Pond life needs air. Although most pond animals are used to surviving in conditions that are very different from those in a fast-flowing river, they still require oxygen to survive. Pond aerators come in many different shapes and sizes, and one of the favorites for the shallow pond or wastewater treatment pond is the bubble aerator or bubble tubing.
What is Diffuser Tubing?
Diffuser tubing or aerator tubing is a long rubber tube that contains many fine holes. Every ½ inch, air is forced out of the holes into the water. Diffuser tubing is very efficient at getting air bubbles where they need to go. It is easy to fit this tubing into shallow and thin waterways where other pond aeration systems may not fit. In Europe, this tubing is called linear aeration because it can sit in lines along the bottom of a pond or in a small, thin space.
Bubble tubing is a particular type of diffuser tubing. It is self-weighted with a plastic ballast, which means that you do not need to worry about clamping it to the bottom of the pond. The tubing contains a hole every ½ inch and releases fine bubbles.
Applications of Aerator Tubing Include Fish Ponds, Mining, and Wastewater Treatment
There are a number of practical applications of bubble or diffuser tubing. Wastewater marshes and ponds need to receive oxygen in order for the plants to effectively break down all of the waste in the pond. Diffuser tubing can fulfill this role.
Diffuser tubing is also used for aquaculture. If there are fish in a pond, they have high oxygen requirements and the pond will need aeration, especially at times of the year when there is less water movement, like summer time.
Diffuser tubing is also useful for mixing the water in mining ponds. It has also been used to dampen sound waves that move underwater so that fish are not disturbed.
Bubble or diffuser tubing is especially useful in situations where there is a lot of sediment on the bottom of the pond. The bubbles move slowly upwards and do not disturb sediment or stir it into the pond water.
How to Use Diffuser Tubing for Pond Aeration
Traditional diffuser tubing needs to be clamped or weighted so that it sits in lines on the bottom of the pond. Place it in circles or lines. It is possible to order different lengths of tubing, generally in the 25 to 100 foot range. Bubble tubing is a long, thin tube. It needs to have weights attached to it or it needs to be tied to the bottom of the pond so that it does not move upwards.
Diffuser and bubble tubing are useful methods of aerating ponds and other water bodies with fine bubbles that do not disturb bottom sediments. They fit well into small spaces and are convenient for those with shallow or thin ponds.
Tricia Edgar - Tricia Edgar is a gardener, environmental educator, and science writer from the Pacific Northwest.
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