Keeping Ponds Open In Winter with Wind Power

Customers all over North America are discovering the benefits of using Wind and Windmills to aerate ponds, keeping them open all winter long.

In the State of Montana – the State Fisheries and Game Department and many other pond owners are using Koenders Windmills to aerate their fish ponds to keep fish healthy and alive all winter long.

Greg Swenson of Chinook, MT explains that after installing his Koenders Windmill in 2000 his fish have stayed healthy ever since. “The windmill keeps a 30 Ft circle open in the pond during the cold winter months, everywhere else in the pond freezes up to 2 Ft thick.”

Greg explains that for 5-6 years the Koenders Windmill ran maintenance free. “I literally did not do a thing.” In the last few years he has changed an air stone diffuser and a maintenance repair kit for $100.00.

The aeration keeps the ponds and fish healthy in the warmer summer months as well. Greg mentioned that many of the ponds in his area get over grown with green algae and moss while his stays clear and clean.

Windmill aeration systems certainly do a great job of keeping ponds open in the winter months, clean during the summer periods and the fact that you do not need power or the cost of electricity to operate them is a real bonus.

© 2008, Pond Owner Magazine.

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Preparing Your Pond For Winter

For many of us that live in the colder areas of North America the Fall is a time to prepare for the upcoming winter months.

For pond owners that means that we need to prepare our ponds and the wild life that live inside them for the cold winter months ahead.

Many pond owners are not aware that they should be considering some options for keeping a section of their pond open during the winter months. By doing this the pond can release its toxic gases such as ammonia into the atmosphere so that it does not kill off the fish.

Many pond owners chop holes in their ice with tractors or axes to let their ponds vent out any toxic gases. Others do nothing and are shocked in the Spring when they see the unhealthiness of their pond. There is a simpler and more effective way for you to consider and it also has other benefits.

Bottom up pond aeration is and aeration process that works all winter long – pumping oxygen into your water at the bottom of the pond to the surface. It keeps a section of your pond open for your pond to vent and it also provides a much needed supply of oxygen to your wildlife.

Pond aeration also helps in the decomposition process of any organic matter such as leaves and animal waste which otherwise does not get the levels of oxygen needed to decompose so can sit at the bottom of your pond and build up sludge levels.

Koenders Windmills and its marketing arm Outdoor Water Solutions Inc. as well as Superior Windmills have windmill aerations systems that aerate ponds from the bottom up and are built to work 365 days a year. With very little to no maintenance it’s a must consideration if you are a pond owner in colder climate zones.

© 2006, Pond Owner Magazine.
www.pondowner.com