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#31811 04/23/07 01:35 PM
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I've been useing soaker hose for my diffuser, seems to work well but, was wondering if it was the right way to go due to the price of some of the other man made diffusers? I have a 1/3 hp gast compressor with half inch airline ran to the pond, then it t's and goes aproximently 30' each way towards the middle of the pond and is attached to soakerhose weighted to the bottom of pond in 5 gallon buckets weighted with rocks.Everything looks good as far as boiling of the water and all but, I was just wondering if I could get some insight on the situation? Thanks.

#31812 04/24/07 07:51 AM
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If I understand soaker hoses correctly, they will have much larger holes for bubble release than a diffuser would. The smaller the bubbles being released (for a given volume of air), the more efficient the aeration is. But your "less efficient" system may still be giving you adequate aeration.

You can always retrofit a better diffuser in the future if your interest and budget agree on it. Aeration needs for a new pond are usually lower than for older ones because they have not had as much organic sediment built up to decay and use up O2.


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#31813 04/24/07 08:42 AM
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Thanks Theo, I also run a fountain part time and the pond looks great, I was just wondering about the soakerhose. Is there anyplace to get them cheap? They want alot of $ for some of them. I need 2 diffusers for half acre pond, nothing fansy.Also, is there anything else I can use instead of the soakerhose for diffuser?Something I could make myself to save some $. There can't be that much involved in makeing one at least I wouldn't think? I have never checked one out before besides pictures, What are they made up with?

#31814 04/25/07 09:49 PM
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I am not sure what is considered cheap but I bought my 9" membrane diaphram diffuser for 20 bucks delivered only I cant seem to remember where I ordered it from, dang its hell getting old!


A little snow, Please!
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Aquatic Ecosystems?


#31816 04/25/07 10:31 PM
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I saw a 9" membrane diaphram Diffuser at aquaticeco.com for around $20 while surfing there site.

#31817 04/26/07 05:40 AM
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well thats not bad at all, I've seen them go for hundreds.

#31818 04/26/07 05:43 AM
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I just checked them out and think I'm going to order acouple next week, thats a great price.

#31819 04/26/07 04:59 PM
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Yeah that's the place. DOH! Mine is still running just great, every once in awhile I will pull it up and clean the diffuser surface with a tooth brush to get the growth off of it.

I really regret not getting the weighted line, for 1) it is always figuring how to float up and 2) I know that I am going to have to limit the area so no hooks get into since it isnt laying on the bottom of the pond but weighted in several locations.

And just the other day I sprung a leak, nice little hole punched into the top of it. Not sure what did it but with the heron hanging around as much as he has I am thinking he may have caught a glimpse of it and thought it was a snake or frog or something and drilled it. I would like to discourage him for ever!


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Do you have to use a campressor? What about running water thru soaker hose?

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Is there a better cheap way for bottom aeration?
Won't the soaker hose contain lead?
Do you have to add air compressor or wouldn't water running through also aerate ?

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There are various type of soaker hose. It is important to know pore size and size of openings either for water or air release. Some soaker hoses produce very small bubbles; actually too small of bubbles where the pores quickly clog with bacteria, slime, and algae. Cleaning soaker hose is a high maintenance way of diffuser aeration.

Water running through the soaker hose will not aerate unless the hose is out of the water, not submerges. It takes pressure to push water out the soaker hose. Pressure costs money and is likely more expensive than creating air pressure.


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Will soaker hose be lead based?
Use a sump pump with a venturi to add oxygen?
Instead of soaker hose use a sump pump maybe with venturi pushing water through pvc pipe with holes.

Air pump seems expensive.

Are u saying pumping water cost more than air??

I have only a surface aerator and a duckweed problem.

Cascade of water or fountain doesn't aerate bottom is my understanding.

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""Are u saying pumping water cost more than air??"
Some engineer here ought to be able to calculate the cost difference of moving water with an air pump vs water pump. I do know it takes much more electricity to circulate & move water with a fountain compared to using a air pump.

Think about it. Water weighs 999.972 kilograms/cubic meter. Weight of air is 1.225 kg/m3 difference is 816 times heavier for water compared to air. Thus is is much more energy efficient to pump air than water. This translates into you can move or circulate much more water much more efficiently if you use air lift rising bubble technology compared to moving water with an electric pump. Now what you do with that compressed air can be efficient or inefficient.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/13/17 02:55 PM.

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So the sump pump with venturi idea?

Currently only have kasco surface aerator ( big motor with 2 blade prop aimed up creating a fountain)

My understanding is this doesn't aerate the bottom.is this true?

I assume using a 12 volt bilge pump even with venturi effect wouldn't be enough for a circular pond that's approximately 100 feet across and 4-6 feet deep is my guess.

Duckweed has been dip netted but quite a bit of duckweed on pond bottom.

