FAQs
Why should I aerate my pond/lake?
Aeration is the process of increasing dissolved oxygen levels in a body of water through the injection of oxygen and/or ozone. Proper aeration virtually eliminates summer and winter fish kills, increases organic decomposition, improves water clarity, and allows fish and other organisms to utilize the entire resource. A properly designed bottom-laid aeration system will allow the bottom layers of the lake to be exposed to the atmosphere where it can rapidly absorb oxygen. This saturation of oxygen throughout the lake, top to bottom, will extend the life of the resource by slowing the eutrophication process. Please contact us for additional information on bottom-laid aeration.
Comparison of bottom-laid aeration, fountains, and other circulators.
Although fountains are aesthetically pleasing and can be effective at aerating the upper layers of the water column they do very little to aerate the most critical bottom waters. Fountains are also very inefficient requiring high horsepower to push the water into the air.
Solar circulators are also very ineffective at mixing or aerating the entire resource. These systems typically incorporate a draft tube with a propeller to pull the heavier, denser water to the surface were it can absorb atmospheric oxygen. These units affect only small areas around the units and are ineffective in larger, deeper reservoirs over five feet in depth.
Similar to fountains, surface aerators are extremely inefficient, requiring high horsepower motors to churn the upper layers of the resource. They cannot pull heavier, dense bottom waters to the surface and only aerate the first few feet of the resource.
Conversely, a properly designed bottom-laid aeration system is very efficient and effective at aerating the entire water column from top to bottom. As these tiny bubbles slowly rise to the surface they entrain the dense bottom water and bring it to the surface. This process virtually eliminates summer and winter fish kills, increases organic decomposition, improves water clarity, and allows fish and other organisms to utilize the entire resource. This type of system is able to break up thermal layers that form in a lake during the summer. The anoxic bottom layers of water are exposed to the atmosphere where it can rapidly absorb oxygen. The result is a lake with complete oxygen saturation top to bottom which prevents summer fish kills. A bottom-laid aeration system also keeps ice layers that form on a lake during the winter months to a minimum eliminating winter fish kills.
All of the moving parts to our custom designed systems are out of the water which allows for the components to be easily inspected and maintained. Please contact us for additional information on our custom designed bottom-laid aeration.
How will I know if my fish will survive the winter at an elevation of 6000 feet?
Without an aeration system, there is no way to say for sure whether or not your fish will survive. However, if your pond is fairly new, does not have an excessive amount of vegetation or accumulated organic sediment, and is greater than 10 feet deep, your chances are relatively good. An aeration system is the only good insurance against spring and fall turnovers which can cause a fish kill by mixing the anoxic bottom waters throughout the resource dropping the overall dissolved oxygen throughout the resource. As always, please feel free to contact us with any other questions you may have.
What fish species and sizes are best to stock in my pond/lake?
Stocking a pond properly is dependent on many factors such as the location of the pond/lake, the size of the pond/lake, the maximum depth of the pond/lake, and the water source, among others. The water quality of the resource will also greatly influence whether or not a pond / lake should be stocked and what species would be best. Fish are adaptable animals yet they require certain water parameters to ensure the best growth and to keep them from becoming stressed. When stocking a new pond, it is best to stock a forage base of minnows prior to stocking predator species. This will allow the food base to become established. It is also best to stock small fish sizes so that they are able to grow into the pond; smaller fish are typically much cheaper than the larger sizes. If a fishery is already present, it is best to stock similar sizes to keep predation to a minimum on the newly stocked fish. Warm water fish, such as bass, bluegill, and catfish, should be stocked in ponds where the water temperatures are greater than 65°F, whereas trout, coldwater species, should be stocked in ponds where the water temperature remains below 65°F. Please contact us us for additional information and stocking recommendations.
Do I need to feed my fish?
Feeding your fish is not warranted to sustain a fishery if you stock a forage fish along with or prior to the predator fish, or if you have a good sustainable invertebrate population within the resource. Forage fish are typically minnows, but can also include small bluegill, gizzard shad, etc. Aqua Sierra, Inc. recommends stocking fathead minnows prior to stocking predator species so that they can find appropriate habitat, such as vegetation and rock structures, to hide and reproduce creating a self-sustaining food base in the pond. The forage base should be evaluated each year. Fathead minnows are also a good form of biological mosquito control. Please contact us for additional information.
How do I control the nuisance vegetation or algae that is taking over my pond/lake?
There are a variety of ways to control unwanted aquatic vegetation. The most common option sought after is chemical algaecides and herbicides since they provide immediate results. Chemicals generally require frequent applications and become expensive and manually intensive. It is also important to note that each time you kill aquatic weeds they sink to the bottom and decompose providing all of the required nutrients for the next bloom. Furthermore the vegetation could become resistant overtime and chemical management may be detrimental to an existing population of catfish and trout. Aqua Sierra, Inc. recommends biologically controlling nuisance vegetation whenever possible. Biological vegetation management consists of stocking grass carp, also known as White Amur. Grass carp are a great biological control method since they eat their body weight in vegetation every other day until maturity. These fish retain harmful nutrients, such as phosphates, within their bodies rather than releasing them back into the resource. Please contact us with any questions you may have regarding the best management practice for controlling nuisance vegetation in your pond.
What are beneficial bacteria and why should I put it in my pond/lake?
Beneficial pond bacteria are pathogen free communities of naturally occurring bacteria that improve water clarity, reduce sludge accumulation, and out-compete algae for nutrients. All lakes and ponds will benefit from bacterial inoculations. The best way to administer bacteria to a pond/lake is via a bacterial injection system which will ensure even distribution throughout the season. Please contact us for additional information.
I want to construct a pond on my property, but I don’t know where to start. How should I design it?
The depth of your pond will depend on elevation; the higher the elevation, the deeper the pond should be. Generally, though, we recommend depths between 12 to 15 feet over at least one third of the basin. The sides of your pond should have a 3 to 1 slope, making the pond safe for children without creating a habitat for algae and weeds. Please contact us for additional information or with help in designing your pond.
I found out that I need to line my pond. What type of liner should I use?
Aqua Sierra, Inc. recommends a heavy-duty, multi-layered, industrial polypropylene liner, made to last the lifetime of the pond. This is the same liner we use for our fish farm designs, where heavy equipment and people will be treading across the liner. Bentonite is a clay soil that is also commonly used to line ponds but can cause multiple problems. Bentonite is such fine material that can be re-suspended in the water with the occurrence of any small wind or storm event. A pond lined with loose bentonite is eternally turbid, which inhibits vegetation growth, and inhibits a predator fish's ability to hunt for prey by site successfully. Please contact Aqua Sierra, Inc. for additional information or to discuss alternative possibilities.
