Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,080
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,414
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
14 members (jludwig, Donatello, catscratch, DrLuke, esshup, Requa, Shorthose, Blestfarmpond, JasonInOhio, H20fwler, Theo Gallus, Justin W, LeighAnn, Bob Lusk), 844 guests, and 210 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Steve_ Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
I was listening to one of Bob Lusk's Facebook Live videos today where he was talking about aeration (I think it was an older video). He mentioned something that was probably minor and well-known to most people, but I wasn't aware of the fact that the tiny bubbles created by your aeration system aren't what adds oxygen to your water, its the pushing of the water in an upward motion, where destratification occurs, and where water can mix with oxygen at the surface. Wow. [Insert Mind Blown Image Here]

So I got to thinking... if the majority of oxygenation takes place on the surface, and if you want to mix as much water with the surface as possible, isn't your typical bottom diffuser a super-inefficient way of doing that? I'd think that paddle wheels or even fountains would mix way more water than the bubbles given off from a diffuser.

And I got to thinking again... wouldn't normal fish movements also stir up the water? Probably minor, of course, but depending on the size of your fish, I could see a lot of surface agitation/aeration coming from normal feeding habits and/or swimming.

Now I'm picturing a 50-ft tall inflatable Bob Lusk, sitting in a pond with a giant spoon, stirring it up. laugh


"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
Offline
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
It's not so much the agitation of the bubbles, but more the fact that you are exposing non-oxygenated water to the air/water interface (surface of the water) where it freely picks up the oxygen. The diffuser is merely a pump that moves lower water up to the surface where it can be exposed to the air. According to the Vertex lift chart...a single 9" diffuser (at 10 foot deep) can move 1600 gallons per MINUTE. That's pretty efficient considering it is being done with fraction of a horsepower.


Fish on!,
Noel
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Steve_ Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Originally Posted by Quarter Acre
It's not so much the agitation of the bubbles, but more the fact that you are exposing non-oxygenated water to the air/water interface (surface of the water) where it freely picks up the oxygen. The diffuser is merely a pump that moves lower water up to the surface where it can be exposed to the air. According to the Vertex lift chart...a single 9" diffuser (at 10 foot deep) can move 1600 gallons per MINUTE. That's pretty efficient considering it is being done with fraction of a horsepower.

Yeah, that's what I was saying. Its not the bubbles that are adding oxygen to the water, like I originally thought, its the upward motion the bubble stream creates to get water to the surface where it can pick up oxygen. 1600 GPM seems like a lot, though. I wonder how they're able to calculate that, because any motion whatsoever in water creates a ripple effect. If I throw a rock into a pond, that will cause the entire pond to "move". Maybe I'm just overthinking it lol.


"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,346
Likes: 96
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine
Lunker
Online Content
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine
Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,346
Likes: 96
A key part of this equation is moving bottom water to the top. Ponds stratify. Bottom water has no chance to absorb oxygen or relieve itself of gases as they build in that cold layer. Diffused aeration provides vertical movement of water, where a rock thrown into a pond only offers horizontal movement of what that interfaces with the atmosphere anyway. That's the biggest difference.

I'd love to see that big spoon.


Teach a man to grow fish...
He can teach to catch fish...
1 member likes this: Steve_
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Steve_ Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Originally Posted by Bob Lusk
A key part of this equation is moving bottom water to the top.

Yeah, and it's strange that the best way we've come up with is using a stream of tiny bubbles to move the water. You'd think you might be able to get better water movement with just a direct pump, pumping water vertically from bottom to top, no bubbles.

Quote
I'd love to see that big spoon.

I'm working on it.


"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,414
Likes: 792
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,414
Likes: 792
Originally Posted by Steve_
Originally Posted by Bob Lusk
A key part of this equation is moving bottom water to the top.

Yeah, and it's strange that the best way we've come up with is using a stream of tiny bubbles to move the water. You'd think you might be able to get better water movement with just a direct pump, pumping water vertically from bottom to top, no bubbles.

Quote
I'd love to see that big spoon.

I'm working on it.


Steve:

Energy wise it is cheaper to move the water to the surface with the bubbles than to pump it. A LOT cheaper.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Steve_ Offline OP
OP Offline
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517
Likes: 38
Originally Posted by esshup
Steve:

Energy wise it is cheaper to move the water to the surface with the bubbles than to pump it. A LOT cheaper.

Yeah, I was kinda thinking that. Water has a lot of resistance, and anyone that's ever used a row boat can attest to that. I can imagine the energy consumption if you tried to rig up some sort of underwater paddlewheel. I guess tiny bubbles it is.


"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,414
Likes: 792
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Online Content
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,414
Likes: 792
Originally Posted by Steve_
Originally Posted by esshup
Steve:

Energy wise it is cheaper to move the water to the surface with the bubbles than to pump it. A LOT cheaper.

Yeah, I was kinda thinking that. Water has a lot of resistance, and anyone that's ever used a row boat can attest to that. I can imagine the energy consumption if you tried to rig up some sort of underwater paddlewheel. I guess tiny bubbles it is.

Don Ho agrees too!


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
1 member likes this: Steve_

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by Donatello - 03/28/24 11:35 AM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 11:01 AM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Theo Gallus - 03/28/24 10:27 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by Freg - 03/28/24 09:42 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/28/24 08:36 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by Justin W - 03/28/24 08:19 AM
Reducing fish biomass
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 08:18 AM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5