When a pond matures, nutrients build up at the bottom and turn into muck. Muck can give ponds an unpleasant smell and serve as a home for leeches, in addition to being unpleasant to sight or feel between your toes. By raising the dissolved oxygen content and stirring the water, aeration helps fight muck and other decomposing material. By consuming the nutrients, the aerobic bacteria in the pond water are encouraged to colonize and reduce the amount of muck build-up that already exists and prevents it from collecting in the future.
In addition to building up at the pond’s bottom to form muck, nutrients can also float in the water column and provide the appearance of murkiness. Your water quality and clarity will increase by moving the water, eliminating excess nutrients and sludge, and adding more oxygen. Aerating your pond will also reduce the amount of algae and weeds because there won’t be as many nutrients available to support their growth.