Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Clear my frozen air line?

I am not sure how a relief valve would bring back or cause the fine bubble pattern that was present when there was less water. The relief valve's job is to release excessive air and pressure when the pressure is above a set level. Thus when air is escaping less air volume is going to the diffuser. I guess less air flow could create smaller bubbles, but also fewer bubbles and less water flow would result.

How did you post 2 pictures side by side?

They just have to be on the same line, with no line feed (return/"enter") in between them, Bill.

I use Photobucket with a medium size picture size. I use image publish format, then paste it into the text you are writing.

I only hope the the pond stays open the rest of the winter and if I have to add alcohol every now and then, it will be worth it.

Scruffy, as has been pointed out your small airline must be the problem, maybe the added snow will help insulate the hose enough to allow the warmer air from the pump to keep it open.
My linear pump is only 80 watts but haven't had any problems. It is connected to a 3/4 inch air line and a 50ft. soaker hose which is coiled in a loop, similar to what you have.

12 below this morning at the pond but the aerator is keeping an opening.

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Thanks for sharing. I looks like your water level is holding so far this winter?

The air line has been clear since I added the alcohol. I'm thinking it may stay clear now that the water has compeletly covered the air line where it enters the pond. If it freezes again I'll inject more alcohol. It cleared the line pretty quickly and I didn't use that much.

My concern is what affect it may have on the trout and PS sunfish and other creatures like insects, tadpoles, and the mayfly nymphs inparticular. PPM can't be that high verses the pond water volume.

scruffy, let's hope the precip. continues to bring your level up, but I would bet your PS, frogs and insects will be ok, trout are a little more finicky. When my pond level dropped dramatically the last 2 winters it never seemed to bother the PS, GSH, frogs or insects, there were plenty each summer.
The pond has only dropped 4 inches from full so the submersible pump is doing a good job bringing back water from the leak below the dam, maybe this will be the year the trout survive the winter.

I just got in from the pond, and sorry to say the line froze up again. It was rolling the water this morning, but when checked on it this afternoon there wasn't a bubble to be seen. I injected about 10cc of denatured alcohol this time. Waited for about 10 minutes and only saw a few sparce bubbles. So I added another 20cc and restarted the compressor. Immediatly I began to see some bubbles forming under the clear ice. I just checked on the pond and the hole was again open and rolling.

It's going to be a long winter!

Too bad the water is too cold to change out your line with some 1/2" tubing...

Happy New Year all!

You can besure I'll increase the side of the airline before next winter.

With the frozen ground and about 10 inches of ice, except where the air is flowing (when it is flowing) I'd be hard pressed to switch it out. I'll just have to add alcohol when it freezes up.

I did a little surfing on Denatured Alcohol and the MSDS sheets seem to say it shouldn't harm the fish, and that it bio-degrades over tme.

Scruffy do you warm-up the alcohol before you put it into the line, sorta like a Hot Toddy?

No heat, the volume is so small it wouldn't be warm when it reaches the blockage going through a cold air line.

The alcohol absorbs the frozen water (ice), because it has a lower freezng temp that water. It desolves the blockage little by little, until the air pressure pushes ice into the larger diameter soaker hose.