Ok, thanks Richard. That may be what I'm observing.

How are the tube style usually situated in the pond?

Previously I just let it sit on the bottom(and in the mud)

I read about an idea with a milk crate. I had a plastic one, so I put a brick in it, zip tied the unfed end of the diffuser(the very end past the membrane)to the top of the crate, zip tied the feed hose to the top on the other end(diffuser wouldn't reach all the way across), and carefully lowered it so it sat flat on the bottom.

It is horizontal. Is that correct?