Pond Aeration

[TheGreyRider]

I have a pond, about 1/2 to 3/4 acre. I would like to install some kind of aerator, but i really don't like the prices of bought aeration systems.

Does anyone know if I could build my own using a small air compressor, some hose and maybe some PVC pipe with holes drilled? Has anyone out there built or made something like this?

Please any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Uncle Doug]

I have a pond, about 1/2 to 3/4 acre. I would like to install some kind of aerator, but i really don't like the prices of bought aeration systems.

Does anyone know if I could build my own using a small air compressor, some hose and maybe some PVC pipe with holes drilled? Has anyone out there built or made something like this?

Please any input would be greatly appreciated.

I have seen a few people in this area use a electric sump pump and reduce down the discharge to create a fountain effect. Not sure if that would be enough on a pond that size. It counld be placed on a timer if needed.

 

[GGB]

In researching this subject, I came to the conclusion that the one item you should get is a decent airstone. Although you can just pump air into the pond without anything to difuse it, you'll get more effective aeration if you use an airstone.

I got lucky this spring and found a used Koenders Windmill nearby, and put it up the day before Easter on my smaller pond. I still need to extend the airline to get the airstone to the middle of the pond, but even with where it's currently located, I've had zero algae on that pond since getting the windmill up. I didn't want to have to run electricity to that pond, even though my barn is nearby, but also wasn't sure how effective the windmill would be. So far, I'll give it high marks, and the look of the setting with the windmill in place is an added bonus. It just looks right!

You may want to check this website for help:

The Pond Report > Ponds, Pond News, Pond Care, Pond Tips, Pond Building, Pond Stories

For my large pond, I'm still thinking of an electrical setup, so I'll be interested in what other TBNer's have for suggestions.

Good luck!

GGB

 

[Western]

Pondboss.com also has allot of good info.

I had bought a rubber diffuser for one I was going to build, but the plans changed. The pump I was going to use , I believe was from Grainger, but I can't remember the details sorry.

The reason I was going with a commercial type air pump was the longevity vs a compressor. Wasn't my idea, but it was from the forums over at Pondboss for DIY.

 

[dieselscout80]

Here is a setup that I'm thinking about making when I make my areation system.

Areation Sytem Complete!!! With Pics! - Pond Boss Forum

 

[Western]

That looks better than the one I was going to do 3 years ago, nice price on the pump too.

 

[TheGreyRider]

I am not all that concerned with the quality of the compressor as this will not be something that runs all day everyday. I will most likely put it on a timer and run it for an hour or two a night and this most likely wont run in the winter, only in the hot summer months.

I guess the biggest question is can i make a (diffuser) out of plastic PVC or is that something i need to buy?

My idea was to get a small electric compressor, run a hose to some kind of PVC piping with small holes and run air into it. I would mount it on the dock approx under about 5 or 6 feet of water.

 

[Western]

I was going to make a diffuser at 1st, like you describe. I ended up buying a round rubber diffuser after doing more reading, (finer bubbles).

I also have read allot of post where guy's just used a soaker hose for a diffuser. That may be an option.

Just a thought

 

[nontypical]

I use 2- 5' long pieces of 1/2" pvc pipe as my air diffuser with very small holes every 3" or so. It worked great for the last 3 years in my 5 acre pond, no fish kills through winter. I like the idea of a weighted soaker hose to spread the bubble effect over a large area. I got my used Thomas pump on ebay for less than a hundred dollars. So far so good.

 

[Rustyiron]

FWIW, when I had a pond of similar size when I lived south of you in MD, I used a submersible (water) pump, it had a 2" outlet on it that I attached a 6' pvc pipe with a cap glued on the end that I drilled a bunch of holes in for a fountain effect. My pond was for swimming so my goal was to keep it from getting the slime/weeds. That "fountain" along with regular use of the blue dye kept it real nice. My pond was over 12' deep and by bringing up the cold water from below, it created a thermal cycle of some sort that worked well in my case. I used a upside down 5 gal. bucket with a hole drilled thru it with several small wheelbarrow inner tubes around the pipe and in the bucket for flotation of the pump, with a couple of cement blocks opposing sides of the pump to counter the rotational force of the pump. The water when hitting the surface created a lot of bubbles (oxygenate the water?) and the fish seemed to have no problem.