Otterbine Dam and Lake Aerator
Stock and irrigation dams where looks matter less
Swimming dams that must stay free of cables
Lakes where a fountain would be lost
Otterbine · Dam and Lake Aeration
The owner's insights on the Otterbine Dam and Lake Aerator
A dam that turns green, smells in summer or loses fish is usually short of oxygen at the bottom. A fountain stirs the top. It rarely reaches the floor of a deep dam. This listing covers the gear that does.
Air Flo 3 is the one most farm dams need. The compressor sits on the bank in a stainless cabinet. Weighted tubing runs out to diffusers on the bottom, which lift water from the floor to the surface. Nothing electrical goes in the water, so the dam stays swim safe. It works best from 2.4 metres deep, down to 12 metres and beyond.
The floating options suit shallower or working water. The High Volume aerator moves the most oxygen per horsepower with only a low boil showing. Aspirators pull air down into the water with no spray at all. Mixers move water without aerating, which helps where a dam stratifies.
Nothing here is a display. If you want something to look at as well, pair it with an Otterbine aerating fountain, or ask us which single unit gets closest to both.
Why you'll love the Otterbine Dam and Lake Aerator
Treats the whole depth
Diffusers on the bottom lift water from the floor.
Swim safe
Air Flo 3 keeps every electrical part on the bank.
Sized to the dam
Twelve Air Flo systems plus floating units from 1 to 5 HP.
Quiet and unseen
Aspirators and mixers leave no spray pattern.
Long warranty
3 years on units, 5 on diffusers and cabinet, 15 on tubing.
Why you should consider Otterbine
Otterbine builds floating aerators and fountains in the United States. In Australia they are supplied by Aquatec Equipment, the exclusive distributor for Australia and New Zealand. Order through My Acre and we will beat any genuine like-for-like price you find elsewhere. If a warranty question ever comes up, you are calling us directly, not an overseas call centre.
Work out what you need
Step one: depth decides the type
| Deepest point | What actually works | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1.2 m | Floating aerating fountain, or the All-in-One | Shallow water mixes from the surface. Diffusers have no column to lift. |
| 1.2 m to 2.4 m | Floating unit, or subsurface if the bottom goes stale | Either can work. Smell or black sediment points to the bottom. |
| 2.4 m and deeper | Air Flo 3 subsurface diffusers | A fountain stirs the top. Only diffusers move the whole column. |
| Any depth, looks matter | Pair a subsurface system with a fountain | One treats the water, the other is the view. |
Measure the deepest point, not the average. That is where the trouble starts.
Step two: match the type to what you want to see
| Type | Visible | Swim safe | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Flo 3 subsurface | A patch of bubbles | Yes, all electrics stay on the bank | Single phase, onshore |
| High Volume aerator | A low boil to about 1 m | No, power is in the water | Single phase to 3 HP |
| Aspirator | Nothing above the surface | No, power is in the water | Single or three phase |
| Mixer | Nothing above the surface | No, power is in the water | Single or three phase |
What arrives and what does not
In the box
- ✓Air Flo 3: the compressor or compressors, the stainless cabinet plus the diffusers
- ✓Floating units: the unit with its power cable
- ✓Air Flo cabinet is 18 gauge 304 stainless, 41 x 41 x 52 cm, with a lockable latch
Not included
- ×Air Flo tubing. It is sold separately because the run is sized to your dam.
- ×The gravel that weighs the diffuser bases down on the bottom.
- ×The Power Control Center on floating units. Australian 50 Hz supply does not include it.
- ×The electrical work: base, buried supply, disconnect, RCD protection.
- ×A boat, which most sites need to place diffusers or moorings.
Tubing is the one people forget to budget. Tell us the distance from the bank to each diffuser and we will quote the run with the system.
What to measure before you decide
- Deepest point of the dam, in metres. This is the single most important number.
- Surface area, length times width in metres.
- Whether anyone swims in it, which rules the floating units out while people are in the water.
- Distance from the water to power in metres, plus whether the supply is single or three phase.
- Whether a boat can get on the water, since diffusers and moorings are placed from one.
- What the water does now: green, smelly, black sediment, or fish gasping at dawn. Each points somewhere different.
What the symptoms usually mean
| What you see | Usually means | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Green water through summer | Nutrient with sunlight and still water | Aeration plus circulation; also check what runs off into it |
| Black sediment, rotten egg smell | No oxygen at the bottom | Subsurface diffusers, not a fountain |
| Fish at the surface at dawn | Oxygen crash overnight | Aeration running 24 hours through the warm months |
| Clear but lifeless, stratified | Layers not mixing | A mixer, or diffusers to turn the column over |
If run-off from a paddock or a septic is feeding it, aeration helps but will not finish the job.
