I have a 1/2 acre pond dug in March of this year, with average depth of 8 feet. Deeper 'swimming hole' of about 14 feet. Clay bottom. Need about 8 inches of water before full. Currently stocked with FHM.

Water is currently turbid and fertile. Best Secchi disc reading I've seen is about 16", which was in Oct after the first few frosts and a few weeks of no run off.

I plan to install bottom aeration and maybe surface aeration. Question is about when to actually start aeration. I plan to get the system installed early in spring.

Is there advantage to NOT aerating a brand new pond? Or should I get it install and running as soon as possible this spring?

I am fairly new to aeration myself (started my system in early summer this year and the pond had only been full for one year) and I will be starting my system back up next spring as soon as the air temps warm up above the water temps. I take water temp readings at 6" down, 18", and at the bottom (7 feet) from the end of my dock and will look at those readings for when the coldest water temp is below the coolest daytime temp. Once the daytime temps get above the water temps, it makes sense to start up aeration. I am trying to use the aeration system as a water warming mechanism as well as O2 provider. My theory is if I can warm the pond just a few days/weeks earlier and keep it warmer a few days/weeks later in the fall...I have added a week/month of a warmer environment which should result in a longer growing season. I may be splitting hairs with this theory, but using the air to water temp comparison makes good sense either way. There is no reason to cool the pond down early in the spring, just wait for the warmer weather. Now, switching to night time aeration instead of daytime during the heat of the summer can be important especially for small ponds.

I'm not convinced that my theory is really worth while because changing the aeration timing from night to days in the fall really messed with their feeding habits which could have nullified what warmth that I conserved. Next year is a new year and I will start the system up in the spring on days as soon as the air temps get above the water temps and switch to nights once my pond surface temps approach the low to mid 80's.

Whatever you do bring it up slowly...you know what I mean? If not, just say so and someone will advice on the proper start-up procedures. Bringing it up all at once can a bad deal.

I've shut my system down as well since the pond isn't threatening to boil any more. I've noticed my feeding has improved some, but it still isn't what I expected with surface temps around 70*. I'll keep throwing pellets as long as something is eating it...just not as much.

I am actually curious about this myself. My pond is set for construction in February 2019 and I was wondering when I should start aeration. Is it easier or better to get the diffusers set before the pond starts to fill or is there a reason to wait a year or so before starting aeration?

Generally I do not recommend starting aeration in our region until the water in the pond starts to clear to water visibilities of 3-5ft because a circulating water column in a new pond tends to keep the microscopic turbidity particulates suspended in the water column. Often in the midwest area once the pond is at full pool, we see noticeable clearing of the pondwater after 3-6weeks. This assumes the watershed is fully vegetated and shorelines are lined with stone to minimize affects of wave action. Some ponds have persistent turbidity problems in certain soil conditions and when mud exposed shorelines predominate.

Lots of our regional ponds have uncluttered bottoms so it is easy to drag in the diffusers from shore. There are a few notable exceptions. 1. Fish production ponds. 2.Ponds with fish habitat cluttered around on the bottom prevents dragging diffusers in and out of the pond so diffusers then need to be installed and lifted for cleaning from a boat. In those cases it is often best to lay the airlines prior to pond filling. Then the actual aeration can begin anytime the pond is full.

In a new pond with low organic bioload accumulations, significant measurable ecological damage to the pond will not occur if aeration is not started until year 2 or 3.