Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions System broke! O2 problems

A few days ago my compressor for my vertex aeration/destratisfication system broke(I think it got fried in a lightning storm). My diffusers aren't running and I'm woried about my lake re-stratifying and geting an O2 kill. The lake is 7.5 acres, 20 feet max depth, 7'6" average depth, 24"+ visibility and the water temp has been around 81. (note, it has been cloudy)
How long will it take to re-stratify and how long untill I have to worry about dissolved O2 levels?

We're freakin out so anybody PLEASE chime in
-Scott & JB

I doubt that the Vertex system was destratifying the entire lake. Only oxygen tests in several depth profiles would prove the completenes of the mixing.
Destratification will occur fairly rapidly. With in several days depending on wind exposure and surface weather. Small ponds and even swimming pools can stratify within 24 hours. However the rate of oxygen loss is dependant on the fertility of the system. If you have been fertilizing or the lake is nutrient rich then oxygen loss at the bottom can occur in about two to three days. Oxygen loss creeps up from the bottom toward the bottom on the thermocline. This rate of DO loss is also dependant on how fertile the system is and how much "rainout " of dead phytoplankton/zooplankton/organics is occcuring. Bacteria densities are abundant in water with 24" visibility. Bacteria are the main oxygen consumers and they can quickly increase in ponds when the amount of organics increase. My guess in a week things should start to deterioate in the deep zone. However your top layer (epilimnion) should remain oxygenated and you should not lose fish. Your fish will move up to the oxygenated zone; they will find the water with DO. You will only have a problem if in four or five weeks you get a rapid turnover and then you may lose some fish.

Thanks a ton bill,
Would uniform temperature from the surface down to 20 feet be a sign of total destratificaton?

-Scott

Yes. Uniform temperature or within 2 or 4 degrees between top and bottom is basiclly destratified. This uniformity of temprature should also be verified in other near and far distant areas from the Vertex diffuser.

I may not have bee real clear in the above post. The abundant phytoplankton and organic detritus is acumulating and dying daily. As soon as it dies bacteria start consuming it and in this process consume oxygen even in the open waer areas not just on the bottom.

Since your water viwibility is about 24", light penetration is not very deep; max 5 to 6 feet. In that depth oxygen is only produced during daylight. Below that depth not oxygen is produced at all. It is this zone that quickly becomes devoid of oxygen.