I picked these because somewhere on this forum it said they had lower back pressure than the vertex, and also I liked how they're modular. They sell parts to connect multiples together if you want, so in the future I can change the system around as I expand it. 2 MDB11's can turn into a MDB22.
I had never used aquaticponds.com before, but they shipped right away and it turned out well.
Thanks. The only review claims less loading (I assume that means clogging) than an airstone. That is interesting. I do not need such small bubbles but less maintenance is very important to me.
For winter use only for opening ice, what type of diffuser is least likely to clog or need maintenance if left in the pond year round? I have seen membranes, stones, and bubble hoses online, as well as homemade ones.
Do you want least maintenance or largest hole in the winter? That is an either or question.
Less maintenance is probably my priority (and hope the hole is large enough -if not, add another deffuser). I am working on a 100 acre habitat restoration project! I estimate completion in about 300 years...
Less maintenance is probably my priority (and hope the hole is large enough -if not, add another deffuser). I am working on a 100 acre habitat restoration project! I estimate completion in about 300 years...
Least maintenance is a membrane diffuser. If you think you might need 2 diffusers, make sure the pump can furnish at least 3 CFM at the depth that you will have the diffusers placed at. The diffusers don't need that CFM to work, but the more air you shove thru them the larger the hole they will keep open.
Thank you. It looks like a linear piston compressor and a membrane diffuser would be best for my winter ice needs while minimizing maintenance. Now I just need to size things right and choose good manufacturers. I have some 2" poly pipe to run air from the barn to the pond, so there should be minimal pressure loss there. The run into the pond to get to 4' of water will be less than 25' so oversizing the weighted line should be a minimal expense. Now we just need to finish the barn pad and get quotes on the barn. BTW - The dirt for the pond pad is coming from another wetland that we are constructing. It will take the runoff from the barn roof as well as being fed with field tiles.
I did a "survey" of the pond with my underwater camera today.
In about 1.5 hours I saw plenty of small perch around the dock, even hanging out on the bottom. Also tons of minnows all around the top of the water near the dock. Also some sunfish scattered around. This is where the aeration is now. I went back and fished it for a while later last night as well, and caught a couple decent perch.
Towards the northern dam I found some perch near the top of the water, and some bullhead near the top. Nothing hanging out on the bottom.
Towards the southern dam, I didn't find much. I looked at a lot of the bottom down there, but there was nothing. I'm assuming there is no oxygen due to the thermocline. If I had a thermometer I could drop down to the bottom I could see the temp. I've thought about dropping my dive computer down there since it records temp.
So my completely unscientific result? -Most of the fish I saw were near the dock. I think they like the aerators. They're hanging out on the bottom, and they couldn't do that if there wasn't air down there.
No bass anywhere I'm seeing. I don't know where they're all hiding. 2 years ago I was catching a bunch of perfect pond bass, not too big, and not too small. Last summer and this summer, haven't caught any. The odd thing is though, I haven't seen any evidence of a fish kill. Doesn't mean it didn't happen, but I just haven't seen it.
I'm seeing a lot of minnows all over the place, and small sunfish so I believe there is a good base of forage fish. Next spring I'm planing on building a cage in the pond and attempting to cage stock some bass.
Do you have any structure for the fish to congregate around? If not an interesting experiment would be drop something in place where there were no fish. Go back a couple weeks later and see if the fish moved there.
RAH along with the Pondmaster pumps I bought came a plastic manifold. It is made to go from the 3/4 outlet of the pump to a dozen small aquarium size air tubes. It is used where one of these pumps are used to aeriate multiple small aquariums.
It has 3/4 barb, about 6 or 8" long, with a double row of hose barbs for aquarium tubing. It is made to distribute 3 CFM or so out to twelve small lines.
I would think if you ran it in reverse it would work for your ice diffuser. In other words run your input to the 3/4" side and let air come out the dozen holes (maybe 1/8" or 3/16", never measured one).
