Pond Owner Magazine

Powering Up Farm Profits

2009-11-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

Harnessing the wind is empowering farmers and John Deere dealers to achieve ROI, hedge volatile energy costs, and ensure the future of farm and country

Wind Power for both Aeration and Generation - Powering Up Farm Profits

Across the U.S. and Canada, farmers and John Deere dealers are looking to advanced wind turbines that offer the best features of large megawatt units. They're also using windmills to eliminate the need for energy altogether, when replacing the electric pond aeration systems used to support healthy fish and livestock. The result is powering up farm profits and minimizing input costs.

"Whether for irrigation systems and grain dryers or equipment to raise hogs, cattle, or turkey, farmers use a lot of electricity," says Don Van Houweling, General Manager of The Van Wall Group, the Midwest's largest John Deere dealer with locations throughout Central Iowa and the greater Kansas City area.

"That's why farmers and dealers are turning to wind energy: to achieve good ROI, hedge against volatile energy costs, and ensure the future of farm and country," says Van Houweling. "By harnessing a naturally renewable resource, we can limit rising input costs and our dependence on polluting, foreign fossil fuels."

Van Houweling estimates an annual 12 to 15% ROI for Midwest farmers and John Deere dealers who choose state-of-the-art wind turbine technology and take advantage of current federal, state, or local renewable energy incentives. He both uses wind turbines and is a dealer of them.

At his Perry, Iowa dealership, for instance, Van Houweling has installed a wind turbine by Endurance Wind Power capable of producing up to 20,000 kWh per year, about 20% of the site's needed power; and a larger unit capable of producing over 200,000 kWh per year is scheduled to produce about 85% of the power needed at his upcoming west Des Moines, Iowa site.

Back to Wind
Farms and windmills have a long history together, and today's growing interest in renewable wind power is just the latest chapter.

"The first heyday of wind power in America lasted from 1870 to 1930, when thousands of farmers used the wind to pump water and generate power. The second heyday is just beginning," states the website of the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world.

According to the UCS, the reasons for wind power's rebirth are many: some of the best wind resources are on farmland; electric wind generators are more efficient and reliable than old water-pumping fan-bladed windmills; and the relative cost/convenience advantage of renewable wind power over diesel generators and extending power lines. Other reasons: technology improvements, cost reductions, government incentives, plus the ability "to plant crops and graze livestock right up to the base of the turbines."

"Why did we jump into the wind market?" asks Van Houweling. "For the first time, the technology is designed for commercial farms or businesses on the electric grid, not just remote off-grid sites. Unlike traditional windmills requiring a complex DC to AC power inverter prone to breakdown, grid-compatible technology like Endurance's can provide up to 30% more power and greater reliability."

Grid-compatible wind power generation allows "net metering," which "enables farmers to get the most out of their wind turbines," according to the UCS.

With net metering, "When a turbine produces more power than the farm needs at that moment, the extra power flows back into the electricity system for others to use, turning the electric meter backwards," states the UCS. "When the turbine produces less than the farm is using, the meter spins forward, as it normally does. At the end of the month or year, the farmer pays for the net consumption or the electric company pays for the net production. Net metering rules and laws are in place in most states."

Going Green
When a tornado destroyed Mike Estes' family-owned John Deere dealership in Greensburg, Kansas as well as most of the town, wind power got his BTI-Greensburg dealership back on its feet again.

"The first thing to go up after the tornado was an S series Endurance wind turbine that powered the construction of our new building," says Estes, co-owner of BTI, a fourth-generation John Deere dealer with four Kansas locations.

The renewable power provided by the wind turbine, along with other measures taken, helped the new BTI-Greensburg facility become the world's first LEED Platinum John Deere facility. LEED (Leadership In Energy and Environmental Design) is the U.S. Green Building Council's highest certification for sustainable design.

Inspired by the performance of the S series wind turbine used onsite, Estes and his family started a new business, BTI Wind Energy, and have become the North American distributor for Endurance.

"We turned to the state-of-the-art wind turbines because they offer the best features of large megawatt units brought down to the individual farm and dealer level," says Estes.

With the Endurance turbines, for instance, grid-compatible power and large rotor diameters that capture more wind enable up to 60 % slower rotor speeds with similar or greater output than traditional units. Like a healthy slow-beating heart will outlast a chronically fast-beating one, this means less wear and tear, quieter operation, plus a service life of over 30 years.

"As a John Deere dealer already out on the farm, it makes sense for us to offer and support the wind turbines," says Estes. "For generations, farmers have trusted us to get the most out of their equipment. We'll do the same for the wind turbines."

Estes points out a number of features that will help farmers get the most out of the next generation technology.

"Unlike traditional wind turbines with the controls and generator high above ground, these are designed for easy maintenance with the controls and electronics at ground level," explains Estes. "For safety and productivity, these have a high wind sensor and dual disc brakes that automatically stop and release the rotors when appropriate; and for those who want total peace of mind, as an option, dealers can remotely monitor and control the turbine operation via a wireless interface."

Roger Stotts of Morning Star Farms near Greensburg, Kansas is working with BTI Wind Energy to implement an Endurance E series wind turbine capable of producing over 200,000 kWh per year to power electric irrigation pivots and a grain elevator. He's also implementing two Endurance S series wind turbines, that are capable of each producing over 20,000 kWh per year each, to power a shop and office.

"On the farm, energy is one of our biggest expenses, so we want to manage that," says Stotts. "We're incorporating as much renewable energy as we can, and government incentives will certainly help."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy Wind & Hydropower Technologies Program website, for instance, "As of March 2009, the federal government offers an investment tax credit for the purchase and installation of qualifying small wind electric systems, worth 30% of the value of the system."

Estes' BTI-Greenburg dealership is further reducing its electrical use with wind-powered aeration of a water run-off pond to be used for fish and landscape irrigation, instead of using expensive electric aeration. This will keep the water cleaner, clearer, and help to control algae and weed growth, thus preventing irrigation pump clogging.

"After researching the market, we chose a Koenders Windmill Aeration system and had it powder coated in John Deere colors," says Estes. "We noticed they'd been servicing customers for 21 years with over 50,000 windmill aeration systems installed in North America. It's another way for farmers and dealers to reduce energy costs."

Fast ROI
Renewable wind power aeration is also reviving rural pond water quality for livestock, eliminating the high cost of water hauling or electric aeration.

"Our windmill pond aerator paid us back in ten days and is saving us $30,000 a year by avoiding water hauling and energy costs," says Jim Barrett, owner of the Barrett Ranch in Venus, Florida. "We could add hundreds of thousands of dollars to our bottom line by keeping our herds healthy and preventing catastrophic loss with good water. We're expanding now."

Before using windmill pond aeration, the Barrett Ranch couldn't expand due to a lack of clean, affordable water for its cattle and registered goats on 88 acres. Water was plentiful but undrinkable in 12 stagnant, algae-filled ponds.

Generations ago, pond aeration would not have been needed to clean up stagnant water—the wind and rain did the job, stirring up the water enough to keep it oxygenated. In the last 20 years, however, pollutants and fertilizer run-off, combined with an increasing lack of rainfall, has caused many ponds and dugouts to stagnate. Medical costs for livestock that drink from algae filled ponds can be thousands of dollars. The costs of maintenance and filters for irrigation pumps can also be thousands of dollars per year.

