Solar Pond Aerators [The Complete Guide]
Before looking for the best pond aerator, it is crucial to understand pond aeration and its significance to your solar pond.
Pond aeration involves adding or maintaining oxygen levels in your pond to enhance the quality of the water.
Pond aeration boosts the process of eliminating the pollutants in the pond as well as oxidizing the pond. The process allows aquatic insects, fish, and aerobic bacteria to eliminate non-living organic things.
This process is aided by specialized equipment known as aerators. This equipment helps in the addition of dissolved oxygen into your pond to improve the overall water quality.
The process allows the bacteria in the pond to decompose any organic things, thereby reducing pond weeds efficiently. Understand that ponds can easily restore themselves naturally; pond aeration speeds up the process.
Types of Pond Aeration Systems
The common ones are floating fountain aerators, solar-powered aerators, electric-powered aerators, sub-surface diffusers, and windmill aerators.
Aeration systems are pretty different, and it all depends on the pond's owner to select the ideal aeration system.
Several factors go into the determination of the aeration systems to install. These factors include the characteristics of the pond, the budget involved, and personal preference, among others.
As earlier mentioned, pond aeration has got several benefits on your pond.
Your fish will survive, and no odors will come out of your pond due to contaminants and other non-organic material.
This guide concentrates on the solar-powered aerator to give you all the insights about this system.
Solar Pond Aerators
Many people find it hard to install an electrically powered aeration system where it is not economical to get to a power source in an isolated pond or lake.
This predicament is vivid, especially in farm ponds, golf course lakes, stormwater ponds, and other private water bodies.
Fortunately, if you cannot get electrical power to your pond, there are other viable means to aerate it economically and sustainably.
The emergence of solar-powered alternatives means that you can aerate your pond using solar panels thanks to the free energy from the sun's rays.
If you are determined to reduce the ecological footprint and only use renewable energy sources, then the solar pond aerator is what you need. The cost of running this system is very minimal, making it practical for almost any place.
How do solar pond aerators work?
Solar aerators use almost the same components as electric aerators. Both systems utilize the on-shore compressor, which pumps air via bottom-weighted tubing to the diffusers in the pond.
This air allows the water to go through the water column, thereby equalizing the temperature in the water and adding dissolved oxygen in the pond.
The big difference between these two systems is that the solar pond aerator uses solar panels and rays from the sun as its source of power.
What are solar pond aerators used for?
Solar aerators add dissolved oxygen into the pond. They speed up the natural process of decomposing non-organic matter in your pond.
This helps eliminate odor in the pond and increase the overall health of the pond and create a conducive aquatic environment for the fish.
What will happen if there is no sunlight?
Most solar aerators will store power via a battery backup system. This system effectively supplies power to the system for days when the sun fails to show up.
That means throughout the entire night, when there is no sunlight, the system will still work thanks to the battery storage.
However, please note that the solar aerator requires sun rays to work efficiently. That technically means if there is no sunlight for several days, the system may not be that effective.
You can use high-capacity batteries and increase their number to ensure you get an extended period of power backup.
How much does a Solar Pond Aerator cost?
The prices of the solar pond aerators may vary depending on several factors, which include but are not limited to:
- The actual size
- Functionality
- Efficiency
- Components of the aerator
Their prices could range from $50 to even $2000 on Amazon, depending on the type of aerator. Some can even go for less than $50 on the platform. You have to figure out which is the perfect one for your pond, depending on your needs.
Installing a Solar Pond Aerator
Installation of the solar pond aerator is not rocket science, and this is something you can do on your own.
Some of the essential equipment needed include the solar pond aeration system, bags of concrete, screwdriver, wrench, shovel, tubing cutter, socket set, hammer, and open-end wrenches.
1. You first have to dig a post hole and place the pot, then mix it with concrete. Let it dry to be firm enough to hold the solar panels.
2. Prepare a place for the level- aeration pad and ensure it is level.
3. Mount the solar panels while they are on the ground before you set them up on the pole.
4. After that, dig trenches that will connect the unit to the diffusers. Connect your tubing to the diffusers and the unit to the diffusers.
5. Place the diffusers in the pond with floaters to help you know their position. After that, you can now place your batteries in a cabinet and connect them to a power source.
6. Place the assembled solar panels on the pole after checking your manual for the correct placement. Ensure it stays at a perfect angle where it will receive maximum sunlight.
7. Cover the solar panels to prevent electric shock
8. Make the final connection between the solar panels and solar aeration unit. You could also alter the timer since most solar timers are pre-set to work from 2 pm to 10 am.
How long do Solar Pond Aerators last?
Solar pond aerators are durable and pretty long-lasting. Many people try to bash solar pond aerators saying they do not last long, but the truth is, they are as durable as their counterpart – electrical aerators.
