Solar Aeration Systems: How to Aerate Your Pond Without Electricity

It’s easy to identify a stagnant lake or pond. Usually, a waterbody without proper water circulation has a foul odor, cloudy or scummy water, nuisance aquatic weeds and algae, and many mosquitoes. Thankfully, it is possible to reverse the problems caused by stagnant water by installing a lake or pond aeration system. Electric aeration systems can be effective when a power source is available near the pond, but sometime an electric service is unavailable, or you may just be interested in a more ecologically friendly aeration solution. If this is the case, a

solar pond aerator is a great option to improve circulation in your waterbody.

Getting electrical power to your farm pond, community lake or stormwater management facility around other homes can be expensive, time consuming and unpractical. In these scenarios, a solar aeration system can help save costs. If trenching and setting up a new electrical service is required, choosing to go solar can also lessen the time it takes to get the system up and running from months to weeks.

Aside from the cost and time 

benefits of pond aeration , there are also environmental advantages to going with a solar aeration system. If you want to take your aquatic resource to the next level, but do not want to consume more electricity in the process, a solar pond aerator can be a winning choice. Installing a solar aerator results in a win-win situation because it increases the pond health and decreases fossil fuel use for energy.

Solar powered pond aerators are also very reliable and utilize many of the same components as a standard electric powered system. The system begins with a solar panel mounted on a post that is positioned based on latitude and season to capture the optimal amount of sunlight. The solar panels will then convert that sunlight into energy, which is used to power the air compressor. Past the compressor, the components on a solar system are basically identical to that of an electric powered system. The compressor pumps air through tubing underwater to diffusers. When the air reaches the diffusers, it is forced out into small bubbles, which disperse into the water and mix the water column as they float to the surface. This constant mixing of the water column increases the overall

dissolved oxygen level and creates a more stable ecosystem.

One drawback, as with any solar powered equipment, is that the function is dependent on the sun, which leads to some limitations to the system runtime. At night or on extremely cloudy days, when the sunlight is less than 20%, the solar panels will not convert enough energy to power the system. Because of this, the aerator only runs around 14-16 hours per day in good conditions. Some manufacturers offer a battery backup, which can increase the runtime to 20 hours per day or more, in perfect conditions. An aerator running all day every day is ideal, but 14-20 hours of aeration per day will still provide many of the same benefits.

In conclusion, any type of aeration system to your lake or pond is going to help ensure a longer and healthier lifespan of your waterbody. However, with the rise of alternative energy sources, new strides are being made to enhance solar technology and make your dollar stretch further.