Farmers like Barrett are saving their ponds and dugouts with bottom up-water aeration, which gives the water the strength to burn off the excess chemicals and pollutants that cause algae, weed growth and stagnation. The water becomes much clearer and cleaner when air, diffused into tiny bubbles and transported by tube, is continuously pumped to the bottom of a pond or dugout.

In this effort, windmill aerators are gaining in popularity over electrical ones for a number of reasons. Powered by wind as light as 3 mph, Koenders windmill aerators were originally developed for farm pond use when running electricity out to ponds was found to be too expensive. Wind costs nothing. It can save farmers and ranchers thousands per year in energy, maintenance and filter costs. It can save thousands more per year in preventing livestock and farm animal loss or sickness.

Another reason for the popularity of windmill aerators is how long they last. While the windmills only have 3 moving parts and will last decades, electrical aeration devices have motors and generally die out in a few years after constant use. Environmentally friendly windmills also eliminate the need for costly electric power or oil-based fuels.

After investigation, Barrett chose a windmill aerator by Koenders Windmills to clean up his first pond.

"Within 30 days, the water was clean enough to put catfish in," says Barrett. "Not long after that we had the water tested, and it was fine for our animals. Now it's crystal clear and I could drink it."

For more information about wind powered energy, visit www.endurancewindpower.com or call 1-888-440-4451 in the U.S. or Canada.

For more information about windmill aeration, visit www.koenderswindmills.com. Contact Koenders Windmills Inc. From the U.S. or Canada, call 1-888-777-4933;

Cutler Cranberry Farms Turning to Windmill Aeration To Reduce Costs of Irrigation

2009-05-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

Superior Cranberries

What do Superior Windmills have in common with growing cranberries? Last year Paul Holloway from Cutler Cranberry, Camp Douglas Wisconsin had a problem...and an idea. The problem was weeds...the idea was a Superior Windmill.

The inlet pipes in a pond Cutler Cranberry uses to irrigate their cranberry fields were plugging up with aquatic weeds. Keeping the pipes clear by manual methods was time consuming and expensive, but not as expensive as if the pipes became clogged and subsequently damaged a water pump. Paul said "There are 3 water pumps attached to those inlet pipes, 200 HP each, and if a pump becomes damaged, it gets very, very expensive. Growing cranberries requires a tremendous amount of water. For every acre of cranberries we have about 4 surface acres of water".

Paul was aware other cranberry growers had successfully used aeration windmills to control weed in their bogs, so he thought they would work even better to keep a specific area weed free, the area around their inlet pipes. He ordered a Superior Windmill Turbo Jet Stream from www.Windmillaeration.com. "The assembly manual was easy to follow so assembling the windmill went smoothly. I am well pleased with the product and it performs as advertised" he said. "And, it was a pleasure working with Terry at Windmillaeration".

Four diffusers were used for the project, 3 to form a 100' long arc in one area and the fourth approximately 750 ft from shore near another pipe. Mounting the 12' windmill on the 14' high peak gave it about a 28' overall height. The air line runs through the roof to the Freeze Control Tank, then to a 4 way splitter, all mounted inside the building. Paul also came up with an innovative way to grease the pivot post. A line was built to run from ground level, up the building to the pivot post on the windmill. "Greasing doesn't get any easier than that". He joked.

Paul hopes to purchase more Superior Windmills in the near future. "These windmills operate on free wind power, are well built and easy to maintain, and we have lots and lots of water!" he said.

There is also an added bonus to having a windmill mounted to your roof. The Cutler Cranberry workmen use the windmill for checking wind direction as well as (with a little practice) wind speed when spraying the cranberry fields. The innovative uses for Superior Windmills just never end!

Submitted by Terry Miller Superior Windmill Aeration Consultant www.windmillaeration.com

Which Windmill Aeration System Should I BUY?

2009-04-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Pond Owner Magazine continuously gets correspondence from pond owners and the purpose of this site is to give you factual information about products and procedures to keep ponds healthy and clean. As well, provide information on a number of other questions and issues that Pond Owners are concerned with.

Recently, we are getting a lot of requests, questions and interests about Windmills for Pond Aeration. Pond Owners are asking which units are the best and why.

First of all - Windmill Aeration is an excellent way to keep your pond healthy and clean. It is extremely cost effective and there is no operating costs to run the windmills.

We hear a lot of good things about Koenders Windmills and Superior Windmills. Pond Owners in all parts of North America and wind zones email and call us about how happy they are with their products.

This week alone we have heard from 3 pond owners about their windmill aeration systems. Martin Ostien of Bradford Ontario has a Koenders Windmill. He installed it over 15 years ago. Explains to us that it still looks brand new. Never done a thing to it and recently change a diaphragm repair kit that was about $50.00. What he loves about his Koenders Windmill is that it has kept his pond healthy and clean for 15 years and it works in very low winds. That is what he appreciates about the design of the Koenders Windmill. The light weight design of the hub and blades allows it to operate in very low winds and at the same time the durability it has shown in high winds is astonishing.

Henry Miller of Pierceton, Indiana owns a Superior Windmill. Before he had the Superior Windmill his pond was full of algae and weeds. He experienced regular fish kills each Spring. For over 5 years his Superior Windmill Aeration system has been aerating his pond. It has been successful in keeping his algae blooms down and Henry has not had one fish kill since he installed his Superior Windmill. This windmill aerates a 3/4 acre pond that he owns and he had not had to do a thing to it until recently when he changed out his diaphragm kit for about $50.00.

Keith Willard from Owosso Michigan is the third Windmill Aeration Owner that contacted us this week. His Koenders Windmill is about 8 years old. Keith can't imagine what he would have done without his windmill. It has kept his 1/4 acre pond nice a clean without any algae or weeds for years. He has never changed anything on his Koenders Windmill.

We are not comparing products but Pond Owner is definitely impressed with the stories we hear about these brands Koenders and Superior Windmill. They are both diaphragm based compressor pumps whose history and proven success stands by its design.

These two brands have been around longer than any other manufacturer. Great job Koenders and Superior - keep up the great work. Hopefully we can convert all these electric aeration systems over to windmills - a more sustainable approach to keeping pond water healthy and clean.

Lime Green Algae

2009-03-20T16:36:00.001-07:00

Lime Green Algae Through Out The Water Column of Pond

Like many pond owners, algae has become more and more of a nuisance. Pond Owners try everything from treating their ponds with dangerous pond chemicals to the safer choice of barley straw yet nothing seems to work.

Doug Hunter's advice to Pond Owners is try a windmill aeration system. Doug built his 100 X 50 Ft pond over 15 years ago. For 7 years he wrestled with ways to keep his pond clean and nothing worked. When the lime green algae grew to a point where he and his family could no longer swim in the pond for algae was not only floating at the surface - it penetrated all the way through the pond body and it could be smelled from the house, he was willing to try anything.

Doug read about windmills that could aerate the water and could potentially get rid of the algae in a manner that was both efficient and environmentally sustainable. For an investment of just over $ 1000.00 the windmill aeration system has changed his pond forever.

