Pond Boss
Posted By: tlh2865 Aeration of small spring fed pond - 09/25/17 02:48 AM
Based on what research I have done to this point, I do believe that spring water typically has a very low oxygen content out of the ground. It will be several weeks until I can test oxygen content in my new pond, but I am thinking that in order to support fish it will need to be aerated. However, I have no experience with aeration, and cannot run AC to the pond location because it is too remote. Solar would work well, as there is plenty of open space for good light. How much flow would I need to aerate around 10,000 gallons? and can anybody recommend a DC pump that would do it? Also, how loud would a system like that be? Im concerned about too much noise adjacent to hunting land.

Thanks in advance!!
Posted By: Jim Wetzel Re: Aeration of small spring fed pond - 09/25/17 10:50 AM
What is flow rate / output of the spring? I work with trout producers that as a group employ a range of methods for increasing dissolved oxygen levels and stripping other other things out. Low flow springs generally least demanding. Well system I use simply uses as small waterfall to correct water with less than 1 ppm O2. Based on temperature variations used described previously, your spring is very low flow.
Posted By: tlh2865 Re: Aeration of small spring fed pond - 09/25/17 08:15 PM
I could not tell you the flow rate, it was so small that I did not measure it. Just a ballpark guess I would say that its in the neighborhood of 1/10 of a gallon per minute. It is almost like a seepage. There is a ton of water volume in the spring, but it just has almost no flow.
Posted By: Jim Wetzel Re: Aeration of small spring fed pond - 09/25/17 08:39 PM
Aeration between pond surface and atmosphere is saturating water with little trouble. If you had more discharge, then making for a small waterfall or riffle area would be first step.
Posted By: tlh2865 Re: Aeration of small spring fed pond - 09/25/17 09:21 PM
Okay, but that requires a level of flow that my spring does not have, I could make a waterfall or riffle if it did, but it doesn't. Is there some way I could increase natural flow? If not that brings me back to the same problem
Posted By: Jim Wetzel Re: Aeration of small spring fed pond - 09/25/17 10:00 PM
If your pond is I think you are describing, then oxygen levels are not an issue. The diffusion of oxygen from atmosphere to water is more than adequate to keep up with influx of oxygen poor water from such a low output spring. Any photosynthesis going on simply makes for more breathable oxygen water that is potentially already saturated. Run your dissolved oxygen test. I am predicting any supplemental aeration you provide using a diffuser / airstone will do little more than provide a visual effect.
Posted By: tlh2865 Re: Aeration of small spring fed pond - 09/26/17 01:30 AM
Alright will do, thank you!
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