Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions 5.25 acre pond questions

I have a 5.25 acre pond that I just drained and had it mucked out and taken back down to clay (where there was clay). We only use the pond for swimming. We could not find any natural springs when we had the pond drained but I did just have a 5 hp deep well put down to help keep the level up. Before we drained it, in the summer the water seemed stagnant and would leave a brown film on your skin when you got in. Would an Airmax help with the film that gets on you? I'm kind of leaning toward the Airmax system but I'm not sure if that's what I need. Like I said we are only interested in swimming and would like the water to be a nice color. In the past it was mostly a dark color that was hard to see through unless the sun was shining straight down. It has a channel dug the length of it down the middle and is probaly 20' in its deepest point. Thanks for any help![img]https://ibb.co/4VSgtVB[/img]

Bcog,

Welcome to Pond Boss!

A 5-acre pond is a world-class swimming hole. Are you putting in your swimming enhancements while your water is just in the central channel?

Lots of old threads on Pond Boss for fun things. I think there are floating swimming docks, zip lines, beach advice, etc.

As regards your water quality, which state is your "Alma"? (There are lots.)

A few fish can actually enhance the water quality. A species that eats mosquito larva is almost always a good idea - and will definitely improve the family time when you are out of the water.

Some other fish can keep down weeds or algae, without impacting swimmers. I believe bluegills are the worst for nipping at swimmers, but there are a few others.

Your brown film could be either organic, or inorganic. The proper solution will therefore depend on the correct diagnosis. You might need a few inexpensive chemical tests after the pond re-fills and stabilizes. Was the old pond surface run-off only, or did you add well water when swimmers were experiencing the brown film?

Aeration should help with the stagnant "feel" of the pond and help your overall pond health. It should also reduce the rate of "muck" build up in your pond, and therefore extend the life of your pond.

Do you have AC power to the pond? That will help the people that give you proper aeration advice.

Good luck on your newly renovated pond project!

If it's Alma, MI, then stock some Pumpkinseed Sunfish in there and some Fathead minnows. If you are below the Indiana/Michigan line, stock Redear Sunfish and Fatheads.

Yes on the aeration system, but it needs to be properly sized to fit your pond size and water depth.

The channel may or may not stay there depending on the dirt in the bottom of the pond will hold it's shape. I've had a customer dig a channel through his pond and 2 years later the channel wasn't there any more, it all fell in and blended together with the pond bottom contour.

We are in Alma, GA. Deep down southeast, 100 degree weather with 100% humidty most of the time. We just tore an old dock down and are having a new built as we speak. The new dock has a 25' walkway out to the main dock, which is 14' wide and 32' long. 20' of the dock will be covered with a hip roof and I will have a jet ski slip under the covered portion. I did just put a 200 amp service in by my deep well which is about 40' away from the pond. I dug the dam out in 2017 and put a 12" pipe through the dam and a 12" T turned up on the pond sided to control the water level and I have a shear gate on the pond side to drain the pond when I need to. Back in 2017 when I drained the pond the channel held water the whole time. I'm really not sure how deep it is out there but is 20-30' wide in some areas. Back when we were getting the brown film while swimming I did not have a deep well there only runoff filling up the pond. I plan on leaving my well running till it's full this after the dock is complete. I called Airmax and they recommend the PS60 with 6 diffusers. We do plan on a zip line, slide, and a beach area. Also I put carp in it a couple of years ago and they really helped with the grass and stuff that was growing on the bottom. The carp are all in the middle channel now and hopefully they will make it until we fill the pond back up.

Bcog,

Clearing down to firm clay should help remove nutrients. How much of your basin is native (undisturbed) land and how much is taken down to the firm clay?

Do you have a lot of watershed? Is it forested where it leaches brown water? I ask because it sounds a lot like tannin especially given you mentioned the brown film was there before the well. Just enough lime to neutralize tannin "might" help clear the brown ... assuming the cause is tannin. A possible first test would be PH. If your water is acidic and brown ... tannin may be the cause. You could also try liming test samples to see how much you would need or if it would even work. If a lot of leaves are falling in ... consider clearing trees back to reduce this contribution. Have any old photos of the water? And the pond and its surrounding watershed.

Anyways, sounds like a really great pond that will be soon be better.

Sounds like an awesome plan, Bcog!

If you post your actual Airmax system, you might get some people to double-check the design and confirm that it meets your needs.

If you fill with well water, your water chemistry will be different this time than the past versions of your pond.

Still recommend some simple water sample tests after this version of the pond is somewhat stabilized and you determine if the swimmers/skiers are having any issues with the water quality.

Here is a screenshot of what they recommend.

I got a quote and it's over $10,000. Hurt my feelings! I don't know if I want to spend that much on an Airmax system, unless it's truly worth it.

Good idea on taking a water sample after it is full.

It's mostly surrounded by pine trees, peacan orchards, and about a 50 acres of blueberries nearby that all work their way towards the pond. Also the county dirt/clay road ditches drain toward my pond.

$10K is not bad considering you get the pump, diffusers, and enough 5/8" weighted line to do the job.

Air Max Kit and some accessories~$6K
1575 foot of line ~$2- 3K
Installation - ???

You should talk to Scott (AKA esshup, here at the PP) and see what he can do for you. Here's his website...

https://hoosierpondpros.com/Contact_Us_5EHB.html

Does the $10K include any installation? You can piece a DIY kit together pretty easily and save a chunk of money, but that would rely on coming up with a cheap or free cabinet. The pumps size you need and the required weighted hose Is-What-It-Is. You can't get around that, but if you can construct a ventilated shed (or dog house) for it and scrounge up some plumbing parts...quality pump/s and line should not cost more than $5K (I think that is on the high side). Then I'd throw my savings at a few more diffusers, more line, and a bigger pump (Note: I like to over do things and you cannot have enough aeration for water surface conditioning compared to just DO imp[rovements). I would personally prefer diaphragm diffusers over the tube style. What you are paying for with the Airmax system is convenience, the cool rock-like cabinet, and the assembly labor. If your lucky, the installation was included, but that's not a big deal to do yourself if you have a boat and some basic handyman skills.

The aeration system will be easier to install while the pond is drained.

However, if your family are "water people", then you can certainly do it after the pond is full.

I am NOT an aeration guy. Hopefully, some of the good ones will chime in.

You might just wait and evaluate your exact needs after your family is using the pond this year and you get your water samples.

Or you could put in a small system (inexpensive) now and expand later as needed. Having AC power makes it much easier for you to do it in stages if your first attempt is not sufficient.

Good luck!

The $10,000 did not include any installation. I'll look at the website you linked. Thanks!

Bcog, check your email. Putting the compressor by your 220v electric panel is not a problem, then the air line would run underground to a remote valve box by the edge of the pond (ground level so it can be mowed over).

Unfortunately the price of the self sink tubing took a pretty big price jump earlier this year, as did most things. The biggest cost to the system probably will be the self-sink tubing, with the compressor, cabinet and related stuff running a close second. ANY compressor that is in a cabinet will need fans in the cabinet to suck air into and exhaust out to ensure that the compressors don't overheat. With the Vertex cabinets, there is an optional sound deadening kit that is available and factory installed to make the relatively quiet system even quieter.