Pond Aeration For A Clean Healthy Pond

One factor in ensuring the success of your pond is proper aeration. Dissolved oxygen levels are a significant component in the natural balance of a pond. It is what makes the pond live and helps to keep your pond healthy and your pond water clean.

Dissolved oxygen is gaseous oxygen dissolved in an aqueous solution. It is basically the amount of oxygen available in the pond water. In general terms 5 ppm is the baseline for what is excellent for most ponds. Anything below these levels can lead to serious problems.

What problems are linked with low dissolved oxygen and what causes them? The most serious problem associated with low oxygen levels is a fish kill. Fish require a certain levels or ppm of dissolved oxygen to survive. Reduction of oxygen levels can also lead to toxic odors coming from your pond as the break down of organic waste will change from an aerobic process to a slower anaerobic process that can result in the production of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs.

Signs of low levels of dissolved oxygen are an over abundance of aquatic plants, particularly algae. Aquatic plants are fine in moderation as they do discharge oxygen into the water. Phytoplanktons make up the foundation of the food chain in a pond and are therefore critical. However, most of these plants that release oxygen during the day, also use oxygen at night. So when you have a pond with a serious algal bloom or substantial aquatic vegetation, oxygen can be quickly consumed overnight and may cause fish kill.

Another factor contributing to poorly dissolved oxygen levels in your pond is a high level of organic waste. Organic waste in your pond can come from a range of sources including fish waste, dead vegetation, fertilizer run-off, and fish food. All of these break down naturally in your pond, but they need oxygen to do this. When high levels of waste are found and need to be broken down, your pond will require a large amount of oxygen.

By now you may be alarmed that these issues could influence your pond health and you want to avert this from occurring. You are not sure how to select the proper pond aeration methods. There are different methods of pond aerators to choose from, but you basically have two types of pond aeration systems. One is surface aeration and the other is bottom based aeration. Surface aerators are generally floating aeration units that pull in water from the top foot or so of the pond and splash it into the air. Bottom based aeration systems or diffused aeration involves pushing air down to the bottom of your pond the allowing the bubbles to naturally rise to the surface. These aeration units are the most efficient for aerating deeper pond as the bubbles are providing the bulk of the work.

To figure out which one would be best for your pond is to use the average depth of your pond as a gauge. If your pond is less than 6 feet deep, than a surface aeration system will most likely work well, while deeper ponds will profit more from a bottom based aeration system.

Now there are other considerations to pond aeration system. Pond aeration systems can be a considerable financial investment, depending upon the size of your pond being aerated. If you use an electric aeration pump, you will need to supply electricity to your pond location. Or do you use a Windmill Pond Aeration system for a natural clean energy source? A windmill system may be more costly upfront, but the long term cost of electric and the danger of an electric pump in your pond maybe something you should consider. Plus a windmill system can add a decorative component to your pond.
In conclusion, there are many things you can do to help create a safe and healthy pond. With all of the options available for pond aeration system the primary thing to consider is to shop around for the best aeration system which will work for you and at a price you can afford.