Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? Busted Aerator- Fix now or wait?

I am leery of aggressive aeration during the winter when temperatures are cold enough for ice cover. The stratification that naturally occurs under the ice provides a warmer refuge near bottom where the fish are a couple degrees or more above freezing with cooler water being up top in contact with ice. The couple of degrees difference may help the fish contend better with health issues that become more problematic as temperatures approach the minimum the fish can tolerate. When you aerate aggressively you can have a temperature profile where essentially freezing temperatures are realized all the way to the bottom of the pond making so fish are exposed to temperatures colder than they can normally avoid. The super cooling can be particularly problematic with an open (ice-free) pond exposed to sustained very cold wind. You can often expect to see a major increase in fungus growth on fish as secondary infections a couple of weeks later when they are exposed to temperatures that are too cold for too long.