Aeration
Systems for Ponds & Lakes
Aeration
for ponds and lakes, understanding the importance and limitations
of pond aerators
Everyone we
talk to, when it comes ponds, asks about aeration for their pond
and most of them speak of it as if it were some complicated process
or expensive undertaking. It's not complicated and it doesn't have
to be expensive.
Of course there
are turn-key packages on the market that have all the bells and
whistles and added parephenalia that makes it nice to look at and
like many beautiful objects they can be pricey.
You should put your money in more important things when basically
the aeration system should be a reliable and clean source of circulation
and oxygenation...nothing more...most of the time we try to hide
the darned thing anyway so why spend a fortune!
You want to build your own aeration system?
Because you are a real do-it-yourself kind of person, I'll tell
you the three basic requirements you must have to build a cheap
airator...ok...you need a few more parts than this but bear with
me I'm making a point on how simple it can be for my uncle Howard.
You really only need to buy three things to make
my own aerator:
1. An air pump or compressor
2. Some hose
3. An air diffuser or diffusers
See
our recommended products for diy aeration systems
Now call me slow but that has got to be the simplest recipe, short
of scrambled eggs, that I've ever seen. I mean how in the world
can such a basic formula cause so much consternation and lead to
so many different opinions and advice to be given?
If you know all there is to know about air pumps and air compressors
and blowers then you probably know what you need for your pond as
far as pounds per square inch and cubic feet per minute of airflow
and whether adual piston or rotary vane or linear air pump will
be needed to make your pond happy! If you understand the different
airlines, airhoses and other feeder tubing from self-sinking to
rehular black poly pipe then you probably know the sizeand shape
you need to use to fit your air pump!
Simply
put, adding aeration to a pond, water-garden or even a natural
lake is one of the best methods to control algae and maintain
clear waters and discourage the build-up of bottom sediments..
It is extremely important never to overlook aeration when building
a new pond or when trying to restore one that is undergoing
eutrophication especially in small basins athat have a large
organic load and that are typically mucky at the bottom. The
organic material can be grass clippings, so it is best to leave
a perimiter of natural thick vegetation and even aquatic plants
to help reduce erosion and prevent runoff laced with fertilizers
from getting into the water.
Our experience has shown that in most cases that adding air
diffusion into the bottom levels of the pond is often the the
best form of aeration. This manner of aerating is basically
the injection of air bubbles into the water to supply oxygen
as well to create water movement because as the small air bubbles
rise to the surface they create a movement that pulls oxygen
deprived waters from the depths up towards the surface where
they can interact with the atmosphere and achieve a high level
of efficient oxygen transfer.
Solar
Aeration Systems | Build
Your Own Aeration System | Complete
Aeration Systems | Amazon
Special Deals On Aeration |
And...you know
where I'm going...if you know the most efficient bubbler, airstone
disc diffuser then you probably have an idea on what diffuser would
work with your air pump! So if you are somelike that then you probably
have it all figured out and maybe then you just need some various
parts. If you already have a handle on what you need to build your
own aerator then you can find what you need in our parts department.
For everyone else we have built some all inclusive systems that
offer everything you need to aerate your water garden, pond or lake
without needing to be a bathometric limnologist with a degree in
biological rocket scientology!
There are many pond supply stores that sell parts or pre-built all-inclusive
systems and you've probably heard of many of these or looked for
reviews on forums and bulletin boards for recommendations. Vertex®
Aeration Systems, AquaMaster® AquaAir, airBOOST® Deep Water
Aeration Systems, AirTech Systems, Dr. Foster & Smith Koi Kits,
Air-2-Go to mention just a few of the diffuder type packages that
exist. All of them will work and some will work better than others.
What makes one system more-efficient and more long lasting? Well...how
the air pump is housed, the parts that are used, the ventilation
design, the interioir mechanics of the electrical and magnetic and
piston systems or rocking dual-piston etc..
Aerating a small
pond correctly requires that the volume and depth are understood...especially
the depth. These aeration systems are only good for ponds where the
depth of the diffuser is not greater than 8 feet or 10 feet for the
larger system.
