Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Will this Pump Work?

have you soaker hose guys taken a piece of soaker hose, plugged one end, and blown thru it? It is amazing the amoung of psi needed. True diffusers have much less back pressure. It is easier on the compressor, allows greater flexibility of depth placement, and you can push more diffusers per compressor. This is just common sense info, but I would like to hear from someone who has tried it for more than a year to see what actually happens. We use a demo of a soaker tube and the Mix Air tube and have people blow thru them. I think I heard that you need 40 psi to go thru the soaker hose, but this seems high. I do believe that you would get a small bubble though, which is what you're after.
Robert B

Okay, so I'm gathering from the last two posts that the soaker hose method may not be the best place to skimp. Considering the huge cost savings on my compressor I'm thinking I could spend a few extra bucks on a membrane diffuser.

I'm looking at this, or something like it:

Membrane Diffuser from Aquatic Ecosystems

Please let me know if that is a good product and if there are equally performing products for cheaper.

What I would do is run 30 yards underground of 1/2" black poly hose from home depot from the compressor in my garage to the bottom center of my pond. I would mount the diffuser in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket with a small hole for the hose to enter the side, near the bottom. I would put a few rocks around the diffuser on the bottom of the bucket to make sure it stays anchored. This way the diffuser won't get burried in the muck.

Does this plan sound like it would work?

Another question, since my pond is pretty muck-filled, should I use some bacteria to eat the muck right away? I think someone mentioned that you should run the diffuser for a few weeks to make sure that the water is full of DO before you send in the bacteria to eat. On what kind of schedule should I run the compressor?

Quick reveiw of my pond:

30 X 30 yards, round, 15 feet deep.
Fed by springs and a small runnoff creek.
30 Trout, brookie and brown.
Northern Wisconsin, cold.

You can kill your fish if you aerate a mucky pond too fast. They recommend running it a few hours a day for a while or suspending it off the bottom for awhile. I'm sure starting early spring will help. Maybe someone else who knows more can elaborate on this.

NQL - The diffuser will work good with your compressor. The surface boil should be noticable. If you run this continuous in your small pond I "think" it will probably end up killing your trout in the heat of the summer. Bottom aeration with trout can be tricky and it can get a little complicated in the summer months. You do NOT want to warm up the bottom water above what the trout can with stand or tolerate (my guess is no higher than 67-68F.). You may need some more advice from experienced trout raisers / pond owners who bottom aereate with trout in your climate/region with similar summer temps about the best approximate run times for the pump.

The amount or strength of inlet flow of spring water will have a big influence on warming or cooling of the bottom temps and pump run times. You should definately invest in a thermometer that can measure water temps at the bottom of your pond (discussed elsewhere in this forum). You always have to maintain the oxygenated and cool water refuge for the trout. Brook trout probably will be the first ones to show stress from elevated temps in the deep water. Also you should only run your pump/diffuser during the cooler periods of night so warming the water is minimized. I "GUESS" that you will need to run the pump about 2 to 3 hrs per night in mid-summer. At least that is where I would start. Not sure when the best time for start up in spring or summer is. It really is based on temps and DO at the bottom. Ideally you also need an oxygen meter to monitor oxygen levels at the bottom. However this is pricey ($300-$700), a high maintence item and probably out of your budget. There has been recent discussion of used / rebuilt oxygen meters that are moderatly priced.

Hopefully you will get more detailed experienced advice that what I have provided.

NQL, we expect for you to post a picture when you get it up and running. Glad we were able to help you out with getting a pump.

Bob

NQL -- If the spring or springs come into the pond at one end then you may want to place the diffuser at the opposite end of the pond.

Hey Everyone,

Thanks again for your wonderful advice. I have several plans for the pond which, once in place, I will take pictures and post here. One neat project is a point well that I'm driving about 40 yards away from the pond. I'm going to pump water into the pond to hopefully maintain a constant water level. I'm also going to plant some water lilies and other plants to beatify the pond and provide cover for the fishkies. IF you are interested, here is my other thread on pondboss...

A Bunch of Other Questions

I can't tell you the exact temp of the pond, but I can tell you that even during HOT weeks in the summer it is COLD. The first two feet are usually pretty warm, but below that it is REALLY cold, which is the only evidence I have that the pond is spring fed. I'll get a thermometer to monitor the temp.

I know that brookies get pretty ill when it's warmer than 68F but I'm curious about the OPTIMAL temp for them during the summer.

Also, I take it that my bucket idea is okay?

Thanks again for all of your help. If you have anything else to add/share about my situation please let me know.

NQL - The standard 5 gal bucket may want to tip over on uneven bottom areas. I prefer a broader base. Think about buying a saucer shaped plastic water heater tray. Drill appropriate sized hole in the center, put diffuser port in hole thread on the hose barb fitting. Attack 2 or 3 bricks or equivlent weights to hold it on the bottom. The tray or kids snow saucer or equivalent provides a saucer basin that will not tip over yet it separates the diffuser from the sediment and slop. I can send you a picture of one or two examples.

