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
Topics40,900
Posts557,088
Members18,452
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,414
ewest 21,475
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
14 members (LANGSTER, Sunil, dg84s, ewest, Fishingadventure, Shorthose, Freg, IND1371, Augie, Groundhog7, Brandon Larson, Dave Davidson1, PRCS, Theo Gallus), 746 guests, and 312 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#546157 04/07/22 10:30 AM
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
My pond is roughly 3 acres, maybe a little bit smaller but not larger. I am setting up a Hiblow 120LL with two 12in. Matala diffusers in a few days. I'd like to purchase and stock fingerlings by the end of April. I'd say my pond is mostly shallow, under 6' deep except the deepest hole near the dam that might be about 15' deep but I haven't measured it after we've drained and dug out silt/muck. I may have two to three more vertical feet to go until full pool.

I plan to stock about 6000 FHM, 900 BG between 1- 4", 200 RES 3-4", 150 LMB 2-3", 100 CC 6-8".

What I am wondering is if I plan to get the fish at least one week past the time I start aerating, are there any cautions I need to be aware of and take before putting the fish in or as I put them in? I was planning on running the aerator 24/7 right after I install it but wasn't sure if I should be doing that a different way or if the pond will be okay and safe for fish at least a week out from starting the aerator.

I am new to all of this.

Thanks!

Last edited by SherWood; 04/07/22 10:32 AM.
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213
Likes: 514
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,213
Likes: 514
I don't think aeration will be an issue, but better to roll the water and mix well BEFORE stocking fish.
I might suggest you wait on the LMB as 150 2-3" LMB will eat 1000's of FHM in a very short period. FHM need time to establish before predation kicks off.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
Snipe is providing great advice. Heed it. Yes put your bass and even CC in the fall or late summer, Give your forage fish a chance to reproduce thousands to feed the bass lots of food for fast growth.
Since your pond is mostly shallower than 6 ft I would install the diffusers in the deep section. If the pond gets some wind action the water should be mixed naturally down to areas 6 ft deep. You can verify natural mixing depth by measuring the water temperature top and bottom. If there is only 2-3 F difference at 6 ft deep, the water is getting mixed by wind.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 04/07/22 06:47 PM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Online Confused
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
If you were as far North as me, you might want to put one diffuser in shallow water for Winter ice breaking (without disturbing the warmest water in the 15' hole).

In Mizzoo, I don't know how much ice breaking you would need.

Last edited by Theo Gallus; 04/08/22 10:09 AM. Reason: paranthesis!

"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 273
A
Online Content
A
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 273
Misery is funny. Some winters we see little to no ice. Other winters, like the one that's still trying to hang on, we will see 8-10 weeks of ice.
I was very happy to have a shallow diffuser running all winter in the cow pond this time. My fish came through winter in great shape.

1 member likes this: CrazyCarl
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
I'll remember that and plan to run it through the winter. Seeing that I will have a Hiblow, from what I have read I don't think I won't be able to use it in my deepest area. Maybe I'll try one diffuser in 8' to 10' of water adjacent to the deepest hole. My other one I'll probably run as far away as 100' feet of hose will allow and put it in a little bit shallower water.

I'm so excited to have our pond back. It's a major feature of our property and had gotten to the point that it was becoming a detraction instead of an asset.

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 233
Likes: 15
J
Offline
J
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 233
Likes: 15
Congrats on taking your pond to the next level! You've gotten great advice above, and it sounds like you've done your homework too. Your thoughts on running at 8-10ft of a 15ft hole are good, there's been much discussion here on maintaining some sort of a thermocline as a refuge.
I run the same pump as you and will comment on that, it will easily perform at that depth. Since you haven't installed it yet, it's noteworthy to mention that it will easily run 3 of the Matalas also. The variables to keep in mind are, the length of your runs, and hose diameter. Bigger is better here, I recommend using 3/4" lines. Also, to have even flow at the various depths/distances, a valve station, where the lines branch somewhere near the waters edge is a good idea.

1 member likes this: SherWood
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
With the newly renovated 3 ac mostly <6ft deep pond in MO and after a few years maybe one year depending on productivity and water clarity do not expect the water below the thermocline or below diffuser depth after early summer to contain dissolved oxygen. Dead sinking organic 'rainout' particulates (stuff) will consume all the oxygen below any thermocline depth. If I had a pond in MO I would not aerate it during winter unless the pond was in a wooded area and it received lots of leaves or had lots of submerged vegetation during fall. Leaves and dead plants consume lots of oxygen as they decay.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 04/08/22 12:57 PM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
Originally Posted by Bill Cody
With the newly renovated 3 ac mostly <6ft deep pond in MO and after a few years maybe one year depending on productivity and water clarity do not expect the water below the thermocline or below diffuser depth after early summer to contain dissolved oxygen. Dead sinking organic 'rainout' particulates (stuff) will consume all the oxygen below any thermocline depth. If I had a pond in MO I would not aerate it during winter unless the pond was in a wooded area and it received lots of leaves or had lots of submerged vegetation during fall. Leaves and dead plants consume lots of oxygen as they decay.

ok,

We removed all trees, willows, brush etc. from everywhere close to the pond now. The main runoff comes mostly from large fescue fields. A small secondary runoff comes from another field but is adjacent to part of my forest. I imagine some debris does come through there when it does flood in during a hard rain. I am considering placing a small pond, maybe to use for forage fish, that could also catch and hold some sediments and debris that would otherwise flow into the pond.