I think if you buy one of these from a pond supply store thay are 12 or 15 dollars but I have at least 4 of them and have never used them and likely never will.
If this looks like it would work for you, I would be glad to drop it in a postal envelope and send you one. No charge. Tie a brick or block on it for ballast so it would sink.
Thank you for the offer. We are still building the pad on which the barn will be built to house the compressor (once we get electric service run from the transformer). Then I need to trench the line from the barn to the pond. I am just trying to get info right now. Who knows, I may get hit by a truck before I get this done... I am pretty set on a linear piston pump, and will use weighted line, but am still trying to understand the best coarse-bubble diffuser. There are some pretty small diameter (3-4") disc diffusers that are meant for wastewater agitation, and some are very inexpensive. I just am not sure on sizing to match the compressor.
Do you have any structure for the fish to congregate around? If not an interesting experiment would be drop something in place where there were no fish. Go back a couple weeks later and see if the fish moved there.
Fish like to associate with structure.
Not really. Wouldn't be a bad idea though. Ive got a bunch of old concrete blocks I could make a pile or two with.
If you look on the Mfg's web sight there will likely be a specifications page for the diffuser you are interested in. It should give a range of acceptable flow rates in either CFM or LPM (liters per minute).
I have been trying to match the compressor output at 4' depth with coarse-bubble wastewater disc diffuser operating range. I just have not seen the setup I am thinking of used for de-icing described by anyone, which is a bit concerning. The diffusers are pretty cheap, so I will probably just give it a try. The weighted bubble tubing is pretty pricey. This is an example of the compressor I am considering:
I bought some fish feed from TSC 2 days ago. Went down to the dock in the evening and tossed it out, not much action. I left the aerator on overnight for the first time that night.
Yesterday evening I went down with my camera, 4 inch to 8 inch perch everywhere, along with a few bullhead and a few small sunfish.
I threw out some feed and the water started to boil. No idea what was taking it but something was.
Over the next hour a lot of fish were showing up on the camera.
Put together a temporary compressor house. I wanted it high enough that it will stick out of the snow most years. I'm still planning on buying a fan and putting it on the bottom so it will suck in cool air from below and force it out the top. There is plenty of room in the box for a second pump.
I put my meter on the pump. It's only using 236 watts. I was very surprised by this. I thought it was going to be using closer to 400 watts, but that must be what the pump requires to start up.
I used 5/8 irrigation hose to run from the manifold to the sinking line. I've left all 3 runs of sinking line at the full 100 feet so that I can move them around until I find the best location for the diffusers.
I've been feeding the fish every night for a week now off my dock. Apparently I have all the bullhead feed trained now. Go me. I fished for an hour last night and caught 7 of them and some perch.
I also picked up a cast net. Ive caught tons of golden shiners all around the pond. Some of them have been the size of my hand. Bigger than any pumpkinseed I've caught in a while. I think this should be good once I stock more bass into the pond.
cfy7, I'm sure the irrigation hose is fine, although when I made my cabinet, the late, great Ted Lea suggested (due to the heat) that I use heater hose at the manifold, extending out of the cabinet, then to the weighted tubing. And to also insulate where the tubing exits the cabinet to prevent wear on the tubing due to any vibration.
And again on Ted's suggestion, my fan is drawing air from rear vent across the pump.
I bought some fish feed from TSC 2 days ago. Went down to the dock in the evening and tossed it out, not much action. I left the aerator on overnight for the first time that night.
Yesterday evening I went down with my camera, 4 inch to 8 inch perch everywhere, along with a few bullhead and a few small sunfish.
I threw out some feed and the water started to boil. No idea what was taking it but something was.
Over the next hour a lot of fish were showing up on the camera.
I think the fish like the aeration!
The small BG in my pond really like the aeration. We have seen scores of them around and floating up in the middle of the bubble column.
Also see predators taking advantage of them. I was fishing from the bank last evening about sundown. Every once in a while would see a big swirl right next to the bubble column. I suspect a LMB was getting its supper.