These aerators use powerful, silent, linear compressors that have
a two-year warranty which is twice the industry standard.
You will be pumping only air into your pond so there is no electricity
cords in the water and because you are using air to blow bubbles into
the pond you can use as little as 50 watts to aerate a pond more effectively
than with a 1/2 HP 1800 watt fountain!
These systems use Underwriters Laboratory Listed (UL), all-weather
linear compressors that send air through the included weighted airline
to the diffuser assembly or assemblies which are all included. All
couplings, connectors, valves and instructions are include d so you
won't have to make a trip to the plumbing supply store to by a missing
fitting!
Robust-Aire
Complete Aeration Systems
You only need to place the 4-stone diffuser into your pond, the weighted
airhose sinks and is a dark blue so practically invisible in ponds,
connect the airline to the compressor outlet and plug it into to a
standard 110/115V plug. While the compressors are designed for 4 seasons
you will prolong the life of the compressor by housing it in a small
box or decorative cover near the pond.
If you are a do-it-yourself aeration system type of person then you
likely only want to buy diffusers, tubing or pumps. If you are like
most of us who want a complete turn-key aeration system that is cheap
and easy to install without having to go to the hardware store for
plumbing bits or have Uncle Jimmy build a wooden compressor shack
then we recommend these fully complete systems. The pond size these
simple systems can aerate depends mainly on the depth and shape of
your pond, if you are unsure if these systems will be adequate for
your pond then send us an email before you buy.
These pond aeration
systems are complete and ready-to-go packages including everything
you need: lockable heavy-duty aluminum cabinet, efficient rocking
piston air compressor, base mounted quad-diffuser airstone synergistic
diffuser assembly, 6 foot power cord, GFCI receptacle, 3/8" weighted
tubing which is self sinking so the installation of your diffusers
from the boat is easier because everything sinks out-of-sight and
in to place! To keep from bringing the electricity to the lake, the
compressor can be located up to 1,000' away with the addition of our
high PSI 5/8" poly black plastic tubing airline which connects
to the compressor outlet.
The included noise-reducing, fan-ventilated, weatherproof, heavy-duty
steel cabinet can be installed easily on a post, pier or boat house.
Instructions are included, and the entire unit can be shipped Ground.
115V/60 Hz.
My experience
has shown that in most cases that adding air diffusion into the bottom
levels of the pond is often the the best form of aeration. This manner
of aerating is basically the injection of air bubbles into the water
to supply oxygen as well to create water movement because as the small
air bubbles rise to the surface they create a movement that pulls
oxygen deprived waters from the depths up towards the surface where
they can interact with the atmosphere and achieve a high level of
efficient oxygen transfer.
The water of the pond is continuously being turned over and circulated
towards the the surface by air diffuser plates, airstones, disc diffusers,
or coarse bubble homemade diffusers that some people build themselves.
There are many ways to get the air into the pond but the general rule
is that the smaller the bubble the better the efficiency of the system
will be. Aeration can be done with electric air compressors or linear
pumps or by windmills or even solar aeration systems! There are many
ways to achieve the goal and the location of your pond will determine
whether you want to use a windmill for aeration, an electrical system,
or a solar pump.
Whatever
way you do it, take the time to install the best system you can afford
as seeing a pond with clear water and happy fish and frogs is truly
a joy and any fish lover knows that maintaining fish, either trout,
ass or koi, is a passion and now to be taken lightly!
Aeration,
depending on your longitude and latitude in the world can be effective
all year round or only during certain seasons but it is undoubtedly
the key ingredient in maintaining a healthy aquatic system. The benefits
of using an aeration system, especially when combined with applications
of natural pond bacteria that feeds on organic materials like leaves
and fish waste, will return your pond to vibrant health in no time
at all!.
Building
an aeration system can be a snap especially if you have a pond store
in your town where experts can help choose the best system components
for you, although looking on the Internet for pond supplies is another
fast way to get the information you need. But be careful, there are
many people trying to get pond owners to part with their hard earned
money with new fangled technologies like ultrasonic algae killers
or complicated bubbler systems, when the fact is it is not rocket
science!
