Pond Aeration Tips and Maintenance Reminder for Fall and Winter
October 23rd, 2014
FALL/WINTER FOUNTAIN MAINTENANCE
Routine maintenance is imperative for ensuring that your floating fountains operate properly, and helps to minimize the need for more expensive fountain repairs and replacement in the future. An “Oil & Seals Change” maintenance service should be part of the maintenance program for your floating fountain every two to three years, depending on the size of the unit. The service includes performing an internal inspection of the power unit (motor and related parts), making any necessary adjustments, replacing any worn parts, and changing the oil, rotary shaft seal, and all related parts.
The cost to perform the routine “Oil & Seals Change” maintenance service is determined by the size of the fountain. We recommend that you schedule this service in the fall and winter months so that the fountain is not out of the water during the warmer months when the aeration benefits that it provides are so crucial to the health of your pond.
FALL/WINTER POND AERATION TIPS
Proper aeration and circulation is paramount to the health of your lake or pond and it is just as important to keep a waterbody aerated in the winter as it is in the summer. Running a pond aeration system in the summer usually achieves noticeable results rather quickly. Pond algae and aquatic weed build up tend to decrease, proportionate to the amount of time the aerator is running. In the winter, however, these benefits are not immediately noticeable and the positive changes are much more subtle.
There are several benefits of winter pond aeration:
1. As the days grow shorter, certain types of algae and plants that rely on photosynthesis produce less oxygen; this process can be compounded exponentially with layers of ice. Aeration increases oxygen levels in the waterbody to prevent winter fish kills.
2. Autumn loads up the pond with organic material more than any other season. Leaf litter and fertilizer account for a large portion of this. Although the symptoms of this nutrient loading do not usually appear until spring and summer, the pond is already attempting to digest all of these nutrients. Pond aeration will create a healthy amount of oxygen and circulation that will dramatically enhance this process, and give your pond a huge advantage for the following season.
SHOULD I REMOVE MY POND FOUNTAIN DURING WINTER?
Are you thinking about removing your floating fountain this winter? There is one solid and tested solution for keeping a fountain running through the bitter months of winter regardless of how cold it gets. Bottom diffused aeration systems make a perfect companion to a fountain. These aeration systems transport air from a land-based compressor to diffuser disks placed at the bottom of a pond. They then produce a conical stream of bubbles vertically approaching the surface. When placed directly under a fountain, this constant stream of air will prevent the water directly around the fountain from freezing all winter. This coupling of aeration systems will keep your beautiful fountain running all year long, and will also provide a dramatic increase in water quality due to the supplemental benefits of bottom diffused aeration.
Plus, for those who do allow their aerators to operate year round, the added electrical costs during the winter months will more than pay for itself throughout the year as the pond will be noticeably healthier during the following season, and in most cases, less herbicides and algaecides will be required to manage it. Also, if you are running surface spray type aeration during the winter, remember to run it 24/7 so that ice does not build up in the pump chamber and obstruct the motor propeller or impeller.
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Since 1998, SOLitude LakeManagement has been committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Services are available throughout the Eastern United States. Fisheries management consulting and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at www.solitudelakemanagement.com.
