Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? Anybody aerate ponds with very little inflow?

Some of you have read my aeration and dam questions. I am in charge of an HOA with three ponds of about 4 acres total. They are fed by a high volume pump out of the adjacent lake (which thankfully I am not responsible for), and by whatever runoff. No natural feed.

I'm talking to my residents and board about an aeration plan Ted drew up for us. What I'd like to do is shut off the power-hog pump most of the time and aerate per his plan, but I need some support. Any anecdotal support you might offer would be helpful.

Does anyone else have a pond or ponds with no natural feed other than runoff? If so, do you aerate, and what difference has it made in the health of your pond?

Thanks.

I think a lot (probably a majority) of us here have ponds with no water input other than runoff.

I can't give specific affectivity of aeration for mine, except to note that the one fishkill I have experience occurred while my aeration system was operating in a substandard manner. In general, we have a whole lot of confidence that aeration helps make better ponds.

Hi Mik!

I have a pond just like yours, no intake, hardly any outlet other than spring and winter. Surface runoff is actualy filtered in a mini strom retention pond to keep sediment rich water from running into my pond directly.

Aeration keeps my pond clean and pretty! The fish are happy, the kids swim in it, it is lovely.
Last year I tried to stop the aerator to see the difference (for scientific reasons of course), the water had an algae bloom within 10 days. It became turbid and murky. The fish were not happy (trouts) and my kids started playing video games again instead of swimming in the pond...

Ted knows his stuff! You can't go wrong! Aeration only has benefits if you do it right the first time.

I like to keep my aerator off when it is hot, so I keep fresh cold water oxygenated, and circulate that water at night when it is cooler.

As Theo stated, most of the ponds we work with are fed strickly by watershead.

If a system is undersized or not properly sized, you stand a chance of increasing the nutrient levels in the water column by lifting the Phosphates.

A properly sized system will bond those phosphates to the bottom sediments and tie them up with the iron so as to not allow them to be used by algae as a food source.

A study done in Minneapolis where they have been aerating for over many years showed what happens when aeration is turned off once it has done its job locking these nutrients up. Within two weeks algae began to form again.

Aeration is to be used as another tool in the aquatic tool box to help manage your waterbody. It is not a solve-all solution but is a very powerful tool much like a compressor is to a mechanic.

Working with Ted in the past, I know he will not disappoint you with his recomendations...he does know his stuff.

Mik, I'm at the minimum recommended watershed for our area. Ted sold me my aerator and was very helpful in getting all the odds and ends I needed for a smooth install. It made a big difference on water quality. A little clearer, looks cleaners, the fish seem happy too.

Thanks much, all. This is the good stuff I need to present to my board.

Cary -

I'm tuning into this one late. In reference to your comments above,

"If a system is undersized or not properly sized, you stand a chance of increasing the nutrient levels in the water column by lifting the Phosphates.

A properly sized system will bond those phosphates to the bottom sediments and tie them up with the iron so as to not allow them to be used by algae as a food source.

A study done in Minneapolis where they have been aerating for over many years showed what happens when aeration is turned off once it has done its job locking these nutrients up. Within two weeks algae began to form again."

was this discussed in the PB article on aeration? Do you have a link to the Minnesota article?

Thanks

- Russ

Hello Russ,

No, this was presented at the Aquatic Weed Short Course in Fort Lauderdale. The presenter was Dr. Ken Wagner but I am unable to locate the program for his address and phone number. I will look for it this weekend. I think it is in the truck behind the seat but the truck is in the shop at the moment.

Cary -

I made time this morning to reread your aeration article and sure enough, on pages 44-45 you do mention aeration, phosphates and nitrification. My fault. Any information you can pass along concerning Dr. Wagner's article would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Russ

K.Wagner name, is to find on this link:
http://www.nalms.org/nalmsnew/clmbios.aspx

There are many others as vell, that probably could help/direct you towards sientific studies/reports on the matter.

keep us posted on your mission

Well hello Andedammen and welcome to Pond Boss. I believe that you just might be our first member from Norway. Thanks for posting, we're glad you found us!

Norway,WOW. Welcome aboard.Always glad to have new people around,and love it when they are far away too,as we get to share more universal ideas.

Andedammen,

Thank you for the link. Will you be attending NALMS this year in Hartford, CT? If so, I would love to catch up with you. I will be there on behalf of the North Carolina Lake Management Society.

I doubt that, it would have to be on my spare time/budget.
The cost of attending, something like that,in wich,
I would love to do.
Would have to be, incoroporated in, some kind of holyday/vacatione tour, to the US/Canada, visiting/re.visiting differente States and people.
Spending forthnigte or two on the American continente.
But I do that every so oftent, so we might cath up at some time/crossroad.

PAUL

Sounds good Paul, please let me know about your next trip to the US. I'm sure we could make it worth your while visiting some job sites.