Solar
Aeration Systems
Build
Your Own Aeration System
Complete
Aeration Systems
Amazon
Special Deals On Aeration
The heart
of any lake-bed, or bottom-mounted aeration system is often the air
compressor itself. There are a variety of compressors that are quiet,
small, energy efficient compressors that will pump a steady and constant
flow of oxygen to your bottom-mounted diffuser system.
The depth of the pond where the diffusers are located will determine
the type of compressor you require. Shallow ponds less than 9 feet
deep can often be aerated with a small linear or diaphragm type of
pump that are usually fairly silent and real energy misers.
If you have a deeper pond, from 8 to 15 feet deep you may need to
use a rotary vane compressor, although the carbon vanes are known
to require changing every 18 to 34 months. Piston compressors can
delivery up to 35 PSI or more and are excellent for deep water aeration.
While piston compressors often do not have the high levels of CFM
(cubic feet per minute) of airflow as a rotary vane or linear pump,
they make up for it in reliable strong airflow.
Windmills
can also be used and in North America there are a few choices of windmill
aeration systems both in Canada and here in the United States and
I have even seen some real go-getters build a windmill aerator out
of old cars and tractor parts, but I wouldn't recommend it. The standard
windmill like a Superior Windmill or Koenders Windmill or Beckermills
Windmill or American Eagle Windmill or Outdoor Water Solutions Windmill
works by having a diaphragm compressor, bellows system in the American
Eagle Windmill, in the head of the windmill
As wind
turns the fans of the windmill compressed air is forced down the airline
into the airstone in the pond. No electricity is required and the
simple technology has worked extremely well for decades as farmers
across the plains have attested to. Aerating dugouts with a windmill
is a popular practice in areas where there is often no electrical
source, plus there is only the initial cost and construction of the
system to contend with and no ongoing maintenance fees.
Solar systems
can be built as well but the DC compressors used in solar aerators
deliver fairly low levels of pressure and CFM. Solar direct systems
are less expensive and can be built by many people who want a homemade
aeration system. Battery back-up systems are more expensive but allow
you to use large compressor like a small rotary vane compressor which
will increase your airflow and allow you to aerate a larger area.
Whichever
compressor you choose you will then need to run an airline to your
diffuser system (airstone, membrane disc, diffuser tubing) and there
are ways to save money here. Using weighted tubing or self-sinking
airhose is the fastest way because it will sink quickly on it's own
but it can run over $1.50 per foot or more. A cheaper way is to use
standard airline, often 1/2" or even 3/8" which does float
but by zip tying some rebar or threading the tubing through bricks
you can run any length from the compressor to the diffuser for under
$100.
In order
to determine the size of the compressor and the number of diffusers
you will need there are at least two critical factors to consider
and this is why it is often good to consult a pond expert before starting.
First you must know the true depth of your pond as this will determine
the PSI required from your compressor and when you look at the shape
of the pond this determines the number of diffusers you need which
will determine the best CFM you need from your compressor since most
diffusers require at least .5 CFM for operation.
This data helps
you decide if you can get away with using a linear air pump or need
to go with one of the bad boys like a 1/2 HP piston compressor or
1 3/4HP rotary vane. Making the wrong choice at this stage can mean
burning out a compressor and losing a lot of time and money in the
process!
If you
are using a windmill or a high pressure dual-piston compressor then
the compressor can actually be replaced quite far from the pond, sometimes
up to 900 feet or 1 km away although as you can imagine this requires
laying out some 3/4" airline which can be a messy job if you
need to bury your tubing. Better to try and get the system as close
to the pond as possible although I want you to understand that you
can go a long distance with the right tools and products.
A round pond like a big bowl with a single deepest area and an equally
proportional interior grade may require only one diffuser placed at
the deepest point. This will provide a nice even circulation but the
diffuser doesn't necessarily have to be in the center so look at the
entire pond as a whole because raising fish can add additional points
of concern when using aeration such as overheating the pond with aeration.
There are thermostat controls to automatically tun on aerators when
temperatures drop below a certain level, this helps prevent fish kills
as trout are very susceptible to warm temperatures.
