Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? winter aeration?

small pond 1/3 to 1/4 acre 8 foot deep. question. during winter months when the pond will surely freeze should i keep aeration going. i have been told it will freeze the fish i have been told put aeration stone in shallow water and i have been told to leave in deep part. any body know the proper thing to do. i have some 5 pound koi and other fish and do not want them to die if at all possible. thank you all
paul

It is best for Koi to keep an open area but you need to keep the diffuser near the surface so you don't bring up the warmer water from the bottom. Have you though about putting a float on the diffuser and then using some bricks to hold it about a foot or so from the surface? My Koi are spoiled they live in a heated greenhouse in their 1200 gallon pond that is getting enlarged to 3000 gallons. Liner shows up Wednesday just have to finish the temporary holding tank.

wow sounds like the set up. thanks for the sugestion. i could use the float for my fountain since i do not run the fountain during winter months. heated pond like yours sounds the best. koi are great to watch

atcspaul, you mention that you have an aerator and a fountain, are they one in the same?If not please describe your bottom aerator and I'll give you my 2 cents on proper winter aeration for your pond in Michigan, Ted

ted they are seperate unitis i have a 1/2 hp fountain which is more for decoration then anything. the other is a 1/8 gast pump which i run 3/8 sinking hose and a 12 inch air stone. i apreciate all your input. when i started the pond this past spring it was basically a dead swamp. i removed all the brush and chemicals for weeds. it was so bad birds were walking on the top of the pond algie. now after numerous hours of care it is quite beautiful with very healthy fish. thanks again
paul

atcspaul, Bob K pretty much hit it !!Suspend your airstone just below the 18-24 inch depth at one end of your pond. If you do not want to relocate your exsisting diffuser manifold a second one in like a Koender 7 inch round airstone. Stay with the 3/8 line as your CFM is limited.Be careful when temps are 10 F and below not to have too much open water as even this setup can cool off the 39 F water on the bottom.When and if the temps get brutal (sub zero) for weeks I would just let it freeze over until normal winter temps return. You will have plenty of air if you are not chemically dosing and shading your water,Thus the reason for putting the stone deeper than 12 inches so it stays below the potential freeze line.Your subsurface plants and algaes will produce enough DO for winter survival The airline will need to be insulated as the compressed air will create moisture and freeze fast in the "great white north" of Michigan.If your airstone is porus on the bottom attatch it to a plate so only the air on the top and sides exit.Good Luck Ted

thank you ted that is very helpful. i will follow your sugestions. one quick question. is it ok just to put the stone at one end in a foot or 2 of water rather then suspending it. i also have a 1/20 hp gast pump i can run for the winter months so i am not moving so much water. thanks again
paul

That will work also, try to place it in enough depth to allow for a shut down of 30 days if need be, that may be 12 or 24 inches your experience with your pond will dictate that. I do know it is a job to pick a diffuser out of the ice when frozen in and they usually are broken by this time.If you have this second setup consider running both stones in the summer and moving the winter one to 5-6 ft or equal distance away from your main one. As your pond matures and yor BOD increases you may come up short some summer with the one stone and it would be ashame to have a second system nearby and not utilized (just my thoughts) Ted

thanks again ted you have been very helpful. this is my first winter with the pond and don't want to screw up all the work i put into it this past spring and summer. bye the way great websight. anyone who has not looked definatly should.
paul

Thanks for the comments on the website. We will have a totally new site which is almost complete posted at www.cleanponds.com in 2-3 weeks. We out grew aquaticaeration.com (the old site) quickly with the help from folks like yourself and the great people at PondBoss and Vertex.Thanks again, PS If anyone enjoys the posts be sure to "SUBSCRIBE" lots more to learn from the magazine and you can still get a trial issue for free (I believe)!! Ted