The No. 1 thing pros overlook when servicing ponds and pond aerators

Professionals should always be looking for ways to improve the filtration of ponds, according to experts. (Photo: YuraWhite/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images)

What’s the No. 1 thing pros overlook when servicing ponds and pond aerators?

Todd Cruikshank

Todd Cruikshank

Owner

The Pond & Rock Shop

The No. 1 thing pros overlook when servicing ponds are opportunities for filtration improvement. Not all ponds are created equal, and most can be upgraded to run smoother and cleaner. Most ponds we encounter do not have enough filtration. Without proper filtration, pond water can become murky from lack of water movement; pumps will not last as long because they work harder than they need to. By cleaning filters regularly, performing water changes and adding additional filtration, you can improve the pond’s overall health. As for pond aerators, it’s replacing the inner workings of the aerator. Most aerators contain parts that are serviceable or replaceable. These parts include diffusers, diaphragms and air filters. By replacing the serviceable parts of an aerator, you can increase the lifespan of the aerator and improve its overall efficiency and performance.

Brandt Reynolds

Brandt Reynolds

Sales representative 

Blue Thumb Distributing

Regular maintenance in general. Most times, pros are conscious enough to provide adequate aeration for a pond feature or earth pond. However, maintaining the aerator itself is of utmost importance. It is recommended to perform regular maintenance on your aerator once every year or bi-yearly, at the least. The top recommendation is to perform a diaphragm replacement or install a rebuild kit on your piston-driven units within this time frame. These diaphragm kits and/or rebuild kits are often a fraction of the cost of a new aeration system, which will allow the systems to operate at peak performance for years to come.

Sandra Burton

Sandra Burton

President and CEO 

Linne Industries, manufacturer of PondHawk

The No. 1 thing pros overlook is power: manpower, electrical power and access to power. Many pros forget that each “power” has an associated cost, and each aerator type affects these costs differently. Surface aerators like fountains are burdened with all three power costs. Fountains require power delivery costs to get electricity near the pond, electrical costs to keep the fountain operating and manpower to annually remove, service and replace fountain components in the pond. Electric-powered subsurface aerators have lower manpower costs but are still burdened with power delivery and ongoing kilowatt-hour costs. The PondHawk Solar Powered Aerator offers pros all the benefits of subsurface aeration without the cost of power access, electricity and manpower common to other aerator options.