I am wondering if anyone out there knows how to build a air pump to aireate a large dug pond. A pump that would run off a pulley. The pumps on the market cost so much. Thanks John

-- John Kelsey (ijon1@hotmail.com), March 16, 2002

Answers

Old Chrysler (80's) air conditioners can be used for air pumping, be sure to mount it so the rotation is the same as when it was in the car so the oil slinger works. And use air stones like in an acquarium, a thousand small bubbles gives 300% more exchange surface than ten very large ones.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), March 16, 2002.

You could also consider using a plain water pump and a fine spray nozzel(s). Set it up to spray water over the surface of the pond. The finer the spray, the more oxygen it will pick up. (Sorta like a swimming pool spray system used for cooling.)

-- Lynn (LynnGoltz@AOL.com), March 16, 2002.

The air condtioner (80s Chrysler) being referred to is the York, and was found in many imports as well. It is an upright unit (as opposed to the cylindical, or vain type). It is self lubricated, ans depending on the size can deliver about 8-10 cfm.

I've installed one in my 98 Jeep Wrangler for using air tools when off road and airing up tires afterward.

It is a very common application w/Jeepers. If you are more interested, go visit www.onboardair.com or one of the off-road websites.

Rudy

-- Rudy (rbakker@wcrtc.net), March 16, 2002.

I have a friend in the south that raises catfish. To aireate his ponds he uses the rear end from an old rear weel drive car or truck. In place of the wheels he has installed paddles. He lifts the unit with the three point hitch of his tractor and backes it into the pond. He activates the power takeoff and " wahla" Easy cheep aireation of the pond.

-- Paul (treewizard@buffalo.com), March 16, 2002.

If I remember right the air conditioning pumps from mopars are v- twins. Personally I never had much luck with them. They always seemed to have broken crank shafts. I've had better luck with the AC pumps off Fords.

I've heard of people using a common deep well submersible pump. A common shallow well pump would work too. Either spray the discharge into the air as suggested above or lay out lateral lines near the surface of the pond for aeration in selected areas.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), March 16, 2002.

I disagree with the idea of only aeriating the surface of the water or even shallow depth. Bubbles riseing from the bottom of the deepest part have the most time for surface exchange of oxygen, furtherly, the denser layer of water would settle at the bottom - denser because of less oxygen and more sedament, is this not what adding oxygen is to cure?

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), March 17, 2002.

I dunno mitch. Stratification in a pond occurs as a result of temperature differentials. Like with air, warm water will be at the surface and the colder water will be at the bottom. Cold water will absorb much more air than warm water.

I've seen aeration devices like what I described. They kept the surface roiling and moving. I suspect however you get a greater amount of oxygen transfer with the fountain/spray method. The addition of oxygen to the water will assist in decomposing organic matter in the pond but if a pond is well stocked with fish, even with a clean, sand bottom, you can run into oxygen defficencies, especially in warm weather.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), March 17, 2002.

I think a great way to use the air generated by the compressor described by others in the thread would be in a homemade air lift pump. Air lift pumps are good when you have a high pressure relatively low volume source of air and you aren't trying to lift the water above the pond level very much. I've attached one reference on air lift pumps but it would be very easy to make one yourself.

Good Luck

Ed

http://www.areainc.com/action/action1b.htm

-- Ed Kuchtjak (ekuchtjak@severntrentservices.com), March 20, 2002.

Won't mechanical pumps introduce lubricating oil into the water? Maybe a simple centrifugal water pump and the surface spay would lessen the risk.

Am I right in thinking that the surface paddle wheels have been used in China for thousands of years?

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), March 20, 2002.

I use a submegeble pump in my pond!! I made a spray head out of pvc pipe fitings to give a fan spray!! Mine floats on a small inner tube from a wheelbarow tire ancored to the middle of the pond!

-- Grizz in Western Maryland (southerneagle@yahoo.com), March 21, 2002.