Using an Air-O-Lator Fountain-Aerator
A WINTER WAKE for SWANs
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“A Winter Wake” is a Disturbance in the Surface
of Water that Inhibits Freezing.
Fountains – Aerators – as DeIcers
Our Winter Wakes by an Air-O-Lator Deicer
We “used” an Air-O-Lator Unit.. ..Installed in November 2008.
NOTES FROM OUR EXPERIENCES.. 2008-2015
I want to Share our Experience with the DeIcing Equipment we have Used.
I will Note the Time we Purchased and Installed the Equipment.
I will include the Functions we Liked and the Situations
which did NOT Work.
On this Page I will Share our Experiences with the Air-O-Later..
Model: ( the Aquarian Residential Aerator.)
In the Early Fall of 2008, we were Planning for our First Winter
with Swans on a Large Pennsylvania Golf Course Irrigation Pond.
We were Blessed to have this Beautiful Private Pond for our Swans.
Both the Swans had Health Challenges.. They Recovered over the Summer.
Hummm…
Guess we should Start to Plan for Winter.. the Leaves are Changing.
Winters vary in PA.. Some are Mild
and SOME are COLD.. with WIND, SNOW and ICE..
Being NEW to Swan Care..We had LOTs to Learn.
I did my Best to Research DeIcing Equipment.
In 2008, doing an Internet Search for Equipment to DeIce an area
in the Pond was a Challenge.. There were VERY Few Choices..
There were Three Designed for Boat Dock Areas.
The “Ice-Away” by Air-O-Lator had Potential.
With the Float Option, the Air-O-Lator could be used in Ponds or Lakes
to keep “A Winter Wake” – Open Water Area for WaterFowl.
I was Pleased to find the Air-O-Lator..
A Combination Fountain in the Summer…
Below is the Basic Way this will Work..
…and then it Converts to a DeIcing Unit in the Winter..
– by Lowering the Propeller Fan Unit.
The Air-O-Lator Company was Great.. Sent a Very Complete Unit..
The Sales Rep. was able to Recommend a Local Electrician
who was Willing to Assist with the Installation..
The Electrician Commented, “It was Nice to have a Different Type of Project.”
There was Electric Service Available by this Large Irrigation Pond.
Something Needed to be Added to Electric Service Box
for the Equipment to be Used Safely.
The Electrician and Golf Course Grounds Staff were Terrific.
We had the Help we needed.. My Husband was there for
some of the Lifting to Move the Boat and Supplies Around.
All Supplies are in the Row Boat.. Here he GOES !!
My Job was to Watch the Swans and Record-SNAP the Day.
Now it is Time to Set the Cinder Block Anchors in Place.
Our Swans stayed at the Far End of the Pond until the Boat was OUT !
The Swans Swim over to See what “That Guy” was Doing in their Pond !
I Wanted to Watch the Temperature here at the Pond. So, I Placed a
High-Low Thermometer in the Sheltered-Open Section of the Electric Box.
Since we purchased our Air-O-Lator in Late 2008
They have increased their Product Line.
Take a Look at the AirOLator Website..
Air-O-Lators >>>> https://www.airolator.com
With ALL Electrical Equipment..
There are SAFETY Issues when used in or near Water.
READ ALL SAFETY WARNINGs !
Spray Fountains in Ponds and Lakes are Lovely to See.
They do Provide Circulation and have other Benefits.
Benefits of Aeration for a Pond or Lake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yQ8LHSiYIU
For Year-Round Pond Health..
The Circulation of the Lower Pond Water will help prevent Deadly
Anaerobic Bacteria Growth in the Lower Areas of a Pond.
Organic Material does Break Down Completely in Stagnant
Deeper Areas of a Pond… This Muck can become a Toxic Zone.
Organic Break-Down.. will Release Methane Gas.. which you might see as
Bubbles in ICE ! ! ! IT LOOKs Cool.. Circulating the Water Levels will Aid
Clearing the Decaying Material from the Water.
During the Summer Time Excess Organic Materials will Promote the Growth of Several Unwanted Pond Plants. Algae Blooms, DuckWeed..etc.
Unwanted Pond Plants like DuckWeed may over grow the Surface.
This can Creates an Unhealthy Condition in a Pond.
Reducing the Oxygen Value in the Lower Zones of a Pond.
The Air-O-Lator used Year-Round will improve the Pond’s General Health.
