Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Aeration setup for 1/2 acre pond

I need help with setting up aeration for my 1/2 acre pond. The main purpose is to keep the pond from completely freezing over during the winter so my ducks will have open water. I am also hoping it will help with the fish life and algae/weed issues that I have.

The pond is setup so that it steps down 2-3 feet every 2-3 feet towards to middle. It's roughly 20 feet at the deepest point from what I was told by the original homeowner.

I was hoping to have two separate diffuser setups to have multiple points for aeration.

I've tried my best to read through similar posts in the forum, but need help with where to start as far as purchasing and piecing together all of the components.

First step is to get out there and measure the actual maximum depth and report back. What shape is the pond - roundish oblong, narrow rectangle?

The max depth is 12ft.

It's roughly in the shape of a circle, just with a straight (flat) bottom.

A pond that shape and depth can easily be aerated with a 1/4 to 1/3hp compressor either rotary vane or rocking piston (wobble piston). One diffuser with 2 or 3 heads should do a good job of circulating this Ohio pond with 4-6 hrs of mixing per day. For winter mixing you may need to run the compressor 24/7 during the coldest part of winter to keep a constant ice free area.

Don't depend on the aeration to do much to minimize algae and weeds. Ducks should eat or suppress most of the algae.

Is there a complete list of all items that I need to purchase? As of right now the only things that I am sure of are a compressor and diffusers.

Which type of compressor has either the longer life span or ease of repair/maintenance?

I would get with one of the pros on the forum if you want to go DIY and they can help you with everything you need. They sell the stuff at a very good price and have helped many go that route. If you want some recommendations, send me a PM. In case you don't know, a PM is a private message. All you need to do is click on my name and you will see an option that says "send private message." When you receive a PM back, a little mail envelope will flash next to your "My Stuff" at the top of the main page. Click on that and you can read.