I have recently completed my 5.5 acre pond. I am learning the importance of having a good aeration system and thinking I may still have time to get it installed before the pond begins to fill. I was considering trenching in the air line now to avoid having to purchase an excessive amount of weighted line. Is that a good idea? I'm thinking I would need to leave enough slack to get the diffusers to the surface for maintenance? My pond has a general Hour Glass shape with max 16' depth in front of the dam, but probably averages 4'-12' everywhere else. Some of my questions are, How many Diffusers? Where should they be placed? What depth would be the most efficient? How far can I run the air lines? What size air line? (I'm guessing depends on distance from pump?) What type of pump? I have access to electricity on the property and could get it to the edge of the pond if necessary. Any experts out there willing to take a stab at what I might need?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice.
FRPeeps glad to her from you, glad to see you are still wanting to make your dream come true to the best of it abilities. I think it is a great idea that you are thinking about adding a aeration system. I am not expert but i would think 3 or 4 and just go different direction with them and at a couple different depths. We will see what the pros think. I still think about your place and how amazing it was to look at and dream about the big fish your gonna have.
FR, What is the approx length and width of your pond, are you going to feed heavily,will you fertilize this pond?You may need different stlye diffusers for different depths but you can easily "properly" aerate this pond with 2/3 to 1 hp.Provide some additional information and Ill give you my ideas for your pond.A sketch if you dont have an aerial would help also but I can work with whatever you may have.
Ted, I'll have to scan the topo map I got from NRCS to post here but the general dimensions are 500' at widest point and approximately 900' in length. I'm planning to implement a feeding program with at least one but possibly two feeding stations. I also plan to fertilize when necessary.
Thanks,
Frank
Sounds like a nice place you got there peeps. As TLF said, 2/3 - 1 HP should do the job. I would recommend placing all the diffusers in the deepest parts of the pond unless your fishery requires otherwise. As far as accessibiltiy to diffuser maintenance goes, you don't necessarily have to pull the diffusers out of the water, that is, assuming the diffuser isn't made of anything organic (i.e. rubber). We service our LDPE diffusers by pouring 1 cup of muriatic or hydrochloric acid down the feeder tubing that leads to each diffuser. This cleans any organic material off the emmitter holes. The amount is relatively nominal and will not affect water quality, harm fish, or damage the diffuser. We do this once per year in our wastewater systems, occasionally in our lake/pond systems and haven't had any problems with diffusers that have been in service for over 30 years. If you decide to go this route, ask your aeration supplier what the diffuser is made of and make sure that muriatic acid will not damage the material. IMHO this is the easiest way to clean a diffuser assuming the diffuser and anything else that will make contact with the acid is made of a material that can handle it. You don't even have to get in the water. Of course, if your diffuser gets covered with inorganic sediments or "plates out" dissolved metals on the emmitters, acid will not take care of it, you will have to access the diffuser. I've never heard anyone mention this cleaning technique on this forum so I hope this is helpful to you and everyone else.
P.S. Muriatic and hydrochloric acid are caustic. Use proper safety equipment including gloves, goggles, and a particle mask when handling.