When well-maintained, these solar pond aerators can last for about ten years when regularly used. If you rarely use it, it could serve you for almost 15 years.
What to pay attention to when choosing a quality solar pond aerator?
You may be wondering; what factors do I consider when purchasing a solar pond aerator? What matters when purchasing the device?
Well, you have to put in place certain factors such as:
The type
You can select from two types, including the solar pump kit and the floating aerators. The solar pump kit settles at the bottom of the pond. The other type floats on the surface of your pond.
Capacity
Look at the aerator's capacity to ensure it can serve your needs. Generally, it would be best to look at the gallons per hour (GPH) rating of the aerator before you make the purchase.
If the pond has around 2000 gallons of water, it would require at least a 300 GPH rated aerator to work effectively.
Solar Panel Sizes
The selection of a solar panel is critical as it is responsible for the energy conversion from the sun.
A larger panel will mean more energy because it can absorb more sunlight and produce more watts(W).
The large panels will create and emit higher electrical energy making the aerator more effective.
If the pond is large, you need a larger solar panel, but you can purchase smaller panels for the smaller ponds.
Battery size
The size of the battery is also a significant determinant. Extensive ponds require a higher battery capacity to sustain the high volume of water.
The batteries will also determine how the aerator will work during the days with low light. It is wise to choose maintenance-free batteries as they work better with solar panels and last longer.
Do solar pond aerators need maintenance?
Solar pond aerators require little to no maintenance. That is because the aerator uses a renewable source of energy to produce power.
The only maintenance would probably be the batteries or checking on the diffusers. The batteries require replacement after few years of service if they can no longer hold sufficient power.
Significant maintenance for this system may happen in case of accidents, or the solar panels are broken. However, you need to keep checking once in a while on the entire system to see if everything is still in place and working perfectly.
How long should I run the solar pond aerator?
A good number of pond experts recommend that you keep the pond aerator running every time.
This method will give your fish the oxygen levels they require. If the fish get low oxygen levels, they will be stressed, which weakens their immune system.
A weak immune system means they can easily get sick, unlike when they receive sufficient oxygen levels.
Where can solar pond aerators be installed?
The solar panel unit should be placed out in the sun to receive maximum sunlight. It should not be too close to the pond, like two or three meters away.
It should be placed at a safe distance from the pond but not under any structure to ensure maximum exposure to sunlight.
The solar panel should also not be too far from the pond to reduce cable resistance and enhance the unit's efficiency.
Around 10m to 20m should be fine. You can install solar-based aerators in ponds, dams, large aquariums, lakes, water tanks, fountains, among others.
How do solar pond aerators compare to conventional pond aerators?
The main comparison between the solar pond aerators and conventional pond aerators is that the solar aerators use renewable energy to create power for the pump. Solar aerators use sun rays to produce the electrical power that runs the system.
The electrical system uses electrical ability to run the system. The Windmill aeration system, on the other hand, uses wind to run the system.
As much as people believe the electrical aeration system is more efficient, the solar aerator is also quite effective if you have large solar panels for the large ponds.
As long as there is sufficient sunlight, the solar aerators will work as perfectly as the conventional pond aerators.
Benefits of Solar Pond Aerators
1. You don't require electric power – with these aerators, no power is necessary to keep them running since they use the sun rays to make their power through the solar panels. There is no stress in wondering how the power lines will reach the dam's edge.
2. Less energy loss – These aerators are more efficient since no or less energy lost as transportation is over short distances, unlike the powered system where energy loss is significant.
3. Control water odor – Dam aeration via the solar pond aerator eliminates the water odor. Usually, what smells is the anaerobic bacteria that thrive in low oxygen levels. Adding oxygen to the dam helps get rid of these bacteria and hence the odor.
4. Reduces pests and mosquitos – Pests and mosquitos love stagnant water with bacteria. Such pests can barely thrive in constantly circulating water. That is why we highly recommend a solar pond aerator to get rid of such insects.
Drawbacks of Solar Pond Aerators
One of the most significant setbacks of the solar pond aerator is that it is dependent on the sun to run the system.
That technically means the system may have some downtime when there is no sufficient sunshine for an extended period.
During cloudy days, the system will not be as effective as during bright sunny days unless you draw power from the batteries.
Also, with this system, you do not expect the process to carry on at night, especially if there is no backup plan like batteries.
There is also a negative perception amongst some experts who believe that solar pond aerators are only perfect for small ponds.
That they are not that effective if you have a massive pond with lots of gallons of water. This perception has negatively affected the popularity of solar pond aerators.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a cheaper and efficient method to aerate your pond and vividly circulate oxygen in your pond, then the solar pond aerator is the solution to your problems.
It is more feasible since you can place it anywhere without worrying about the power source. If your pond is located far from the nearest power supply, then the solar pond aerator could be your best option.