"Koenders Windmills is a horse which keeps on trucking", Doug explains. He has never seen anything like these windmills. "Our Koenders Windmill aeration system keeps our pond healthy and clean and within a year we had our swimming pond back."

Koenders Windmills has been manufacturing these windmills for over 20 years and now sells over 6,000 windmills per/yr. if you are a pond owner with pond weed and algae you may want look at Koenders Windmills for aerating your pond.

Doug Hunter
Milbrook, Ontario

First Thing To Do With A New Pond

2009-01-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

Great Advice For Starting Up

Pond Owners are always looking for ways to ensure their pond stays healthy and clean; ways to make certain the pond does not get over run with unsightly algae and weeds; things they can do to make sure the fish they stick in the pond don't end up dying and washing up on the edges of the pond; things they can do to avoid the pond from stagnating and having sludge and mud on the bottom of the pond.

Well take it from Keith Williams from Hillsboro, MO - get an aeration system in the pond as fast as possible. While the pond is filling up with water the aeration system will be pumping oxygen in it to filter out any of the unwanted organic debris that causes the pond and your investment in it to go bad.

Keith Williams installed a Koenders Windmill for his 1/2 acre pond about 4 years ago. It was the first thing he did. His fish are growing fantastically, there has never been and scum, algae or weeds and the pond remains clean a clear as the first day the pond was filled up.

For 4 years the windmill has been the only thing he has used to keep the pond clean and fresh. "It even keeps an area of the pond open in the winter months so that his resident ducks have a space to swim in," Keith explains.

What Keith liked about Koenders Windmills is the fact they have been around for so many years with a proven product that last decades. He also liked the fact that the tower come with pivot pairs (tower hinges) so that you can tilt your windmill up and down.

Keith tilts his windmill down annually to check it out and make sure everything is ok. He greases the swivel tube and raises it back up. He tells us that is the only thing he has ever done on his windmill and it bubbles out in his pond all the time.

Windmill aeration systems do not use electricity so the cost of operation is absolutely ZERO once the windmill is up and running. There are a few vendors such as Koenders Windmills and Superior Windmill that have been manufacturing windmills for many years.

Thanks for the information:
Keith Williams
Hillsboro, MO

Ranch Windmills

2008-12-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

Expanding Ranch Profit by Windmill

Renewable wind power aeration revives rural pond water quality for livestock, eliminating the high cost of water hauling or electric aeration

Ranchers and rural landowners often rely on ponds or dugouts to supply their livestock or farm animals with fresh drinking water. While these bodies of water can be a valuable natural resource, too often they become stagnant, algae-filled financial sinkholes.

To clean up their ponds and dugouts, many rural landowners are turning to efficient pond aeration run by renewable wind power. Even as energy costs rise, they're reviving rural pond water quality for livestock and eliminating the high cost of labor, energy and maintenance for water hauling or electric aeration.

Natural Limits
Before using windmill pond aeration, the Barrett Ranch couldn't expand due to a lack of clean, affordable water for its cattle and registered goats on 88 acres. Water was plentiful but undrinkable in 12 stagnant, algae-filled ponds.

"You wouldn't give a herd moldy feed and expect it to thrive," says Jim Barrett, the ranch's owner. "Clean water is even more important. A herd can graze in the pasture and survive without feed; but they can't drink dirty water--it'll sicken or kill them."

Traditional approaches were of little help. "I paid one man to pump well water into a tank and deliver it to troughs in the pastures," says Barrett. "It took all day and tied up equipment better used elsewhere."

Barrett considered but dismissed pumping and filtering pond water using electricity. "We'd have to run electricity out to the pond, install tubs with pumps, timers and filters," says Barrett. "We'd have to clean the filters and the tubs of algae. It was too expensive and too much work."

Generations ago, pond aeration would not have been needed to clean up stagnant water-the wind and rain did the job, stirring up the water enough to keep it oxygenated. In the last 20 years, however, pollutants and fertilizer run-off, combined with an increasing lack of rainfall, has caused many ponds and dugouts to stagnate. Medical costs for livestock that drink from algae filled ponds can be thousands of dollars. The costs of maintenance and filters for irrigation pumps can also be thousands of dollars per year.

Saving the Pond or Dugout
The only way to save these ponds and dugouts is with bottom up-water aeration, which gives the water the strength to burn off the excess chemicals and pollutants that cause algae, weed growth and stagnation. The water becomes much clearer and cleaner when air, diffused into tiny bubbles and transported by tube, is continuously pumped to the bottom of a pond or dugout.

In this effort, windmill aerators are gaining in popularity over electrical ones for a number of reasons. Powered by wind as light as 3 mph, windmill aerators were originally developed for farm pond use when running electricity out to ponds was found to be too expensive. Wind costs nothing. It can save farmers and ranchers thousands per year in energy, maintenance and filter costs. It can save thousands more per year in preventing livestock and farm animal loss or sickness.

After investigation, Barrett chose a windmill aerator by Koenders Windmills (www.koenderswindmills.com) to clean up his first pond.

Expanding Profit, Expanding Herds
Besides saving $30,000 a year in water hauling and energy costs, switching to windmill aeration of pond water has allowed Barrett to put his labor and equipment to better use. More time is spent cultivating and improving the pastures rather than simply hauling water to his animals.

Healthy water can fatten not only ranchers' livestock but also their wallets. A study by the Western Beef Development Centre in 2000 showed that calves that drink aerated water from dugouts tend to eat more, resulting in additional weight gains of 1/3 lb. per day.

After switching to windmill aeration of pond water, Barrett's Black Angus cattle and registered Boer goats, which can cost $500 each for females and thousands each for males, are gaining weight and healthier than ever.

"With clean water for my herds in pasture, we haven't had to shoot them with anti-biotics," says Barrett. "By keeping them healthier, we'll get a better price whether for breeding or eating. At auction, people ask, 'Did you bring anything to sell?' They want to buy because they know my herds are healthy." To their great satisfaction, rural landowners with ponds or dugouts are discovering that their wind powered aeration systems are extremely low maintenance and ruggedly reliable, even to the point of withstanding hurricane conditions. Barrett's windmill aerator has survivied hurricanes winds as high as 110 MPH with no damage. "I don't touch it; it's trouble-free," he says. "It's built to last and I expect to use it for decades."

To further expand his cattle and registered goat herds, Barrett recently added windmill aerators by Superior Windmill (www.superiorwindmill.com) to two ponds.

"I couldn't do without my windmill aerators," says Barrett. "By the time I'm done, we'll have one at every pond."

Some windmill technology, for added convenience, is available with two outgoing lines. This enables one to be used for pond aeration and the other for pumping water. Depending on the lift required, ranchers can provide clean water for up to 30 animals this way.

Fred Taylor, for instance, a beef farm owner in Blackstock, Ontario, Canada uses a pond windmill aerator made by Koenders Windmills to supply fresh water to his cattle.

"I have it rigged so it pumps water into a barrel then recycles it into the pond," explains Taylor. "In the summer, my cattle have instant, clean, fresh water 100% of the time. Another reason we put the windmill in...was to keep the cattle away from the main source of water, to keep a fresh supply."