Just an Hour or so Each Day or Night.. will Improve the Water Quality.
Since the Air-O-Lator Unit can be Raised to use as a Spray Fountain…
this is a Nice Visual Addition for the Warmer Months.
Spray Fountains are Lovely Features in many Public Park Ponds and Lakes.
BUT I have Learned Over Time and Doing some Reading..
that the SPRAY Fountains have been Responsible for Dispersing
Legionellae Organisms in the Fine Mist of these Fountains..
Breathing in the Fountain Mist can Expose People and Animals
to this Deadly Pneumonia when the Water Temperature is Over 70 Degrees.
This Possibility is being Considered UnSafe for Ponds in
Senior Living Facilities..
During the Winter the Water Mist will Coat the Swans Feathers
and they may have a Layer of Ice Stick to them …
There is a Constant Cool Mist in the Air near a Fountain Spray.
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The Air-O-Lator Lifts and Mixes Large Quantities of Water
UPward to the Surface.
When used as a DeIcer it Circulates the Warmer Water
from the Lower Area of the Pond or Lake.
The Motor Mount-Propeller also Spreads the Water Flow
OUTward Creating a Larger Area of Effective Coverage.
The Air-O-Lator is Capable of Keeping a 7 – 8 Foot Diameter Area
of Open Water for every Foot of Depth the Propeller is Lowered.
The Average Suspended Depth is approximately 5 – 6 Feet –
Effective Down to a Maximum of 8 Feet.
If Lowered to 6 Feet..
Estimate Keeping an Area 40 to 50 Feet Open.
As the Water Circulates from the Bottom of the Pond, where it is Warmer,
the Water Flows Outward and Under the Ice Shelf Edges.
If the Flow is able to Reach the Shoreline,
you may get even Bigger Areas of Open Water.
The Longer a Sustained Cold Spell, the LESS the Open Area might be.
Because the Deeper Water will Continue to Cool.
The Air-O-Lator was Actively in Use on this Pond from
Late November 2008 through Early February 2009.
When there was Ice Covering the Majority of this Pond, the Swans
Still had a Nice Area of OPEN Water Thanks to the Air-O-Lator.
Instead of Fearing Winter, we were able to Enjoy the Different Forms of Ice.
Below: Small Columns of UnderGround Spring Water
are Creating Circles in the Surface of Thin Ice. ( Mini-Wakes )
Changing Water Level on Frigid Nights May Create Icicle Formations.
Even Some of the Little Frozen Mud Puddles were Pretty.
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If you need to use Extension Cords – Run them through PVC Conduit.
Be SURE your Cords are Safe for OutDoor Use.
> > > DO NOT PLACE PLUG CONNECTIONS IN THE WATER ! ! < < < <
NO Rope Loops.. Swans LOVE to Pull at Cables and Ropes.
Our Swans would Pick and Chew at Ropes, Cords, Electric Cables, etc.
Often we did not See them..
But, when we did there was Little we could do to Stop them..
The BIGGEST Problem.. The Swans..
Our Little Female was Proud of herself when she Picked at
the Ropes that Held the Float to its Anchor Blocks and Set it FREE..!!
It Twisted Around, Tangling the Propeller with One of the Other Rope Supports.
On that Very Cold February Day, a Very Nice Person Got the
Boat out and was Able to Get the DeIcer Put Back Together..
We had No Way to know if there was Damage to the Propeller..
Just Grateful It was Working..!!!
From Reading..
I had suggested Protecting the Electric Cord with PVC Vinyl Conduit..
The PVC Vinyl Conduit Averages $1.50+ for 10 Feet..
The Air-O-Lators Cable was 100 Feet Long
– PVC Conduit would be less then $20.00. (including Tax)
The Electric Cable Averages over $ 2.00/Foot to Replace ( 100 Feet = $200.00).
Fish and Turtles seem to Enjoy the Taste of Electrical Cables.
If you want to leave the Unit in Your Pond for the Year Round
Circulation Benefit and DeIcing… putting the Cable through
PVC Electrical Conduit will Save Costly Cable Replacement/Repairs.
Fish and Turtles are not Very Active during the Colder Months.
During Warmer Weather.. they will Chew on Electric Cords.
This School of Japanese koi: Koi, a member of the Carp Family,
like to Hide in the Tangle of Twigs under the Willow Tree.
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IF you Install these Units Yourself.. “DIY”
Be Sure to Sweep under the Floatation Location to Check
for Anything that might Foul the Fan Propeller..
