When are Aeration Kits Necessary?

When are aeration kits necessary? Actually aeration kits are a vital piece of equipment in a pond year round. During the winter months they are used to keep water moving, help to maintain a small opening in the ice and for gas exchange. They are just as important during the hot summer months when warmer waters are not capable of holding as much dissolved oxygen.

There are many factors that affect the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in a pond, these included nutrients, algae and temperature. The DO level in a pond is important because this is the amount of “air” available for pond fish to respire; as these levels drop it makes fishes breathing more difficult and the fish may actually come to the surface of the pond “gasping” for air. In order to correct this problem things such as fountain heads and waterfalls are used to increase oxygen levels. But as stated earlier there are several factors that add to lower oxygen levels. Temperature is one of these factors and with the current heat wave that is hitting some areas of the country fountains and waterfalls may not be enough to maintain an adequate DO level in ponds; in which case pond aeration kits can be an essential piece of equipment in a pond. 

PT1620 Air Pump Kit (50LPM)

Laguna Air Pump Kit

Using an air pump during the warmer, summer months in ponds that have an excess of algae is just as important as using it during the winter months. Aquatic plants, particularly oxygenating plants (anacharis, hornwort, cabomba) will produce oxygen during the day; however at night aquatic plants go into reverse photosynthesis and deplete the water of oxygen, thus lowering the DO levels. This along with warmer waters and high organic levels can cause fish kills; in the ocean this is know as “red tide.”

As we continue to head into the heat of the summer months if you don’t have an aeration kit as part of your pond equipment you may want to give this some serious consideration. Adding an air pump will help to improve the health of you pond and its inhabitants.

For additional reading, visit the Laguna Ponds website.