These four tables are the whole decision. If you would rather have it checked, send us the depth, the surface area and a photo of the water. We will size the system for you.
What the installation involves
- Air Flo 3: a level base of gravel, slab or equipment pad takes the cabinet, with a licensed electrician running the buried supply and disconnect.
- Tubing runs unweighted to the shoreline, then weighted out to each diffuser. Diffuser bases are filled with gravel on site.
- Floating units are anchored or moored, with power trenched in conduit to the water. A boat helps on a large dam.
Units supplied at 50 Hz do not include the Otterbine Power Control Center, so the shore controls are the electrician's work.
Talk it through before you order
Send us the dam size, the depth, whether you swim in it and the distance to power. We will size the system and put a price in writing.
Call todaySee it in action
- Filmed by Otterbine
- Nothing loads until you press play
Air Flo 3: aeration from below
Air is pumped from the bank to diffusers on the bottom. The water turns over without a fountain on the surface.
The High Volume aerator at work
Built for heavy-duty dam work. Otterbine shows the volume of water it moves.
Otterbine dam and lake aeration specifications
| Air Flo 3 system | Compressors | Diffuser pads | Discs per pad | Discs total | Volts / amps / Hz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AF3-121 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 220/2.8/50 |
| AF3-131 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 220/2.8/50 |
| AF3-141 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 220/2.8/50 |
| AF3-112 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 220/2.8/50 |
| AF3-122 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 220/2.8/50 |
| AF3-241 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 220/5.6/50 |
| AF3-261 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 220/5.6/50 |
| AF3-281 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 220/5.6/50 |
| AF3-222 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 220/5.6/50 |
| AF3-232 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 220/5.6/50 |
| AF3-242 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 220/5.6/50 |
| AF3-262 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 220/5.6/50 |
High Volume aerator
| High Volume | Boil height (m) | Boil diameter (m) | Pumping rate (m³/hr) | Volts / phase / amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1HP | .5 | 1.2 | 198.5 | 230/1/8 |
| 2HP | .6 | 2.3 | 329 | 230/1/12 |
| 3HP | .9 | 2.6 | 453.1 | 230/1/14 or 400/3/4.2 |
| 5HP | 1.1 | 3.5 | 647.2 | 400/3/7.2 |
Aspirators
| Aspirator | Volume influenced (m³) | Volts / phase / amps |
|---|---|---|
| 1HP | 5,352 | 230/1/7.3 |
| 2HP | 10,704 | 230/1/12 |
| 3HP | 16,056 | 230/1/14.5 or 400/3/4.3 |
| 5HP | 26,760 | 400/3/6.2 |
Mixers
| Mixer | Volume influenced (m³) | Volts / phase / amps |
|---|---|---|
| 1HP | 12,488 | 230/1/7.3 |
| 2HP | 24,976 | 230/1/12 |
| 3HP | 37,463 | 230/1/12.5 or 400/3/4.3 |
Frequently asked questions
Which type suits my dam?
Depth decides it. From about 2.4 metres down, Air Flo 3 diffusers on the bottom move the whole water column. In shallower water, a floating High Volume aerator or an aerating fountain does more. Tell us the depth and surface area and we will say which.
Is it safe to swim?
Air Flo 3 keeps every electrical part on the bank, with only air tubing in the water, so a swimming dam stays clear of cables. The floating units have power in the water, so they are switched off before anyone swims.
Will I see anything?
Air Flo 3 shows as a patch of bubbles at the surface. The High Volume aerator makes a low boil up to about a metre high. Aspirators and mixers leave no spray at all. For a display, look at the Otterbine aerating fountains.
What is included?
Air Flo 3 comes as compressors, the stainless cabinet and the diffusers. Tubing is sold separately, sized to your run. The floating units come with the unit and cable.
How deep can it go?
Air Flo 3 works to 12 metres and beyond. The floating units need about 0.9 metres under them, though Otterbine list both 81 cm and 92 cm for the High Volume, so we confirm it against your dam.
What does installation involve?
The cabinet sits on a level base of gravel, slab or an equipment pad, with a licensed electrician running the buried supply. Tubing runs unweighted to the shoreline, then weighted out to the diffusers, whose bases are filled with gravel. A boat helps with placement.
What maintenance does it need?
Change the air filter cartridge on the compressor once a year. Otterbine say the diffusers themselves need no maintenance.
Why is there no price shown?
These are quoted per dam. The number of diffusers, the tubing run and the electrical work all change the cost. Send us the dam size, depth and a photo. We will price the system in writing.
Fix the water, not only the view
Your price is beaten against any genuine like-for-like offer. We confirm delivery with you when you order. If anything goes wrong, we handle the warranty claim for you.
Speak to the team