BYO Farm Pond Aerator

mscher

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Need to build one for a half acre farm pond.

Looking to go with a good but inexpensive electric air pump setup.

Any input appreciated.
 

Hoss the Hermit

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

half acre, do you really need an aerator???? throw a stick out there twice a day for your dog to fetch.
 

Bob_VT

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

I think you need a water pump that shots water into the air ...... not so much of a air pump. Why not install a well pump and have it shoot the water straight up?
 

Hoss the Hermit

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

Based on experience, if it is spring-fed, or if you have inlet and outlet, shouldn't need one. Now, if you got it full of fish, and it's just catching run-off and rain water, you may need some type of aeration. Around here, building supply stores and hardware stores sell garden pond submersibles that are a lot cheaper to run than a well pump, it doesn't take a lot of circulation to do the job.
 

Bondo

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

Ayuh,.....

It's pretty easy to build a floating vertical Fountain with a pickup truck spare tire,+ a submersable sump pump.......

Plug it in,+ Enjoy the Show.........
 

SpinnerBait_Nut

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

I always used small PVC and drilled holes all around it and sank it and hooked it up to an air compressor which was on a timer.
Worked good for me.
But they sell commercial grade floating aerators for this purpose.
 

mscher

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

I need to have oxygen pumped into the bottom of the pond.

This will oxygenate the lower layer of the pond, which will help dissolve muck, which in turn, is supposed to lower nutrients, to reduce water weeds.

Also, the oxygen will help the fish and keep areas ice-free.

I'm looking for a low cost, reliable electric air pump, that is easy on energy consumption. I'll connect it with a hose and a weighted outlet on the pond bottom.

I'd go for a windwill pump in a heartbeat. if they weren't $1400.

Thanks
 

Bob_VT

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

I would suggest that you speak with someone who does fountain work for a profession....

I believe your calculations really need to be based on the depth and amount of air line you need. It is easier to pump air and release it at 3' as compared to 10'.
 

SgtMaj

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

mscher,
It wouldn't seem like it at first, but actually, that's a good way to kill the fish. I'll elaborate more when I get home, but whatever you do in the meantime, DON'T mix the layers of water right now.
 

Andrew Leigh

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Jun 17, 2003
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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

Hi, a couple of points for you to consider.

Very little airation occurs when the bubbles are floating to the surface, believe it or not. The bulk of the airation occurs when the surface tension of the water is broken by the air bubbles. That is when oxygen is taken into the water and circulated.

The most efficient "container" for fish is the one that presents the most surface to the atmosphere. The temperature of the water also determines how much oxygen can be stored in the water, the cooler the better.

A cheap but very efficient way to airate water is to build a "rock slide". This is where you circulate the water to a higher point, say 3 - 5 foot above the existing water level. Between this higher point and the pond is a long "slide" sat 30' or so, made of concrete and embedded with a whole bunch of rough rocks that serve to break the water flow to create lots of agitiation in the water. This will in turn break the surface tension of the water allowing it to gather oxygen on it's way back down to the pond. In so doing you are recreating mother natures flow of fresh oxygenated water from a from a river into a pond.

Depending on the pond size you can build a very efficient bilogical filter in line with, and just before this rock slide. It will be powered by the same pump.

You also have to be very careful of messing with the thermoclines (the various water temperature layers) in the pond.

Plants (weeds) are wonderful oxygenators, get the right plant, one that is easy to grow and one that is an efficient oxygenator. Secondly the roots of the plants absorb the mulch on the bottom which they use as food. It is a question of balance.

Plants are also great spawning places as wekll as hiding places for newly hatched fry.

Photosynthesis relies on carbon dioxide, released by the fish, which the plant then converts into oxygen. Oxygentaing the bottom layer will not have the result you desire, let the plants do their job.

It may be that you are overstocked (if you are farming fish) and you are perhaps overstressing the pond. Do some googling, there are formula's available that allow you to calculate the surface area required per inch of fish, some of these quote the water temperature as well as if you have additional artificial airation.

All my tropical tanks never had airators. I calculated the amount of fish that could be held for the given temperature of the water and surface area, planted tons of plants and always had a three stage biological filter. I did however have a under gravel heater which accelerated the breakdown of the mulch.

Another odd fact is the larger the eco system the easier it is to maintain once balance is achieved.

My thoughts.

Cheers
Andrew
 

gonefishie

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

Adrew is right, the weed themselve are enough of an oxygen source. If you got lot of them, then you don't need an oxygenator. What you do have to consider is don't have too much. When there is too much weed and you have a big weed die off, the gas released by the decomposing weed will kill the fish. Another negative of having too much is that the fish will be stunted since the bait fish will be so well hidden in the weed, the predator can't get to them. I think a small fountain will be what you needs.
 

Mike722

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

You might try the Soil Conservation Service or Dept of Natural Resources. Both of these in Illinois have books and designs for building and maintaining farm ponds.

They might even come out and take a look at what you got and give suggestions.
 

mscher

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

Unfortunately, a fountain will not work for me.

Since there is no steady water inlet, evaporation is a problem and a fountain will only excel the evaporation process.

Also, unless the fountain water inlet is close to the bottom, only the top 6-8' will benefit. My pond is about 14' at it deepest and has about 6-8" of muck on the bottom.

There are a relatievly low number of fish, so overcrowding is not an issue. There are plenty of weeds (in summer), which is probaby attributed to the excess nutrients.

It is my understanding that these nutrients take considerably longer to break down when oxygen is reduced. It is apparently common to use a diffused air aerator, to increase O2 at the lower levels.

The goal for our pond, is to strike a healthy balance between all natural and having a pleasing swimming and fishing pond.
 

gonefishie

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

Nutrients caused by run off from surrounding land, not the weed. The weed will in fact absorb the nutrient and clear up the water. Your pond probably have lots of algea and very stained water right? The expensive way to prevent this is to reduce/control run off or treat it. I forgot the name of the chemical but it turn the water into a clear blueish color. The cheap way is to throw some zebra mussels in there. :cool: Another alternative is to get with the DNR and designates your pond as a "wildlife preserve area". They will come out, clean up your pond, and will stock it for free. You will still own the pond.
 

mscher

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Re: BYO Farm Pond Aerator

Nutrients caused by run off from surrounding land, not the weed. The weed will in fact absorb the nutrient and clear up the water. Your pond probably have lots of algea and very stained water right? The expensive way to prevent this is to reduce/control run off or treat it. I forgot the name of the chemical but it turn the water into a clear blueish color. The cheap way is to throw some zebra mussels in there. :cool: Another alternative is to get with the DNR and designates your pond as a "wildlife preserve area". They will come out, clean up your pond, and will stock it for free. You will still own the pond.

Not really.

There is a minimal amount of algae during summer and the water stays relatively clear year round. The water can get cloudy if the muck is disturbed, but will clear up in a day or so.

I do agree that runoff probably contributes to most of the excess nutrients, but runoff is the source of most of the water.
 
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