Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? How far can the pump be from the pond?

I tried searching for this, but couldn't find a answer.
My barn is about 900' from the pond, plus there is a fairly significant ravine between the barn and pond.
If I bury a line from barn to pump, will water accumulate in the pipe, and will the pump have enough power to blow it out. (Provided the water does not freeze in the line.) if I can get it buried..
1.5 AC pond approx 9' avg depth.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff

Jeff, you talking about a pump for an aeration system?

If so, I'm in the process of helping a client do a DIY system using some Vertex parts, and another mfg parts, along with some home made stuff they rigged up. The compressor will be in a building roughly 600' from the pond, then at that 600' mark, it hits a remote manifold box, and runs another 600-700 feet to the end, before dumping into the pond.

First line is 1 1/4" ID, 2nd is 1" ID. Around here, I can get spools of either size up to 1,000 feet long without a splice.

I have a client that pushes air to his pond from a windmill that is about 900' away from the pond, so what you want to do is doable. (if you are talking about an aeration system).

Yes, sorry about the confusion. I posted in Aeration, hoping to avoid some confusion.
Since you were at our farm, I've cut a road from the barn directly to the pond. I still think I need to run an aerator.
I have to go thru a pretty big ravine, which I can drive the tractor through, but I'm worried water will build up in the hose. If I can get it buried deep enough, it won't freeze, but will the compressor be able to blow the water out?
I might want elec down at the pond some day anyway, so maybe it would make more sense to put the pump down by the pond.
I don't know..

With a large dip in the line, I'd be tempted to put a water trap at the compressor. Would minimize moisture into the line. Something like this.
https://www.mettleair.com/store/frl/afmain/air-filter-1-4-npt-port-750-l-min.html

Might also leave it running 24/7 as starting and stopping would seem to allow more liquid build-up in the dip.

A pressure relief valve would be a must in case it does freeze a plug in the line.

Sorry, mot of the time I don't look at what section a new post is posted in, I just read 'em.

There won't be enough volume to "blow" the water out of the line. There are automatic freeze proof systems that will automatically dump alcohol into the line to break up a frozen plug if pressure gets too high.

But you could make something to do just that. Put a quick connect fitting with a ball valve on the compressor end of the buried line, a ball valve to isolate the compressor and a ball valve on the end near the pond. Shut off the compressor and close the ball valve to isolate it. Open the ball valve near the pond. Hook up a compressor that has a relatively large air reservoir tank. Keep pressure below 100 psi in the tank. Quickly open the valve near the compressor end of the line and it should blow the water out the pond end of the line.

If you are going to have electric run down to the pond, I'd put the compressor there and not worry about burying an airline to the pond. Just make durn sure you run a large enough electric wire to the pond. Running a compressor on too small of a long run will shorten the life of the compressor, and worst case start a fire if the breaker doesn't trip due to overheating the wire.

I second the motion on make sure you run a big enough wire. I ran a 10-3 to mine. Costs a good bit more for the wire up front but I now have two good solid 20 amp circuits at the pond. Plenty of juice for my aerator and room to hook up anything else I might want to run in the future.

Ok,, as soon as I saw the steps required to avoid the water, or potential ice, I was thinking running elec.
Hopefully next summer.
I'll just have to get some sort of protection for the pump set up.
I'm sure I'll still be dealing with freezing temps, but don't you run the compressors less (if at all) in the winter?

It depends on the oxygen demand in the pond. (winter aeration)

There will be an article on winter aeration in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

Some aerators come with their own shelter. My Airmax did. I went ahead and built a small pump house anyway this fall. I figure when that Airmax gives up the ghost I can go with a much less expensive unit that comes without a shelter. The pump house has also turned out to be a handy place to stick some of my other pond stuff so I don't have to haul it back and forth while still keeping it out of the weather.

Bill,
Would you mind posting a pic of your pump house?
Thanks

I have to wonder if there will not be many installations where dips in the line will accumulate water over time. I know there is in mine.

How many installations can guarantee that the line always runs down hill? Did the trencher to a perfect job of maintaining grade all the way down the slope? What if the operator got a little deeper or shallower than anticipated while going over a bump or depression? What about the sinking line laying along the pond bottom? Absolutely sure it does not land on something that makes a slight raise in it some where? What about right at the diffuser? Sure the diffuser is not sitting slightly higher at the point where the line enters it than the surrounding area? If a person has a base with any height at all, I bet there is a low spot where it enters the diffuser.

I don't know. Asking things to think about more than making statements. But I would almost bet that for every 100 installations 95 of them have some place in the line where there is a dip that water could accumulate. And I would also bet that if a person pulled the line intact that some water would run out of 95 out of the 100.

I'm not sure it makes much difference. As long as the low spot is not where it will freeze, the air will just push past it. The static pressure caused by the water depth is going to be lots more than any accumulation of water in the line along the path to the diffuser. If there gets to be too much water, it will just be pushed out the diffuser.

Not an expert. Not sure. Could be and often am wrong. Just my opinion. I think dips should be avoided when possible but not too much to worry about as long as they are not in a position where they can freeze and block the line with a frozen plug.

SetterGuy,

Here are the pics you requested of the pump house. Compressors generate heat so to assure good ventilation the floor is made out of deck boards with a quarter inch spacing and the side walls don't go all the way to the roof. I only have a door on the west side as that is the direction we get most storms from. You can see the electric box under the floor. Make sure you use GFI outlets if you wire it yourself!

By the way, a few reasons why I put it up on stilts. I get standing water in that area, nice height to do maintenance on the aerator and to keep critters from finding homes under it.

Bill

Very nice shelter for the compressor. I am impressed. Best that I have ever seen.

Thanks Bill. Your comment means a lot. Best thing is, except for the posts, it was free. I used green treat lumber, shingles and cedar scraps I salvaged that the contractor that built my house had thrown in the dumpster and burn pile.

Very nice pump house indeed.

I like it too!!

FWIW, 1 1/4" poly tube (like they would use for well water) is $0.69/ft here and 1" is $0.29/ft in up to 1,000 ft spools.