The pond used to have quite a build up, giving off lots of gases if you walked through the muck in the shallows where the large majority of brush, willows and small trees were growing. I had one huge fish kill a few summers before when we had extended weeks of over 100 degree temps and I lost about three feet of depth from a drought. The pond never regained it's footing and after the fish kill, the coontail and watermeal took the water over.

Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
Originally Posted by Journeyman
Congrats on taking your pond to the next level! You've gotten great advice above, and it sounds like you've done your homework too. Your thoughts on running at 8-10ft of a 15ft hole are good, there's been much discussion here on maintaining some sort of a thermocline as a refuge.
I run the same pump as you and will comment on that, it will easily perform at that depth. Since you haven't installed it yet, it's noteworthy to mention that it will easily run 3 of the Matalas also. The variables to keep in mind are, the length of your runs, and hose diameter. Bigger is better here, I recommend using 3/4" lines. Also, to have even flow at the various depths/distances, a valve station, where the lines branch somewhere near the waters edge is a good idea.

What I have ordered is a Hiblow 120LL, 200 ft. of 1/2" weighted hose and two 12" Matala diffusers that I will have to build mounts for. I was planning on running 100 ft. of hose out and then Tee'ing it off to two separate 50' hoses out to the diffusers, one will go towards the deep and the other towards a shallower bank. I wasn't sure if I could use more than two diffusers with this set up. I'd love to be able to add a third one if I wouldn't lose functionality of the system with it.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
B
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,110
Likes: 478
Splitting air to the diffusers will need to be done at the pump at the or shoreline with a valve box. Splitting the airline under water will result in most or all the air going to the shallowest diffuser due to air following the path of least resistance or to the one with least head pressure. The more the diffusers are at a different depths the more the air will flow toward the shallowest diffuser. See snrub's good advice next post.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 04/09/22 08:26 PM.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Some old threads on aeration that might have some useful information.

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=354737

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=454091

This is the thread on my pond with some of my experience with aeration. Kind of long and probably boring. But I started out with multiple diaphragm type pumps and eventually went to a vane type pump.

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=355351&page=2

You will need a separate line to each diffuser with a valve block so you can balance the flow to each diffuser. Like Bill Cody says. Different depths require different pressures to even the flows out between diffusers.

Last edited by snrub; 04/08/22 08:53 PM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
Originally Posted by Bill Cody
Splitting air to the diffusers will need to be done at the pump at the or shoreline with a valve box. Splitting the airline under water will result in most or all the air going to the shallowest diffuser due to air following the path of least resistance or to the one with least head pressure. The more the diffusers are at a different depths the more the air will flow toward the shallowest diffuser. See snrub's good advice next post.

ok, thanks for the input.

What is the valve box that I would need to get? My hose is 1/2" and I have a 3/4" outlet from the pump and a 3/4" to 1/2" adapter to connect that to my hose?

Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
You will need a separate line to each diffuser with a valve block so you can balance the flow to each diffuser. Like Bill Cody says. Different depths require different pressures to even the flows out between diffusers.[/quote]

I'm not sure what the valve block is. Is it something I can get at a Lowes or Menards by chance?

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Online Confused
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
It can be as simple as ball valves, nipples, and tees threaded together, with one valve for each diffuser in the system (if you qualify as a shade tree plumber).


"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
Alrighty, I went through the threads that snrub linked and saw a picture of the one he has. Hopefully just one more trip to the store and I'll have everything I need but it never seems to work that way when I am working on a project type for the first time.

Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
Alrighty, got the installation finished today and it's pumping lotsa bubbles!

I'm excited to finally get this done. I have the Hiblow 120LL, two 12" Matala diffuser disks and 120' of 1/2" hose to one diffuser in 7' of water and another 80' of hose to one in 8' of water. My pond has about two more vertical feet until it's at full pool. I tied some line to floats so I could pull the diffusers up with ease should I need to adjust things.

I made a pump housing out of lumber that's near the edge of the pond and I have it vented. I ran 100' of 16/3 chord to it from my house. I'll bury it once I settle on exactly where I want everything. As was recommended here, I split a line coming off the pump and have two valves at the beginning of each separate hose so I can adjust air flow to the diffusers. For the diffusers, I made two cylindrical cages out of wire fencing that hold the diffuser about a foot off the bottom. I weighed each down with two red bricks and I braced the hose inside in such a way that if I ever need to pull the cages in using the hose that the fitting on the diffuser doesn't take the force. They are plastic and I don't trust them to be brutalized. I should have taken pictures of the steps I took with everything but my cheap phone camera isn't working for some reason.

