Top 5 Reasons To Aerate Your Lake in the Fall
Most people don’t think about continuing lake aeration during the fall. However, fishing, farm ponds, and any other type of lake need to have proper oxygen levels and circulation the entire year. Therefore, remembering to aerate in the fall can provide a host of benefits that you will enjoy over the winter and throughout the spring. Here are the top reasons you should aerate your lake in the fall.
1. Prevent Nutrient Pollution
While you probably love to watch the autumn leaves, they will fall and land in your lake. As they decompose, they will fill your pond with nutrient-rich muck and sediment. This contributes to lower water quality, bad smells, and algae. However, aerators can introduce oxygen which prevents this pollution. This is because oxygen helps keep water quality up and can reduce bad smells and algae. That means there is never a dip in your water quality in the fall.
2. Prevent Fish Kills
Shorter days mean your aquatic plants will produce less oxygen. If your pond freezes, there won’t be any oxygen coming from the air. This creates concentrations of oxygen throughout your lake. With fish relying on oxygen to survive, this can lead to increased winter fish kills. However, aeration can improve oxygen circulation, prevent ice, and minimize the threat of fish kills. That means they will still be there when the spring rolls around.
3. Keep the Ice Open for Wildlife
As mentioned, aeration prevents ice from developing on your pond, which leaves room for more land-dwelling wildlife to visit. Meanwhile, it allows toxic gases to escape from your pond to reduce danger for water-dwelling wildlife. This is especially important for shallow ponds.
4. Prevent Ice Damage on Docks
When temperatures get cold enough to freeze your pond, your docks also face ice damage. After all, ice expands and can put pressure on a dock. However, using an aerator to prevent ice protects your docks from expansion or lifting damage.
5. Maintain Water Quality
Warmers areas may not need to worry about freezing temperatures and ice in the winter. However, they will still need to worry about other pond issues, such as evaporation and nutrient concentration. These places will want to aerate in the fall to keep oxygen levels up, circulate nutrients, and keep their water quality up.
Every pond needs some help to get through the fall. Following these tips will ensure yours is set to make it through the winter.