How Aeration Systems Benefit Your Pond | Organic Pond
Have you been having the same issues with your pond or lake over the years? After trying many different dyes or additives to help make your pond look clean and clear, does algae keep growing and your fish keep dying? Now is the time to invest in an aeration system for your pond or lake. Aeration is vital to your pond’s ecosystem, it helps your fish thrive, and keeps your pond clean.
What Does An Aerator Do?
An aerator helps to add and mix oxygen into your pond to increase water clarity, reduce odors and muck, as well as eliminate thermal stratification and stagnation.It is an environmentally sound solution to the most difficult waterbody issues.
Oxygen in pond water is very beneficial to the overall health of the pond. Oxygen is valuable to the well-being of fish, too. But the value doesn’t stop here. Less obvious, but of great importance, is the ability of the pond to get rid of waste. How does waste get into a pond or lake? There are several causes, such as:
-"deposits" from animal life, like fish and geese
- stormwater runoff
- decaying plant matter or animals that die
- Wind carrying leaves and grass clippings
Healthy bacteria requires oxygen to functionally decompose the organic sediments and dead plants that continuously layer into a pond. The more oxygen supplied, the more efficient the waste removal.
Natural pond oxygenation occurs in two primary ways. The first way being through plants and algae. During their process of photosynthesis, CO2 converts to add oxygen. The other primary way oxygenation occurs is through an exchange of oxygen with the atmosphere at the surface of the pond or lake. The rougher the water surface, the more rapid the exchange.
What Causes A Lack Of Oxygen?
The oxygen exchange process, which can be done through wind or an aeration system, is especially important at night and is critical for any pond with a heavy load of plants and animals. At night, plants consume oxygen and release CO2 instead of photosynthesis. By dawn, a pond may be oxygen-deficient if atmospheric aeration is impeded by lack of wind and, especially, by a covered surface, which could include duckweed, watermeal, or algae mats.
Any part of your pond that is too dark for photosynthesis to occur is likely to be oxygen-deficient unless the pond is being mixed from top to bottom. The amount of light can be checked by lowering a Secchi disk into the water to check for visibility. The surface water above the depth of the visual disappearance of the disk will be oxygenated by photosynthesis, while water below that depth must be mixed to receive oxygen.
Other common causes of oxygen depletion include cloudy weather or high winds that mix deeper water (which has low concentrations of oxygen) with surface water. This then reduces the overall pond oxygen supply very rapidly. You might become frustrated when you can’t clearly understand why you're experiencing dead fish, foul odor, or sudden algae blooms within your pond. Most of the time these issues are caused by depletion of oxygen.
Pond and Lake Aeration Systems
The use of a properly located and scaled aeration supply at the bottom of your pond smooths out nature’s own causes of oxygen depletion. Aeration systems are a great investment in the long-term beauty of your pond. At Organic Pond, we have partnered with the experts in water quality at Vertex Aquatic Solutions to supply a great selection of DIY aeration systems, including the new Solar Powered option. This feature is perfect for rural pond locations, such as hunting and fishing camps.
All of the Vertex products go through rigorous research and development processes to ensure quality and rugged dependability. The self-cleaning flexible membrane openings prevent clogging in the dirtiest of lakes. Give us a call for a no-obligation quote - You’ll be surprised by how affordable, and easy to install an aeration system is.
Nothing makes your pond healthier than aeration, as it turns over the water column constantly - invigorating the healthy bacteria with oxygen while cutting off nutrients from other nuisance aquatic growth that fuels murky waters and algae blooms. Don’t guess which Vertex Aerator is right for your farm, irrigation, retention, or backyard pond! Let us quote you a properly sized and designed, high-quality, warrantied Vertex Brand Aeration System. We also carry Vertex Aquatics Replacement Parts!