We provide many solutions for a wide variety of complicated WaterScape Issues.

Aeration ~ Circulation ~ Filtration ~ Beneficial Microbes

Many of the problems associated with an artificial lake or pond can be attributed to oxygen deficits. Stagnation can be overcome by the use of fountains and aerators.

Most of the time we are able to significantly reduce your energy costs by using new energy efficient pumps, lighting, equipment and the latest technology.

FLOATING FOUNTAINS

OPTIONAL DISPLAY LIGHTING

We have many types and colors of fountain night lighting to choose from.

LAKE BED AERATION

Lake Bed Aeration provides sufficient oxygen for fish, aquatic organisms and beneficial bacteria by breaking down stratified waters while increasing dissolved oxygen levels.

How the Aeration Process Works

Lake Bed Aeration is the introduction of compressed air to a water body. When released at the bottom of a pond or lake, compressed air naturally begins to migrate towards the surface of the water. As air travels up the water column the pressure surrounding the bubbles slowly decreases causing the bubbles to increase in size a slight current begins to develop. The current draws oxygen-depleted water from the bottom, oxygenates it and transports it to the surface. This action protects fish, aquatic organisms and beneficial bacteria from suffocation by breaking down stratified waters while increasing dissolved oxygen levels.

Lake Management Aerators
Interactive Feature Tour

Poor water quality and its effect on irrigation.

When a lake or pond loses its ecological balance, the effects or symptoms are readily apparent:

* Unsightly algae build-up
* Aggressive weed growth
* Unpleasant odor
* Depleted fish populations

If this water source is used to supply an irrigation system, the effects are compounded—functionally and aesthetically:

* Clogged sprinkler heads, valves and pumps
* Damaged turf
* Loss of water storage capacity
* Odors, fish kills and insect breeding
* Diminished aesthetic appeal

Not acting to preserve lake or pond water quality results in a dramatic increase in costs to restore the ecological balance. Again, when this water source is used for irrigation, those costs are compounded.

Clogged Pumps. The build up of sludge and sediment makes it impossible to irrigate. In many cases, a commercial diver must be brought in to clear the pump. This can take four to eight hours and generally is expensive. An associated cost is repairing turf that was damaged due to a lack of irrigation during the clogged/unclogging timeframe.

Sediment Blocking Valves and Sprinklers. Sediment/sludge build-up in valves and sprinklers effects efficient water flow, which can lead to turf damage—turf is either burned or saturated due to insufficient or excess water delivery. The cost in hours and dollars to repair or replace the turf is dependent on the extent of damage. For example, one course has spent up to $7,500 annually to repair damage, another nearly $20,000 annually.

Black Layer/Black Root Zone. When sediment containing heavy metals, anacrobic bacteria and partially decomposed organic nutrients is present in water used for irrigation, it is likely that a black layer or black root zone will be created. This layer or zone essentially seals the turf, preventing the absorption of needed oxygen and nutrients.

Loss of Storage Capacity. Sediment/sludge build-up accumulates at a rate of 1" to 5" (2 cm to 12 cm) per year. At a mid-range rate of 3" (8 cm) per year, a surface acre (4,000 m2) lake loses 80,000 gallons (300 m3) of storage capacity. Imagine the effects after 20, 50 or 100 years. Loss of storage capacity, especially during the hot months—or under drought conditions—can seriously impact the amount of water available to maintain an effective irrigation program.

Bottom Line

The price to be paid for not acting to ecologically balance the water source used for irrigation extends far beyond algae blankets, buzzing insects and an unpleasant odor. The costs associated with unclogging pumps, repairing or replacing valves, sprinklers—and most importantly, entire turf sections and greens—can be very high. There is a practical, far less expensive solution—the installation of a Rain Bird Lake Management Aerator.

Benefits of Rain Bird® Lake Management Aerators

Rain Bird Lake Management Aerators effectively work to maintain an ecological balance in lakes or ponds less than 15' (5 m) deep. With the addition of dissolved oxygen into the water and the resulting convection patterns that reduce stratification, these surface aeration systems provide a number of practical, economic and aesthetic benefits.