Koenders Windmills and Superior Windmill are two of the world's most experienced manufacturers of windmill aeration systems. Models ship worldwide and typically range from 12 to 24 feet in height, with the hub and compressor pre-installed at the factory for ease of installation. Taller windmills typically have access to stronger winds, which can be harnessed to oxygenate and revive larger bodies of water or pump more water for livestock or farm animal use.

For more information about windmill aeration, contact Koenders Windmills Inc. From the U.S. or Canada, call them at 1-888-777-4933 customersales@koenderswindmills.com; or visit www.koenderswindmills.com. Outside the U.S. and Canada, call 011-306-721-1495; Fax 011-306-721-1496; Email sales@koenderswindmills.com; or visit www.koenderswindmills.com.

Or write to Superior Windmill Inc. at 3426 Saskatchewan Drive, Regina, SK Canada S4T 1H1; call 1-888-440-4466 toll free in North America; Email: info@superiorwindmill.com; or visit www.superiorwindmill.com.

Winter Pond Care

2008-11-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

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.

Superior Windmill customer gets creative.

2008-09-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Rafael Rodriguez from New York State talks about his creative uses for his windmill.

I added an air pressure tank to the installation. That keeps the flow of air to the pump and diffusers more constant.

I also added a third valve to the tank so I can dedicate one line to feed an air motor, with is connected to an alternator. The small amount of electricity generated is enough to run an electric heater. I hope that will help to lower the heating expenses this winter, when I will shut down the pump and the aerators, dedicating 100% of the air to the heater, which will run 24 / 7.

The installation process was not difficult, although now I must agree with you that adding the hinges to the bottom of the tower could have made the installation easier. On the first try the tower lost its footing and collapsed to the ground. No major damages, except to the dome (I will wait until spring to replace it). The second try was perfect.

Thanks again for your help. The windmill adds a rural touch to the area. And the reflection on the pond makes the traffic stop in the evenings. The windmill looks like a second sun.

By the way, there are 3 ponds: The only one visible on the picture is the middle level pond. The pump is located at the bottom pond, and the water is pumped to the superior pond. From there the water runs through a creek to the middle pond, and from there it goes back to the bottom pond.

I am adapting a camera to a model airplane and I will take aerial pictures of the site. I can't fly it now because it is too windy –which is good- But I will send you a picture of the installation next April (the wind doesn't stop until then). I love this place.

Until then, may the wind be with you and the folks at Superior. Thanks

Rafael Rodriguez Down State New York

Winter Fish Pond Maintenance

2008-09-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Winter is Coming - Are your Fish Going to Survive?

Every spring we hear from pond owners through out the Northern states and Canada. All complaining that they have lost their prized fish - "400 - 3 to 5 lb trout were floating all over my pond and washed up on the shore" - Jacob Langton from Colorado explained to us last year.

What happens is the pond freezes over and if the ice builds up with snow on top there is no sunshine coming through to enable the photosynthesis process with the plants and the creation of oxygen for the fish to survive. The fish simply die from lack of oxygen. Another problem that can arise is the ice seals off the pond so oxygen and gases can not be released from decomposing plant matter. The gases can poison the water and fish and an ensuing fish kill occurs.

Regardless of the circumstance, if you want to ensure the health of your pond and fish you should consider installing an aeration system in your pond for the winter. Place the air diffusers (devices that dissolve oxygen into the water) in the deeper areas of your pond. This aeration bubbles generated from the diffusers (providing you have bought a good quality aeration system) will keep a hole in the water to allow your pond to vent off the gases created from the decomposing matter in your pond. The additional levels of oxygen will also give your fish the boost they need to ensure their well being.

Look for aeration systems that come with a freeze control feature. We have seen systems in the market that do not have or offer freeze control systems. A freeze control systems will ensure that your airline that transports the oxygen from the air pump down to the diffusers does not freeze up. Water will not back up in these airlines because most diffusers come with a valve so that air goes out to water but water cannot come into airline. Hot and sudden cold weather changes can create condensation in the airline. If this condensation crystallizes and freezes the air will not get through the airline into the pond. A freeze control systems will prevent this from happening - if line freeze occurs - pressure will build up inside the airline and into the freeze tank where a non-toxic alcohol based solution resides (many people use non-toxic RV anti-freeze). The pressure will force some the liquid into the air line and un-freeze the airline blockage.

Koenders Windmills created this type of automated freeze control system 20 years ago. It seems to work very well with ten of thousands of pond owners relying on it annually to keep their fish alive in the winter. Superior Windmill also offers a freeze control system with their windmill aeration products.

Windmills for aeration are very popular due to the rising costs of energy. Also many ponds are located far away from power so the windmills offer a cost effective and proven way of aerating the ponds.

Windmill Aeration Compressors

2008-08-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Which Design is the Best?

As demand for cleaner and healthier water increases and as awareness grows in the consumer and commercial markets about the value of water aeration.

Competition is emerging to provide various solutions for this market. One area that seems a little confusing is the noise in this emerging aeration industry surrounding the various air compressors that pump the air from the windmills or electric aerators into the water.

We asked Koenders Windmills - celebrating 20 years in this business and the original manufacturers and innovators of windmill aeration systems why their compressor is the best!( the air compressor is one of the main components in an aeration system - the pump the air from the pump and in to the airline out into the pond).

Koenders has had 20 years experience in building and innovating these products and has over 50,000 customers using them along with a warranty claim ratio that is incredible to say the least - less than .05 % - so we thought it be best that we ask them.

Their Engineers were kind enough to provide us with the following response;

1) It has been proven with engineering and physics that the piston size to blade surface ratio must be in perfect balance such that an aeration system will achieve excellence in performance and reliability in low to medium winds speeds.

2) Koenders has designed their piston size to blade ratio to produce excellent air volumes at high wind speeds as well as providing longer hours of production in lower winds without stalling.

3)Volumes of aeration is determined by the depths that the air diffusers (air diffusers take compressed air and convert it into thousands of tiny oxygen bubbles that dissolve directly into the water) are placed in the water - this has an impact on back pressure (one pound per square inch of pressure for every 2 Ft of water depth).

4) Larger pistons more air is the theory and in theory this sounds great. But if you design a larger piston that will produce larger amounts of air then you also require more power to drive the larger piston ( for windmills this would mean that you would need higher winds and for electric aerators it would mean that you require more power).

If the larger power requirements or wind speeds are not met then the actual run time of the windmill that aerates the ponds will be dramatically reduced - lowering the amount of aeration running time and actually losing air production time instead of increasing it.

5) Our engineers at Koenders have always taken the approach that windmill aeration is like riding a bike. There are gears on a bike that allow you to change gears when you are going up hills, down hills and riding along flat ground. With the windmills we do not have the option of gears so we designed the windmill to operate in all conditions low, high and medium winds - just like you would a bike if you could choose only one gear to perform all functions in all conditions.

6) Reliability - another design consideration is force - the larger the piston/diaphragm diameter the more force is placed on the connecting rods, bearing sets and other related components. We have designed our pistons to operate in all wind conditions while exerting the least amount of force on the other windmill components. Our track record for this design is proven.

