Pond Contraptions: What are they, and do they really serve a useful purpose?

[Mucky_Waters]

We all have devices or things we use in our ponds that we believe are beneficial for maintaining our ponds, but do they actually do anything useful? are they really necessary? or are there other ways of achieving the same results naturally.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Great! No space restrictions, wide range of subject matter, where do we start? This thread could keep me busy until the mortician arrives.

 

[Lisak1]

I don't know that I would have included waterfalls in this list. At least not separate from water pump as you wouldn't have one without the other.

Good discussion topic! For us, less is more. The less I have to intervene the happier I am!

 

[Mucky_Waters]

I don't know that I would have included waterfalls in this list. At least not separate from water pump as you wouldn't have one without the other.

Oh sure, there are many ponds I've seen that just pump their water through spitters or fountains and don't have waterfalls. I also listed Pressure filters separate from bio and mechanical filters although pressure filters usually try to include both, but as far as I'm concerned I don't think they do either particularly well.

where do we start? .

Lets talk about aerators a little more. You mentioned in the other thread that "If a pond is large enough to where the wind fetch is sufficient, then no, aeration is not needed." I beg to differ on that general statement because of all the pond contraptions on the list above, aerators are the only contraption that I've ever seen used in natural lakes. In fact the closest lake to where I live (5 miles away) has an aerator running right now. Yellow Lake And there is another lake about 10 miles away that also runs an aerator in the winter. The reason being is that these lakes have often suffered heavy fish die-off in the winter without the aerators. So if aerators are frequently needed on these large bodies of how much more important might they be in our little backyard ponds that generally have a much higher fish load?

A paper on the subject with information aeration with some info specifically about Yellow lake

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Oh sure, there are many ponds I've seen that just pump their water through spitters or fountains and don't have waterfalls. I also listed Pressure filters separate from bio and mechanical filters although pressure filters usually try to include both, but as far as I'm concerned I don't think they do either particularly well.

Lets talk about aerators a little more. You mentioned in the other thread that "If a pond is large enough to where the wind fetch is sufficient, then no, aeration is not needed." I beg to differ on that general statement because of all the pond contraptions on the list above, aerators are the only contraption that I've ever seen used in natural lakes. In fact the closest lake to where I live (5 miles away) has an aerator running right now. Yellow Lake And there is another lake about 10 miles away that also runs an aerator in the winter. The reason being is that these lakes have often suffered heavy fish die-off in the winter without the aerators. So if aerators are frequently needed on these large bodies of how much more important might they be in our little backyard ponds that generally have a much higher fish load?

A paper on the subject with information aeration with some info specifically about Yellow lake

Larger, deeper bodies of water develop a thermocline. Aerators, in particular, diffusers, break this temperature barrier allowing the entire water column to be oxygenated. This is of particular importance in fishery ponds. Since garden ponds have no logical reason to be over 4 to 5 feet in depth, aeration is not considered a necessity.

 

[Lisak1]

Oh sure, there are many ponds I've seen that just pump their water through spitters or fountains and don't have waterfalls. I also listed Pressure filters separate from bio and mechanical filters although pressure filters usually try to include both, but as far as I'm concerned I don't think they do either particularly well.

I should have said you don't see waterfalls without pumps - the reverse is definitely possible.

 

[cas]

My thoughts on aeration: My pond is 10 feet in diameter and 34 inches deep in the center. It has a water fall at one end and a skimmer at the other. Before I started using an aerator I had sediment accumulation on the bottom. I believe my pond is not built in a way that allows for enough water circulation at the bottom using just the skimmer pump. I am wondering if the pond had been designed differently - for example, longer, not as wide, with gradual slope going from the water fall to the skimmer - would have helped. Your thoughts of a better design that would have allowed for better water circulation at the bottom without a bottom pump or aerator?

 

[MitchM]

I don't see pond breathers

 

[morewater]

I don't see scuba gear, life rafts and beer coolers either.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Boogie boards?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

My thoughts on aeration: My pond is 10 feet in diameter and 34 inches deep in the center. It has a water fall at one end and a skimmer at the other. Before I started using an aerator I had sediment accumulation on the bottom. I believe my pond is not built in a way that allows for enough water circulation at the bottom using just the skimmer pump. I am wondering if the pond had been designed differently - for example, longer, not as wide, with gradual slope going from the water fall to the skimmer - would have helped. Your thoughts of a better design that would have allowed for better water circulation at the bottom without a bottom pump or aerator?

Can you post a photo? Do you have shelving?

