Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? What did aeration help in your pond?

I have a 2 surface acre pond that's never been aerated before other than a fountain. I've got muck, weeds, algae, etc. I'm looking to hear from people/customers who've put aerators in existing ponds that may have been suffering from ??? and their results.

Just first hand results from existing pond owners. Someone who's had a aerator system in their pond now for a few years would be welcome with open arms!

When I bought this place (I closed on the day before Thanksgiving) I had to rent the place back to the owners until their new house was completed. I finally took posession in Feb. When the ice melted, there were dead fish everywhere - winterkill. Next year I installed an aeration system, and have never had that problem again.

Now I have the winter diffuser set in front of the fish feeder, and I can feed the trout that I stock for the winter all winter long.

Tim,

Here is the deal. Air in your pond is good for a number of reasons. The one main reason is you need the D.O. to help sustain life in your pond. There are many others.

Fish will thrive and love you for it!
Air will help the already good bacteria in your pond do it's job better by slowly removing the muck you speak of. And if you add bacteria with air it will help it along even better.
The correct air system is a great tool and will help your ponds eco system and fish thrive. It will also allow you to have more fish than without air. And help you in those times when your pond gets a little low on water. Air is your friend!!

I have been running a system now for 4 years and others out here a lot longer than that and my fish look great are growing fast and are very active.

Here are a couple of fish I caught 2 weeks ago. Of course it's not just the air system that makes your fish look great and thrive but I believe it's a big part and a must for any serious pond owner.

If you haven't done this take some time and read this from the CommonQ&A Archives:
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92639#Post92639

I've sold numerous pond aerators and showed people how to build them since 1985. I allow them to bring the aerator back for a full refund if they don't think it helps the pond. So far no one has returned an aerator. If for some reason it stops working, they quickly get it fixed or call to correct the problem since they continually see beneficial results from pond aeration.

i could not have fish without one. my pond gets no water from May to November. it has also helped reduce FA and muck build-up. i bought a vertex system from Sue, its been running virtually maintenance free for about 6 years.

I've read most every thread here on aerators and I think I understand most of what I've read. I have lot's of fish in my pond and have always had great fishing. I don't get fish kills from lack of oxygen. I do get FA, Lilly pads, Hydrilla and muck. I spot treat for the weeds.

So....is putting 3K+ into an aeration system going to get me anything noticeable? A couple of inches a year in muck reduction, maybe, healthy fish (which I already have) What else am I missing here?

Timinator, Beautiful property!
Regarding an aeration system going to get you anything noticeable, I have nothing to add, that hasn't been said. I usually come here for advice & to read through others posts to learn.

So, aeration isn't going to add much then, is that the consensus?

What is the deepest part of your pond, and what is the average depth?

I wouldn't be without them either in my four ponds especially in the summer as it allows my fish to occupy the entire water column and keeps the pond healthy. If I didn't have them this year I'd probably see dead fish when the ice goes out.

There will be a lot of dead fish floating up this spring in the midwest for ponds without any aeration. You can count on it.

Timinator wow what a magnificent property.
Love all the trees!
Love the curvature!
Curvature in ponds & pools (and girls) is something I love.

To the experts like Cecil & esshup a couple of questions:

Like Timinator I've been on the fence on aeration...

#1. Would you say aeration is slightly more important
up north due to the winter/ice or does the summer heat in the
south require aeration just as much in the over-all picture?

#2. How would you answer someone that says "aeration
is not all good because it really stirs up all the nutrients
(like tilling a garden), which can cause even more FA and
unwanted plants."

In my amateurish opinion, there is aeration and then there is a properly designed and sized aeration system.....I see a difference there.

I don't currently aerate all of our ponds, but I see it on the horizon. It just takes one fish kill event, in a BOW that has never killed before, to make you sit up and take notice. It happened to me last year.

Being able to flip a switch and open a hole in 8" of ice cover has been pretty nifty this winter also, given its severity.

Perhaps I should not weigh in on this, because I do not have aeration myself, and you said you want folks who have actual experience. However, I think the statement above is a little to broad to say yes/no to for a simple answer. Perhaps if you said "in my situation with it's past track record". I bet the consensus would be in favor to the fact that each pond is different, and some need aeration, and there are some(usually to the rare case) that do not. So every pond has to be considered individually.

