Pond Fountains are beautiful additions to a property. But not only that, they also add much needed aeration to a pond or lake, thereby providing oxygen to living organisms in the pond. Pond aeration will help your fish thrive and reduce algae growth. By starving the algae of the nutrients they need to survive, you free up more space for the beneficial ecosystems you would like to see. In addition, pond fountains keep the water moving and eliminate noxious odors, stagnation, and mosquito activity.
However, pond fountains offer surface aeration only. Because the motor only pulls up water from shallow depths, much of the pond is unaerated if the pond is deep. This lack or aeration will contribute to the build up of muck at the bottom of the pond and might even result in a fish kill, in which hundreds or thousands of fish can die in a matter of hours. For deep ponds, the pond’s health requires subsurface, or bottom, aeration, using a compressor, weighted tubing, and diffuser plates.
As a general rule of thumb, if your pond is greater than seven feet deep, on average, proper aeration requires the use of subsurface (diffuser) aeration.
The Costs and Benefits of Pond Fountains
*Pond Fountains aerate less efficiently than diffuser systems. They use more electricity than a compressor to accomplish aeration.
*Pond fountains cannot aerate deep layers of the pond, resulting in stratification and lack of oxygen.
*Most pond fountains need to be removed during icy winters.
*Fountains need to be placed at relatively short distances from the nearest electrical outlet.
*Very large ponds or lakes require a large number of fountains to aerate, meaning a high purchase price as well as high electrical costs.
*But pond fountains are beautiful to look at. That is a real plus.
The Costs and Benefits of a Diffuser System (bottom aeration)
*There is no display to beautify the pond since the action is happening below the surface.
*Bottom aeration does not work in shallow ponds.
*The good news is that bottom aeration is quite efficient. Even small compressors can oxygenate large bodies of water at low costs of electricity.
*Aeration can take place long distances from the nearest electrical outlet. Kasco diffuser systems allow tubing to run up to a mile from the power source.
*Kasco diffuser systems do not need to be hauled in during icy winters. In fact, it is best to use them during freezing weather to keep the pond oxygenated.
*Diffuser systems can aerate very large ponds and lakes of ten acres and more. Kasco, in fact, offers systems up to 12 diffusers combined with four 1/2 HP compressors in a large cabinet. Tubing can be purchased in 500 ft. rolls for large systems.
Combining the Two Types of Aeration
If you wish to display a fountain but your pond is too deep to aerate with surface (fountain) aeration, you can always use both a fountain and a bottom aeration (diffuser) system.
Why We Choose Kasco for Bottom Aeration
Kasco diffuser systems have been repeatedly independently tested to be superior to all other diffuser systems on the market for aeration efficiency and effectiveness. For advice on what diffuser system is best for your particular need, we look up your address on Google Earth to get the layout of the pond. We also ask for maximum and average depth of water in your pond or lake. We then calculate pond size to determine acre feet and total gallons of water in your pond. As a rule of thumb, the goal in a five acre pond or smaller is to turnover the water once every 24 hours.
