Aerator Pump / Disc Diffuser ???

[Squidhead]

I am going to be installing a Koi Toilet II that will be modified with a 3/4" air supply stand pipe, just like the Koi Toilet 1 has. I will be placing a 7" Dream Pond disc aerator on the top of the dome just like the KT1. My pond will be 8' X 5' X 4' deep. The bottom foot print is actually smaller with the slight slope grade I dug, about 2' X 6' it will hold approx 1300G of water. My question is how much power should my air pump have? I have only found one online store that has a reccomendation of 40-60 LPM for this diffuser. What do you think I need as far as the pumps output, either in LPM or CFM? I don't want to waste money on something too big or too small.

 

[koikeepr]

Based on your measurements you're at about 1,200 gals on the pond not including your stream bed.

I think you're about right on with a 40 LPM for a 7" disc. If you wanted to perhaps split some of the air and stick an airline in your stock tank to make the bacteria even happier, you could go up to 60 LPM, but you might even be able to get away with it on a 40 LPM pump. Either way, you would need a ball valve to control air flow (or two if you are planning on diverting some air to the stock tank.). What comes into play here is your depth, which the pump will have to push down into to get air that low.

What pump are you thinking of at this point? Do you have a budget in mind?

 

[Squidhead]

Based on your measurements you're at about 1,200 gals on the pond not including your stream bed.

I think you're about right on with a 40 LPM for a 7" disc. If you wanted to perhaps split some of the air and stick an airline in your stock tank to make the bacteria even happier, you could go up to 60 LPM, but you might even be able to get away with it on a 40 LPM pump. Either way, you would need a ball valve to control air flow (or two if you are planning on diverting some air to the stock tank.). What comes into play here is your depth, which the pump will have to push down into to get air that low.

What pump are you thinking of at this point? Do you have a budget in mind?

I don't have a particular brand in mind as of yet. I'm just going to base it on what specs I need, Reliable Brand name, and energy use. I would rather pay a little more now for a more energy efficient model rather then get nickeled and dimed way more from a huge electric bill. I guess I need to find out how to figure out what I need as far as what I want it to do. Any good websites about this subject you know off hand?

 

[koikeepr]

Sorry, can't lead you to a specific website. But here's some suggested pumps if you're looking for reliable and low power consumption. It's important to get a decent one, particularly if you plan on using it to keep a hole open in the pond during winter. I will basically just shut everything down and keep the BD air diffusers going all winter to do so. Essentially, this pump will run 24/7/365, so it's worth spending a tad more if you can swing it.

Here's some suggestions to consider and start to research:

Pondmaster AP-40 will be on the cheapest end, but reliable. You can easily replace the diaphram easily. Con: a tad noisy if you have it to close to the pond. If you can put it at least 10 feet away and cover it with an irrigation box, it will be fine. I have this one on my current pond and I have had no problem with it. I will be selling this pump once my build is over. It only has one year of use on it.

Alita AL-48. Very reliable only one moving part. I believe DoDad carries these and can give you a better price than what you see online. a bit expensive.

Hakko 40. Similar to Alita. Very good brand. a bit expensive.

Medo LA45. Very good brand. No moving parts. Extremely quiet. I have the LA-80 on my new pond. I ended up buying it cheaper on Ebay through a sump pump company (versus a pond company). I can give you the lead on that should you want it. This brand will likely be the priciest option.