Welcome canoetrpr.
An "aerating fountain" is almost an oxymoron,,,as Cecil said, they do look pretty and please a lot people, but as for aeration, your hatchery guy is either very mis-informed, or just wants a sale and doesn't care that it won't fulfill your needs...even bottom draw styles do only slightly more than no useful aeration.
I won't knock a Kasco product, but Vertex is the industry leader. Email Sue Cruz with Vertex, and she will suggest the best design, style and location of placement. You will never go wrong with Vertex.
6-8 feet seems awfully shallow for Ontario to avoid regular winter kills. If aerating in winter, the diffusers are used in shallow areas only to keep some holes open and to avoid super-cooling the water below 37 degrees or so.
Diffused aeration can leave your compressor at the power...run the air tubing to the pond...it is WAY cheaper than copper! Make sure the air supply tubing is buried, and always going down hill if possible or moisture build up in the line will freeze and plug your supply.
Last edited by Rainman; 06/04/14 12:43 AM.
