I have searched and searched for an answer to this question and have not been able to come up with an answer. So I would like to ask my first question on Pondboss. Great forum by the way, I've learned a ton already.

I have a pond that is over two miles away from the nearest source of power, so AC is not a choice.

I am searching to find an aeration system that will run off of a solar/battery power system. I've been trying to locate a pump that will run off of 12 or 24VDC but havn't been able to.

Does anyone know of or have experience in doing this? The pond is only a little less than 2 acres and is fed by a seasonal creek. The fish health has been good, Has some Lilly pads, and a little algae in late summer. I'd like to just improve the health of the pond as much as possible without spending a fortune.

I'd really like to do a DIY project and have no problem doing any mechanical or electrical work.

You might look in to a windmill type of system. There are some pretty good ones out there now.

There are a few here that might be able to give some guidance in solar powered aeration if you DIY. But, I think it is pretty expensive if you buy a set up package deal for a 2 acre pond. If you look at the list of speakers in the up coming Pond Boss Conference, I think you will see some listed to speak.

Solar panel setups are fairly cheap. I got a decent set of two panels and controller on Amazon for less than $300. I mounted them on a work trailer.

The compressors don't draw a ton of power. I bet you could rig something up.

This is what I'm thinking about! I just can't believe no one has had a pond with no power anywhere near and hasn't already put together a DC system.

I'm pretty sure I can get some surplus panels and maybe batteries, I just don't know if there's a DC compressor or should I go to an inverter from the batteries and back to AC.

Surely someone has already fought this battle.

Bump up looking for answers.

Come on pond masters one of you must have looked into this. I have the same situation and would like to set up one for my pond.

remote aereation

This was for winter ice control, but has lots of good ideas that could be adapted for regular remote aereation.

Start going down the list of old threads.

old aereation threads

Okay, I'll weight in here as well.

I have been playing with solar for a few years. I have been running aeration, lights and heaters using solar power to over winter Tilapia. I have also used solar for aeration of my brood ponds. In fact my next solar project is for the deep end of the big pond. I will be using three 230 watt panels, a charge controller, at least four batteries and an inverter. The reason for all of that is simple, I want the aerator to run when I need it to run, not just when there is sun. Further, I will need it to run harder as I am putting it in the deepest water in our pond.

For every 2 feet of water depth, the pressure increases approximately one pound. There is the pressure needed to overcome the diffuser head as well. 40% of the earth surface is covered in clouds and 50% has daylight. The math does not lie. In short, if you want to aerate when needed and where needed (time and depth), think about solar as the energy source and batteries as your energy storage so you can aerate when needed, not just when there is sunlight.

All of that said, solar is getting cheeper and better all the time. Also, if you have a proper system, you will now also have some available 120V AC power available at you pond for other duties as well.

bdog....could you pass along the Amazon info please. The controller and panels you ended up buying? I just looked and there are a lot of choices.

I might add that I know nothing about solar power and what it would take to run a 1/4 hp or 1/2 hp compressor but I do have 2 BOWs that are a long way from power lines.

thanks for any help you could pass along. BM61.

For the sake of discussion, let's say you put in a solar powered aeration system. You find later that your system will not be able to run all night, every night during the summer. So, you might be getting 50% of available run time from your system vs running air from a compressor in barn. Maybe it just runs a few hours a night. In a one acre pond, 15' depth (average 8')
It's still helping, right? It may be inconsistent running two hours one night and six the next. It wouldn't be hurting the fish or water quality, would it?
Not wanting to hyjack the thread, but I'm thinking solar might be a good option for me. The thought of running a trencher 300 yards through rocky soil and ravines, then burying the plastic pipe or conduit. There's a very remote chance anybody would mess with a system at my pond, so that's not a worry. The dam runs east west, so I could set it up on the south side of the dam, get fairly decent exposure to the sun. I've got a lot of trees, so sunlight would be limited. If I could just set up some panels, a converter, some batteries, and a pump. It would be a whole lot easier. Then just take it down in the winter. I haven't had that much ice and snow for a while.. Just thinking, this might be an option.
Thanks,
Jeff

My ponds are only about 160 feet from the power line, but with their small size and the leaks, I just haven't done it. Leaks are so frustrating! Minimum bill would be $22 per month, plus any usage at about 9 cents per kWh.

