Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions When to put aeratord back in

I removed my aerators at the beginning of winter. I live near Cincinnati, Ohio. When should I put them back in?

Core,

Hi. I'm three hours north of you. I've got a windmill and it's been going all winter long. I've lost about 6 bluegill, but considering the winter, I won't complain.

If it were my pond, I would be getting it back in anytime. You know Ohio weather, and it could warm up rapidly like last year. I'd want it in and going. I am no "expert", but I would think anytime now would work.

Again, mines been moving air all winter and no issues.

Core,

You really don't need your air again until the waters start to get around 55 to 60 degree's. Surface temp. Remember cold water holds almost twice as much D.O. as warm water so you have time still. What are your air temps there at night? You don't want to make a mistake and supercool your pond. I would wait till mid April or like I said till your water get around 55 to 60 consistanlty.

The reason that I suggest 55-60F for starting aerators in spring is that ponds often do not begin to strongly stratify until that 55F-60F temp. Weak thermal stratifictaion esp in smaller ponds can be fairly easily and quickly 'broken up' at those temps. Although in larger water bodies and where the turnover rate of the aerator is lower, beginning aeration at 45-50F is probably better.

Bill:

If the aeration for the year is started with water temps in that range, do the "first time start up procedure" rules still apply, or can it just be turned on and left alone?

When starting aerator in spring when water temps are 55F, the pond has recently destratified and has mixed completely with frequent spring winds resulting in high DO and cool water. Little oxygen demand has had time to occur due to the still relatively cold water (50-55F) compared to summer conditions. In this early season very little stratification is present thus it is 'weak' and DO is almost always still high (6-10mg/L, ppm) on bottom. Moving this bottom water to the surface does not degrade the surface water quality compared to destratifing in mid-summer when no oxygen is in the deepest zone and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations are accumulating and elevated. H2S only forms when DO is abscent in the area of decomposition. H2S at relatively low concentrations is poisonious to fish. It is bad for fish to bring lots of water quickly to the surface with no DO and saturated with H2S.