BASIC POND AERATION


The weather is hot and sticky.  Your pond water is stagnant.  Your prized Koi are at the pond's surface gasping for air.  You may have added chemicals to reduce algae, filtered the water to keep it clean, and even added a water feature to your pond to increase water movement.  You may think you have done everything right, but now your fish are dying.  What went wrong?

Pond Aeration
Oxygen is a crucial ingredient for all pond inhabitants.  Not only is oxygen necessary for plants and fish, it is even used by the good bacteria which break down the organic waste.  For this reason it is most important that the pond is maintained at the oxygen level most desirable for all of its inhabitants.  It is for this reason that we use aeration in the pond.

The relationship between water and oxygen
There is a basic relationship between water and oxygen and understanding is key to keeping a desirable level of oxygen in your pond.  There are two ways in which oxygen is entered into your pond water.
        During cold winter months, an area of your pond should be kept free of ice.  In the
        summer months, vegetation should not be allowed to cover the entire pond's surface.
        Surface water needs to be exposed to fresh air.

        To generate more oxygen, water movement of any kind will help.  It could be waterfall,
        or even a fountain.  There are times, though when these will not be enough.  The use
        of an aerator on a hot summer day will go a long way in preventing oxygen deprivation
        for your fish.
Looking at key factors affecting oxygen levels
Basically, there are three faxtors that will affect pond oxygen levels.  The first is temperature.
The warmer the water the lower the oxygen content.  Once your water temperature reaches 85 degrees Fahrenheit the water will quickly lose its ability to maintain oxygen.  A combination of poor water circulation and warm water can create areas that are oxygen-depleted making it harmful to pond inhabitants.

An other factor is the number of fish in the pond.  The greater the number of fish, the greater the demand for oxygen.  If the pond doe not have proper aeration, it can quickly be depleted of necessary oxygen.

Clarity of water is also important.  Water that is murky or dark can limit the ability of plants to thrive by limiting the amount of light they receive.  Healthy plants will provide oxygen for your pond so maintinaing clear water will enable healthy plant growth.

In periods of warmer weather, or if you reside in the southern part of the country, testing for dissolved oxygen content is important.  Testing should be done on a regular basis.  Very often pond keepers do not follow this important step only to find their oxygen-deprived koi gasping at the surface.

When following these tips, it should not be difficult to provide your koi with all the oxygen they will ever need.  The most important thing to remember is regardless of the season, aeration should be provdided for your koi as water turbulence does significantly increase oxygen levels.  The AquaSuperstore can fulfill all of y our pond needs including pond areation.  Wide Selection. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Shop Aqua Superstore today!