Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions pond aeration questions

Let me ask a question or 2 regarding aeration. I recently bought a farm with a 2 acre lake that is seriously overpopulated with big catfish which I am trying to get removed as soon as possible. The old guy I bought the farm from told me he had a fish kill about 3 years ago so he has a home made "aerator" he made from a pump and some PVC with a T about 6 feet above the water level that has a lot of sprinkle holes in it so it pumps water up, makes it into a shower effect. FIrst of all, it is the ugliest thing I have ever seen and I want to get rid of it. Question 1, was this really very effective? 2 If I am going to replace this with some other system,. am I better off with a fountain like system or a bottom aerator? How do I know if I need anything at all? SOrry for all the questions but I do not want to buy something wrong here. I appreciate all your info

jimmyt,

Check out this thread for some great aeration information.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=33038#Post33038

If your primary objective is to improve your water�s quality, bottom aeration is by far the best way to go. The advantages of bottom aeration vs. a fountain for the purpose of aerating / circulating your pond are very clear: it�s more effective, has higher performance, costs less and requires less maintenance.

� Effectiveness � Simply put, bottom aeration influences the entire water column from the surface (where pond�s oxygen levels are their highest) down to the pond�s bottom (where oxygen levels are their lowest), constantly mixing and circulating the lake�s volume. A floating fountain will only have an impact at the top of the water column where it is picking up water at the pump�s intake.
� Performance � Using the rising force of millions of .5mm to 1mm bubbles, independent testing has shown that a 1/3hp aeration system can lift up to 4000GPM or more (depending on water depth), while even some 30hp fountain pumps will only move about 1200GPM.
� Costs � Both from the initial purchase price and in monthly operation, bottom aeration will cost far less than a fountain.
� Maintenance � Other than changing the air filter & piston cups occasionally, the diffuser systems require no other routine maintenance. Fountains require a much more frequent brushing of the pump intake screen (depending on the quality of your pond, it might be every other month).

Well done Sue. I think you nailed it.

Thanks to Sue for her help. I have been in touch with her via phone and she is presently designing a system for my pond. Can't wait to get going with this project.