Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? Aeration type?

Looking at setting up an aeration system in my pond and looking for some guidance. It was deepened in 2005 and is U shaped and about an acre. 2/3 of it is 5.5 feet deep, toward the open-end of the U, and 1/3 is 8-11 feet deep. Drops 2-2 1/2 ft in the summer. Have it stocked with 70 YP, 50 LMB, 40 BG, and 50 catfish. I use a feeder to supplement and have it on the lowest setting. It appears every one spawned this past year.
The pond is used as my own science project and for some fishing and food. Would like to add aeration to increase the health of the pond but mostly to decrease the chance of winterkill. I live in western New York and had a winterkill five years ago before I enlarged and deepened the pond to its present size.
I would like the aeration to one decrease the winterkill chance, would like it to be unobtrusive as possible, the farthest point between the pond and an electric supply is 250 yards, and would be looking at the cost of running it. Reading the PB aeration edition, it seems like I would be looking at either a diffused aeration system or a horizontal circulator.
I use a Hach test kit to check the water and the results are consistently alkalinity: 30mg/l, total hardness 50 mg/l, ph 7-7.5. The pond has a clay/ shale bottom and fills from run off.
Any advice would be appreciated. Was looking at using it as a spring project.

Looks like water quality numbers are good. I would bury 3/4 or 1 inch inch black semi flexible pvc. Get it at Lowe's for about $15 per hundred. Put the compressor far enough away from the house not to be annoying, but close enough not have to run large wire(expensive). One 9 inch diffuser in the deepest part should work, or if you go with Vertex, 1 co-active setup. You will need a compressor that will deliver at least 1cfm at 10 psi. You will need 5 psi to overcome the water depth, and some for the length of air line and safety margin so as not to overwork the compressor.
Contact Sue Cruz who frequents this site and she can give you specs and a dealer in your area.

Hi TedW! I sent you a PM ~ I'd be happy to make a recomendation if you contact me directly. Hopefully you made it through this year's harsh winter with out any fish fatalities!

Will contact Sue. What is the difference between one 9 in diffuser and a co-active setup? Any general idea how much would cost to run per month. Would think I would have to run it most of the winter, summer on and off?

Sue will be able to size you a system.A single 9 inch diffuser is just that, it would work poorly compared to the effect of having two 9 inch discs spaced on a single weighted station, thus the term CoActive. The distance between the two discs is dictated by your water depth. The deeper the further apart they are.At some depths additional discs are added to a similar weight base. Vertex has an online electrical calculator where you plug in your cost per KW on a given system and the cost is displayed http://www.vertexwaterfeatures.com additional information on diffusers can be found at http://www.cleanponds.com in the "A word about diffusers " section off of the homepage.