anyone know of a good pond aeration system for under $2500 for a 3 acre pond? I have priced the Vertex Water Features, but seem a little expensive for my blood. also would like it to be solar so i dont have to run 700 yards of underground power lines. Any ideas? Thanks eric

good question...I am interested in the answer as well

Fishindude,

I'm a big proponent of the Vertex systems. I installed one about 7 years ago, give or take a year, and it has not missed a beat in all that time. Zero failures, zero problems.

You do not need to run underground power lines...instead push the air through tubing to the pond from your garage/shed or wherever you currently have power.

I used 3/4 inch pvc and buried it about 6 inches or so, just enough to protect it against being run over by my tractors and equipment. I bought the 20 foot sections and saved a bunch of money. You can also use that flexible plastic tubing which is even cheaper than pvc, but I preferred the strength and durability of pvc. About 4 years after installation, I decided to aerate another pond from the same system. The good folks at Vertex said I could do that off my original compressor by just tieing in pvc to the new pond.

You can push the air with very minimal friction loss for very long distances. In my case I went about 800 feet to one pond and another 400 feet to another pond. Absolutely no problem whatsoever.

I recommend you talk directly to the Vertex folks and not through a re-seller. They have the engineering background to give you precise reliable information. Talk to Sue, if she is still there.

By the way, a fast, cheap method of buring the pvc is to attach a middle buster to your tractor (assuming you have one) and dig your trench..takes no time at all. Then lay your pipe or your tubing and cover it up. Install your compressor inside a shed (it does make some noise and should be protected from the elements). Install your diffusors in the pond (probably need two)and fire it up...it is like the energizer bunny and keeps going and going and going. Love my Vertex!!!


p.s. if you do decide to go this route and decide you want to use that less expensive flexible tubing, I recommend you pressure test it before installation to insure it doesn't have any pin-head leaks in it. Some manufacturers do not pressure test before shipping and you can have problems...no need to do that on pvc that I know of.

p.s.s. also that weighted tubing they have for in the pond installation is well worth the money. This connects from your underground pvc/tubing to the diffussors in the pond.

p.s.s.s if this is not clear, I'm happy to answer any questions about my system...can post pictures also if you want.

Sue Cruz is still with Vertex and I have to say that Vertex by far has the best compressors on the market. I'm not 100% sold on the diffusers but if you go with Vertex I would go with the XL system. Regular diffusers have 2 - 9" discs and the XL systems have 4 - 9" discs per air station.
Vertex also has a VBS system, stands for valve box system or something to that effect, essentially you run PVC down to the ponds edge and then there is a manifold that splits the airflow to each diffuser. this lets you run a single line to a box near the water's edge but also allows you to run a separate line from this box to each diffuser and still be able to control the air flow to each one. This is important because lets say you get a system with 3 diffusers. The depth of each diffuser and the amount of line running to each one will require different amounts of pressure to run each diffuser. Using the valve box allows you to control the pressure to each diffuser individually and keep the system balanced. Otherwise you end up will all the pressure going to the shallowest or closest diffuser and no pressure to the deepest.
Like Meadow Lark said, do yourself a favor and go with the self weighted tubing, you'll never regret it.
If you decide to go with a system other than vertex I would stay away from anything that uses a rotary vane compressor. They were popular a few years ago but they have major problems. Rocking Piston compressors offer higher pressures and last much longer.
Best of luck, aeration is a good thing and well worth the investment!

GAC, If you talk to her, please tell her hello for me. She is first class professional through and through. A1.

I'm curious why you aren't "sold" on the diffusers? Zero maintenance for me over the entire 7 or 8 years....hard to beat that. Are there more efficient ones available now?

You guys should contact Steven Bardin he is a young freshwater biologist who does amazing work. His website is www.texasprolakemanagement.com but you can call him at 972-824-3986

Meadowlark is right on about burying airline from compressor to pond side and then weighted lines to Vertex diffusrs.

I am a DIY guy and put my system together with help from PondBoss.com forum pros.

My 1/4 hp Gast rotary vane conpressor has worked exceptioally well supplying air to 3 Vertex difusers running 24/7 during the hot weather months for more than seven years W/O a failure.

Build your compressor box from an old Igloo cooler with installed vents ...

DIY costs can be as much a 50%+ lower than a commercial sysem if you you are a bargain hunter.
The main cost will be weighted air lines.

Picures avaiable if needed.

220 systems should last longer. Don't go cheap on the pump.