Pond Aeration

Aeration accomplishes two important objectives:

• It maximizes the concentration of dissolved oxygen required by the fish and by the filter bacteria in your biological filter.
• It permits rapid dispersion of carbon dioxide and other gases from the water.

Stagnant water results in serious water quality deterioration. Poor water quality will lead to issues with the health of your fish.

Avoid excessive agitation of the water surface, however, as this can lead to super saturation of nitrogen which can cause gas bubble disease. When planning pond aeration, consider the number of fish to place in the pond as well as the type of filtration you will use.

There are several ways to accomplish good aeration.

Backyard waterfalls are a valuable addition to the pond. They are aesthetically pleasing, both visually and audibly, and they significantly increase the aeration of the pond.

If you don’t want to build a waterfall, or if it is planned for a later phase of your pond, you can install a pond aerator. This is a device that will add oxygen to the pond.

There are two types of pond aerators: garden fountains and air diffusers.

Garden fountains are a good source of aeration for your pond as well, especially if you don’t have a waterfall or any type of splashing coming out of your pond filter. Home depot sells these relatively inexpensively, however they will plug up easily if you have a lot of plants or floating debris in your pond. Fountains splash the surface of the pond, but do not aerate down to the bottom in deep ponds.



Air diffusers are the best way to go with deep ponds because the diffuser lays on the bottom of the pond and you achieve total pond aeration from the bottom to the top regardless of depth. Oxygen then dissipates throughout the pond. They also work well for shallow ponds.

A garden pond water feature like a fountain is both functional and beautiful. Some examples of water features include spitters and water wheels.

Air stones are a cheap and easy way to add aeration to your pond. These are the same air stones that you would use for your aquarium. A small pump with an air hose is all you need to pump oxygen into your pond with an air stone. An air stone will also increase the water circulation in your pond. Your fish will hang around it because they like the bubbles and the oxygen “high” they get.

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