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
Posts557,051
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,407
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
3 members (Layne, Angler8689, anthropic), 616 guests, and 135 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
I'm looking into putting an aeration system (diy) in my pond. The pond is about 1.6 acres (510ft x 210ft). According to previous owner, it's not very deep- mostly 5-6 ft? with the deepest being 10 ft??, though I have yet to really check for myself.
I've lived at this house for 2 summers. First summer had duckweed or watermeal cover the entire surface. This past summer, no duckweed, however had 100% coverage of filamentous algae. Believe to have muck underneath.
I have existing aerator setup, however think it is insufficient. Pump is a rocking piston pump, 3.4 cfm I think. There are 2 diffusers, but probably need to be cleaned off. It does not seem to put out much air, at least out of the diffuser further away.
I'm looking to upgrade. One company I checked with recommended a system using a 3/4hp rocking piston pump, 5.8 cfm and 4x diffusers (with 4x 6" membrane diffuser sticks each) and 5/8". Seems like overkill based on many recommendations I am seeing here, but perhaps the long rectangle shape contributes to this.
I'm looking at doing a diy system for cost savings. I'm starting to lean towards the Gast rotary vane pump 0523 (4.8 cfm) based off of recommendations I'm seeing from Bill Cody. Would that pump be sufficient for 4x diffusers? I've been thinking about using diffuser similar below
https://www.diversifiedpondsupplies.com/air-diffuser-manifold-4-diffusers-9-lbs
Also, would I be able to get by with 1/2" air line? One of the runs is 375' from where the pump would be. So that leads me to another thing is weighted, or non weighted line. I thought about non weighted and zip tying Bricks every few feet as necessary, but also saw where that my wear a hole in the line. I've also seen the trick of putting rebar, sand, etc inside another tube and zip tying it to the tubing. Any other suggestions, or should I just not be so cheap in this area.
Whew. Hopefully you guys can help me out. I'm about overwhelmed from all the info I've been researching, while also trying to build a DIY system.

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 46
W
Offline
W
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,381
Likes: 46
I have spent more on sinking line than I care to admit. Actually, I have purposely never added it up just so I don't have to know how much. If I had it to do all over again..... I would do it all over again. I wouldn't cheap out on that. Just seems like asking for more problems down the road to me.


Keep This Forum Viable, Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 28
F
Offline
F
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 28
In my 2 acre pond with deepest part 11 foot and rest averages 4-5 foot, I put all 3 diffusers near each other in the deepest part of the pond. Weighted line is no place to cut corners!! The only way to go in my opinion. I have never turned the pump off except to clean diffusers once a year or so. In deep east Texas where I am I saw no need to eariate the shallow end of my pond. The diffusers in my deep water probably turns my complete pond water at least 2 times a day. Also I used the diffusers where you could add gravel to weight them down . Never had a problem. I think it has been running nonstop for 3-4 years now!! I understand ponds up north freezing and diffusers in shallow ends may have their place for reasons I don't have to deal with here in the south! Good luck and welcome to Pond Boss!!


Dear Alcohol, We had a deal where you would make me funnier, smarter, and a better dancer... I saw the video... We need to talk.
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by Flame
In my 2 acre pond with deepest part 11 foot and rest averages 4-5 foot, I put all 3 diffusers near each other in the deepest part of the pond. Weighted line is no place to cut corners!! The only way to go in my opinion. I have never turned the pump off except to clean diffusers once a year or so. In deep east Texas where I am I saw no need to eariate the shallow end of my pond. The diffusers in my deep water probably turns my complete pond water at least 2 times a day. Also I used the diffusers where you could add gravel to weight them down . Never had a problem. I think it has been running nonstop for 3-4 years now!! I understand ponds up north freezing and diffusers in shallow ends may have their place for reasons I don't have to deal with here in the south! Good luck and welcome to Pond Boss!!


What are the specs on your pump? Also what kind of diffusers do you have? I assume the round diaphrams, but what sizes/single or double? Is your pond narrow as well.? The deep part of mine is probably less than 1/4 of it on one end of the pond.

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,407
Likes: 788
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,407
Likes: 788
Originally Posted by wbuffetjr
I have spent more on sinking line than I care to admit. Actually, I have purposely never added it up just so I don't have to know how much. If I had it to do all over again..... I would do it all over again. I wouldn't cheap out on that. Just seems like asking for more problems down the road to me.


wbuffetjr; I bet I could figure that out for you! LOL

dirtrider88, save yourself the headache, time spent and money lost doing the make your own sinking airline. After a year or two you will pull it out of the pond, throw it away and tell your wife to kick you you know where right before you order the self sinking line like you should have in the first place.

The 1/2 ID line will be plenty for the 375' run. The Gast 0523 rotary vane pump will be plenty to run the 4 diffusers PROVIDING THE SPECS FOR THEM SAY THEY NEED LESS THAN 0.7 CFM PER DIFFUSER TO OPEN.

BUT, my biggest question is "What is your goal for using the aeration system?"


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: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 28
F
Offline
F
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 28
I am using the Kasko System with 3 diffusers made of pvc type material. They are mounted on square plastic boxes that allow you to fill them with gravel for weight. I use all weighted hose. You can google Kasko and see their systems. They sell individual parts also.


Dear Alcohol, We had a deal where you would make me funnier, smarter, and a better dancer... I saw the video... We need to talk.
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by esshup

BUT, my biggest question is "What is your goal for using the aeration system?"


I get alot of filamentous algae. I'd like to try to eliminate some of that. I think I may have quite a bit of muck build up. Also for the overall health of the pond I'm reading aeration is very good.