Aeration Effects on Microbes

2008-08-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

Aeration on the Effects on Microbes in a Lagoon

By Renowned Researcher Roy Cullimore Ph. D., R.M.

Dr. Roy Cullimore is world renowned for his research in water and has been the director of the water research institute at the University of Regina since 1975.

Dr. Cullimore Writes:
Many lagoons are used to store and treat sanitary wastes from small communities. These lagoons are stagnant receiving no treatment for the waste waters within the lagoon since there is no need to be discharged. This is because evaporation and seepage at least equals in volume the septic wastes being feed into the lagoon. Such lagoons are relatively stagnant with natural treatment being restricted by the conditions in the lagoon. Any break down of the organics in such stagnant septic systems is likely to be by fermentation with the products being hydrogen sulfide, volatiles, and natural gases. Under these smelly conditions are likely to occur from time to time as these chemicals move up though the water often as bubbles and foam.

Natural winds can affect these natural activities by folding the surface waters into waves which then causes turbulence with oxygen from the air getting down into the upper layers of the water. Here the oxygen is rapidly used by the natural microbes to break down these organic septic wastes which are a good thing. The more the wind actions then the more these septic wastes are degraded and the lagoon is doing its job.

There are other ways to get oxygen into the lagoon to speed up natural treatment and these almost all involve the bubbling of air into the lagoon waters to increase the rates at which the microbes can degrade the septic wastes. Commonly oxygen is added to the lagoon water as compressed air that may be made electrically or mechanically. This air now bubbles up through the water with the nitrogen escaping but the oxygen becoming at least in part dissolved into the water. Here the dissolved oxygen becomes the "fodder" for the microbes that are now able to break down the septic wastes much more efficiently.

Septic waste lagoons can be stinky places at some times in the year and colourful at other times when bacteria generate red colors in the absence of oxygen. Aerating the septic lagoons whether with electrical compressors or windmills means that, regardless of the winds, oxygen is getting into the water and the microbes are breaking down the organics. This means that the lagoon can carry a greater load of septic waste since the microbes are being encouraged to work harder by the presence of oxygen and therefore purify the wastes. Aeration from even a single windmill can change the ecology of a lagoon from a stagnant pool of smelly water that changes in colors through reds and blacks during the year; to a clarifying pool of water that goes green with algal growth during the summer and remains stink-free the year round. Even in the winter aeration keeps the circulation of water going allowing oxygen to get in and microbes happy harvesting the septic wastes even when it is very cold. In the Antarctic Oceans there are many microbes that love to grow just under the ice at near freezing temperatures. We have the same thing in Saskatchewan!

Roy Cullimore Ph. D., R.M.
Roy Cullimore is an applied ecologist trained at the University of Nottingham, UK. Since 1975 he has been Director of Regina Water Research Institute at the University of Regina. He along with co inventor George Alford, have five patents including the biological activity reaction test (BART TM) and the blended chemical heat treatment (BCHT TM). Roy has published over one hundred refereed papers, two hundred and seventy five technical reports and has received over $3.5 million in research funding. At present, he is President of Droycon Bioconcepts Inc. of Regina, a biotechnology company involved in research, development and manufacture. He authored Practical Manual of Groundwater Microbiology which was published by Lewis Publishers in 1993. Currently Roy is editor of a number of books on sustainable wells. He is now involved in research on the rusticle growths on RMS Titanic and dove to the ship in 1996 and 1998 as part of the Discovery Channel expeditions. Also, Roy is currently involved in the AWWARF water well rehabilitation project being undertaken by Leggette, Brashears and Graham, Connecticut.

Fountain Aerators Don't Aerate

2008-08-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

Save Money on Power Use Windmill Aeration

Fountains look great and are very pretty but as an means to aerate ponds they are not the most effective way to perform this task.

Fountains spray water up in the air and the splashes in the pond caused by the water landing on the pond surface traps oxygen bubbles in the pond. This is called surface aeration and only provides oxygen to the top 1.5 ft of a pond.

Other disadvantages of surface aeration through fountains are the energy costs of operating them and associated reliability and maintenance due to the many working components that are needed to operate the fountain. Fountains push water through hose line up into the air so energy required to do this is very high.

Bottom up aeration systems compress air into air line and air diffusers are placed in the bottom of the ponds. Oxygen is dissolved into the bottom of the pond where oxygen levels are at their lowest. The oxygen bubbles rise through the pond and help burn off the excess organic debris that causes pond stagnation, algae and weeds.

Recently, windmills for aeration have really caught on - here is a picture of a fish farm in Jamaica that bought 6 Superior Windmill aerations systems to aerate their fish ponds. Its critical to have adequate oxygen levels in a fish pond to ensure fish remain healthy and do not die. This customer used these windmills to aerate all the ponds and is saving him close to 2 thousand dollars per/month in energy costs. He will have paid for these windmills in less than six months and will have no operating costs on these units for years to come.

With proven products like Superior Windmill there is no maintenance for 5-7 years and they are built to last decades. Making this an easy investment to justify. With the rising costs of POWER and people looking for alternative solutions to Electric POWER - Windmill Aeration makes good financial sense and its good for the environment.

Proven Windmill Aeration Systems

2008-07-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

Koenders clients confirm Windmills need minimal upkeep

In the last few days Pond Owner has heard from a number of Koenders Windmill Customers who have used these windmills for decades. Jim Barrett from the Barrett Ranch in Venus, Florida has used Koenders Windmills to aerate his farm ponds for over 6 years. They have survived hurricanes and recent winds as high as 110 MPH. He even invites customers to visit the ranch and see how great these products are - Right off State HWY 70 and US 27 - Jim Says, the durability of these products has even surprised him.

Terry Clemens from from Alberta, Canada has had his Koenders Windmills for almost 20 years. Terry explains that the only maintenance that he has to do is a diaphragm and check valve replacement kit every 7 years that costs him less than $ 50.00. With over 50,000 Koenders Windmills installed in North America and warranty claims of far less than 1% - Koenders Windmill Aeration Systems are by far the leading manufacturer of these systems.

Windmills are replacing electric aeration systems as energy costs rise in North America. Save money and save power by keeping your pond healthy and fresh with the use of renewable energy product from Koenders Windmills. Using wind power to compress oxygen in to the pond and reduce the risk of fish kill, algae and weeds.

Koenders Windmills-leaders in wind driven aeration systems that save money and power. www.koenderswindmills.com

Introducing Yardmills

2008-07-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Decorative windmills for your home and garden

For over 20 years, Koenders Windmills Inc. has been improving the quality of water all over the world with windmill aerate systems. Windmill aeration is an environmentally friendly and energy efficient still water cleansing process. With over 50,000 windmills installations nation wide, Koender Windmills leads the way in windmill aeration systems. For years, Koender clients have been looking for something they could use for small ponds, gardens and yard ponds. Now, Koender is pleased to announce the latest model of windmills aeration systems.

