Pond Aeration
We custom design aeration systems that will properly oxygenate the
entire water column preventing stratification and making the entire ecosystem healthier. A healthier body
of water is easier to manage and will have a longer lifespan than a stratified pond or lake with anaerobic
and toxic conditions. We use our experience combined with all of the technology available to us such as
our bathymetric mapping service to create
the best design possible for your body of water. A bowl shaped lake or pond with no habitat or structure is
a simple aeration design. But any bottom topography effects how an aeration system operates and requires customization.
To fit your needs, budget and preferences we offer the following options to help you install a properly designed aeration
system we offer several options to make this solution affordable to you.
- Install a custom designed aeration system utilizing a bathymetric map of your pond we will create
- Design a custom aeration system with a bathymetric map and supply you with a kit to install it on your own
- Supply you with a bathymetric map for you to use to design your own aeration system
- Supply you with an aeration kit to install
Aeration prevents stratification which is a harmful situation in a lake or pond. A thermocline sets up between the warmer water at the surface and cooler water near the bottom. Once this separation takes place, the water trapped at the bottom quickly becomes devoid of oxygen making it inhabitable for life. Worse yet the loss of oxygen creates a domino effect leading to more harmful conditions. Carbon dioxide concentrations increase making this water more acidic. The bacteria present on the pond bottom that were decomposing nutrients are now forced to operate in anaerobic (in the absence of oxygen) conditions. Bacterial decomposition in anaerobic conditions results in black muck and hydrogen sulfide production which is toxic to fish. The lack of oxygen also allows phosphorous to become unbound and migrate into the water column which feeds the algae growth near the surface.
Turn over is an event where the two separate water masses in a stratified lake or pond suddenly mix. This usually happens during the spring and fall when the weather and temperatures change but can also happen with other triggers such as a storm event. A turnover can lead to a fish kill as the toxic water from the bottom contaminates the entire water column. The sudden change in oxygen levels and change in pH can lead to a very unpleasant few days of collecting dead fish from the waters edge.
By mixing oxygen into the water and keeping it at the sediment-water interface it maintains biological activity which reduces nutrients. The oxygen also keeps the phosphate bound in an inert state so that it does not contribute to the algae growth above. The improved water quality also benefits zooplankton and increases their population. Zooplankton benefit a body of water by phytoplankton populations, such as algae, down.
Aeration is a beneficial and safe technique to improve any body of water. By insuring that oxygen is thoroughly mixed into the entire water column to the sediment-water interface the livable space is increased for the fish within, phosphorus remains bound and nutrients are reduced. All of this leads to a healthier more easily managed lake or pond.
