Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Aeration Observation

Thought this was worth sharing...

We found this completly by accident. The camera is approximately 60' from a single membrane diffuser. There is approximately 1.5CFM being pushed thru the diffuser which is set in 6' of water.

I was watching for fish actively while my buddy was messing with the aerator. He turns it off or a while and turns it back on. While watching the camera for fish, I notice all of a sudden the zooplankton being moved into one direction. He shuts it off and they stop being pulled in that direction. Back on and again they resume. I believe it's the water draw from the bubbles at the diffuser. The zoo'os are acting like a marker for water movement.

Pretty cool... to me anyways

https://youtu.be/K98EfJojsTw

Your conclusion is correct and it describes the how water is pulled into the aeration boil. However in the short 9second video it looks like the zooplankton are always moving at the same speed. I don't see them stopping or significantly slowing movement, then moving faster. Did you post the correct video?

Very cool. Maybe if you have some time over the winter you could auger some holes and video from further and further away. Would be very interesting to see how far away from the diffuser you could document this!

Bill - would the diffuser draw from even further away in deeper water?

"""Bill - would the diffuser draw from even further away in deeper water?"""
As a diffuser draws or pulls more water into the rising column of water, this more water has to come from somewhere and I suspect it moves from further away; similar to but not as great a movement that occurs in/with air currents.

That clip is all I have. I didn't record the stopping, starting process

I want to go out and repeat the situation in the dark. The IR of camera really captures the zooplankton at night. Also, I want to drill holes at measured distances from the diffuser.

Just got in from the cold and had to post this video. We didn't capture the aeration flow dynamics tonight but check out the Zoo'os in this BOW. Top to bottom in the water column. Lights in the hole for about 20min.

https://youtu.be/Ze1fYIuI-Rg

Cool stuff Jeff!

This is a much better video of the zooplankton than your first underwater version. It is a great example of what groups of some of the larger zooplankton look like. Crappie and BG thrive on that type of food especially in Winter.