Pond Owner's Magazine is proud to introduce Koender Windmills latest addition to the Windmill aeration system line, the yardmill. This decorative windmill is a beautiful addition to any farm or acreage. Light-weight and easy to assemble, the yardmill is an ornamental, inexpensive alternative a larger windmill aeration system. The yardmill is a sturdy, steel,four-leg structure which can withstand windstorms and bad weather conditions.

For customer's looking for an environmentally friendly, innovative and stylish windmill, yardmills are the perfect ornamental windmill. They also come in an assortment of colors.

Small, light-weight aeration system can also be purchased with the yardmill. These systems work well for small ponds and gardens. Windmill aeration systems are ideal for eliminating algae and oxygenating water.

For more information about yardmills visit Yardmills.net

Nature's Pond Conditioner

2008-06-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

Environmentally Responsible Pond Care

For most of pond owners looking for a quick solution to fighting algae and other unpleasant, odorous gunk that fills their otherwise beautiful and lush pond, the first thing they traditionally grab is a big bucket of potentially toxic chemicals. These chemicals can cause serious long term damage not only to the health and sustainability of the pond, but also fish and wildlife.

But the "throw a load of chemicals in the pond and hope for the best" strategy is quickly become obsolete. Now conscientious pond owners are looking for a cleaners, greener solution to cleaning their ponds. Experience had dictated that a quick-fix chemical solution does not address to the issue permanently.

For several years, Koenders Windmills has been testing and researching the benefits and efficiency of all-natural solutions to the on-going dilemma of algae overgrowth.

After 20 years of specializing in pond heath and restoration, Koenders Windmills has come up with an inexpensive and environmentally-friendly pond cleaner. Nature's Pond Conditioner is sustainable alternative to using chemicals. Consisting of naturally occurring bacteria and microbes, Nature's Pond Conditioner shades the pond with a screen blocking the sunlight and stunting the photosynthesis process which causes rapid algae growth.

Using only natural ingredients, Nature's Pond Conditioner:

Increases Oxygen levels
Degrades Organics
Controls Pond Algae and Algae Bloom.

Nature's Pond Conditioner is a natural, biodegradable alternative to cleaning your pond without the use of harmful chemicals.

To find out more about Nature's Pond Conditioner visit:
www.naturespondconditioner.com

Stop Throwing Chemicals in your Pond

2008-05-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

Kill off the Algae and Weeds Naturally

This is the time of year where pond owners start seeing the dreaded algae and weeds appear in their ponds. The first reaction they have is to get rid of them immediately!

To do this they think throwing toxic chemicals into the pond is the right way to go!

Well before you do that perhaps you should consider the long term effects of this practice.

When you kill off the algae and weeds they do not simply disappear - they sink to the bottom of your pond and start to decompose. In order for them to decompose they require oxygen. Zapping more oxygen from what is probably already an oxygen starved pond. Oxygen is needed for the health and well being of the entire pond eco-system. A lack of oxygen can very well be the main reason you have pond algae and weeds in your pond in the first place.

Looking for a solution that works take the folks from a small town in Spring Lake, Michigan.

They are using windmills to aerate their ponds, more specifically, Koenders Windmills, the leader's in windmill pond aeration. Gary Gaskins, a local pond owner, describes the area as looking like a Koenders Windmill Factory. All the pond owners in the area have been using windmill aeration for a number of years.

Gary explains that its an excellent alternative to the high cost of operating an electric aeration system. It works great in the winter - keeping fish alive and well and the pond open in the coldest of temperatures. In the summer, it keeps the pond clean and algae free.

The other great thing about these windmill aeration systems is they don't require any maintenance. "Once a year I grease the swivel head and that's all I have done for the last five years", Gary explains.

Avoid spending hundreds to thousands of dollars per year on chemicals - look into windmill aeration systems for your pond.

Electric Aerators vs. Windmills

2008-04-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Electric Aerators vs. Windmill Aeration Systems

In recent years pond owners have been looking for alternative ways to aerate their ponds aside from using traditional electric aeration systems. We thought this example of a windmill aeration system vs. a traditional electric aeration system was quite interesting.

Ross Brickey of Marion, OH has been using a Koenders Windmill aeration system for 11 years and explains that at the time he purchased it, an electric aerator sales person was trying to sell him an electric aerator. The price for the electric system was $1200 and it was going to cost him another $1200 to wire it up close to the pond.

Instead of this, he decided to try out a windmill aeration system. He has now been using his Koenders Windmill aeration system for 11 years and during that time has not had to do one thing. He recently ordered a maintenance repair kit for $40, but that is it.

Says Brickey, "My windmill aeration system has kept my pond clean and healthy for all these years. My windmill is 500ft from my pond and I simply run an airline to the pond from where the windmill is located. I have never had any issues with my windmill or any costs. I can't imagine what my electrical operating costs would have been for the electric aerator after all these years."

More and more pond owners are turning to windmill aeration systems to aerate their water. Golf Courses, Municipal Ponds, Residential Ponds and Farm Ponds are just a few of the markets that are choosing windmill aeration over traditional electric aerator systems.

The advantages are plenty; lower maintenance, higher reliability, longer life, no monthly operating costs, and upfront costs are comparable.

Another key motivator for many pond owners is the fact that they are concerned with the environment and are trying to do their part to conserve energy any way they can.

Pond Aeration Gets Rid of Sludge

2008-03-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

Using Oxygen to Eliminate Pond Sludge

Pond owners use pond aeration equipment to keep fish healthy and alive and also to prevent algae and weeds from emerging in their ponds. The aeration provides additional levels of oxygen in the water and burns off excess nutrients and organic debris that otherwise stagnates a pond and acts as a facilitator for algae and weeds to grow.

Another major benefit to bottom up aeration - which means the air diffusers that produce the oxygen in the water are placed at the deeper areas of the pond is the reduction of sludge or sediment at the bottom of the pond. As organic debris sinks to the bottom of a pond it requires oxygen to decompose. If there is a lack of oxygen in the water then the matter that is at the bottom cannot decompose so it remains and builds up over time.

As Koenders Windmill Aeration Customer, El Magee of Salem, North Carolina explains. Before she installed a windmill aeration system in her pond she had about 3 Ft of sludge in the bottom of her pond. Within one year of installing her aeration system the pond sludge reduced by about 80 %. They now can walk in the pond without sinking into this gooey muck.

Most pond owners do not realize that over time if their pond is aerated it will reduce this sediment that is at the bottom. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on removing the sludge from your pond - perhaps its time to look at installing an aeration system. Make sure it is a bottom up aeration system and not one that is called surface aeration such as a fountain.

Windmill aeration systems such as Koenders or Superior Windmill seem to be leading the alternative energy solutions in this area. There are also electric aeration systems on the market but just make sure they do not consume too much energy. Electric aeration systems can be expensive to run and to maintain.

Koenders Windmills 20th Anniversary

2008-03-05T18:19:00.000-08:00

Congratulations Koenders Windmills on their 20th Anniversary

Koenders Windmills innovated the windmill aeration system 20 years ago and has grown to sell over 6,000 windmill aeration systems a year. With over 50,000 windmill aeration systems installed in North America they are the undisputed leaders in windmill aeration industry.

Daily they hear feedback from their customer's like Scott Stromer of Michigan State University who provides them with feedback on their product.

