Aeration question...Airstones and location?

[Brutuscz]

My pond is 16,000 gal and I have 2 large air pumps. Each pump runs two 10-12 inch Alita airstones. I usually keep 1 airstone in the filter to support the aerobic bacteria. I keep the other three evenly spaced across the pond. My question is...what effect would it have if I put those 3 airstones all at one end. This would be to make viewing the koi better, as the airstones really make the surface ripple. So, I would feed and view them at one end...and my airstones would all be at the other end. Would this affect oxygen levels to any great degree? I don't want to do this and then have any regrets if oxygen levels drop. As always...thanks for the help!!

[PapaBear]

IMHO the only real influence would be the change in circulation patterns within the pond. 50% of the value obtained from all that air movement is its effect on movement of the water column, so as long as you did not disrupt the flow toward your skimmers and BD's I doubt the O2 saturation within the pond would change significantly.

[MCA]

for 10,000 I am running one 100L air pump on each of the two BDs. I am also running a 120L air pump on each Nexus. With luck I will have the bakki shower up and running by next weekend. You might think taht is too much aeration. No such thing. Put the DO levels as close to saturation as possible. You always want the water to be at least 80% of saturation. Remeber that saturation varies with temp. Cooler water holds more DO that warmer water.

As for not seeing the fish or interference with feeding...just turn the air pumps for the pond off for a period of time. Easy to do with a RF remote control you can get at Home Depot or Lowes for around $30 or put the pump on a timer.

[dick benbow]

One of the things I think we all focus on ( and rightly so ) is the koi, but the truth of the matter is that the bacteria is just as important. make it first class accomodations for them and your koi benefit. Air as well as PH is every bit as important to our bacteria as the koi.

for example, I have J-mat in an upflow vortex chamber, 3 in series. Air is underneath the mat and air on top next to the exit pipe as it heads into the next chamber. This effort as well as a three stack bakki that exits directly back to the pond, keeps O2 levels maxed in both the pond and filters

I say all this because I wonder if all your air you have allocated now, should be within the pond of if your filtration bacteria could benefit from some additional air. I couldn't comment properly without knowledge of your filtration and airstone placement....

[schildkoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by dick benbow One of the things I think we all focus on ( and rightly so ) is the koi, but the truth of the matter is that the bacteria is just as important. make it first class accomodations for them and your koi benefit. Air as well as PH is every bit as important to our bacteria as the koi. for example, I have J-mat in an upflow vortex chamber, 3 in series. Air is underneath the mat and air on top next to the exit pipe as it heads into the next chamber. This effort as well as a three stack bakki that exits directly back to the pond, keeps O2 levels maxed in both the pond and filters I say all this because I wonder if all your air you have allocated now, should be within the pond of if your filtration bacteria could benefit from some additional air. I couldn't comment properly without knowledge of your filtration and airstone placement....

Samples of O2 levels can be taken prior to and immediately follwing bio chambers and you will not find any difference (even with extremely senistive instruments). The real value of airation within the biochambers is to keep the media clean from solids settling on the surface area which in turn takes away from the efficiencies of the bio filtration.

This is not to say that the water column should not be at or as close as possible to saturation.

Steve

[dick benbow]

one of my favorite expressions used to be from the movie Forrest Gump....Where he drew a line between life and a box of chocolates. But I found a better one i wanted to share.......

The learning experience is like a jar of jalapenos, what happens today could burn you tommorrow

[dick benbow]

It's the only culture some people have

[Brutuscz]

I followed MCA's advice. I put both air pumps on a hand controlled remote. So, I can just shut them for viewing. Both of my air pumps are 110liters. I also have 3 waterfalls running off two pumps. One is 5,600gph, the other is 4200gph. All should be well with this set up. Last season, I had two air pumps half this size...and everything was fine. I will measure O2 levels anyway...just to be safe. Thanks again!!

[Brutuscz]

Quote: Originally Posted by dick benbow one of my favorite expressions used to be from the movie Forrest Gump....Where he drew a line between life and a box of chocolates. But I found a better one i wanted to share....... The learning experience is like a jar of jalapenos, what happens today could burn you tommorrow

LOL....definitely been there...and it wasn't a fun place at all