Part two of a three-part series about maintaining water, our most precious resource.
How do you know if your pond or lake is suffering from low oxygen levels? A foul smell or excessive algae are two good indicators that you have a problem. As an essential part of the ecosystem, a pond or lake without algae is void of life. Algae are living organisms and a keystone in the aquatic food chain. Producing 70 to 80% of the earth’s oxygen, algae actually promotes the presence of good bacteria, which is beneficial to keeping the ecosystem in balance.
But, as we know, everything is good in moderation. A pond or lake that is overtaken with algae is an indication of an imbalance within the water impoundment. It is not an indication that there is no oxygen present, but that the oxygen demand required to maintain a balanced water ecosystem is not up to par.
Water managers utilize fountains or aerators, sometimes a combination of both, to keep water clean, healthy, and if necessary, in optimal condition for irrigation purposes. High-performance products that provide high oxygen transfer rates as well as moving large volumes of water come in all different sizes to fit varying water depths and surface area.
The pond and lake management industry has created standards and sizing recommendations for aerators and fountains but not all aerating devices are created equal. It is important to check that the manufacturer can provide substantiating standard oxygen transfer rate data and the water volume being pumped for mixing and dispersion. Installing a fountain that is not designed to pump enough volume will not adequately improve water quality.
This article is a part of a series: The Way Water Was Intended
The Way Water Was Intended: Clean, Healthy, Sustainable
Keeping Water Clean and Healthy
Part Three: The Way Water Was Intended
