Originally Posted By: esshup
Bill D., take a thermometer and check the water temp. A few years ago I thought that air going into the pond would change the temp. Like aerating at night only when the night time temps were below 70 to help keep trout alive.

On the contrary, I found that the water actually warmed up faster because of the upper and lower water temps mixing and the trout croaked faster than if I were not to aerate at all.

I even purchased a special thermostat that would turn on the aerator when temp fell below 70, and turn it off when temps climbed above 70.

Air being injected into the pond via an aeration system, by itself, does not change the water temp enough that you can measure it. It will change the water temp by making more of the water volume contact the ambient air, but in the winter, warmer water sinks. So if you have the diffuser placed in shallow water like is recommended, you will not disturb the deeper, warmer water.


Interesting discussion. Right or wrong, here's my thoughts...I agree the pond definitely warms faster when aerated during the summer. I do still think, that if you have to aerate in the summer, the pond will warm less aerating in the cool of night than aerating in the middle of the day. Simple heat transfer principal. Heat moves from hot to cold. The rate the heat transfers is proportional to the difference in the temperature between the two points.

Same with aerating in the winter. I think you are better off aerating on a warmer day. Although the water may not move from the deep part of the pond, the heat will transfer to the adjacent water if the temperature in the adjacent water drops. The more the temp drops in the adjacent water, the more heat that will be transferred from the deep water. I also believe the deep water temp will slowly recover as it pulls heat from the pond bottom. With all that said, I doubt the temp differences are huge but I figure every little bit helps!

I think heat transfer is continuously occurring in a pond whether it be from the pond bottom up during winter or from the surface down during summer.
Transfer will always be occurring as long as a temperature differential exists to drive it.

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