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.

© 2008, Pond Owner Magazine. www.pondowner.com

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.

© 2008, Pond Owner Magazine. www.pondowner.com