Performance Advantages of Lake Management Aerators

Lake Management Aerators available from Rain Bird improve the quality of water used for irrigation by impacting three factors:

* Oxygen—aerating the water encourages aerobic digestion of nutrients by adding oxygen, which significantly reduces sediment/sludge build-up
* Nutrients—potentially harmful nutrients are kept in ecological balance through oxidation and de-stratification
* Temperature—mixing warmer surface and cooler bottom water with dissolved oxygen breaks down stratification to further enhance the ecological balance of adding carbon dioxide at lower levels

The introduction of oxygen by surface aerators effectively prevents anarobic digestion, which in turn dramatically reduces foul odors. Oxidation also reduces iron in irrigation water, which often causes staining on sidewalks, cart paths and buildings. A properly sized aerator will lower iron concentrations to less than 0.1 mg/L. In one case study, two aerators working in tandem lowered the iron concentration by more than 15 mg/L.

The advantages of installing a Rain Bird Lake Management Aerator far out-weight the costly disadvantages of doing nothing to improve a pond or lake that is utilized to supply water to an irrigation system. Rain Bird offers a number of Lake Management Aerators to provide a tailored solution to ecologically balance source water.

Models:
(click below for more information)

* LM Series Single Pattern Lake Management Aerators
* LMM Series Multi-Pattern Lake Management Aerators

Beneficial Microbes

Beneficial microbial formulations and waste and sludge reducer are a combination of specific microbes that occur in nature. Beneficial microbes, added in very high concentrations, result in improved water quality and clarity and reduction of excess nutrients and organic sludge in water bodies.

The Biological Approach to Aquatic Management

Chemical application acts only as a short-term remedy that has no real value as a solution for constant water quality problems. In most cases involving eutrophic (high in organics and nutrients) ponds and lakes, chemical application resulted in reduction of important vascular plant species, increasing blooms of nuisance algae and planktonic (suspended) algae.

The biological approach to aquatic management without the use of chemicals, herbicides or algaecides is a more effective and more environmentally friendly approach.

FILTRATION

It is sometimes necessary to remove suspended particles or nutrients from the water in order to address clarity or algae problems. Mechanical and Biological Filtration can be applied. This is especially useful in situations where chemical use is undesirable.

ProficlearCH MODULAR FILTER SYSTEM

Modular Filter System for Swimming Pond, Large Koi Pond or Small Lakes.

This is a Modular System where some or all of the following components may be used depending on the application. These modular systems can also be duplicated to handle even larger applications.

• The OASE ProficlearCH modular filter system offers ideal filter properties for all pond shapes and sizes. As the system is of a modular design, it can be flexibly adapted to the individual features of your pond.

• Whether you have a biotope without fish, a gold fish pond, a koi pond or a swimming pond: OASE ProficlearCH “grows” with your pond.

• For ponds without fish up to 60,000 gallons
(oval shape pond 50’ long x 20’ wide with an average depth of 5’).

• Below ground installation for ease of integration in the landscape.

• No electrical equipment in the pond: safe for swimming pond.

• Gravity or pump fed installation.

• Up to 6 modules can be installed in serial.

• Additional modules can be installed in parallel to increase capacity.

• Modular design makes it easy to adapt to your pond changes.

1. COURSE DEBRIS EXTRACTOR
2. FOAM FILTERS
3. BIOBALLS
4. PHOSPATE BINDERS
5. PUMP CHAMBER
   



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UVC CLARIFIER

The BitronCH 550 LM is a powerful 550 watt UVC clarifier that is used to reduce suspended algae and pathogens in bodies of water to 250 m3 in volume. Due to the low flow speed relative to UVC performance the displaced water is freed from suspended algae and germs in a particularly effective manner. This means that the water does not need to be recirculated so frequently,and thus expenditure of energy is reduced.

We would be happy to come out and help you evaluate your particular situation.

Give us a call to see what we can do to help.

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