The Benefits Of Aeration

A pond's water quality is really the defining factor on the overall health of the aquatic system. One key in this underwater world is having adequate oxygen levels. The most common cause of death for fish is generally low oxygen levels in the pond.

This issue can be more common during the hot and muggy days of summer. As temperatures rise, pond water will have less "holding capacity" for oxygen and crashes can occur in the critical element.

One of the most powerful tools to help guard against oxygen depletion is aeration. By our definition, aeration is the action of using a land based compressor to pump air through a tube, and out a diffuser that sits at the bottom of the pond. The diffuser itself has a rubber membrane with very small holes in it. This produces very fine bubbles which will tend to add more oxygen to the water rather than larger bubbles of air.

The circulatory action that's created by the rising bubbles also helps create a better exchange of air at the surface of the pond.

For shallow water, that's less than six feet deep, something like a surface bubbler or surface based aerator would likely be a better choice. Keep in mind this is not a fountain, but a device that moves a higher volume of water up into the air. Fountains can help some with aeration but not as much as a true aeration system.

Generally speaking many aeration kits will include everything needed for continuous and reliable operation. They are often less expensive than foutains and provide a much great benefit, although they may not provide the sound and appearance benefits that a true fountain would offer.

If you have fish, it's a good idea to run aeration all season long, and many people will even operate the system in the winter months which can keep an area open on the surface of the pond. The opening helps to allow the normal gas exchange that occurs in many ponds, where toxic gasses can be released and oxygen can be transferred into the water.

And what about pond algae control? Aeration is a tremedous asset in helping to deal with unwanted growth. While it may or may not help directly, it does have a very powerful impact on aerobic bacteria that lives in the pond. This type of desirable "bug" is actually part of Mother Nature's clean up crew. Bacteria helps to lower nutrients that help feed algae and reduce any organic material that may build up in the pond.

Aeration is also very compatible with ultrasonic algae control and there is no conflict between the two systems.

There is an aeration kit designed for just about any size or shape of pond. For more information on the best option for your pond please visit out pond aerator page.