Scott has two of the Koenders Windmill Aeration Systems - one of them aerates a pond that is 150 X 90 and 15 FT deep with 1000 Fish in it. The Koenders Windmill has kept the weeds and algae out of the pond while spurring the growth of his fish to incredible levels. He has cat fish that are up to 2.5 ft long, blue gill that are close to 1 lb each and bass that are upto 17 inches long.

Scott has been so happy with his Koenders Windmills that he has six of his friends that have all bought these windmill aeration systems for their ponds. They all report the same levels of satisfaction.

"Koenders Windmills do more than I could ever of expected" says Scott Stromer.

Koenders Windmills is a product that is proven and been around for 20 years. Pond Owner is happy to sponsor this product for its subscribers because it works.

Once again - way to go Koenders Windmills - A North American made product that has been built here for 20 Years and is still going strong.

Learn more by visiting www.koenderswindmills.com

Pond Aeration and Windmill Aeration

2008-02-04T14:31:00.001-08:00

Beware of Companies that Compare Others

Pond Owners are starting to see that there are choices on how they aerate their pond.

Electric pond aeration has been the primary source of maintaining the health of one's pond. Now with the escalating costs of electricity many pond owners are looking for alternative ways to keep their ponds healthy and clean.

By far the most cost effective way is via the wind - windmill aeration systems.

When choosing your windmill aeration system - here are the following questions that you should ask your vendor:

1) Are you the manufacturer or just a reseller? (resellers many a time do not really know all the product details and are just trying to push the product that they are representing that specific year - ask the reseller how long they have been representing that product and why they changed? Make sure you can trust them before doing business with them)

2) How long has the company been manufacturing windmill aeration systems? a company that has been manufacturing these units for years obviously is doing a great job of it or they would not be in business - for example - Koenders Windmills has been manufacturing windmill aeration systems for 20 years and has over 50,000 customers ( hard to argue with the quality of that product) - Superior Windmill is the 2nd longest company in the business - has been manufacturing windmill aeration systems for 7 years.) - there are a few other companies in the market that have just started up over the last couple of years so you will want to have plenty of customer testimonials if you are going to choose one of their products.

3) What is the warranty period of the Product? - beware of a company that warranties their airline for 5 years but their product's main windmill compressor for only one. Pretty inexpensive to change airline - sounds like a bit of a scam to me. Be careful of companies that have these really long warranty periods but have only been around for a year or so. How can a manufacture warranty a unproven product for a period that is 3 to 5 times longer than their existence.

4) Product Comparisons - some web sites try to compare other products and they use 3 product comparisons. Beware of these sites for they are reaching out to desperate lengths when they are trying to compare the quality of 3 different makes. Wonder how they give the top score to the company that has only been around for the last few years. I guess the longevity of the company, proven product line and the number of satisfied customers was not factored into the product comparison table.

Perhaps product comparison sites should contact the manufactures for updated information and products so that they publish accurate data to avoid misleading customers and any chances of future litigation against themselves. If I was the manufacturer of a quality product and web sites were publishing false information on my product or publishing data about my generation 1 model that is years old - when the generation 3 was being released - I would be pretty upset too.

Leaders in any market tend not to compare themselves to others for they are the leaders for a reason. They have patented features on their products which keep them ahead of any copy cats that come out on the market. They have been able to adapt and improve their products over the many years that they have been in business. They focus on customer service and product quality instead of product differentiation for they never copied anyone. They created and innovated the windmill aeration system. Koenders Windmills and Superior Windmill are those companies.

Proven Working Windmills

2007-12-12T09:38:00.000-08:00

Using Wind Turbines to Produce Electricity

Lately many customers have been approaching pond owner magazine and asking if they have heard of alternative ways to produce energy other than via the escalating costs of electricity.

The resource that is most cost effective in producing renewable energy is by far WIND.

Wind power is 50% less costly than solar energy and can be used in all climates. In North America 60% of the population lives in wind class zones that could effectively use windmills for the production of power. These windmills are more commonly called wind turbines or small wind generators.

Producing ones own power and being connected to the power grid simultaneously is a very attractive solution to reducing your power costs and contributing to the reduction of your own carbon footprint. There is a company by the name of Endurance Wind Power that has designed one of the most cost effective, safe and quiet small wind turbine in the world. They are a North American based company with offices in the US and Canada. They have one of the only small wind turbines in the world that have be designed from ground up to connect to the power grid without any conversion process of energy. The Endurance wind turbine produces grid compatible energy right at the generator level.

Windmill Aeration - For the compression of air - more commonly called windmill aeration systems - 90 % of the population live in wind class zones that can effectively use these types of windmills. They are used for the following purposes;

to aerate ponds to keep them clean and healthy
to keep areas of ponds open
to keep fish healthy and alive in the cold winter months and hot summer months
to aerate septic tanks
to aerating water wells to get rid of the rotten egg smell

Windmill Water Pumps - There are a few types of windmills that use wind to pump water. For shallow wells or to pump water from a creek or pond both Koenders Windmills and Superior Windmill offer a patented series of air driven water pumps that can be attached to their windmills. Make sure that if you are purchasing these types of water pumps - you purchase them through a licensed dealer of theirs or the manufacturer direct. These are the most cost effective water pumps in the world.

For deeper wells, there are a few other manufacturers of well water pumps - these systems are quite expensive and start at between $6,000 to $18,000 USD.

Buying a Windmill Aeration System

2007-11-30T17:40:00.000-08:00

From a Pond Owner in Michigan

I just want to share my experience with pond owners and make sure they do not make the same mistakes when they look at buying an aeration system for their pond.

This will help in the decision. First decide what type of aeration system you are going to install. There are electric aeration systems and Windmill Aeration Systems.

Due to the rising costs of energy and costs in running electricity to most ponds the electric aeration is usually not the most cost effective solution.

Many pond owners are looking at windmill aeration systems as a way to aerate their ponds.

When considering buying a windmill aeration system you should really think about asking the vendors who you are potentially buying from the following questions:

1) Are they the manufacturers or are they just selling a manufacturers product and really do not understand the details of the product that they are representing?
2) How long has the product been manufactured - is it the 1st year the product has been built or has it been around for many years or decades like some companies, (example - Koenders Windmills Inc - founded in 1988 or Superior Windmill Inc 1999) Companies that have been around for many years have a track record and proof of warranty claims etc.. . This companies would not still be around if the product they were building was not a quality, durable, high performing product.
3) Check out the testimonials and PR for the company. Most of the manufacture's sites that have been around for a while will have blogs that you can click into and read the articles and comments that have been posted.
4) There is a lot of engineering that goes into the manufacturing of these windmill aeration products so beware of knock off products that have only been around for just a few years, especially ones that claim bigger and better performance and less costs - chances are they have not thought through all the engineering details of the product when they made them - (example - like the windmill product that I had whose main crank shaft snapped within 19 months because of the engineering of the compressor to blade size ratio - there was too much pressure being forced down on the crank shaft due to some of the physical attributes of the blade size in relation to the compressor components)

Windmill Aeration Systems are an innovative and cost effective approach to keeping a pond healthy and clean without the use of electricity - choosing the right windmill aeration system will keep your pond and its fish healthy for decades with minimal to no operational costs for maintenance.

