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Aeration is pivotal to the success of your pond. One could argue more important than filtration because fish will succumb faster without oxygen then they will in water with high ammonia or nitrite levels |
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| Equipment for Aeration All serious Koi keepers have a dedicated aeration system running in their ponds and often in the bio chambers of their filters. There are basically 4 ways to aerate, each with their advantages and disadvantages Aquarium Air Pump: You should always have one of these on hand, especially a battery operated unit. They are inexpensive, good for small ponds and great in emergencies. They are limited with lowe air output - although some fairly hefty units are available to aerate medium sized ponds Compressor: These units are a worthwhile investment. They put out quite a bit of air with good pressure which means they can be used for deep water aeration, a bottom drain for example. Most are diaphragm driven so eventually the rubber membrane splits. This generally takes a couple of years Air Blower: Blowers provide the most volume of air and are great for aerating a lot of tanks. The downside is that they are expensive and can't pump to the depths of compressors. Mechanically, airblowers by design will last longer than diaphragm compressors Venturi: Venturis are probably the most efficient form of aeration. They run off of your existing pump utilizing a physics trick in which air is drawn in through an airline by the restriction of flowing water. They are inexpensive and great to augment and backup your main aeration system. Remember, you still need to have a separate aeration system because when your pump fails, the venturi will cease functioning With airstones look for good diffusion of air because the smaller the bubbles created, the better the aerating effect. Aquacultural grade airstones are therefore preferred and speced at an amount of air they can diffuse per minute (C.F.M. rating). For maximum efficiency, try to match this rating to your compressors output
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Benefits of Aeration By providing optimum aeration levels, the environment for your koi is one that will allow for good health and growth. It also creates currents which mix the water and exercise the fish. Additionally, it discourages algae by expelling Carbon Dioxide and preventing stagnation Surface tension is also dramatically reduced thereby facilitating the absorption of oxygen through surface to air contact. The bottom line is that aeration, along with a good filter system, are both equally integral in providing a excellent environment for your fish Never run your pond without an air system - besides all the benefits it is a great backup to your pond when your pump fails (note: not "if your pump fails") |
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Nitrification As already mentioned, Oxygen is key for the conversion of Ammonia to Nitrite. Ammonia, NH3 is oxidized to Nitrite, NO2. As you can see, this reaction requires 2 oxygen molecules as Hydrogen is replaced by Oxygen In a pond with low oxygen levels it is obvious that this process is crippled
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Signs of Low Oxygen In extreme cases of Low D.O. levels, fish will gasp at the surface and if not corrected, they will asphyxiate and die In more subtle circumstances, Koi may start gasping near day break after a night of both fish and plants depleting the O2 in the pond |
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