Efficient aeration is vital for wastewater treatment and needs to meet the demands of a lagoon. For wastewater managers, finding aeration systems that deliver a high performance with constant mixing and oxygen transfer can be a challenge. Specific site conditions come into play too, and can make the process of choosing the right aerator more complicated.
In this article, we explore our top four aerators for wastewater lagoons. We unpack their features, the optimum time to use them, and the best ones that won’t let you down when you need excellent performance. After more than two decades of testing aerators, we’re very confident the aerator for you is contained within this list.
What Makes a Good Wastewater Aerator?
Not every aerator is suitable for a wastewater lagoon. The one you might use for a pond will have nowhere near enough power or strength that these waterbodies require.
Here are some standout features to lookout for:
Strong Aeration and Mixing
A good aerator for a wastewater lagoon will add oxygen as well as circulate the water at all times. This constant movement will help to prevent any dead zones from forming as well as keep solids in suspension. This movement and circulation will also support the lagoon’s overall biological treatment.
Low Spray Drift
Due to the water used in wastewater lagoons being contaminated, it’s really important to minimise the risk of spray as much as possible. The water becoming airborne is something that needs to be avoided, and a good wastewater aerator will stop this from happening.
Ease of Installation and Servicing
Older aerators tend to be expensive, complex, and power-hungry. Thankfully, many aerators nowadays are easy to install and service, saving you time and energy when dealing with the systems. The modern designs of aerators are lightweight and easy to relocate if possible. They also require minimal downtime for servicing, keeping everything smooth at all times.
Scalability for Larger Lagoons
Whether the aerator is using mains power or solar, units that can be easily combined are great for added flexibility. This means you can seamlessly increase the coverage of the aerators and up the capacity without needing large, inconvenient infrastructure changes.
Energy Efficiency
In wastewater treatment, power costs can add up quickly. A good aeration system has an efficient motor and smart design that helps to keep operating costs down.
Aerators We Recommend for Wastewater Lagoons
When you’re choosing an aerator for your wastewater lagoon, you need to make sure that it aligns with the demand and specific requirements. Here are some top products we recommend:
1. Air-O-Lator Commercial
The Air-O-Lator Commercial is a compact, high-performance surface aerator designed for wastewater lagoons where good mixing and oxygenation with minimal spray drift is needed. This aerator is built by Air-O-Lator, a USA manufacturer with over 60 years of experience, so you can put your trust in it. It’s highly durable and combines ease of installation and reliable aeration performance.
Key Features & Benefits:
- Aeration Capacity: 5 hp motor aerates up to 2.5 surface acres. Smaller units (1.5 hp, 3 hp) cover ½–1 acre. Luckily, you can combine units for larger lagoons.
- Flow Rate & Oxygen Transfer: Pumps up to 8,700 L per hour and delivers 4.2 kg O₂ per hour (5 hp motor). Flow and O₂ transfer scale with motor size.
- Minimal Spray Drift: There is a specially designed diffuser mounted on top. This works to divert the ejected water, minimising spray while keeping up maximum aeration efficiency.
- Unrivalled Mixing Ability: The diffuser also pushes oxygenated water down and disperses it broadly, ensuring thorough mixing across the pond or lagoon. This is critical for effective wastewater treatment.
- Portable & Scalable: Compact units are easy to move, combine, and position for full coverage of any waterbody.
- Solar Options: 1.5 hp and 3 hp solar models available; 3 hp aerates up to 1 acre. Units can be combined for larger lagoons, with 4 panels for 1.5 hp or 8 panels for 3 hp setups.
- Durable Components: Includes 316 stainless steel compressor, 36-inch float, high-spec control box with automatic timer, 40 m cable, and propeller guard.
When to Use the Air-O-Lator Commercial
- Large ponds or lagoons where high oxygen transfer and mixing are required.
- Situations where minimal spray drift is important (near roads, walkways, or neighbouring properties).
- Projects that may need portability or combining multiple units for full coverage.
- Sites where solar power is preferred or AC power is limited.
2. Nanobubble Aerator
The Nanobubble Aerator is a high-tech solution for excellent oxygen transfer and water treatment. It’s designed to reach deeper waters and keep oxygenation up for longer. It’s perfect for wastewater lagoons, irrigation ponds, or lakes where maximising dissolved oxygen and improving water quality is a priority.
Key Features & Benefits:
- Exceptional Oxygen Transfer: Adds up to 95% pure O₂ into water, far surpassing standard aerators that typically achieve around 20%.
- Long-Lasting Oxygen: Nanobubbles remain suspended in water for weeks rather than floating quickly to the surface. This improves oxygen availability throughout the water column.