Like Sparkplug said, it only takes one fishkill and to look back in the mirror and said "should-a". Perhaps in your case if you did have aeration, your pond could really excel above most others. But, is that your goal? Are you happy with what you got now? Do you want insurance to keep it that way, and if so what are you willing to spend?

Well I have not had air for long but I have had it for 4 years now. I can tell you this from what I have seen.

1. My pond does seem to be cleaner.
2. My fish do seem to be more active and in GREAT shape and color.
3. I am holding more fish now with air than I could without air running.

4. As old as my pond was losing a couple of inches of muck a year was a must! I now have lost close to 5 to 8 inches and that's a LOT spread over a 1 acre pond!

5. Here in the south it gets soooo hot my 1 acre pond can get real warm and mixing that water to keep things stable is a must for me I think.
6 Your air acts as a large filter for your pond just like in an aquarium if you will. It helps keep things cleaner!


Hope this helps!
RC

Timinator,

I don't currently have an aeration system, but have one priced and it IS on the must have list in the next year. My pond is relatively new, at 6 years old, but as it ages, I have more and more algae issues and muck build up. I have invested many dollars and lots of blood, sweat and tears into my bow, I don't want to see that wasted. From my research here and elsewhere, aeration can help with my current problems not to mention keeping things healthy and the oxygen levels up during winters like the one this year. The investment for a system that lasts years is small compared to restocking, dredging, and chemicals. I do wish now that I had placed an aerator when we built. Hind sight....

Good luck whatever you decide, your place is beyond lovely.

CMM

To all. Don't fall into the mental trap of thinking an aerator will solve overabundant algae issues. Firstly there are thousands of species of algae. Many with specific growth requirements that allows them to live in a wide variety of surface waters just about everywhere from your rain gutter, to snow banks & under ice, to thermal hot water springs of Yellowstone National Park.

Algae grows because there are excess nutrients that are not being consumed by some form of other plant. Thus the 'ever present everywhere' algae form massive growth parties 'slurping up' those available dissolved nutrients. 'Party hardy type guys'. I still continually look for scientific literature that tested and proves aeration reduces nutrients.

Don't get my meaning wrong. I love pond aerators and their ability to mix the entire water column and the many benefits that provides overall better water quality. Once you have a proper designed aerator system and see its benefits, you will not return it to the store for a refund. This activity overall improves water quality within the pond ecosystem. If aeration significantly reduced algae growth, I would have 20 aerators per acre in my pond.

I know that's right Bill! You couldn't keep aerators on the shelf if they busted algae that good!!

I have had my system running for 4 years now and still have algae issues. Like Bill said to many nutrients. My neighbor has cows and I know I am getting run off from his field some. So its a on going issue with me. He is like 76 years old though and I am hoping maybe one day I might have a shot at buying that field next to my pond!

RC

Fish kill from last week in east central Missouri:



No aeration. Turnover occurred the week before and melted 8" of ice to open water in a couple of days.

What did it help?

Juvenal fish recreation. Probably not an important criteria or goal for most pondmeisters.

I only had aeration on for about 3 weeks last fall as I put a temporary diffuser in and temporary pump setup to see what would happen.

When I would boat out to the column of bubbles and water that were coming up from the bottom, there would be a fountain of fish mixed in with the bubbles. Small 2" long BG and FHM bubbling up with the bubbles and water. I don't know what level they were hopping on for the ride, but it appeared they would enter the column and ride it up to the top. There the water would spit them out and most would disappear deeper or a few would leisurely mosey over to the float I had attached to the diffuser and rest under it for a short time.

It reminded me of kids riding on a carnival ride. A continuous flow of small fish coming up from the depths to the top. I visualized them hopping on for the ride over and over, but do not know that for sure. As I paddled too close they would stop for a short while, but once my boat stabilized against the anchor rope (flow from the aeration constantly pushed the boat away from the water column) in a few seconds they would be there again, riding the carnival ride.

Was quite a site to watch. Something I had not expected to see. Submerged cedar tree cover was nearby.

LMB and CC fingerlings had just recently been introduced so no large predators. 6" BG biggest thing in pond at that time.

Jimmi, it looks like you will have your work ahead of you this year. Lots of small catfish there too.