Yours Sincerely
Jason Winters
Michigan, USA

Installing an Aeration System

2007-11-16T10:25:00.001-08:00

Best Time of Year to Install an Aeration System

Pond owners are always asking us what time of year is the best to install an aeration system in their pond. For those of you who do not know what aeration is - it's the process of adding oxygen to water in an effort to either maintain or restore a pond back to its natural health. It's the single most important thing you can do to keep your pond healthy and clean.

Let us begin by suggesting every pond owner should be considering a pond aeration system if they do not already have one installed in their pond.

Next - be assured that anytime of year is a good time for aeration. At this time of year, pond owners are installing aeration systems so that they can keep an area of their ponds open and provide adequate oxygen levels for their fish to avoid fish kill during the winter months.

By installing an aeration system in the Fall you are able to speed up the decomposition process of any organic matter that penetrates the pond body during this period of the year; leaves and other foliage sink to the bottom of the pond and need to be decomposed otherwise they build up and create a layer of sludge that over time can lead to pond stagnation.

Keeping an area of the pond open also allows the water to release CO2 gases that can otherwise kill the aquatic life that is living in the water.

Windmill Aeration Systems seem to be growing in interest around the world. These systems use the wind to drive air compressor pumps which produce oxygen for the water.

They are easy to install and maintenance free providing you buy the right brand. Look for the brands that have been around for several years with proven track records. The undisputed leader in this space is Koenders Windmills Inc. They have been manufacturing windmill aeration systems for 20 Years and have over 50,000 installed in North America. The second company that comes to mind and has been around for almost a decade is Superior Windmill Inc. These two brands own about 85% of the windmill aeration market.

Windmill Aeration Questions

2007-10-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Question and Answer from Australia on Windmill Aeration

Dear Pond Owner Magazine,

We haven't gone to sleep, in fact we have been doing some research into where we might best make an early breakthrough for multiple systems. It seems that prawn and fish farms may be the answer. We are still early in the "blue-green algae season" and although dire predictions are being made about the severity of blooms this summer, they haven't happened yet, so they are not on the radar of many.

An example - although we may be too late for this one - is a prawn farm in Queensland with 31 grow-out ponds. Each pond currently has up to 10 surface aerators. The Queensland EPA quite rightly stated that efficient aeration is a key issue for aquaculture farms. However, a study they arranged concluded that surface floating paddle wheels have higher standard aeration efficiencies compared with, "aspirators, leaky hoses and airlifts".

To cut a long story short, the eco-efficiency assessment was to spend A$123,000 to install variable speed drivers (lower speed during daylight hours) on some aerators and weights on aerator floats to improve aerator efficiency. This would save [electrical] energy costs. We did some simple arithmetic and estimate that if they installed windmills on all ponds, it would cost around A$93,000 and, of course, zero energy use and costs from then on. So 100% energy savings.

We're awaiting responses from our brief contacts (to date) with the Queensland EPA and the Australian Prawn Farmers Association. We might need to be persistent, since people hate to be told they might've made a wrong decision based on false premises. Of course, they were unaware of your products and obviously didn't go looking for them.

We'd appreciate your comments on the QLD EPA's conclusion on aeration efficiency, (I think they are wrong), and would also appreciate references and testimonials from users of the products in the aquaculture industry.

Lack of winter and spring rains means that a number of rivers and streams in drought area are likely to flow very slowly and will be subject to algal blooms. What is your opinion about the effectiveness of deep aeration to combat blooms under these circumstances? It is not unlikely that if the current rainfall patterns persist, algal blooms in slow moving rivers will become endemic. Would strategically place diffusers prevent or mitigate blooms in rivers? Because the windmills are intrinsically inexpensive, they could be permanent fixtures, although it may be necessary to remove pipes and diffusers when floods are likely in winter and spring (assuming it rains!!).

Best regards
Harvey Gough MRACI CChem
Novasys Group Pty Ltd

--------------------------------------------

Harvey,

Thanks for your note, as you know there are tens of thousands of these windmill aeration systems installed in North America. Superior Windmill, for example, is one of the leading manufactures of these units in the USA and Canada.

It strikes me as odd that a scientific body in Australia would consider surface aeration more effective than bottom up aeration. There are Canadian government bodies that have found bottom up aeration to be 8 times more effective than surface aeration (compared to Paddle wheels or Fountain aeration systems).

Surface aeration only aerates the top 2 feet of a pond surface where as bottom up aeration aerates from bottom to top of the pond. Depletion of oxygen starts at the bottom of the water where the decomposition of organic matter takes place.

Providing more oxygen from the bottom of the water accelerates the decomposition process of all sediment, waste matter, etc. From the bottom the oxygen rises up through the water column - it helps burn off the excess organic matter that is suspended in the pond body.

You need to find yourself a case study example or customer that understands the logic behind this - install a few systems and watch the water quality results. They will all be impressed and then you will be able to invite the local media to view the results as well. Local in Country testimonials is the way to go. Even if you have to invest in the first few units to show case the example. This is what they are doing in Japan right now.

The reason farmers in North America install these units on their farm ponds is to prevent blue green algae from forming on their ponds. If their cattle drink blue green algae they will get very sick and can even die from it. Studies show that cattle drinking from clean aerated water gain 1/3 more weight in the same period of time so there is a strong ROI for this as well.

So we are well aware of blue green algae in North America and there is not one farmer that uses surface aeration - they all use bottom up aeration.

Sincerely,
Pond Owner Magazine

Windmill Aeration Moves Into Europe

2007-10-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

Pond Owner Magazine receives a testimonial from the UK about Koenders Windmills.

I am not aware of any Windmill Air Pumps in the UK. I heard about them from a friend in Canada who knew that I was doing a lot of work on my large pond and cascade waterfall. He read Koenders name from the fin of a neighbours Windmill Aeration System and here we are.

It took a while for me to place the order due to my uncertainties about all the options available such as sinking hose, anti-icing gear, height etc. Anyway I eventually went for the whole package with a 16 foot mast and had it all powder coated in green to merge with our landscape.

I placed the order with a helpful and lovely lady called Tara who patiently put up with my endless questions such as what does it weigh! The exchange rate favours the UK at the moment and the price seemed very reasonable for all that I was ordering.

Delivery was longer than expected due to delays in getting the structure powder coated as I wanted - however this kind if project doesn't demand great urgency and I was happy to wait as they were not processing my Mastercard payment until dispatch was imminent.

The whole unit arrived safely, beautifully packed and shrink wrapped in a microscopic space attached to a strong pallet. The components were packed in a series of small boxes. Delivered to the door by DHL in 4 days from leaving the factory in Saskatchewan (wherever that is!)

Tara was helpful to the end. One skilled and very energetic person with the help of the detailed and excellent instructions had the Windmill up and running in a day.

The Windmill functioned perfectly from the start and as hoped produces large volumes of oxygen to the centre of the pond via the long air line and airstone at a depth of about 5 feet. It looks the part and is much admired by all. I am considering taking up an agency here in Britain where I believe there is a strong market for the unusual!

Regards,
Peter Reed - UK