Toby - Have you tested for DO and temperature in the areas near the spring water inflows??.
Do the springs have dissolved oxygen when they enter the pond?
Do the springs enter the pond from underground or drain into the pond above the surface?
I don' think your aerators are affecting very much the pond zones in the areas marked on the map as 7' and 9'. Next time at the pond make DO/temp measurements at the bottom at 7ft, 8ft and 9ft areas.
Questions:
1. Do you have a secchi disk or white bucket lid or white coffee cup you can lower into the pond to determine the depth the object no longer visible??.
2. for a 3/4 hp compressor - What brand and model is it? Do you have a good pressure gauge (30psi) on the comperssor?
3. What brand of diffusers do you have? .
Aeration done correctly can maintain dissolved oxygen on the bottom. Amount of DO on the bottom depends on the type of aeration, size of the aerator/diffusers and how long it is run. If one wants DO always on the bottom for adequate aerobic bacterial decompositon and lack of hydrogen sulfide buildup then the bottom water has to be routinely replaced when DO is less than 1.0 ppm (mg/L) on the surface sediment.
Tinylake has some good points for a pond that is not aerated especialy if the pond receives underground springwater. Goals determine the benefits or need of aeration. One can grow fish in a pond without aeration. Fish can survive better in low DO water when the water has lower temperature and fish metabolism is lower. Lower the water temp the less DO they need to survive. It also fish specie dependant.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 08/18/25 09:11 PM.
