I believe that the question of windmill aeration for any particular application will always be very subjective depending on the particular microclimate you are dealing with. I have a 16' Koender's windmill that works very well when I have enough wind to power it. In northern California that is not a lot of average hours per day. I still think I am better off with some aeration rather than none. Energy costs are pretty high here, so running a motor is not going to make a lot of sense for us. I also have to deal with a large temperature fluctuation and water level change. Our summer temps will range from 50 at sunrise to 110+ at midday, and my 2+ acre pond drops about 7 - 8 ft during the summer drought. We do not normally get rain between April and November. As for weeds, we really can't get Grass Carp here, you just couldn't believe government idiocy until you have had to deal with it in California, so I rely on Ducks. We hatch and grow Rouens in the spring and they do a great job in cropping the weed growth. The Coyotes, Coons, Bobcats, Eagles et al get some, but the balance is preserved. I guess when all is said and done, everybody has to deal with their own situation as best they can. I have 4 - 5 lb bass after 3 years and lots of 9 - 12" Bluegills. I got my aerator on ebay for about half retail so I can't complain about price, and in any event I have never seen anybody say don't aerate. Good Luck!
Jim