- Deeper Oxygenation: Nearly zero buoyancy allows nanobubbles to reach deeper parts of ponds, lakes, or lagoons, following currents rather than rising immediately.
- Hydroxyl Radical Generation: Nanobubbles release hydroxyl radicals, powerful oxidants that help clean surfaces, reduce biofilm formation, and minimise chemical usage.
- Targeted Treatment of Organic Matter: Strong negative surface charge attracts positively charged pollutants, metals, and cyanotoxins, improving the aerator’s effectiveness in water treatment.
- Durable and Efficient: Nanobubbles maintain structural integrity longer than standard bubbles, ensuring sustained performance and effective mixing.
When to Use the Nanobubble Aerator:
- Sites requiring high oxygen transfer efficiency and deep-water oxygenation.
- Wastewater lagoons, ponds, or lakes where extended oxygen retention is critical.
- Situations where reducing biofilm, chemical use, or cyanotoxin impact is desired.
When Not to Use:
- Very shallow ponds or small tanks where standard surface aerators can achieve sufficient oxygen transfer.
- Situations where extreme mixing is required at the surface rather than throughout the water column.
3. Air-O-Lator Professional
The Air-O-Lator Professional is a compact, high-performance surface aerator designed for ponds and lagoons where reliable oxygenation and mixing are needed, but minimal spray-drift is not critical. Built by a USA manufacturer with over 60 years of experience, this aerator offers durability, ease of use, and trusted performance at a slightly lower cost than the Commercial model.
Key Features & Benefits:
- Aeration Capacity: 2 hp motor aerates up to 1 surface acre. Smaller units (½ hp, ¾ hp, 1 hp) cover ¼–1 acre. Multiple units can be combined for larger waterbodies.
- Flow Rate & Oxygen Transfer: Pumps up to 3,600 L per minute and delivers 1.36 kg O₂ per hour (2 hp motor). Flow and O₂ transfer scale with motor size.
- Low Spray Drift: While not equipped with the Commercial diffuser, the Professional still limits airborne water to reduce nuisance spray.
- Durable Components: Features a two-blade, foul-resistant propeller (stainless steel or Ryton), 316 stainless steel or 304 stainless steel components, submersible motor (AC or DC solar), unsinkable 36-inch float, high-spec control box, and durable cable.
- Portable & Scalable: Compact units are easy to move, install, and combine to cover larger lagoons.
- Solar Options Available: 1 hp and 2 hp DC solar models available, ideal for sites with limited AC power.
When to Use the Air-O-Lator Professional:
- Medium to large ponds or lagoons requiring reliable aeration and mixing.
- Situations where minimal spray drift is desired but not essential.
- Projects where combining multiple units or using solar power is advantageous.
When Not to Use:
- Sites near roads, pathways, or neighboring properties where spray-drift must be minimised (Commercial model is better suited).
4. Vertex Aerator
The Vertex sub-surface aerator is perfect for improving water quality in ponds, dams, or lagoons with low nutrient levels. For heavy aeration, surface aerators are more suitable. Vertex is a USA-based manufacturer with 40+ years of experience in aquatic systems.
Key Features & Benefits:
- Aeration Capacity: Suitable for waterbodies from small ponds to mega dams over 20 acres. Units can be combined or scaled.
- Low Power Use: More energy-efficient than surface aerators.
- Ideal for deep lagoons: The deeper the air stations are placed, the more effective the aeration is. This makes Vertex suitable for water deeper than 5m where surface aerators are not suitable.
- Durable & Reliable: Oil-free rocking piston compressors, weighted PVC hoses, self-cleaning air stations, and weather-resistant cabinets.
- Effective Oxygen Distribution: Air stations use flow-control and stabilisation technologies for even oxygen transfer.
- Remote & Solar Options: Compressors can be positioned up to 200 m away; solar-powered setups available.
- Quiet Operation: Optional sound reduction kit for sites near buildings.
- Custom Designs: Free expert layouts for large dams, including compressor sizing, air-station placement, and water turnover estimates.
When to Use:
- Low-nutrient ponds or large dams needing supplemental oxygen.
- Deep lagoons, i.e. deeper than 5m.
- Remote or off-grid locations.
For sites needing water reduction rather than aeration, the Air-O-Lator Evaporator helps remove excess water from leachate or wastewater ponds. It’s designed to speed up evaporation, making pond management easier and reducing overall water volume. Unlike aerators, it’s not for oxygenation, but for evaporating water quickly.
Get FREE Advice / Treatment Plans
Want expert help pairing your wastewater lagoon with the right aerator and size? Get in touch with us for FREE advice and a customised water treatment plan. Our water treatment plans and advice is no-obligation, and Scotty Tucker has over 20 years experience in wastewater treatment. We also sell a range of chemical-free wastewater treatments at our e-store.