What is a Pond Aerator?
A pond aerator is an electrical or propane device used to add oxygen into the water. This increase in oxygen can keep fish healthy and happy as well as combat the effects of pond algae and cloudy water that can cause a toxic environment for fishes.
Aerators also allow ponds to support more plants, which in turn adds beauty to your backyard.
Aerating water also increases water circulation throughout your pond which decreases the chance for stagnation. Stagnation can lead to poor filtration as well as sludge build-up in different areas of the pond bed, both contributing to algae growth. In addition, inhospitable conditions coupled with heavy algal blooms may cause fish kills due to sharp increases in toxicity levels or low concentrations of oxygen within the infested waters.
Algae can form on top of submerged items such as rocks and logs. This makes the debris more buoyant than the water and takes away from useful pond areas. These items can trap debris such as fallen leaves, contributing to decreased oxygen levels within the water.
Aerators also combat green water which is caused by Cyanobacteria (also called blue-green algae). This type of algae thrives in still waters and creates a green appearance on the surface of ponds due to light refracting off cell layers at different angles.
Green water causes many problems, including decreased fish populations and an increase in mosquito breeding grounds. It also has a pungent odor that can be noticeable from quite a distance. In addition, aeration reduces phosphorous build-up in ponds which is highly detrimental to aquatic life as it promotes algae growth and low oxygen levels.
Pond aerators and pumps can be purchased online, here on our website.
Aeration is important for all ponds even small decorative water features, such as fountains and Koi ponds. These smaller models of aerators are used that don’t also pump the water around the yard as larger more powerful models do. However, pond aerators will not eradicate algae from your pond but it does keep fish safe and healthy by increasing the level of dissolved oxygen within the waters of your garden oasis.
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