Pond Boss Forums AERATION Should I aerate? Windmill Aeration & Geothermal Pond Loops

This may have been covered above, but I fail to see how aeration could cause the loops to float up. Mix the water and lower the temperature, making it harder for the geothermal to work, sure.

You don't really need aeration in the Winter except to avoid Winterkill WHEN you have snow covered or very cloudy ice for an extended period. This would certainly be in excess of one week. Why don't you put a manual release valve at the windmill and open it up in the Winter, except for maybe 24 hours or so (or until a hole melts) when you have had light-blocking ice on the pond for over a week. Maybe shut the valve to aerate on Saturday and Sunday under those conditions, and close it during the week. If you can also move the airstone/diffuser to shallow water in the Winter, that won't hurt the Winter aeration OR the geothermal either.

P.S. I see Ted covered all this already with more depth and expertise.