Ever wonder what benefits there are to install a pond aeration system? Here is a list of the top 4 reasons:
Pond Aeration System Reason #1
Standing bodies of water thermally stratify during summer months. This is why it is warm at the top and colder as you go deeper when you jump in a lake. By mid-summer, the bottom layer of water is usually out of oxygen in your average pond. This causes all kinds of problems and is very hard on gamefish that like to hang low towards the bottom of the pond. Pond aeration systems break up the thermal stratification and bring life giving oxygen down to the bottom (see diagram below).
Pond in summer without aeration
- Fish are confined to the upper portion of the water column, limiting growth and increasing stress.
- Heavy pressure on the forage species.
- Organic buildup on the pond bottom.
- Low oxygen levels prevent bacteria from processing nutrients, which leads to algae blooms
Pond in summer with aeration
- More usable area for fish increases growth, increases suitable habitat and decreases stress.
- More hiding spots for forage species increases their survival.
- Oxygen at the bottom provides beneficial organisms with the oxygen that they need to breakdown organic sediment, reducing bottom muck.
- Oxygen in pond greatly increases amount of beneficial bacteria that process nutrients and reduce algae growth.
Pond Aeration System Reason #2
During weed and algae treatments, oxygen levels almost always decrease. When plants and/or algae begin to die, they no longer give off oxygen through photosynthesis. In fact, the decomposition of the dead vegetation uses large amounts of oxygen. By maintaining a better oxygen supply through aeration, you can greatly reduce the risk of a fish kill due to weed and algae treatments.
Pond Aeration System Reason #3
In addition to preventing fish kills, increased oxygen content can greatly increase the amount of beneficial microorganisms in the water and sediment, which helps the pond or lake clean itself. Beneficial microorganisms live in the sediment and help process waste. These microorganisms are limited in their productivity by the amount of oxygen available to them. With enough oxygen in the water you can eliminate foul odors, increase clarity, reduce bottom muck and even reduce algae.
Pond Aeration System Reason #4
In the winter, the natural air to water oxygen transfer route is stopped by the formation of surface ice. Once frozen over, the only way that oxygen can be naturally added to the water is by light penetrating through the ice and plants receiving it. Then, through photosynthesis, oxygen is given off into the water by the plants. However, once snow falls on the ice much of the light is blocked and plants use oxygen rather than give it off, which can then lead to winter fish kills. By running a pond aeration system through the winter you can maintain an open spot in the ice which allows the water to “breathe”. But be careful, during the winter the warmest water is on the bottom, so if you aerate deep, you can super-cool the water and kill fish! We recommend that you aerate in about 50% of the maximum depth off to the side of the pond or lake.