CountryByNet.com Forums :: Pond Aeration and Care

I'd recommend only removing the view obscuring growth and leaving all or most of the rest (background.) IF the tires are submerged and you have fish, they may have been intended for nesting/spawning. Clay tile make good nests too if the petrochemical aspect of tires bothers you.

Atwoods farm and ranch stores sell a small windmill aereator and our closest one (27 miles) has a display in the parking lot. There are also solar driven pumps that can be used to stir the water. A man made waterfall of decent height for lots of agitation to get decent aeration will require a fair fall, 10 ft or more (my guess based on limited but not total lack of experience.)

The higher the head of pressure the more energy required to pump the water to that height. If you have a decent average wind and no really long periods of calm (multi-day calms) you could probably do OK with either a water pumping or air pumping wind mill. The water pumpers ARE NOT CHEAP. The little air pumping mills that I have seen run a bit over a grand.

To the man with a hammer every job looks sort of like a nail so understand my prejudice, I lean toward a solar direct water pump, i.e. solar PV panels direct wired to a pump, no charge controller and no battery. When the sun shines it pumps water.

Lots of these installations used for potable water and irrigation in 3rd world situations. You pays your money and you takes your chances: solar, wind-water, or wind-air. If you are handy and like a fairly easy DIY challenge you can go windmill direct mechanical drive to a paddle wheel to aerate the water. No solar panels or electric pump, no expensive windmill operated air pump. pr expensive wind driven water pump.

If you don't mind the modernistic look of a Savonius rotor vice the traditional wind mill you will have a simpler design that works well. Even an Archimedes screw (dead simple to build) driven by a Savonius rotor would move a significant quantity of water if you have decent wind. The Savonius rotor has the advantage of not having to be aimed at the wind as it is always aimed at the wind. If a breeze comes along wilth force enough to turn it it turns. With a conventional windmill the wind has to turn the mill into the wind before anything useful happens. If the winds are light and variable at your site you may find a conventional windmill does a lot of realigning but little pumping. The Savonius rotor is ready to go all the time and the Archimedes screw stays primed and is ready to pick up where it left off at the end of the previous wind.

Just some ideas to consider before just going to the store, paying big bucks, and hoping it works.

Pat

"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"

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