Using an aerator year round can be very beneficial to a pond owner.
In the summer the aerator benefits the pond in three ways:
- The fish love it particularly when it is very warm, because the oxygen level of the pond is reduced, and the aerator adds additional oxygen to the pond water.
- The additional oxygen also supports the effectiveness of your water treatments.
- We have found that the regular use of an aerator keeps down the growth of string algae in the pond, unfortunately this is not true for the waterfall.
In the winter, the aerator is also beneficial:
- It helps create a hole in the ice allowing topic gases to be released. If these toxic gases are not allowed to be released it can be harmful to your fish.
- It adds additional oxygen to the pond during the winter. During the winter the fish do not need the same level of oxygen that they need in the summer. However, if you have large Koi, exceeding 12”, or a large number of fish, an aerator can be very beneficial during the long, cold winter months.
An aeration kit has three components: an air compressor, also known as an air pump, tubing and air stones or an air diffuser. The air compressor sets outside the pond and pulls air from the atmosphere. Tubing is used to connect the air compressor to the air stones. The compressor pulls air form the atmosphere and pushes it through the air stone to add oxygen to the pond water.
The air stone or diffuser should be located 6” – 12” above the lowest level of the pond. The air stones and diffusers are kept slightly above the lowest level of the pond because in the winter, the warmest water is at the very bottom of the pond and in the summer, the coolest water is at the bottom and you don’t want the air movement to chill or heat this water during periods of extreme heat or cold. If an appropriate level shelf is not available to locate the air stone or diffuser, the air stone can be placed on a milk crate or plant basket.
