Here is what Vertex advertises...

PondLyfe Specifications

Horsepower: 1/4
Max/Running Amps: 2.0/1.6
Maximum Air Output (CFM): 2
Maximum Depth: 30'
Maximum Aerated Acres: 1.5 Acres

My below deductions from the above minimal information is based on general advertised specifications within the residential, commercial, and industrial arenas...

A max air output of 2 CFM is likely to be without anything hooked up to the pump (It is a max after all). If this is true...adding any length of line, fittings, valves, and diffuses will only reduce the flow (even if only slightly).

A max 30 foot depth tells me that the pump is capable of pumping air down to to 30 foot deep, but not below that (~15 psi max). This means at 29 foot deep you're barely getting any bubbles and at 30...no bubbles (It is a max after all).

Maximum Aerated Acres of 1.5 indicates that the system set up with the shortest runs possible will turn the pond over once in a 24 hour period. This would not be enough if you wanted to run only at night to avoid summer daytime heat waves.

In vary gross terms (due to not knowing what kind of pump they use and not having a pump curve for it)...the 1/4 horse Gast pump loses about 1 CFM across its pump curve which represents zero to 10 psi. Using this as a loose example...I suspect your 2 CFM pump would lose about the same relatively. If you had your diffusers at 10 foot deep with adequate sized plumbing and two 300 foot or less runs, your pump would be seeing about 6-7 psi of back pressure. This leads me to believe that you would lose about 1/2 - 3/4 CFM total (remember I said gross terms).

This loss does not kill the system for being suited for your pond, but any losses will reduce the turnover rate of any system.

Without knowing alot more details which Vertex may or may not give up (like a pump curve), I can only surmise that the Pondlyfe 2 system would be marginal at best for a smaller Louisiana pond. I tend to want to be on the overkill side of adequate rather than under.

I cannot help to think that Vertex is recommending a system that will produce bubbles when they say "...it will work...", but they may not be sizing it for maximum pond Meistery. Try to get a pump curve from them and then we can get crazy with the calculations and really discuss aeration design.

A quick calculation based on Vertex's advertised specs...

1.5 acre pond (255' square - 6' ave depth) = 2926125 gallons,

with two Vertex diffusers at 8' deep pushing 2500 GPM total,

Given that each diffuser gets 1 CFM each (no losses)...

The pond would turn over in about 20 hours.

Take into account your pond size (smaller I think, which helps), your pond shape (which hurts) and some losses (which also hurts) and I think the system will be marginal depending on how fast you want to turn the pond over. In Louisiana, I would shoot for a 5 to 8 hour turnover to keep it happening in the cool of the night.

Get a pump curve if you need more than a long drawn out guess (lol)...

EDIT: I would look at the Gast 0523 (or similar) and three diffusers, not just because that's what I have, but because you would have 4 CFM to work with and you could put the pump house wherever you wanted it without being too concerned about the line losses, AND you could spread the 3 diffusers out and get better surface conditioning. That...and it's easy to spend your money!

EDIT EDIT: I don't want anyone thinking that I am downing Vertex...I am not. I use their diffusers an love them...I just see a lot of specs in my line of work and they rarely depict "normal" situations, but rather maximums or minimums which are far from the desired outcome. It is possible that Vertex is specifying the equipment for average end uses, but I would need to hear that from them.

Last edited by Quarter Acre; 11/21/19 04:26 PM.

Fish on!,
Noel