To the uneducated pond owner, winter aeration may seem like a waste of time and energy. It is too cold in the wintertime for algae to grow and mosquito’s to proliferate. Moreover, the top of the pond will often freeze in northern climates – so you can forget about poor water clarity and pond odors!

In some respects, this conventional line of thinking is understandable. Conventional technologies, like fountains and circulators, cannot function in below freezing temperatures – pond managers have no choice but to take them out.

However, the time and costs of removing, storing and replacing equipment can often erase much of the potential power cost saved by not aerating in winter. Moreover, this conventional approach fails to take into consideration any potential benefits of aerating in the winter.

By aerating with the MARS 1500 Aeration system you can prevent winter fish kills and give your pond a head start for the summer. While at the same time attract winter wild life and prevent your dock or boat from becoming damaged.

Here are four reasons the pond experts at Triplepoint believe winter aeration is a good thing for your pond:

Reason #1: Prevents Fish Kills

When the surface of your pond freezes, fish are essentially sealed away from their oxygen source, and once they consume all of the oxygen in the water, a fish kill from suffocation will occur.

Fish can also die when the pond turns over in the spring. In northern climates, your pond becomes stratified during the winter months – where layers of the water column separate into different layers of temperature and dissolved oxygen.

When the ice melts and temperatures increase, these different layers mix with each other. As they mix, the overall water temperature increases and bacteria that lay dormant all winter begin to aerobically break down organic material. In this process, the bacteria consume oxygen – and in a matter of hours can deplete dissolved oxygen levels to the point where fish suffocate and die en masse.

The MARS 1500 Aeration system can prevent fish kills because it adds oxygen to the pond all winter long – keeping an opening in the ice and ensuring your fish have the oxygen needed to breath. Moreover, because the MARS utilizes patented Double Bubble Technology™ it not only adds oxygen, but also mixes and circulates the water column at a rate of 2,200 gallons per minute. The MARS will turn a typical 1-acre pond over 4 times a day! This ensures that spring turnover does not take out your entire fish population.

Reason #2: Gives Your Pond A Head Start Next Summer

Because cold water is better able to absorb dissolved oxygen than warm water, winter aeration can often be twice as effective as summer aeration at raising the D.O. of your pond.

The MARS 1500 Aeration system transfers 18.7 lbs of oxygen into a typical 1-acre pond per day – that’s 1,683 lbs of oxygen over the three months of winter!

When spring arrives your pond will be full of oxygen and ready for the upcoming growth season. When it becomes warm enough in the spring for bacteria to begin breaking down the nutrient material on the bottom of your pond there will be plenty of oxygen for them to breathe. This gives your pond a head start for the summer and will help to ensure that it is well prepared for the algae season.

Reason #3: Attracts Wildlife

The cold and desolate days of winter can sometimes seem lifeless and dry. Winter aeration with the MARS Aeration System will help remedy this by maintaining open water on the surface of your pond. Open water typically attracts waterfowl that seek safety from predators on the open ice. As a result, you can enjoy the beauty of nature as you look out over the pond – giving even further utility.

Reason #4: Protects Boats and Docks From Freezing

Pond or lake owners who have boats and/or docks face a real risk of damage as the water freezes over the winter months. When ice freezes and expands around your dock or boat, it begins a low crushing action and causes permanent damage. Ice also tends to shift slowly over time. As the water level below the ice attached to your dock fluctuates, it can rip pilings out of the bottom and render your dock useless.

By installing a MARS aerator under your boat or dock you can avoid potential damage due to water freezing. The patented MARS Double Bubble Technology™ is powerful enough to maintain an opening in the ice as large as 50 feet in diameter all winter long.

For more information on the MARS Aeration system, visit our home page and watch the video on Eco-Friendly Aeration.

Tags: fish kills, pond turnover, water freezing, wildlife, winter aeration