Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Windmill air-lift

I am currently using a solar air lift setup pushing water through a floating island. The bottom of the 3" vertical pipe is 3' deep.(where it draws water) I am looking at using a windmill and the solar as back up when there is no wind, maybe use a flow switch on the outlet of the air lift pipe to trigger the solar air pump when the windmill is stalled. I know that windmills do not work consistently, but I don't need 24/7 out of it. Any comments are welcome.
My question, is there anybody using a windmill that has long term use. The more I research the brands the more confused I am.

Tony, that sounds like a good plan. I wouldn't rely on a windmill at least here. The wind is too fickle and because of the height needed to get above the tree tops, I don't see them as a good solution for this area. You also have to do maintenance on them yearly or bi-yearly, make plans to get up there safely to service them.

Thanks esshup, thats the info I'm looking for, maintenance and such. The windmill will be on top of a clear hill, good wind there most of the time. Our trees don't get very tall here(central- west tx.), least not compared to east tx.

Tony,

I agree with esshup. Wind is almost always a bigger pain and cost than it is worth, UNLESS you have IDEAL conditions.

On top of a clear hill in central TX is certainly a good start.

My suggestion would be to look around your neighbors' properties as you are driving around and look for some old, broken down windmills. If you see electricity running to their water well, then they might make you a great deal on removing their old windmill.

If you bought a big tower really cheaply, then you might make it work. Especially if you only rented your equipment for one day to take down and then set up at your site. You could then donate the old fan and gearbox and install modern equipment sized to your needs.

Good luck on keep your fish oxygenated and happy!

Thanks for the suggestions FishinRod.
I know some here had or have windmills, but don't recommend them, if it's a wind issue i'm ok with that, but if there is a constant maintenance issue, not ok. I repair stuff all the time I don't want to add to it.
Right now I run the solar pump in the morning, moving water thru plants because I'm pushing the limit on biomass and probably feeding too much, this helps to clean the water I think. The windmill would be supplemental only.

If the windmill is supplemental, then I think the windmill is WAY too much cost and effort for the benefit!

There are some really good solar guys on the forum. You might start a new thread about solar and give some more information about your pond, then you might get some valuable advice on upgrading your system a little more to meet your needs.

There are multiple stories on the forum about people that were pushing their biomass limit and then had a short-term oxygen deprivation event with catastrophic results. You definitely want to avoid that outcome!

Thanks FishinRod I really appreciate the reply.
I don't want to push the limit, but the BG reproduce more than I ever could imagine.You would think that 20 " HSB in a 1/4 acre pond could have some control on them. I have fished the local lakes for 40+ years for HSB I know what aggressive feeders they are! Even tho they have small mouths they should be eating the hundreds of 2-3" and below CNBG. I hate to start over because some CNBG are reaching 1 1/2 #, but if I do start over I will have to come up with a different combo!

When my dad was alive and getting around well we used to go fishing for HSB. His routine was to go out and catch BG at the municipal lake and then go to the reservoir. We'd have 8 poles hanging off the boat LOL! When one would strike the tip of the rod would be in the water. Multiples were commonly hooked as a school moved through. But the meat of this story is that the bait was often larger than 6" in length while the HSB were only 16" to 18" most of the time. I remember thinking there was no way to get that 6" BG into the HSBs mouth ... and so I wondered why they struck the bait at all. We hooked BG just behind the head and the head is evidently where the HSB attacked. A struggling fish is attractive to a predator I guess. I've also had LMB chase and attack bluegill I was playing that were obviously too large to swallow. Your experience with the HSB/BG combination is similar to others BTW.

I am reminded of post ewest wrote concerning pellet size preference. Researchers found than fish are given multiple sizes of pellets that the fish tended to go after specific sizes more frequently. So after half of the samples were eaten ... the proportion of pellets consumed would be most frequently a particular size. If I recall correctly, the peak of frequency occurred at a specific relationship to gape size. This proportional relationship held for LMB of different sizes. When it comes to live prey, probably a similar relationship exists. I think few predators would control BG as well as LMB (eg FH catfish) but gape size is large for any predator that can.

The other day I wanted to catch a couple of HSB for lunch, so I trapped 5 small BG about 2". The large BG hit them so fast the HSB didn't have a chance. I ended up catching a very large BG. No way could that small BG fit into his mouth!

HSB are insanely aggressive when they're schooled up chasing shad balls.
They will hit pretty much anything that moves.

We throw a lot of big hard baits for HSB on the Osage River here in Misery. Muskie-size baits - WoodChoppers, Weagles, Hawg Wobblers, etc.
It's not unusual to pull in a juvenile hybrid that isn't much longer than the lure.

I don't think a 16" HSB could swallow a 6" BG, but that won't stop him trying.

We hinged our windmill to lay it down. I will look and see if I have any pictures.