It should be Clear of Debris for a Distance Under the Unit.
You will Need to Help the Swans.. They are Trying to Help.
It is Easy to See, that a Location under a Tree is not a Good Place.
Positioned in the Deeper Area of the Pond keeps the Swans Safer from Predators.
The Thin Edges of the Ice Shelves are not so Safe for Prowling Predators.
Our Swans were Safe as Long as the Air-O-Lator was Working.
The Lower into the Water the Propeller Unit is Positioned
the Bigger the Open Water Area will be in the Ice.
We Managed to Keep our Swans Safe and Comfortable this Winter.
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The ***PROPELLER GUARD (Extra Accessory) will Prevent
Fish and the Swans with their LONG Necks from getting Cut
by the Fan Propellers.
https://airolator.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Ice_A_Way.pdf
The PROPELLER GUARD also Helps Prevent Leaves, Twigs,
Paper and Plastic Bags from getting Twisted into the Fan.
We did have One Event of a White Plastic Grocery Bag becoming Sucked
onto the Unit.. Which Prevented Water from Circulating.
The Propeller Guard kept the Bag from Tangling the Propeller..
but, Wrapped Around the Guard the Bag Prevented Water Movement.
Again, the Boat was Put into the Frigid Pond.
We had been using Bright Yellow Nylon Rope that Floats
to Tie the Float to the Anchor Blocks.
But, the Swans kept Chewing at the Rope and over time they Chewed Away
enough Rope Setting the Unit Loose, etc.
MORE then Once.
If you Decide to use Ropes to Connect the Unit to the Floatation,
* Prevent the Swans from getting Tangled in any Rope Loops..
***ELIMINATE the Loops in your Ties to the Air-O-Lator Fan Motor.
In Late November the Swans were Starting to Court.. Lovely to Watch.
We were Ready for Winter. We Hoped !
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A Sad Event:
One of the Ponds in Lancaster Co. using a Fountain for Circulation,
Lost a Young Female in Late Summer during a Period of Drought.
The Ropes that keep their Fountain in place became Slack
as the Pond Water Level went Down.
They found their Female with a Support Rope around her Neck..
These Folks have had Swans for over 20 years..
Their Pond was the Lowest it had ever been.
Never thought the Anchor Ropes might be a Concern.
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A Long Sad Swan Saga.. in Late 2009 and Early 2010..
we Lost Both “Sweet Harmony” and “Handsome Fellow.”
Our Little Pond Princess, “Hannah” was Rehomed to a Private Farm Pond.
We were Helpless to Change their Fates.
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In the Summer and Fall of 2010 we had Three Young Rescues..
We Found a Home for them on a Horse Pasture Pond..
We went to Visit the Young Swans as Often a we Could. Such a JOY !
As the Summer Days WARMED the Pond – DuckWeed Grew Quickly.
Areas of the Horse Pastures were Draining Animal Waste into the Pond.
DuckWeed is a Healthy Plant for the Swans to Eat..
But they could not Eat Enough to Control the Rapid Growth..
I had the Air-O-Later from the Golf Course Pond Refurbished.
The 100 Feet of Cable had to be Replaced..
Turtles and Fish had CHEWED the Coating Off in 5 – 6 Places..
I had ASKED for the Cable to be in Conduit.. It was not Done..
I was Told it would not be Needed.. > > > IT WAS NEEDED !
We were all New to having Electrical Equipment in a Pond.
This was a Learning Experience.. A Costly One.
The Horse Pasture Farm Worker Installed the Electric to the Pond Area
and Put the Air-O-Lator into the Horse Pasture Pond. Nice Job
The Electric Cable to the Unit was IN Conduit.. YEAH !
We were not there to Observe.. OH MY, ROPE LOOPs Every Where..
Summer soon became Fall and we were Preparing for the Colder Months.
Our Young Swans were Doing Well.. They Learned about the Ice.
The First Winter the Air-O-Lator Unit Worked Well…
The Air-O-Lator was Allowed to Run through the Spring and Summer.
The Circulation Benefit was Impressive.. Most of the DuckWeed was Gone.
This Meant the Organic Materials were Breaking Down and Flowing Out
of the Pond as Spring Rains Flushed the Pond.
Summer Visits were Fun. Watching them Grow and Bond into a Threesome.
In October the Air-O-Later was Working Properly. Ready for Colder Times.
