DIY Air Bubbler

Bubbles provide circulation, oxygen and disrupt formation of ice.

Ponds, marinas and livestock watering systems freeze in the winter in some colder climates, but creating an air bubbler yourself will keep the ice off the water surface and make your water accessible. Circulating the warmer water from below the surface with a mix of bubbles disrupts the formation of ice, keeping the water free for livestock to drink, marina docks safe from ice damage or ponds open and free of ice. Using the air bubbler on your pond in warm months allows it to double as an aerator and oxygenating system.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2-inch polyethylene tubing
• Drill
• 1/4-inch drill bit
• Dual ended tubing connectors
• Hose clamps
• Screwdriver
• 1/2-inch hose barb
• Stone or concrete block for ballast
• Compressor

Instructions

1. Measure out the length of the area you need. For a small pond or watering system, one central bubbler can disrupt enough of the water's surface to keep it free of ice. For a larger body of water run a linear bubble line, or a ring, to cover.

2. Measure a piece of tubing to use as the bubble handler. This tubing will have holes to disperse the air. Measure another piece of tubing for air delivery with no holes. Run it from the compressor to the location where the bubbler begins.

3. Mark for drilling two lines of holes down the bubbler pipe, one on each side directly across from each other. When placed the pipe will be oriented so the holes, 1/4-inch in diameter and spaced according to the area of bubbler you need, are on the sides facing outward. For a lengthy bubbler pipe longer than 10 feet, drill the holes 2 inches apart. For a smaller bubbler pipe shorten the distance to 1 inch, as the closer together the holes, the more intense and concentrated the bubbling action will be.

4. Form a ring by making a small slit on one end of the bubbler hose and inserting the other end. Before connecting the two, slide a hose clamp over the end of the tubing with the slit. Insert the other end of the hose, then orient the hose clamp over the area where the two meet. Tighten the hose clamp with the set screw on the side using a screwdriver. Cut a hole for a connector to attach the linear delivery hose to the ring. Insert the connector. Slide another hose clamp over the delivery tubing, then attach to the connector. Slide the hose clamp over the tubing at the end where the connector is inside and tighten.

5. Stretch a linear bubbler by inserting a double-ended connector into one end of the bubbler and the end of the delivery tubing. Before connecting, slide the hose clamps on the tubing. When connected, clamp in place with hose clamps.

6. Insert a hose barb into the entry end of the delivery tubing in order to snap to a compressor line.

7. Set the bubbler line in place and weight the tube with a stone or block to hold it on the bottom. Turn the compressor on to begin the bubble action.

References

• Canadian Pond: Bubble Tubing
• Water-Gardens-Information: Winterizing Ponds