I sure do! This is a new pond and I just stocked 100 CC and 100 LMB this spring. I counted 29 CC in that one spot and there were some others scattered elsewhere. Remains to be seen if I lost the whole 100. The funny thing is I haven't seen a single dead LMB. Makes me wonder if they sink when they die for some reason or if they were somehow able to survive.

Like sprkplug said it only takes one fish kill to get your attention...getting ready to order an aerator.

How deep is the pond?

Wow. In a new pond no less.

My pond is also only about a year old, but the CC and LMB were stocked in the fall rather than in the spring, so would be smaller.

So far no dead fish that I have seen (keeping my fingers crossed). I had a temporary aerator put in for a few weeks last fall and wanted to get the diffuser set to shallow water and run it this winter, but time just run out before we travel south for the winter and did not get it done. I would have really wished I got it done had I had a fish kill.

That is, no fish kill that I know of. We did have to come back from the middle of our stay for a funeral and the ice was mostly off then during a warming spell and no floaters then. Guess I could have had some and not known it since we were gone for most of the harshest weather.

Sorry for your loss. Sickening sight.

Currently it is 10' at the deepest. About half the pond is pretty shallow. I have turbid water which prevented any plant growth to provide O2 during the summer and a fairly large influx of fall leaves to gobble up oxygen at the bottom. Considering that surface O2 infusion from wave action is pretty slow, I imagine that I've been running on pretty low O2 levels since this thing filled up. The severe freeze this winter sealed up the top with 8"-10" of ice and when turnover happened it was all over with.

I use a Kasco circulator to maintain an area of open water during the winter. It runs less than 50% of the time (temperature and timer controlled). It does and excellent job of keeping an area open all winter long. We currently have 28 plus inches of ice.

The circulator affects the whole (5 acres) pond as witnessed on a calm spring morning. It will put a ripple on the whole 5 acres of surface area. You can set the angle of the circulator so that it primarily affects the surface or alternatively to move water from bottom to top like an aeration system does (or anywhere in between).

I have had my aerator going all winter at 7' depth. I see quite a few dead BG and a lot of BG &LMB w/ fungus spots. I think next winter I'm going to pull into maybe 3-4' of water to keep deeper water from cooling to much. I just hope the fungus disappears cause I've got some nice 10+" BG now. I shut it off yesterday since weather is warming up. I don't know if that was right thing to do.

Hey Farmer I would say that's a bit to deep to be running during the winter. The fish are somewhat stressed out already and now you have maybe a super cooling event going on. Hope they are ok too!

Good Luck,

RC

Max depth (at least from what I've observed) should be no deeper than 1/4 to 1/3 the total pond depth.

Yep. Works great to keep his dock and pond barge ice free all winter long. Very reliable too. After a bit of set up woes, it has worked many amiss free winters.

Aeration help to control algal blooms, weed growth in pond and introduce oxygen in pond water.

Henry, do you have any data to show how aeration controls algae blooms?

I have a 2 surface acre pond that's never been aerated before other than a fountain. I've got muck, weeds, algae, etc. I'm looking to hear from people/customers who've put aerators in existing ponds that may have been suffering from ??? and their results.

Just first hand results from existing pond owners. Someone who's had a aerator system in their pond now for a few years would be welcome with open arms!


Edited by Timinator (09/07/13 06:21 PM)

I read your Q. and all the reply's which were good. For my two cents and IMHO as a novice PB'er with aeration,why I put one in. Of course there a re a lot of Q&A's on this subject and after looking at you pictures one might say WHY? Great looking pond. The reason I did install a diffuser aeration system was fish load per acre 1#, #2 to help reduce muck and smell and just because it happens the reduction in or elimination of pond stratification and the horrors of turnover that can, but does not always, cause a fish kill.
The stratification issue may not be as big a problem in Ohio but it is in the south. Has it done it's job for the goals I have set, yes. since you posted this q in 2013 you may have already made up your mind, but if you have interest still you could contact Sue and she would most likely have documented success with the muck issue you speak of and you would probably need significant surface aeration to affect algae and weeds are a different story on top of that IMHO. IN short I do not think Diffuser aeration nor surface aeration is a end all to your stated issues. But aeration can help in some of your stated issues.
In short my aeration system did help in one of the issues you stated and others you may not be concerned with. It is really basically dissolved oxygen, where it is and where you want it in your BOW. Good luck and let us know what you decide, why and the results, if you get the time.

