ted at Forever Green. Ted was very helpful in recommending the correct size of the pump for our needs. Then we made our own manifold and box to house the unit in. We have the ability to run three discs with the system we just haven't hooked up a third one yet. I am very pleased with the Vertex discs and was very pleased with all of Teds help.
After running the system thru the summer I definitely noticed a drastic improvement of water quality and less FA! Just like you I made some fountains using utility pumps and some PVC. They work good for creating waves that increase surface area to grab oxygen but the real work is done with a bottom diffuser. I will let the experts talk about the technical stuff when it comes to water movement etc but hopefully the pics help give you some ideas!
Thanks for the post and pics! And very nice job on the pump housing and manifold set up! I would really like to use the weighted air hose but I need 700' and it gets pretty pricey, so I'm looking into alternatives. I would also prefer the disc diffusers opposed to the stick or stone as they seem to work a lot better. But then again, I'm just not sure. Do you by chance have a photo of your pond and/or the dimensions and depths? And would the photo show the results of the diffusers? It's very encouraging to hear that it's working, especially with the FA issue! Thanks also for the Forever Green tip with Ted! I'll keep researching but your pump housing looks great!
No problem, and thanks for the compliments. That's what makes this site so great. It's all the info and help you can get from others that have more times than not, been there done that...
Yes, the weighted hose can get pricey but it's worth it IMHO. Easy to work with and makes installation a breeze. As I said before, I really liked the Vertex discs. We did a lot of research prior to doing it and they stood out for us as the obvious choice.
I have two ponds that I run aeration in. Bass Pond- 1/2acre, deepest depth 12ft, avg 6-8ft. Vertex XL2 diffuser in 12 ft. Catfish Pond- 1/2 acre, deepest depth 10ft, avg 5ft. Vertex XL2 diffuser in 10ft. In my bass pond I have a small "cove" that I will eventually add another disc in when $$ permits but for now I simply have a fountain there to aid in water movement.
Prior to adding the diffusers, I had ALOT of FA. Our first summer there you could barely cast and hit water. Usually you were going to hit an algae mat. Last summer with the use of some aquashade and the diffusers, I had hardly any. It was mostly limited to the edges of the cattails. Other than the aquashade we have not put any chemical in the ponds yet.
In addition to cleaner water, the overall entire eco-system is healthier.
Your ponds look fantastic! Now I know that yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel! I've included a photo of my pond when we had about 3 inches of rain a month or so ago and it covered up all the FA, and the duckweed was not yet present. It's this photo that is really prodding me to get the aeration going! I'll try to post one of what it looks like now, and why it needs help! Thanks again!
Lovnlivin, I too thought the self-weighted air hose was pricey, so I went with regular hose and thought I could weight it down myself. After getting hung up while fishing numerous times, and having the weights come off and the hose float back up I bit the bullet and bought the weighted hose from Ted. I threw $$ away trying to do it myself. For in-pond use, self weighted hose is the way to go. Yeah it hurts, but only once.
Here's some photos of my pond with FA and duckweed problems. A lot of the FA mats I've been able to take care of as it was much worse when I first moved in (April 1st), but the bottom-up FA is very thick throughout the pond. Will aeration do that much to solve the FA problems? Thanks for any help as all of the research I've done is pointing towards aeration.
Aeration is not a fix-all solution for the issues you currently have. It is a tool in the tool box for an overall maintenance and control plan. Yes, it will help but not fix everything.
The duckweed issue you have I can't talk much about because I have been fortunate so far to have not had it in my ponds. I suspect that you will need to treat it chemically and carefully to correct that problem. Hopefully someone with experience in this area can chime in on that. The one thing I will throw out is that decaying matter in a BOW can take away your oxygen and cause major problems so if you treat the duckweed chemically, you may need to do it a little at a time.
As for the FA... I would still suggest trying to get some aeration in the pond. Even if you have to start small and add to it over time. I would also try dye for the pond. I don't use the full amount they suggest but reducing the amount of light should help control the algae. But, it will also reduce some desirable plant growth as well. I can only speak from experience but using dye in my pond during this time of year seems to keep the FA at a minimum when used along with the aeration. Another advantage to aeration is that it will help break down dead matter that may be laying on the bottom that cannot normally break down because the right conditions do not exist.
I will say that nothing happens overnight with a pond. It takes hard work, persistence, and patience. And of course a little investment but the rewards are worth every sore muscle and dollar spent. This is my third summer with mine and I'm still not where I want to be with it.
You will see many times on this site where you will be asked what you're goals are for your pond. Once you know what you want and where you're going, make a plan and execute it. It takes time but just as you're knowledge about managing your pond grows, so will your connection with it and the rewards. I like to think of it as a labor of love...
I am not 100% certain that I can do this, but we are a recommended source on the website.
This year, we began to carry shallow pond aerators. The compressors with this system put out a high volume of air, however since they are linear they obviously do not have the pressure for deep ponds. Also we all know that diffusers work better in deep water, but this is an excellent option for shallow ponds as an alternative to surface aeration.
Labor of love is right and although it is proving to be a lot of work, I know that with the correct maintenence the end result will be worth all the effort. My goal is for it to be a swimming and fishing pond and getting it to look like the "morning pond photo" I posted.
Thank you for the reply and your advice regarding the FA. When I first moved in two months ago I put in a gallon of Aqua Shade as the water is extremely clear (conducive for FA) and I'll be putting in one more gallon to get the clarity to less than 2', yet being careful not to add too much. I've also been spot-treating with Cutrine Plus liquid for the floating mats and the CP granular for the submerged. Again being careful because of oxygen depletion.
Ted Lea with cleanponds.com has been incredibly helpful as I've seen many people refer to him and I was also referred to him by Sue at Vertex. He's been fantastic!
I will be installing an aeration system consisting of 2-shallow diffusers and one deep diffuser, hopefully within the next few weeks.
In the meantime I've been trying to clear the pond of unwanted logs & debris and will be manually removing as much FA as possible. The FA is so bad from the bottom up that you can't cast a line without pulling in a clump of it
The last thing I'm looking into is stocking some Tilapia as I understand they're great for eating FA but won't survive the cold, but I'm having a hard time finding a source. I was hoping someone in Nebraska had them but not having any luck.
Anyway thanks again for your reply!
And thank you Pond Boss for this forum. I've learned so much and am so appreciative of all the great people and great advice.
I'll keep you posted and hopefully can add some pics once I get the aeration system up and running.