If bilge or sump pump connected to pvc underwater with holes drilled be doable and cost effective with ample arration?

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A proper aeration system with air underneath the water seems to cost a grand.

May be cheaper to run but startup cost is a grand imo.

Duckweed is already taking over and for an unknown period the surface aerator was inoperative.

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DIY aeration system, as not a dealer package item, does not have to be "a grand". Depending on the size of the pond it can be done well for $150-300 or even less if you use creative knowledgeable methods. One can copy concepts and items from package systems, but this takes time and homework to get your knowledge up to "par". Some find it easier to just spend the money rather than spend lots of time developing a good homemade aeration system. Numerous threads and posts in the Aeration Section discuss DIY aeration systems.
It will take time just sorting through the older appropriate posts.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=11&page=1

Gathering & locating parts can take time. Just learning the best or type of parts to use takes time. Time is money to some and plentifully cheap & available for others. Costs can be saved by using unweighted airline, building your own diffuser which takes time, and locating good used air compressors. Using unweighted airline can involves adding weights and then one has to worry about airline kinks and snags due to weights hanging on the airline. Good individual membrane diffusers are not real expensive and can be used separately or ganged together on a PVC manifold and are available relatively inexpensivly from various sellers.

I have seen creative guys with shallow ponds use the vacuum pump from a junk car for the air pump. Note car vacuum air pumps will only develop enough air pressure for I think 4-5 ft deep. Used air conditioner pumps can create air pressure. Most air compressor pumps have a vacuum side and pressure side. I saw one guy use a used cow milking machine for the air pump. Try to find something that is oilless. Getting the best one for the job takes know-how.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/13/17 04:07 PM.

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Great post Bill.

One thing I would add is it is very easy for a DIY to shoot themselves in the foot. Say they save a hundred or two hundred dollars on an air pump by using a junk smog pump off a car and half horse electric motor they have laying around. They feel good about saving some money.

Only to find that the first season their electric bill increased enouh in six months running they could have paid for a proper pump that runs multiple times more efficient.

Last edited by snrub; 02/13/17 04:41 PM.

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Is just a surface aerator enough? Does it effect the bottom? When pond was bought there were no working aerators and no spring but still had fish.

Floridafish #463914 02/13/17 07:39 PM
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Originally Posted By: Floridafish
Is just a surface aerator enough? Does it effect the bottom? When pond was bought there were no working aerators and no spring but still had fish.


Surface aerators typically end up costing more to operate per amount of aeration generated.

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Surface aerators are just that, mixers of the surface layer that is usually well mixed by activities of nature - weather. Do not expect surface aerators (fountains) to mix water much deeper than the depth of the intake fountain pipe. I once measured the DO in a pond that had a spray fountain(1/2hp) that had an intake 6ft long/deep. Mfg told and displayed a chart to everyone that it circulated the whole pond top to bottom. Pond was 10ft deep. Measurement on Aug 13. DO surf 9.4, 3'7.6, 4'7.0, 5'4.6, 6'3.2, 7'0.4, 9'0.3. One ft below the intake pipe water was not mixed-aerated. With decent wind action most ponds will naturally mix down to 5'to 6' deep. Strong wind action that produces white caps over a large surface distance will mix water deeper than 6ft depending on surface acres and height of waves.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/13/17 08:23 PM.

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Bill C.,

I've read posts in the past about guys doing things like running their boat motors during sudden and severe low DO conditions. Is that just to provide a temporary but shallow zone with acceptable DO levels for the fish to "ride out" the event?

Last edited by Bill D.; 02/13/17 08:30 PM.

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Originally Posted By: Bocomo
Originally Posted By: Floridafish
Is just a surface aerator enough? Does it effect the bottom? When pond was bought there were no working aerators and no spring but still had fish.


Surface aerators typically end up costing more to operate per amount of aeration generated.


What would you recommend? The circular pond is north to south approximately 100 ft across and east to West approximately 100 ft across that way and best estimate the deepest is 4 to 6 feet.

Any diy or homemade aerator options maybe using a sump or bilge pump that's fairly cheap to operate?

If aerator is on timer is daylight or night time the best to operate?

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If the pond is mostly 4-6ft deep and it gets good wind exposure, I doubt it needs to be aerated. A fountain would serve this pond okay to keep surface water oxygenated in the area of the fountain during extended cloudy periods and water is soupy green, then DO is likely to be to be lowest at early morning. Your sump pump venturi idea would also work to save a few fish when there is a fish kill occurring or chance of occurrring.

If the water has secchi disk visibility of 2.5ft to 3 ft, phytoplankton and plants will produce DO at the bottom for depths of up to 7ft.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secchi_disk
http://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/vlap/documents/secchi.pdf
http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/research_methods/environ_sampling/turbidity.html

Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/13/17 09:01 PM.

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