View Single Post
  #2   Report Post  
Old 27-08-2003, 04:22 PM
Iain Miller
 
Posts: n/a
Default Oxygenators seem to be dying


"Lynda Thornton" wrote in message
...
Hi

I've had continual problems with my large barrel pond going stagnant
since I got it earlier in the summer - it stinks if bad egg to high
heaven a lot of the time and it is really spoiling the garden!


Its gone "Anaerobic" & there are bacteria in there giving off Hydrogen
Sulphide. The water would be pretty poisonous to fish. The problem is that
the water is dead and starved of oxygen - you need to find a way to get it
to circulate. Easy options would be to drop a small pump in the bottom that
just pumps water from bottom to the top or alternatively an Airpump to
inject airbubbles into the bottom of the water - as they rise they will
circulate the water. A small aquarium powerhead (£10-£15) or a small pump
designed for water features would be enough. If you wanted to go the Airpump
route then this would cost about the same but you'd have to find a way to
keep the airpump itself dry. If you can't get power to the thing then maybe
you could look at one of those solar powerd pumps.

Circulating the water a bit should cure the problem - you get oxygen
exchange at the surface. Once the water has some oxygen in it then the
Anaerobic bacteria will die back & also you will get other bacteria growing
that will break down rotting material (without stinking!) - but these will
only survive in water that is oxygenated.

Having lots of plants can help (in theory) but there is a balance because
although plants give off oxygen during the day, they actually take it in at
night so in some cases plant's growing too fast can actually cause a problem
themselves - particularly for fish which can suffocate overnight in some
circumstances.

rgds

I.