Tweedy Lake

Windmill Pond Aeration Project
MWR
Malibu Water Resources
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Tweedy Lake | more photos |
Windmill Pond Aeration Project

Tweedy Lake: pond diagrams |
The four (4) Koenders Windmills will be set back up a ways, above the far shoreline. Two (2) Aeration Stones (air diffusers that make tiny bubbles) will be linked by T-Connector and Air Line to each Windmill, and the eight (8) Aeration Stones will stretch across the middle of the lake.

Tweedy Lake | Lake depth is consistently about eight (8) feet or so across the middle of this lake. There is no deepest spot of 12 ft or 15 ft or more. If one deepest spot in the lake could be found or dug out, then it would be a good idea to place all of our Aeration Stones (air diffusers that make tiny bubbles) at that one deepest spot. Colder water from around the lake would flow down to that deepest spot and be aerated and circulated from there. As it is, due to the consistent and somewhat shallow depth of the lake, we decided to split the air lines and spread out the 8 aeration stones across the middle of the lake where it is deepest -- at about 8 ft deep. With consistent wind throughout the year, one Koenders windmill aeration system can properly aerate a 2.5 acre pond. So, we will see how well four (4) Koenders Windmills with our eight (8) aeration stones will aerate this ten (10) acre lake. We'll update information here at this MalibuWater.com Internet site as the project goes forward throughout the year.

Update: The depth in the center of the lake is not exactly eight feet for each of the two (2) aeration stones (air diffusers that make tiny bubbles) for each of the windmills. So, due to air pressure, the deeper aeration stone does NOT WORK -- the shallower stone gets all the air first.

One Stone works better | Not Two: Thus, next time we will send ONE AIR LINE out from each Koenders Windmill to ONE AERATION STONE. Two aeration stones would work properly, but only if the two aeration stones were exactly at the same depth -- with in about six (6) inches.

Because the water depth is not exact, this set up with one (1) Aeration Stone for each of five (5) windmills will work better than sending out two (2) Air Lines to two (2) Aeration Stones from each Koenders Windmill.

Summer 2001 Report
I am writing this memo on July 25, 2001.
I am pleased to report that the windmills have made a dramatic improvement at Tweedy after 8 months of operation with four windmills.
All four windmills were up and running around December 1, 2000. The lake started the winter at a depth of about six feet and rose to about 11' after the winter rain and snow.
The lake is presently between 7'-8 feet deep and about 8 acres. As you know, in the past we have had both attached algae and green micro algae, odor and stratification. This year, there is ZERO green micro algae and very little attached algae.
The water is slowly getting clearer.
-- The visibility is now about 12."
-- We started the year with about 2” visibility.
In the spring when the water was warm enough to swim in, I went out to one of the aerators. The rising air from the lake bottom smelled like rotten eggs.
Last weekend I went out again and now the air has no smell at all. The water also has no smell like in the past.
The most interesting thing is that the bottom sludge layer now has a very silky, fine 2-3” on top where before it was very thick and mucky. I think this is the first sign that the aerobic bacteria are eating away and dissolving the sludge. In conjunction with this, a sample of the sludge layer now contains small red worms - one worm in every 2 cubic inches or so. This translates to thousands or millions of worms now living ( and eating no doubt) the sludge layer and all of the leaves and sticks contained within.
All in all we are very pleased to see the results so far. I will probably install one or two more windmills for good measure in the next year.
I will keep you posted on how things continue to progress. Also, two of the windmills without footing blew over this winter. We do get 50 MPH and up winds. I am going to install concrete footings on those windmills like the first two. Other than that, the operation of the windmills has been perfect.
Please refer others to speak to me about the windmills and installation if you wish.
Thanks.
Jim Schlagel: ccswater@earthlink.net |
Tweedy Lake Club.

An Air REGULATOR | Air Flow Valve: If we add a REGULATOR in the system we can control the amount of air to each stone -- the deeper air stone and the shallower air stone.

Koenders T-Valve Assembly: $30 |
This is a well made T-Valve Assembly, and it fits the 3/8" Air Line
We use it to hook up and regulate the air sent to Two (2) Aeration Stones or an Air Stone & Water Pump.

The Koenders Windmill and 12 ft tower has been painted green to blend in to the surroundings
Tower Mounting |
Typical Koenders Windmill Tower Mounting:
Three (3) ground rods | 1 in. diameter steel rods | 4 ft long
The Koenders Windmill tower comes with three (3), 1 inch diameter | four (4) foot long steel ground rods that attach through a clamp on each of the three legs of the tower and can be sledge hammered into clay soil, and the 7/8 inch in diameter clamps are then tightened. If you have sandy soil, or a taller tower you'll need to determine the best way to anchor your tower for your pond site. Some customers have made concrete footing pedestals for mounting the windmill towers at severe wind pond sites.

Windmill Tower Mounting | Using A Compression Anchor
At Tweedy Lake concrete footings were put in place for 2 of the 4 towers.

-- At Windmill Tower Site #1 and #2 -- Pour concrete footings at the proper tower leg stance distance
-- Position the Windmill Tower legs on top of the concrete footing (without the windmill attached)
-- The Windmill Leg clamps are 7/8 inch in diameter
-- Use 3/4 inch threaded Red Head (Compression Anchors) -- they come in all different sizes
-- At Tweedy Lake 3/4 inch | 8 inch long Red Heads were used
-- Put the Red Heads (Compression Anchors) through the tower leg clamps
-- Accurately mark the proper position of Red Heads through the tower leg clamps
-- Using a Roto-Hammer (or a Hammer Drill)
drill a hole a minimum of 2 to 3 inches deep or more into the solid concrete footing
-- Then put the Red Heads back through the tower leg clamps
-- Raise up the tower -- now with the Windmill and Air Line attached
-- Position the tower properly on the concrete footings
-- Then hammer down the Red Hats and install a flat washer and nut
The way a compression anchor works -- With a flat washer and nut already on the threaded Red Head -- place the Red Head through the tower leg clamps into the hole -- then drive the Red Head down with a sledge hammer until it seats at the bottom of the whole -- then tighten the nut. As the nut is tightened, the compression anchor compresses itself against the sides of the concrete hole and will not pull out.
Koenders Windmill: specifications |
Tower Stance: Tripod Tower Legs:
12 ft Tower: 61"
16 ft Tower: 79"
20 ft Tower: 97"

Air Diffuser

Aeration Stone = an Air Diffuser that makes tiny bubbles
-- an air bubble half the size will release 4 times as much oxygen
Air Line 3/8 inch I.D. 100 ft. | Aeration Stone with Foot Valve Assembly attached.
-- and a Foot Valve Assembly apart showing the Check Valve.

An Aeration Stone creates tiny air / oxygen bubbles that rise to the surface of the water. The air bubbles bring the bottom water to the surface where the water grabs Oxygen from the atmosphere and circulates in the pond-- and oxygen in the air bubbles is also released directly into the water. That increases DO levels -- Dissolved Oxygen levels.
Koenders Aeration Stone: $25
in a 5 Gallon Bucket set on top of gravel |
with Foot Valve & Air Line attached | Aeration page |

Koenders Windmill Aeration System |
Tweedy Lake Project Costs | More Tweedy Lake Photos |