I spent a good half a day in constant cold rain and drizzle so I could get this done today. Dragging that weighted line off the bank into the water was a pain in the butt, two steps forward, one step back kind of thing. I was nervous that something wouldn't work right but am tickled silly that it seems to be doing great and putting out more than I expected.

Next weekend we are hoping to get the fish and then a swimming and BBQ party as soon as the weather allows for it, hopefully by the end of May. My wife and I are so happy to be getting our pond back in shape. We've come a long way over the past two years with it.

2 members like this: 4CornersPuddle, FishinRod
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 584
F
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
F
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 584
Originally Posted by SherWood
I spent a good half a day in constant cold rain and drizzle so I could get this done today. Dragging that weighted line off the bank into the water was a pain in the butt, two steps forward, one step back kind of thing. I was nervous that something wouldn't work right but am tickled silly that it seems to be doing great and putting out more than I expected.

So, you were cold and miserable, but now the fish are MUCH happier.

Sounds about right for a Pond Bosser!

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 233
Likes: 15
J
Offline
J
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 233
Likes: 15
Originally Posted by SherWood
Alrighty, got the installation finished today and it's pumping lotsa bubbles!

I'm excited to finally get this done. I have the Hiblow 120LL, two 12" Matala diffuser disks and 120' of 1/2" hose to one diffuser in 7' of water and another 80' of hose to one in 8' of water. My pond has about two more vertical feet until it's at full pool. I tied some line to floats so I could pull the diffusers up with ease should I need to adjust things.

I made a pump housing out of lumber that's near the edge of the pond and I have it vented. I ran 100' of 16/3 chord to it from my house. I'll bury it once I settle on exactly where I want everything. As was recommended here, I split a line coming off the pump and have two valves at the beginning of each separate hose so I can adjust air flow to the diffusers. For the diffusers, I made two cylindrical cages out of wire fencing that hold the diffuser about a foot off the bottom. I


Congrats on the work!
One thing that jumps out is your electrical. It's small, 100' of 16/3 is likely to have a voltage drop. Your pump will work harder, and it's life will be shorter in this case. You could verify voltage at the house, and the pump, to confirm my suspicion.
Since you did the digging work, but did not yet bury it, you might reconsider upsizing the wire size.

Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 273
A
Online Content
A
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 273
I noticed that too. Hiblow 120LL is a 100 watt pump, so not much current draw, but over 100' run I'd want at least 12 wire,
and if I thought that there was even the slightest chance I might increase the load in the future, I'd go to 10 wire.

Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
Offline
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
For what it's worth, the HiBlow manual states the following regarding extension cords...

[Linked Image]

Not being too electrically in-tune, this would lead me to believe that 16 AWG would work fine for just the pump at or under 100 feet. I am one for adding some safety factor in or room for growth, however.

Am I missing something? OR, is it just good advice to go the next gage wire above minimum?

Last edited by Quarter Acre; 04/19/22 03:42 PM.

Fish on!,
Noel
1 member likes this: SherWood
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
Moderator
Lunker
Online Confused
Moderator
Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939
Likes: 268
A 16 Gauge extension cord will nominally handle 15 Amps; with some line loss over 100 feet this might equate to 2 hp.

I'd splurge and go 12 gauge, especially if I was going to bury it (if I read you right) so it wouldn't be easily accessible for inspection/replacement.


"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]
1 member likes this: SherWood
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
S
OP Offline
S
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 125
Likes: 35
Thanks for the tips. Yeah, I haven't buried it yet. Nothing I've placed has meant to be permanent just yet. I wanted to get things up and running and then see where I am at.

I will likely move one of the diffusers a bit. I tied jugs to the cages I have them in to make pulling them up easier and such that I won't have to pull them in using the hose.

Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 233
Likes: 15
J
Offline
J
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 233
Likes: 15
Originally Posted by Quarter Acre
For what it's worth, the HiBlow manual states the following regarding extension cords...

[Linked Image]

Not being too electrically in-tune, this would lead me to believe that 16 AWG would work fine for just the pump at or under 100 feet. I am one for adding some safety factor in or room for growth, however.

Am I missing something? OR, is it just good advice to go the next gage wire above minimum?


Anyone that ever run a long extension cord for a small power tool, knows it gets real hot, real fast, and you can smell the tool, burning, unless you upsize the wire gauge.

In the world of electrical, a voltage drop, means an amperage increase, to do the same work. That's hard on the little motor, to say the least. No electrician anywhere would recommend running a permanent line in 16 gauge, unless maybe it was it was for low voltage lighting.

I'd run a 12/2 with ground minimum, 10 gauge even better, for that run. The biggest part of the job is the trench, no reason to do that twice.

2 members like this: FishinRod, SherWood

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by LANGSTER - 03/28/24 03:49 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by ewest - 03/28/24 03:37 PM
Working on a .5acre disaster, I mean pond.
by Sunil - 03/28/24 03:32 PM
1 year after stocking question
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/28/24 02:44 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 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
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