The first step
to understanding how to maintain your pond or lake is knowing your
pond's life cycle. The Life Cycle can be broken down into two
basic stages.
During
Stage
1, organic matter from plants, birds, animals and debris
begins to accumulate in your pond. The nutrient load is low,
resulting in minimal weed and algae growth. The amount of
debris your pond receives and the type of soil your pond was
constructed from will determine how long your pond will stay in
this stage. Generally, your pond will remain in
Stage
1 for 3-5 years. Enjoy it while you can, because changes are a
comming!
As your pond begins Stage 2, excessive
algae blooms and pond weeds become noticeable. Emergent
plants, such as grasses and cattails, begin growing around your
pond's edge. As Stage 2 continues, the total nutrient
load is increasing resulting in more frequent and more severe weed
and algae growth.
Airmax
Aeration System can be installed several thousand feet
from the edge of a pond or lake, or at the edge of your body of
water. Your Airmax power unit or cabinet may be placed at the
nearest or most convenient power source such as your home, barn or
other out building. All that is needed with this type of
installation is a shallow trench 6-12 inches deep to place the
Airmax Direct Burial Airline in. The Direct Burial Airline will
then transfer the air to the pond or lake’s edge where it can be
connected to Airmax EasySet Self-Weighted Airline and continue on
to the diffuser located in the pond or lake.
Alternative
aeration systems such as windmills and solar seem like a natural
fit for installations where power is not easily accessible,
although it is important to understand that you may not receive the
same benefits from these types of aeration devices. Windmills only
work when there is steady wind (5 mph or more) and solar systems
have to run on an on/off cycle. Under optimal light conditions a
solar aeration system can run continuously for 15-20 hours before
shutting down to allow the batteries to charge. Another
disadvantage of alternative aeration devices is their cost. This is
especially true of the solar models. With the purchase price being
so high the energy consumption of an Airmax Aeration System being
so low it is nearly impossible to recuperate any cost savings due
to electrical consumption. A typical Airmax Aeration System
designed to aerate up to one surface acre will cost less than $18
per month, running 24 hours per day.
To receive
the benefits of aeration, your system should run
24 hours
per day! The goal of aeration is circulation and the
introduction of oxygen to the bottom of your pond or lake. A
properly sized aeration system will use the bubbles created by the
diffuser to force the cooler water from the bottom of your pond to
the surface. The water at the surface is warmer and less dense or
lighter. The cooler or heavier water will be pushed up by the
diffuser then forced outward where it will naturally sink due to
its heavier density. Aeration devices that are under powered, have
poorly designed delivery devices (diffusers) or that do not operate
continuously generally will not provide the true benefits of
aeration. Do your research and spend your money wisely!
Air-Max Aeration Benefits:
- Clean &
Clear Water Column
- Elimination
of Thermal Stratification
- Reduced
Sediment
- Stronger and
More Productive
Fish Population
- Elimination
of Fish Kills and
Turnover