The First Half of their Second Winter Months Everything was Working Well.
The Swans Chewed and Chewed..
Over and Over Detaching the Fan/Propeller Unit from the Float.
This Winter we could not get to the Air-O-Lator when it Stopped Working.
It was Not Safe for Anyone to Service the Unit…
There was NO Safe Way to take the Unit out for Repair.
I was a Nervous Wreck until the Spring Thaw..
There was a VERY Small Area where the Natural Springs Entered the Pond.
The Swans had this Small Shallow Area for Weeks..
The Unit had Water that Leaked into the Motor..
It was Repaired.. and ReInstalled..
It Took the Swans Several Months Picking and Pulling at the Ropes.
It is Just a Matter of Time.. So, the Ropes were Replaced… Again & Again.
The Swans would NOT Stop Chewing the Ropes..
This Time the Motor Unit was Hung from Bent ReBar … see Photos.
The Float was still Attached to the Cinder Block Anchors by Ropes.
Now the Ropes were Knotted, with VERY Tight Knots DOWN Through
the Corner Holes of the Float.. NO Extra Rope to Chew Away…
Later Stainless Chain was used to Prevent the Swans from Picking the Support Ropes Apart… Silly Birds. >>>This did Resolve the Problem.
Having a Timer to Control the ON/OFF will Save Electricity.
It is a Fan/Motor – there is NO COSTLY Heat.
Turning it ON during the Colder Night Hours is usually Sufficient.
No Noisy Compressor. >>>> It uses an Electric Cable in the Water.
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We Used the Same Air-O-Later from November 2008 – July 2015..
FOUR Times during Winter Months it STOPPED Working.
Once a Plastic Bag became Tangled in the Fan… early 2009.
SEVERAL TIMEs the Swans Chewed the Ropes
until the Floatation Twisted around its Support Ropes.
Once the Motor Housing Leaked and Water Stopped Everything.
It is NO FUN Trying to Service this Unit during Bitter Cold Days
when we Needed it the MOST.. When It is not SAFE to go out on the Ice.
Our Unit was Repaired Twice.. Cable Replaced Once..
First Installed – November 2008.. to March 2009.
Repaired and Moved August 2010 – January 2013 FAILED..
Repaired March 2013 and Put Back in Pond to August 2015.
This Unit was Working when we Moved our Swans to a New Home..
The Horse Pasture Farm was Sold.. We were VERY Lucky to Find a Lovely New Pond with Caring Folks.. Now Good Swan Friends.
OverAll.. It was Not the Air-O-Lator.. it was Our Swans that Caused
Most of the Failures.. The Twisting and Tangling the Motor/Propeller
with the Support Ropes could have Damaged the Housing Causing the Leak..
When our Air-O-Lator was Working it was Great.
We did not Purchase this Type of DeIcing Equipment Again.
We Needed to Consider Equipment that was Safe for our Swans,
And Safe FROM our Swans.
“Hannah” Loved to Pull at Rob’s Boot Laces until they were Untied.
Silly Swan.
The Fine Serrations Lining their Beak makes Picking & Pulling Rope Easy.
Look Closely at the “Country Water Lily Pond’s Float.. it has Chains
– No Ropes.
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As we Traveled about Visiting Swan Ponds..
This Type of Circulating – DeIcing Equipment is Common..
This Large Rural Pond below has Two Air-O-Lator Units.. (small dark – – s)
The Under Water Critters Damaged the Electric Cords.. SHORT-OUT !
Now the Pond Surface is Covered with Tiny WaterMeal.
Many seemed to Work without the Problems we Experienced.
One Pond Owner tried to Use this System in a Shallow Pond..
Maybe 18-24 Inches Deep.. it could not be Adapted.
It Never Worked.. was more Dangerous to Anyone Near it..
It Just Spit Muddy Water into the Air.
This Area of the Pond is Shallow – The Swans can Stand-up in the Water.
It is VERY Important to Select the Circulating – DeIcing Equipment
Best Suited to Your Water Environment.
Fountains are Lovely to See.. Striking Water Features..
Swans Complete the Picture.
We Loved Spending Time with Swans and the Places where they Live.
Many Wonderful Memories.
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Compiled from our Experience with an Air-O-Lator.
From 2008 – 2015 (c) Linda M. Sweger March 2021
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When Your Swans are Safe on their Water Environment during the Winter Months.. You will have more Time to Just Enjoy the Season with Them..