Diffused air mixing helps slow the eutrophication process of the pond and improves overall average water quality throughout the year.

Here are my comments from another thread that is very similar to your topic.


To all. Don't fall into the mental trap of thinking an aerator will solve overabundant algae issues. Firstly there are thousands of species of algae. Many with specific growth requirements that allows them to live in a wide variety of surface waters just about everywhere from your rain gutter, to snow banks & under ice, to thermal hot water springs of Yellowstone National Park.

Algae grows because there are excess nutrients that are not being consumed by some form of other plant. Thus the 'ever present everywhere' algae form massive growth parties 'slurping up' those available dissolved nutrients. 'Party hardy type guys'. I still continually look for scientific literature that tested and proves aeration reduces nutrients.

Don't get my meaning wrong. I love pond aerators and their ability to mix the entire water column and the many benefits that provides overall better water quality. Once you have a proper designed aerator system and see its benefits, you will not return it to the store for a refund. This activity overall improves water quality within the pond ecosystem. If aeration significantly reduced algae growth, I would have 20 aerators per acre in my pond.
Source was from this thread:
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=27398&Number=367975#Post367975

What I have been told and read (but not a scientific paper)is a bottom diffuser will mix the water providing oxygen throughout the pond which results in more aerobic bacteria throughout. The bacteria helps by using up nutrients, similar to how plants do but on a microscopic level. Less nutrients = less food for the algae. If you have watershed always flowing directly into your pond washing in more nutrients then you might not see as much benefit. A berm or plant buffer around the pond can help reduce incoming nutrients.

Only some bacteria species use nutrients. Many or most of the bacteria cause, produce, or release nutrients (decomposers) from larger chemical compounds such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Basically all plants consume the basic or elemental nutrients and probably most of the available nutrients esp plants of phytoplankton and attached algae communities. When the pond is weedy then these plants consume most of the nutrients.

My pond is about 1 acre x 13 feet deep. I want to aerate it but am almost a mile from electric. Does anyone have a wind mill aerator or solar aerator? If so, how do they work?

Mrbill,

I have a 1 acre pond as well and if I had to choose which of these 2 options to use I would try the solar first. Neither are 100 percent reliable. I don't know much about solar but I do know that you don't have to have direct sunlight at least for it to work for you. Where as if you don't have any wind your in big trouble!! Here is a post from AP about solar air. Maybe it will help you.



"As far as solar aeration your probably gonna need some deep cycle batteries, power inverter, and 2 or 3 solar units like these to power your air pump especially if you want to aerate at night to keep D.O. up and help cool the pond in the summer.

http://www.harborfreight.com/45-watt-solar-panel-kit-90599.html

Well, here's my take after aerating the pond.....then treating the pond.

Aeration is.....ok.

Treatment is the BOMB!

I put in one quart of Sonar (full strength stuff mixed with water then sprayed around the pond with a 20 gallon cart sprayer). My pond has been clean of weeds now for two years. I had one algae bloom, which I treated with very little copper sulfate and, with the aerator going, it killed all of it overnight. I only treated a small area of the pond too. But, for the problematic Asian Millfoil I had growing and some other stuff as well as too damn many lily pads, it's all gone and stayed gone.

I can't tell you how many dozens of hours the Sonar saved me. Yea, it's expensive as hell, but it works miracles and I'd probably pay it if it was twice as much. That's how well it works.

We have seen something similar but I think the minnows are at the surface schooling at the edge of the air letting the current run the plankton right into their mouths.

I don't think we would have as many young minnows or young crayfish if it was not for the aeration in out pond. Our pond has had it from new so I can't say it helps with muck.

Cheers Don.

We had a watermeal invasion that would cover the pond during low water throughput. We installed an aerator and 4 years later the watermeal is still present but not a problem. I would like to say that it helped wit the algae but I can't be certain. We generally have one major spring bloom that we mechanically remove(or a storm removes) and then its not bad the rest of the year. The pond is old as it was a irrigation pond for the fields that now contain our development. It is 1/2 acre and bean shaped but around 10 ft deep throughout except by the inflow side and around the edges.

Dwight, is your circulator one that blasts across the surface, or one that sits just under the surface and bubbles up over and round the ring float?