What I think I may do is begin to upgrade my current system (that dang'd expensive weighted line lol) and roll with my current pump and add a diffuser. Will see how it does. I'll upgrade pump if I need, and then next year may add another diffuser yet and upgrade all line to 1/2". Nothings set in stone, just talking out loud.

The diffuser thatd be 375' away would be not on my property. However, the neighbor does not use the pond, and I also rarely see her. 3/4 or more of the pond falls on my property. But I'm assuming it's better to aerate the whole, rather than just a portion.

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,407
Likes: 788
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,407
Likes: 788
While the aeration will help, it won't be an overnight change, and the pond is shallow enough that a lot of the water has enough O2 at the sediment level. My bet is that you have way too many nutrients in there and not enough underwater weeds to utilize those nutrients, that's the reason for the algae and duckweed.

If it was mine, I'd stock it annually with Tilapia at the rate of 40#/surface acre and treat any algae that the Tilapia can't consume.


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: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
Tilapia die off in colder weather don't they? Would I have to harvest them each fall or???

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,407
Likes: 788
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,407
Likes: 788
Originally Posted by dirtrider88
Tilapia die off in colder weather don't they? Would I have to harvest them each fall or???



Absolutely correct. That's the good thing. When they die off, if you don't harvest them, the scavengers do it for you. Any bass in the pond eat the smaller ones because they are slow swimmers. The scavengers take out the dead ones, and by doing so are removing nutrients from your pond. I stock 40#-50# every year in my personal pond and rarely see more than 3-4 dead ones.

One year I harvested eight (yes 8!) 5 gallon buckets of Tilapia and gave them to all the neighbors. I was able to snag them as they loafed in the sun in October. There were still Tilapia in the pond that I didn't get.


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: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by esshup
Originally Posted by dirtrider88
Tilapia die off in colder weather don't they? Would I have to harvest them each fall or???



Absolutely correct. That's the good thing. When they die off, if you don't harvest them, the scavengers do it for you. Any bass in the pond eat the smaller ones because they are slow swimmers. The scavengers take out the dead ones, and by doing so are removing nutrients from your pond. I stock 40#-50# every year in my personal pond and rarely see more than 3-4 dead ones.

One year I harvested eight (yes 8!) 5 gallon buckets of Tilapia and gave them to all the neighbors. I was able to snag them as they loafed in the sun in October. There were still Tilapia in the pond that I didn't get.



Where is your source for tilapia?

Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
D
OP Offline
D
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 6
Its been a few months, and made it through the spring and summer seasons, so I figured I’d give an update. I ended up putting together my own aeration system, using recommendations that I got here and found around the forum. My goal was to help fight all the algae coverage I had on surface and bottom of the pond.
Let me say I am 100% sold on aeration. I did not expect to see the results I did and as quick as I did. All summer, I could throw a fishing lure out and would not have to clean the algae off of it everytime I reeled in, as I had to in the past. The filamentous algae was basically nonexistent. I nearly installed a fountain to fight the same issues, but upon researching here, aeration is much more effective. Being a tightwad mechanical engineer who likes to DIY, I put together my own, rather than buying a premade kit. It’s been 7 or more months, so I do not recall all the figures but the savings was pretty big going the DIY route.
The pump: I think it was Bill Cody that I saw strongly suggesting a Gast 0523 rotary vane pump. I am completely happy with this pump. It is very much an industrial grade pump, and have complete faith it will give me many years of service. If and when it does break down, I have no worries I will be able to find parts to fix. This pump is replacing an old rocking piston pump that was not putting out much air and probably in need of a rebuild, but could not source one. While, I also replaced our HVAC the previous year so energy savings was hard to tell, but running the pump 24/7 did not seem to affect our bill as much as the older pump did. I put the pump in the existing outdoor housing I already had.
For diffusers (currently have 3 that I added over the course of a few months) I took 3 different routes. First one I purchased a standard disk diffuser off of amazon such as this: https://www.amazon.com/EasyPro-Weig...d+diffuser&qid=1606081547&sr=8-6
For the next two, I took a more DIY approach. The previous owners of our house had left a couple unused disk diffusers. I decided to put them to use. I used a universal sump pump check valve to prevent backflow. The first diffuser I made out of an old ATV tire and added a few bricks to weigh it down a little. My hope was the tire would fill with enough water that it would be weighted, but no such luck. The second, I got a little fancier and poured a concrete base, which ended up pretty heavy, so I just hope it does not eventually sink into the muck too much. I still may add another diffuser in the future.
Finally, for the hose, I went with the advice of many here and bit the bullet and went with weighted line instead of messing around with unweighted and adding my own weights. All said and done, I may have the same amount of money in this as I do the rest of the system.
In all, I can’t thank everyone enough. I am pretty happy with the results I saw almost immediately, and hope it only continues to help with the issues I was seeing. I apologize I do not have more pictures, I had not planned on documenting, but with the results I saw, I hope this can help someone else in the future.


[img]https://imgur.com/hnt0P1e[/img]
[img]https://imgur.com/0xoGBth[/img]
[img]https://imgur.com/ysq0gk1[/img]

Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 534
Likes: 76
4
Offline
4
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 534
Likes: 76
Good stuff there dirtrider. Thanks for the follow up. Congrats on working through the details and getting the results you needed.

Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 234
Likes: 17
D
Offline
D
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 234
Likes: 17
You have to drill holes in the sidewalls to sink a tire. Otherwise, no way to get all the air out.


Dan McWhirter
DannyMac

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Rainman - 03/28/24 02:53 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by Mark Dyer - 03/27/24 10:18 PM
Reducing fish biomass
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:17 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:05 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/27/24 06:02 PM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by Bill Cody - 03/27/24 10:18 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by esshup - 03/27/24 08:47 AM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by esshup - 03/26/24 10:00 PM
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