Pond aeration refers to the amount of dissolved oxygen in a pond. It is often required in bodies of water that suffer from anoxic conditions. These are usually brought about by sewage discharges, agricultural run-off or over baiting a fishing lake. A pond will become unhealthy if dissolved oxygen (DO) levels become to low to support fish and plant life.

There are a number of things that can contribute to dissolved oxygen levels in a pond. These include the movement of the water itself and the organisms living in the pond. Along with reducing oxygen levels, a high level of algae can block out light, making the life below the surface very unhealthy. For fish this is a major problem because they need oxygen in order to breath. Fish death, a foul smell and unhealthy pond plants is a good indicator that the pond is poorly aerated.

Typically, pond aeration is often self regulated. But some times the balance of DO levels can become disrupted and this can lead to an unhealthy pond with very low oxygen levels. When this occurs, a pond can be aerated artificially.

Aeration can be achieved through the infusion of air into the bottom of the pond. This can be done by surface agitation from fountains, pumps, and windmills, just to name a few. Aeration speeds up the process of oxidizing mineral and organic pollution.

There are several aeration devices available to help in the artificial process. Most equipment requires electricity or fuel powered engines at the pond site. These include electric pump-sprayer aerators, electric paddle wheel aerators and electric propeller aerators.

Electric pump-sprayer aerators use larges volumes of water which are pumped or sprayed over the pond surface. Electric paddle wheel aerators act just like a paddle wheel boat. The paddle mixes and circulates the pond water. And with electric propeller aerators, water is pumped by propeller blades to the surface of the pond with air.

Another method of aerating a pond is by installing a fountain or a waterfall. This will ensure that the oxygen levels rise by churning the water. The fountain has a motor that powers a rotating impeller. The impeller pumps the water and then expels it into the air thus transferring oxygen. Fountains and waterfalls are popular because of the pleasing appearance they have to offer.

Windmill pond aeration is another option for pond owners with ponds that do not have access to electricity or whose ponds are in very remote areas. In an age when "going green" is a must, they are also a very environmentally responsible way to aerate ponds. Pond aeration windmills use wind as their source to power a compressor. This compressor pushes air into a diffuser that is situated at the bottom of the pond. Here tiny air bubbles lift poor quality water and mixes it with oxygen rich water at the surface creating healthy water. In other words, it aerates from bottom to top.

A windmill aeration system can be a low cost, low maintenance way to aerate a pond. But there are a few areas that you should pay attention to or be aware of. If you keep these points in mind, your windmill pond aerator should be operating successfully for years to come.

First of all pay attention to the diaphragm. This is usually one of the first parts to go on a windmill system. Luckily they are inexpensive and easy to replace. Secondly, take a look at your diffuser. There are several ones to pick from and you want to make sure you have one that will work efficiently on your windmill. Finally, wind can be an issue. Some windmills might not be as effective at lower wind speeds. In order to catch the most wind, it is recommended that you buy the tallest windmill that you can afford.

As you can see there are many pond aeration systems available to you. As with most things, knowledge is power. So do your homework and research the different systems that may work for you. Also keep in mind there are companies out there that specialize in pond maintenance. They can be an excellent resource to you and can be of help with installing your pond aeration system.