Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Thanks For Your Help!

Hi all,

I am on a 6 acre pond with its deepest point measuring around 7'. I am looking into DIY aeration systems and was looking fro some advice given those specifications. If it is realistic to make something or to buy something under 1k. I appreciate your time in advance.

Primarily only the deeper areas (>4ft) will need bottom aeration to minimize stratification. Stratification depth (thermocline) will depend on wind exposure of the pond. A 6 ac pond my need a larger compressor or multiple compressors depending on shape of the pond. What do you hope to accomplish by installing bottom aeration? The answer may determine what type of system you install. Ideally he pond is too shallow for a northern pond that encounters harsh winters.

I would search through the topics in the link to find out what others here have used for DIY aerators.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=11&page=1

Hey 199, welcome to the site. Have you researched previous posts about aerating? There is a separate forum just addressing ?s about systems. If I were more comp savy, I'd post links to some previous asked ?s like yours(there are many) but I can't do so. I'm sure some more enlightened folks will do that. Good luck and learn all ya can before ya make any major decisions on what you will do.

Wild Bill Cody, so fast to the draw !!

Devoe what's suuuuup!!

Just whip it good da na,na,na,na, whip it...

Ok just playing

Bill is right, course he is almost always right! Notice I said almost... I mean if he was right all the time we wouldn't need this forum we could all just email Bill.... haha..

Anyway goofing aside I have a 1 acre pond about 8 to 9 feet deep and I have one air station setup with 2 diffusers and a Gast 1/3 hp pump and I have about 450 to 500 in it.

So if my setup is good for 1 acre at 9 feet deep then you would need about 6 of these. Maybe not pumps but air stations. Maybe you could get 2 stations to run off of 1 pump if it's the right pump. So lets just keep guessing here.

3 pumps strong enough to run two air stations (4 diffusers)

6 air stations with 2 fusers each for a total of 12 fusers. Or should you go with 4 fusers on each station and make 3 big stations instead of 6? Not sure on that one.

6 or 3 (depending) different weighted air line runs to each air station (ouch)

3 gauges for your pumps.

3 gang vales for your pumps to help control your air.

6 or 3 type of crates or something to put the air stations on.

All the pvc needed to make the air stations and glue.

Nipples for hoses and clamps zip strips if needed.

Rope and floats for each air station so you know where they are when there not on for maintenance.

Whew.... I think that about covers it.. Oh year plus your time involved.

So I would say if you can get a setup for 1K or less that will actually work for your pond then I say it's worth it man!! That's just M.O. Of course I am assuming you were wanting to aerate the entire pond.... which would be best.


RC

A good rotary vane or rocking piston pump with 4-5cfm with diffusers at 6-7ft can operate 5-7 9" membrane disk diffusers.

Ummm Bill so lets say he did that with 7 fusers. Is that enough to turn 6 acres over? Just one station? Just asking...

RC

Number of diffusers, their placement and amount of air volume needed to circulate a 6 acre pond will depend a lot on shape of the pond. Another important factor is the degree or amount of stratification. If the pond gets good wind exposure he may not need summer aeration just winter aeration. He should probably get some advice from a few professionals as primary or secondary opinions. Ideally one needs to see a depth contour map. Also a factor is his answer to this previous question: What do you hope to accomplish by installing bottom aeration?

I think the single most expensive thing of the build will be the weighted airline.

Can it be done for $1K? (and done properly?)

That's an even bigger question than how to build the system.

Now if he's got a LOT of time on his hands, he can use non-weighted airline and spend a LOT of time tying rocks to it.

http://www.vertexwaterfeatures.com/aeration-lifting-rates

1,150 gpm x 7 = 35.5 ac/ft of water turned if run 24/7 if spaced in the pond correctly.

Then he will have to physically move the diffusers for winter aeration and back for summer aeration.

Thanks so much RC51! this is so helpful. I am going to go back through the forum and dig up the best way to get this done, but this math is a great starting point for me. The real goal is to minimize the amount of algae growth in the pond throughout the summer.

Devoe no thanks needed that's what this site is about. I have a lot to learn myself that's for sure! Bill and Esshup and taught me a LOT and so have others when it comes to air and I still have a TON to learn, I welcome anyone here to correct me if I say something wrong or don't consider something. I have no issues with being corrected. The bottom line is making sure the person that is asking the question gets put on the right track!!

Good Luck and keep us posted man!

RC

If you goal is to minimize the amount of algae growth you will likely be disappointed with aeration. It usually does not significantly reduce the amount of algae especially filamentous algae. It can sometimes help reduce the phytoplankton. Amount of algae reduced by aeration depends a lot on the available nutrient content of the pond. Excess nutrients will always result in excess algae or other plants.