Lake Aeration
Pond / Lake Health
Pond and lakes are a
valuable natural resource. They add to the beauty of the landscape, provide recreation,
are a habitat for fish and wildlife and an additional water source if needed.
However, the good health of a pond is held in a delicate balance.
A
pond's condition deteriorates when the bottom environment cannot support animal
life. The bottom is the area that runs out of oxygen first, it is where the most
oxygen is used and it is the farthest from the surface where it is replenished.
Without oxygen a lake or ponds self purification capability is not only reduced,
it is reversed. The
small animals, snails, worms, bacteria, etc., which help keep
a pond clean cannot live and the pond's nutrients are then recycled from the sediment.
This forms a layer of muck at the bottom which serves as a fertilizer for weed
and excessive algae growth. It could also cause large fish kills.
Benefits of Pond and Lake Bed Aeration
Aeration means adding air to the water. To restore a lake to health, it is essential to get oxygen down to the lake bottom. Lake Bed Aeration not only adds oxygen to the surface water but to the water at the bottom of the lake as well. Once the lake is full of oxygen near the bottom, beneficial aquatic insect larvae, snails, fresh water shrimp, and other fish food can begin to live on the bottom and littoral zone.
Lake eutrophication
begins when the BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) of a lake cannot be met. When too
much pollution enters a lake, plant and algae growth dies and sinks to the bottom,
resulting in an overload of organic sludge. Lower forms of life on the lake bed
die and this debris rots. Anaerobic bacteria, which needs no oxygen, give off
deadly poisonous gases, such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and methane. These
gases, as they rise through the water, unite with and bind up and dissolved oxygen
remaining in the water. Fish will then die from lack of oxygen. By pumping compressed
air out onto the lake bed diffuser, the rising air bubbles bring the bottom water
to the surface. Large volumes of water release pollutant gases to the air and
pick up more oxygen while on the surface. If oxygen is present at the lake bed,
dead organisms will not accumulate but will quickly be consumed by aerobic bacteria,
thus providing for a healthier lake environment.
Aerating a lake also makes fish eat more food as the oxygen makes them more active. The aeration also causes the fish to grow at quicker rate nearly 33% faster due to the fish eating more because of lake aeration. This has the knock on effect of more fish being caught because the oxygen makes them eat more Bait and get caught more, if you want a successful fishery, lake aeration is key. The lake aerators dont use much electric but make alot of difference to the water quality.