When it comes to aeration I would like to put in a fountain however, would a diffuser be a better choice for providing oxygen to my new pond?

For alot of good info on this look under the form "Should I aerate" The fountain is pretty but offers little from the stand point of benificial airation. The diffuser is the way to go if you are looking to raise the oxygen level in your pond. There are several good diffuser systems out there and many are advetised in the Pond Boss magazine which is excellant reading.

Here is a contact for the diffuser.
Carey Martin, 1-800-609-6385/carym@aerationtechnologies.net

GENE13,

I'm out on the road and I just got to a "Hot Spot" so I could check in. Sorry for the long time between responses.

Your needs and comments are very familiar to us: a pond with high nutrient runoff / posibility of poor water quality and an owner that is unsure if they need a fountain to improve the situation.

As a manufacturer and supplier of both fountains and aeration systems, the truth of the
matter is that a floating fountain will have little or no effect on
improving your pond's condition. Fountains should be considered for decorative purposes only unless your depth is 4' or less.

The good news is that a bottom aeration system has 6 distinct advantages over a fountain when water quality improvement is the main objective: initial cost, monthly cost, ease of installation, lower maintenance, no electricity in the water and performance.

A 1/3 hp aeration system not only has a fraction of the cost of a fountain, but draws only 3.4amps, requires almost no maintenance and can
lift up to 4000GPM depending on water depth!

Installation takes approximately an hour and there is no electricity in the pond. When sized
properly, a bottom aeration system can easily turn over the entire water column of even a large lake twice a day - insuring the circulation and increased oxygen levels a healthy pond needs.

In order for us to determine which system would best fit the needs of your pond, a small bit of information is needed. The surface acres, average water depth and dimensions of the lake.