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Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 3
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OP
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 3 |
I am a little confused on the spring restart options for aeration.
We are in Michigan and the pond will freeze over in the winter.
I have read that you should shut off the deep aeration in the winter and run a shallower one to keep the ice open, which in turn helps with oxygen levels and may reduce fish die-offs.
My question starts for the following spring. The deep aeration has been shut-off and will need to be turned back on. Most recommend that you do it slowly, increasing in small increments each day. Our system is run by a windmill and we live an hour and a half away from the farm. I am not sure how to control a windmill aeration system as some suggest.
Are there other options to the restart?
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14 |
I am far from an expert but I live in Northern Ohio and my family has many ponds.
The ponds that have windmill aeration my father and stepfather never did anything. They let it run as-is all winter long. As far as I am aware there was never any fish kills with this method. One pond was a bit bigger than 1 acre and about 25 ft deep. The other one is shallow 15 or less.
If you are concerned about it, you could hook up the hose for half a day, then unhook, gradually running longer and longer on windy days over a couple of weeks before leaving it hooked up.
Sadly my father is no longer around but my step father still is. I told him about how it's recommended to not aerate deep water in the winter and he was shocked by this as he hasn't had any troubles with the set-and-forget method, just grease in the spring.
** What I am doing in my pond is pump aeration in the shallow water right now in the winter to keep it open. I have a fountain that I put up for the winter, but it will be pumping deep water in the spring. I am told this isn't enough for my pond so I am looking into a Windmill option at some point.
I have had extremely good luck with Barley Straw in my Koi Ponds and will be using large bales in my big pond this spring. I want to get away from chemicals that build up if I can. I think it'll be better for the fish and other life.
Last edited by klingj8; 02/05/20 03:56 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 3
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OP
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 3 |
I suppose moving it a little deeper once a week could do the trick.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,508 Likes: 829
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,508 Likes: 829 |
If you fire up the deep diffuser when the water temp is in the upper 40's to low 50's you should be able to go 24/7 without going thru the "run 15 minutes day one, 30 min day 2, doubling the run time every day until running 24/7" start up procedure.
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