Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? Cold spots in pond used for swimming, help please!

Well here is my deal, i joined this forum last year and honestly forgot most of the stuff i learned, and just didn't have time or money to do this. Well now that it's getting pretty warm out we jumped in the pond to go swimming ( i use my pond for swimming first, looks second, and fishing 3rd, although i really enjoy feeding the fish) The pond is full of cold spots that are almost unbarable to swim into.

My pond is 1/4 acre, 15 ft. deep at the deepest point and rectangular in shape. I use aquashade, anything else i'm forgetting?

Well i suppose i just want to know how i can get rid of these cold spots? I would LOVE to have a fountain with lights on it like the Kasco ones i saw on ebay, but i'm not sure if it would make the water warmer to swim in or not? Let me know guys! Thanks!!!

Is the pond a water table pond or a spring fed pond ? Do the cold spots only happen after its been hot weather for a while. Are the spots about 5 feet deep or on the surface also ?

Pond is not spring fed, just a 1/4 acre hole with water :P only time i swim in it is when it has been warm out for awile (i live in ohio) The spots seem to be randomly in the pond, all on the surface, colder the deeper it gets

Bottom aeration will eliminate the cold spots. Warm cold spots form in calm wind warm or hot weather due to uneven heating of the water. Often the warm spots form where zooplankton congregates and as a group the absorb more sun rays - warmth. Bottom aeration diffusers will turn over the whole pond (1/4 ac) and regularly mix the water minimizing the warm cold spots. In Ohio a good bottom aerator (1/4hp) need only run 4-8hrs per day in a 1/4 ac pond to get complete mixing. I would run aerator 3-4hrs before swimming. Smaller sized fountains (1/2hp) tend to not mix enough water rapidly enough to eliminate all cold spots. Fountains tend to mix water primarily just in the vacinity of the spray zone with some downwind current drift due to wind action. Fountains are more costly up front, more costly to operate, and require more cost and maintainance time due to water pumps not lasting as long (bearing life) as compressors for bottom aeration. Fountain motors work harder than air compressor motors. thus more repairs.

I'm have a Kasco 1400JFL, but not in use yet. Havn't built the pond yet. But I have tested it. One thing, do not enter the water while unit is in operation. Electricity being the risk. For aeration and cold spots try the funnel shaped patterns. They have the highest circulation rates.