Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Diffuser heads

I am looking into purchasing a system and have seen systems with two (dual) diffuser heads per line and systems with one diffuser head per line. Any opinions on why one set up would be better than the other? Thanks in advance.

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Vertex has their way of doing the membrane spacing. They more than any other Aeration company except maybe Aquatic Ecosystems Pentair have done fairly extensive underwater diffuser testing. Vertex after testing probably decided that two separate rising water columns that merge together at a opportune time (depth) results in optimum flow. My concern is how much does water depth variable affect all this standard spacing rationale?

Evidently Vertex concluded the wider separation of disks suits their sales philosophy. I do it the way my knowledge and common sense about the whole aeration concept suggests. The difference between the two concepts may not end up being a mathematically significant difference. I have never heard a good reason from anyone why wider spacing of diffusers is most beneficial to achieve the most efficient upwelling flow. Too little published good underwater testing has been done for the topic. I have yet to figure out an easy way to accurately measure the upwelling flow of a diffuser assembly. Although I have done dye testing with diffusers.

Watch some aeration underwater bubble patterns and plumes of various membrane disk arrangements. Then you decide for yourself.

snrub, like you I have nothing to compare since I started with Kasco Robust air 4 yrs ago. At that time I had a veterinarian that did all my vet stuff for over 20 yrs (now retired). On one visit he told me his son was the rep for Kasco. In doing a little research I saw their charts comparing 7 other companies diffusers. Like most any business advertisements they boasted of moving more than 100gpm over Vertex @ 6.5' depth, @ 1.5cfm. They also measured 2, 2.5 and maybe at 3cfm. And a lower pump pressure. Each diffusers uses two U shaped tubes and looks like two separated but blended bubble areas at the surface. At that time I think they said the were the leader in market share. And so I gave a call to Ken Rust who is located in Baton Rouge La. He came up to the pond and did a depth survey and made recommendations for the six diffuser station system and with two half hp pumps and where to place them. If memory serves me I am moving air around 2200'. And was cheaper cost than the Vertex at that time.

Today, looking back I had to rebuild the pumps in year 3 and I am the worst DIY guy you most likely will run across so it's fairly simple job if I can do it. My only complaint was they disturbed my pond bottom around the diffuser head so I had to move them off the bottom of the pond where they now set on platform that is 18" off bottom. And they are an advertiser here on the Forum. But again, I have no personal comparison with any others.