My leak is pretty small. Pond has been full since we had big June rains. I really have been thinking about adding aeration, but it's a huge job. Just wishing there was a easier way. I've got a fairly large number of fish (I think) in a one acre pond. I'm running a feeder. The pond is surrounded by trees. They dump millions of leaves in the water every fall. I've been told a number of times that aeration would benefit the water, and the fish. Even if I ran the tubing 300 yards from the barn to the pond, I'd still have to listen to the pump run at night. Not sure I want that. If solar would get the job done, "well enough" I'd be happy. As long as it didn't cost me a lot more to go solar.

Here's a pump,just search for these on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/HEALiNK-Permanent-Compressor-

I have a solar setup running now. I have one 100 watt panel, charge controller, motor speed controller, and two 12V gel cells, and a timer. It currently runs 14 hours a day and uses half the battery charge.

A cheap DC brush motor will not last like the AC. My plan was buy an inverter and a good ac pump if the test one works out. I added the speed controller to slow it down so it would run cooler and last longer.

I built my unit to be portable. Every thing is inside a plastic tote mounted on a 4x4 frame. The controller, speed controller and timer are in water proof plastic containers with silicone sealing the wires through the side.

Two large steel stakes hold it down in case of wind. I can put it in my tractor bucket and move it if I want to.

Im only two months in but so far so good.

Thanks Woodster. Sounds like it's working for you. Hope this helps CajunFisher as well.

I checked Amazon. They have a HEALiNK 12v DC pump, rated at 140 L/M, rated pressure at .10 pa (not sure what that means.) For $105.
Hopefully that would be enough pump for 15' of water and two diffusers. Looking at pond aeration websites, a solar aeration set up is $7,000. I must be missing something. I know I've got to add panels, batteries, some type of power management, and timer, plus enclose it all.

Would you by chance, have any pics you could post? Just curious how you've got it set up. Thanks

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

Highflyer I've been doing quite of bit of reading on here and have seen where you've been involved in quite a bit of conversation for quite some time about building your own solar aeration system. I think I need to go about this in the same way you have just not on the same level. I say this because I don't think my pond is as big or deep as yours.

Sooo I see you're in East TX. Is there any chance you're not too far from Oakwood and maybe I could come out and see your system some time?

There is a thread I've been reading where MNfish was building a system that you were involved in (http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=386488&page=4) but this seems to have hit a dead end without getting to the final product.

I'd like to know more.

You might PM (private message) him to make sure he knows. Click on his name to do so.

He might not see this post if he is not on the forum at the right time.

Oakwood is not too far, and anyone who is a Pondboss member is welcome.

The when is up for grabs. Send me a PM and we can talk about coming up. I do warn you, if I am doing something, you might get conscripted for a few minutes!!! Just ask those who have stopped by!

Okay I'm sending a PM. I want you to do whatever you need to do, I don't need special attention.

You mean there are 2 folks in Oakwood? Now that is odd but cool

Well it's a huge metropolis you know? I sent you a PM.

Here are some pics of how I built my solar aerator. Its not fancy but it works. I can pull the re-bar stakes out, slide it my tractor bucket and move it if I wish. I'm running from 7 at night to 9 AM. I'm happy with it. 100 watt panel and two gel cells. I had the batteries the rest of the electrical came from Amazon. I am planning on building another one with an AC pump and an inverter which should last along time.

Thanks Woodster. I hope my pond will be ok if I don't aerate in the next few years. I'm going to have to retire to get the time to put something like that together. I still don't understand why the aeration supply companies want 7 or 8 thousand dollars for a solar aeration system. I will need to educate myself first.
Thanks again.

SetterGuy I'm with you on that, the cost drove me to build one and test it. I have about $350 in the one I built excluding the batteries which I had. it's not as complicated as you may think. Aeration is the single best thing you can do for a pond in my experience.

Thanks woodster,
If this summer keeps going like it is now, I might regret not having aeration going now. Supposed to be mid 90s for the next two weeks. I don't know how warm my water may get, and I still have to get through August! It was pretty cold swimming in the pond last weekend, I'll bet I'm not saying that in another three weeks.