The first thing to note is very important. Aerators and fountains are totally different, even though they may look similar. Aerators operate at low pressure, moving high volumes of water. Fountains operate at higher pressures subsequently moving much lower volumes of water. Otterbine's Sunburst aerator is a 'surface spray' aeration system. It draws cooler bottom waters to the surface and displaces them onto the warmer surface waters. Cooler water has up to 40% more capacity to hold dissolved oxygen so this provides a positive impact. At the same time the surface aerator breaks down thermal stratification in the water, allowing natural oxygen diffusion into the water, from the waters contact with the surface air. Surface spray aerators are the most effective aeration systems, in water of depths up to 5m. If water is 5m deep or more, then Otterbine's Air Flo II (diffused air systems) are 100% efficient. As columns of millions of tiny bubbles rise to the surface, they create a column of movement through 'synergistic lift' again, carrying the cooler bottom waters of the lake to the surface to allow additional dissolved oxygen the chance to naturally diffuse into the water. With regard to the main question about the campus, Nottingham's Trent University have implemented a water quality management strategy on their campus grounds and have recently installed an Otterbine surface spray aerator. The purpose behind this and all other aeration systems is simply to return the eco-system of the lake to its natural balance and provide the required dissolved oxygen that will allow mother nature's clean-up organisms such as the aerobic bacteria, to look after the lake or pond. Further water quality managemet advice can be found on our web site at www.otterbine.com Read about the science behind water quality management.