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Larger, deeper bodies of water develop a thermocline. Aerators, in particular, diffusers, break this temperature barrier allowing the entire water column to be oxygenated. This is of particular importance in fishery ponds. Since garden ponds have no logical reason to be over 4 to 5 feet in depth, aeration is not considered a necessity.

Keep in mind these are "natural" lakes that required aerators (artificial circulation) . Bodies of water that as you say "the wind fetch is sufficient, that no, aeration would be needed", but they still experience fish kill, so the fact that they are natural hasn't helped them. Clearly the fact that they are "natural" hasn't stopped the fish from dying. In order for the fish to survive in these natural lakes they must employ one of these "counter to nature" "contraptions". Of course there is more going on in these lakes that require this artificial circulation then just thermoclines, since that happens in all lakes and not all lakes require artificial circulation. Also the lakes in question could probably support some type of fish like carp or koi without an aeration, but they were mainly concerned with keeping trout alive in these lakes and trout require more oxygen. But there are many lakes or large bodies of water (bigger then backyard ponds anyway), that can't support any fish life at all for various reasons. So it's not surprising that we generally must employ some contrary to nature contraptions to maintain fish life in our not so natural backyard ponds, and as a rule the smaller the pond and the heavier the fish load the more help we need.

As a side note thermoclines and stratification can and do develop in smaller ponds and pools, I have personally measured a 5 C difference between the top layer of water in my existing pond and the bottom, and since it's only 5 ft deep that's 1 deg C per foot And I've swam in swimming pools with very obvious thermoclines and a warm stratified layer on the top. (this was obviously with no pumps or aerators running).

 

[Mucky_Waters]

I don't see pond breathers

I did try to add more things, but the poll only allows as many items as you see.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Keep in mind these are "natural" lakes that required aerators (artificial circulation) . Bodies of water that as you say "the wind fetch is sufficient, that no, aeration would be needed", but they still experience fish kill, so the fact that they are natural hasn't helped them. Clearly the fact that they are "natural" hasn't stopped the fish from dying. In order for the fish to survive in these natural lakes they must employ one of these "counter to nature" "contraptions". Of course there is more going on in these lakes that require this artificial circulation then just thermoclines, since that happens in all lakes and not all lakes require artificial circulation. Also the lakes in question could probably support some type of fish like carp or koi without an aeration, but they were mainly concerned with keeping trout alive in these lakes and trout require more oxygen. But there are many lakes or large bodies of water (bigger then backyard ponds anyway), that can't support any fish life at all for various reasons. So it's not surprising that we generally must employ some contrary to nature contraptions to maintain fish life in our not so natural backyard ponds, and as a rule the smaller the pond and the heavier the fish load the more help we need.

As a side note thermoclines and stratification can and do develop in smaller ponds and pools, I have personally measured a 5 C difference between the top layer of water in my existing pond and the bottom, and since it's only 5 ft deep that's 1 deg C per foot And I've swam in swimming pools with very obvious thermoclines and a warm stratified layer on the top. (this was obviously with no pumps or aerators running).

A typical lake thermocline-

The thermocline (metalimnion) is that layer of water where temperatures drop drastically. Both above and below this layer water temperature generally experience only a gradual change.
Your example of a 5C difference in temperature from top to bottom in a 5 foot depth is not considered a thermocline by limnologists.
As to your reference to natural lakes, if fish kills occur in these lakes then how is it that there is still a population of fish present in these same lakes.
As I stated before, those lakes/ponds that have introduced fish (fisheries) may require aeration because an un-natural balance in the food chain is maintained in these bodies of water. The owners of these lakes/ponds experience the same problems with fish health, oxygen levels, adequate bio-conversion, etc. as do the owners of backyard garden ponds.
It is a generally accepted guideline in the science community that thermoclines do not occur in water with a depth of 4 -5 feet or less.
As I posted in the other thread, my comments as regards 'contraptions' in garden ponds are guided by the parameters that I set out. Specifically that the pond is properly designed and installed, and properly maintained.

 

[MitchM]

...

As a side note thermoclines and stratification can and do develop in smaller ponds and pools, I have personally measured a 5 C difference between the top layer of water in my existing pond and the bottom, and since it's only 5 ft deep that's 1 deg C per foot And I've swam in swimming pools with very obvious thermoclines and a warm stratified layer on the top. (this was obviously with no pumps or aerators running).

I'm interested to know what the weather conditions were at your place for your pond to register that much difference.
I've ever only recorded a maximum of 2 degrees celcius in my pond between the 5 foot and 2 foot depth.