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aeration
Let me try this again. Thanxx to all who have answered so far. All of your
suggestions are helpful but they may raise more questions than they answer. Let me revert to 'pump layout 101' questions. My pond is around 800 gallons. It is shaped like a snowman with a smaller 'circle' on top (about 5 ft wide) of a larger one (about 6 1/2 ft). There is very little 'indentation'/restriction between the two circles. The top has an irregular buttom (has a platform in it as the original owner had designed it as mostly a spitter pond) but it is only about 18" deep in the small end and 25" in the larger end. It is a little over 9 feet long. Accordingly it does has a high surface to volume ratio, which I assume helps a little bit in gas exchange. I have a 1600 gal Laguna pump(full open) running from the deeper end to my filter which comes back in over a small shelf of two flat rocks stacked on each other, in the shallow end. This does create minimal splashing, some ripples and bubbles. The small pump in question is in the middle of the larger circle. Surprising to me, the bubbling/rolling from the 200 gph pump actually produces stronger ripples than the 'splash' end (floating food is pushed towards the 'waterfall'). I have a bunch of water lilies around the edge of the deep end which is why I am trying to avoid splashing with the little pump. Even a very small bell fountain effect was splashing the leaves and making visibility poor. It wont be long before the water rolling from the small pump is pretty much the only open surface on the deep end. I have about 8 submerged anarchis. Everything is running well right now but I am particularly concerned about it being so shallow and my first ponding hot Texas summer coming on. It gets full afternoon sun. I have more flow from my big pump than I need. I was planning to build a 'sink filter' as filter #2 and divert some flow to it, as my fish load is very high. Naturally I am not getting a full 1600 gph due to elevation loss, but I think it would be adequate for both. Water parameters are perfect right now, but they are growing right. Now, as a result of your valuable input I am unsure how to proceed. I would very much appreciate your educated guesses. I could divert the large pump and try the venturi idea, and add new pump and filter as/if required later. (Trying to avoid higher electricity usage when possible.) Your input has now started me to consider zonation which I assume is stratification(just read a bit about this). Perhaps? I should divert the large pump for additional airation and just us the small to move lower water some. I hadn't thought it through but to put in an airstone I would need (even if small) an external pump that sucks air and not water right. I am a bit concerned about moving the small pump much deeper since it has no prefilter, just small slits in the case, which seem to plug up within 2-4 weeks just from algae growth, much less pulling sediment. The fountain tube attached (I didnt mention before) put the bottom of the pump about a foot deep and exiting about an inch from the water surface. I suspect if I lower it much more there will be very little rolling water on the surface. I am also wondering if I should be diverting from the large pump directly into the pond just for water movement. or. or. or. Probably there are other permutations which I havent considered. Sorry to be so lengthy but, like I am discovering in ponding, few things have a totally simple straightforward solution when my budget is small and my ambitions are large. Thanks again for all the help. My general naivete was once again in full force when I first started 'building my pond'. I love it, but every time I learn something - which is almost daily - I learn two more things I dont know enough about. I can only begin to imagine the disasters I would have already encountered if I didnt have this group for soooooo much support. Bill Brister - Austin, Texas (for Grubber it's actually Leander) "Newbie Bill" wrote in message m... I have a small 200 gph pump (very low power usage) submerged in my pond for additional aeration - just as added 'insurance'. The output is below the water so the water is just 'bubbling' like a natural spring might. I do not want it splashing for several reasons. I have been told it is the breaking of the surface which helps to oxidize the water. Questions: 1) Is this actually doing me some good. 2)Aesthetics aside would an airstone attached be significantly better. Thanxx Bill Brister - Austin, Texas |
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