An irregular shaped, often kidney shaped or bean shaped, pond with
more variations in depth and shoreline slope may involve the installation
of one or more diffusers but again, this is not always the case. Balance
the need for aeration by looking at the existing condition of the
pond, do you have algae, are fish dying? Sometimes even in a large
pond we only add a single aeration station...it all depends and there
are no hard a fast rules to go by...although pond stores will try
and often sell their biggest aeration package they can!
Air
Compressors & Air Pumps

When comparing aeration systems it is a good idea to look for forums
and reviews that discuss the pros and cons of various systems. Since
the principals of aeration are scientific and many companies offer
products that do basically the same thing to various degrees of
efficiency then it is up to us as consumers to use our due-diligence
before buying a pond aerator. To compare prices with our recommended
systems we have grouped some of the more popular bottom-diffuser
aerator brands together for comparision with our best aerator systems.
Vertex
Air 1
Vertex Air 2
The Vertex Air 1™ pond aerator is a super-efficient, (circulation
rates test results) affordable and safe system. In a typical
pond with 8 foot depths, an Air 1™ can aerate approximately
1-2 acres depending on shape, slope, oxygen demand and other
factors. A 1/3 hp Brookwood™ SafeStart™ compressor, housed in
our rustproof aluminum outdoor cabinet, feeds a bottom mounted
CoActive AirStation™ utilizing Vertex’s MicronBubble™ technology.
With bubbles from 500 to 3,000 microns in diameter, pumping
rates and oxygen transfer rates increase dramatically. The rising
force of millions of bubbles circulates the entire water column,
entraining bottom water up to the surface allowing vital oxygen
to be absorbed and poisonous gasses expelled. With no electricity
in the water, Vertex’s aeration systems are safe for any type
of water recreation. Our systems have a full two-year warranty
plus a five-year warranty against rust and corrosion on the
cabinet, five-year warranty on the AirStations™ and a 15-year
warranty on BottomLine™ supply tubing (sold separately).
Aqua
Air 1
Aqua Air 2
Aqua Air Aerators AquaAir provides lakes, ponds, and marinas
with superior aeration, circulation, and de-stratification.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels are increased throughout the entire
water column with the use of bottom mounted diffusers. The diffusers
employ a super fine micro-bubble technology resulting in some
of the highest diffuser oxygen transfer rates (OTR) available
today. The micro-bubbles entrain bottom water and synergistically
lift it to the surface where atmospheric oxygen is absorbed
and then transferred throughout the water column. The diffusers
are connected to a stainless steel cabinet-enclosed, shore-mounted
air compressor via self-weighted air supply tubing. System sizes
range with two types of diffusers available.
Air
Lift 1
Air Lift 2
The AirLift™series is used for a wide variety of ponds and lakes
with maximum water depths up to 35 feet. AirLift aeration systems
contain up to six air diffusers. Each AirPod™ contains a single
EPDM tubular air diffuser. The common components of our AirLift
aeration systems are commercial grade air compressor cabinets,
AirPod air diffusers and DownUnder weighted air supply tubing
as shown in our overview. For deeper ponds and lakes, refer
to our AirLift XL™ series.. Our dual piston air compressor,
which can deliver air under high pressures (water depths up
to 35 feet), operates very quietly (55 decibels at 2 meters
or 6 feet). In comparison, the noise levels of our air compressors
are about 15 decibels less than equivalent rotary vane air compressors.
The AirPod™ contains a self-cleaning 24-inch tube, EPDM flexible
membrane air diffuser equipped with a triple check valve system.
Our air diffuser is constructed to withstand total airflow from
the compressor without damaging the EPDM membrane (unlike EPDM
disc air diffusers). Simply fill the two ballast tubes with
pea gravel or sand prior to their placement in the pond or lake.
Compressed air from our dual piston compressor is delivered
to the AirPod™ using our DownUnder™ self-weighted tubing. DownUnder™
air supply tubing is constructed of a flexible PVC composite
and is kink proof and puncture resistant. |
Email
us for information or with your questions.
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