Low-Cost Aeration System Keeps Ice Off Ponds

Low-Cost Aeration System Keeps Ice Off Ponds MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 27-5-29 You can set up a pond aeration system for less than $100, says Christopher Potts of Ottawa, Ontario. "Bottom aeration is one of the best things you can do for a pond," he says. "Releasing millions of tiny air bubbles delivers extra oxygen to the water, breaks up the temperature layers, and lifts and breaks up nutrients that would otherwise gather as muck in the basin. In addition, it will keep ice from forming in winter." Commercial aeration systems cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, but Potts says you can also get good quality aeration by making your own system with a few easily obtained materials. Here's what you need: half-inch garden hose, plumber's goop or aquarium silicone, two 12-in. aquarium air stones, about 12 ft. of aquarium airline, a dual outlet air pump, a pair of one-way valves, a cover for the pump, several bricks, stones, or other heavy objects to weigh down the line along with duct tape or wire to attach them, and possibly an extension cord. The most expensive item will likely be the pump, which costs about $20. "The cheapest garden hose you can find will do nicely to move air from your pump to the pond. I've used hoses as long as 200 ft. with no problems," he says. "The pump will put out enough bubbles through a 12-in. airstone to roil the surface of the pond, and this is more than adequate to keep ice off. This system will open approximately 30 sq. ft. if placed at a depth of 5 ft. The bigger the pump and airstones you use, the larger the surface area you can keep free of ice." To build the system, Potts suggests you cut four, 6-in. pieces of aquarium airline, and then cut the remainder into two 5-ft. sections. Next, push a couple inches of the two 6-in. pieces into one end of the garden hose. Apply plumber's goop or aquarium silicone into the opening around the airlines, using caution that you don't use too much and block the airline ends. Push the other two pieces of 6-in. line onto the inlet side of the one-way valves. Insert the outlet side of these valves into the remaining two 5-ft. pieces of airline. "Take the two 6-in. pieces with the valves and 5-ft. lengths of airline attached and insert, then silicone/goop them to the other end of the garden hose in the same fashion as the pieces that will be running out of the pump," Potts explains. "Attach the two air stones to the output end of the two 5-ft. airlines and then, to weigh down the hose, strap on some bricks or stones, spacing them out along its length by wrapping duct tape or wire around them. "Place the whole contraption into the bond basin, making sure to position the air stones as far apart as possible. Also, leave enough airline/hose on the shore to reach your air pump, connecting the two 6-in. airlines and the rest of the airline contraption to it." It can then be plugged into a grounded, CGFI outlet or an extension cord plugged into a grounded CGFI outlet. Potts recommends interested readers check out "Pond Boss" magazine. He is a regular contributor to the bulletin board on Pond Boss's website (www.pondboss.com) and encourages anyone who wishes to discuss aeration or any other pond-related issue to visit the site and its board, or call to get a copy of the magazine. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Christopher Potts, 8750 Overpass Rd, Ashton, Ontario, Canada K0A 1B0 (email: pottsy@sympatico.ca); or Pond Boss, 310 Charlie Drive, Whitesboro, Texas 76273 (ph 903 564-6144; email: info@pondboss.com).

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