Hey Bill, it sounds like a good idea, but a picture paints a thousand words. Can you email the pics to kory-at-gilderman.com where "-at-" = "@"

I'll host them and post them here with your permission.

NQL - My server would not send to your email with the address as I interpruted it. Send me an email (my profile) and I will reply.

Bill was kind enough to send me these pictures and advice, thanks Bill!

1st Pic is of two styles of diffuser base. Top one is using a child's snow saucer note the connedtion underneath. Typically the disk membrane diffusers have a 3/4" threaded fiting for the inlet port. For the bottom picture, he cut the end out of a barrel, mounted in on a tire and ran air in through tread of tire. Tire adds weight and acts like a sled and unit can be pulled into smaller ponds (1/4 -3/4 acre) with a rope. Leave rope atttached o base so it can be pulled out later for cleaning. Barrel base does not alow muck to move up through the tire when diffuser is operating.



The 2nd pic is inside and outside views of a water heater "drip" pan" as a base, but any other sinkable flat material, or tray, or saucer will also work. Personally I would mount it the opposite way shown in the picture. i.e. Bricks on bottom and diffuser on inside of concave portion so rim forms a low wall around the diffuser and helps keep out muck and sediment.



You want just enough weight to hold it on the bottom because you periodically need to remove it and clean it. You don't want it too heavy. Keep in mind that the membrane when under pressure will inflate somewhat and tend to be more bouyant.

I am thinking of using a plow disk set up like the water heater one. Used ones are free, already weighted, and come in different sizes. And free.

How about a garbage can lid weighted down?

Oil pans are cheap too.

I just got my gast pump in the mail and I'm a bit confused by the electrical connections. I know it's 115 amp, but there isn't a standard plug in. There are two black wires that go to a computer like connector and 3 other colored wires that look like they are supposed to connect to the capacitor that came with the pump. I don't know if you guys will be able to help from that description, I'll post pictures if that would help.

NQL - It sounds like you purchased a rocking piston pump. True? (NOTE- From the pics below it is not a rocking piston but some sort of smaller hp rotary unit). Capacitor wires often have special connectors that fit the posts of teh capacitor.

I can maybe help wire it post or send a photos showing all wires.

Okay, I finally got some pics for you. Here they are, with questions.

First, a picture of my little pride and joy. The concrete has worked to block the culvert.



First question... how to I wire this pump, this is how it came, with no directions. The first pic shows how I *think* it goes (note the two wires connected to the capacitor). I'd spice the two black and the green (ground) to an old extension cord and plug the other two into the capacitor. The other pics are for your advice...





Next, I'm trying to setup an old well pump to run water from a small pool at the far end of my blocked off culvert that is always full of water (high water table) back up the spillway I just dug. Here is a pic of the spillway and the old pump. I've had it running and it shoots a stream of water like a powerful spitter through a nozzle into my large pond. Am I insane? Will this waste a ton of money?

I'm not familiar with that motor. Maybe an electrician type can help. Why not try and contact the manufacturer.

Finally after browsing these boards for almost a year, I am able to offer some advice. According to your connection diagram, the blue and brown goto the Capacitor, the green wire is ground, the plain black wire is the "Hot" wire, and if you look closely at the other black wire, there is a small white stripe, this would be your common. If you buy a grounded extension chord you can cut off the end, splice it together with your pump wires and wirenuts, you should be good to go.

Ah, thanks WranglerMan, that was all the confidence I needed. I'll get 'er hooked up tonight.

Now, any advice on the other pump? My old well pump.

ManJ is right, don't forget that pump needs enclosed from the weather.

See there people, we all have talents and many are not fishy. Everyone can eventually contribute. Thanks Wranglerman.

T. Gottfredsen asked me for wiring help on an identical unit and my server would not deliver to his address. What gives Tim?

NQL - What is the hp of that unit and the cfm output?

Bill,

Are you taking about the gast pump or my old well pump that I want to use as a spitter

Good news gang,

I just wired it and ran 3/4' garden hose to the diffuser. It plugged it in and... IT WORKED! I have a nice little surface boil coming up in the middle my pond.

Now, in addition to my old well pump question I have one more question.

I bought two packages of "bacteria in a bag" from aquatic eco systems. How long should I aerate before I add the bacteria? Should I run it 24/7 right away?

Thanks to everyone for all of your help. This is a great forum. For only $60 I've got a nice silent pump running from my garage, aerating my pond. Me, and my trout thank you all!

NQL In the previous post, I was referring to the air pump.

In your case You can add bacteria any time now. At you latitude you pond has not stratified yet and you no doubt still have oxygen at the pond bottom. However you should first measure your water temerature. Many brands of bacteria do not work best in water less than 60F unless specifiec otherwise on the label.

Also at your latitude I would not think you would need to run your compressor 24/7. How big is your trout pond again?

Here's a few pictures of my pond Bill:







It's about 40' x 40'... 15' deep when I can keep it full.

On the air pump, it's .025 hp 1075 rpm 1.5 cfm.

On my well pump, any thoughts?