Meet the

Vertex Aerator

For unrivalled sub-surface aeration

40+

Years experience

about

Vertex

Vertex is a USA manufacturer based in Florida operating for over 40 years. The company is renowned for its world-class team of aquatic biologists, fisheries scientists and engineers who build world-class aquatic products. 

  • USA made
  • Solar options available
  • Suitable for mega dams, i.e. 20+ acres
Look inside

What's included in the Vertex kit

Remote setup available

Have mains power within 200m of your waterbody? It's worth noting Vertex aeration systems can be installed in a remote setup where a mains-powered motor is positioned near the AC outlet and air is pumped through hose buried in a shallow trench.

See what a remote setup looks like

(30 secs in)

off grid options

Solar available for all kits.

We can turn any Vertex aeration kit DC solar powered by adding our USA manufactured solar drive, purpose-built for these types of compressors. The drive connects directly to your solar panels and incorporates an inverter, VFD, MPPT controller, phase initiator and voltage booster. We can provide solar panels and a stand, or you can source these yourself. 

Compressor

Heavy-duty rocking piston compressor. Highest flow rate of any compressor in its class. Oil-free, non-lube piston and cylinder. Built-in cooling system. Pressure gauge for airflow adjustment. 3 year warranty. 1-phase AC power or DC solar powered with a solar direct drive.

Weighted Air Hose

Self-weighted to sit on dam floor. Over-sized I.D. for high flow. PVC composite for long-term durability. Thick walls for protection against punctures. 15 year warranty.

Air Stations / Diffusers

Large active-lifting surface. Self-cleaning membrane discs. Air column stabilisation technology to maximise lift velocity. Flow control technology to equally distribute airflow to each air-station. 5 year warranty.

Cabinet

Weather-resistant powder coated aluminium cabinet with lifetime rust guarantee. Durable and attractive finish. Integrated muffler for quieter operation. Easy access with lock and key.
Optional

For an even quieter motor, add a 'Sound Reduction' kit

While all standard Vertex cabinets are built to be low-noise, Vertex has developed a 'Sound Reduction' kit for situations when the compressor needs to be placed close to buildings. Vertex compressors without a 'Sound Reduction' kit produce 50-54dB of sound which is about the same level as two people having a conversation. This isn't a problem if the compressor is a decent distance from buildings, but you probably want to consider a soundproof kit if this isn't the case.

Have a mega dam?

Custom expert designs available for large dams.

Vertex offers FREE custom designs for large-scale setups. Design suggestions are produced by running your dam's specs through proprietary-design software, which compares your waterbody to thousands of others. Designs include recommendations on the pump size and its location, the number of air-stations and their locations, and the total length of hose needed, as well as estimations on pumpage per day and turnovers of water per day based on the suggested setup.

expert Advice

Need help? I'm Scotty Tucker and I offer FREE advice

I'm happy to take a look at your dam [on Google Maps] and provide FREE advice on the right type of aerator, motor size and placement. I can also answer any questions you have on improving water quality.

How does sub-surface aeration work?

customer story

3-Month Trial: Vertex Aerator Improves Water in 6 Acre Lake

Dalton Lake was suffering from stratification, low dissolved oxygen, odours and algal blooms. The bottom waters were also very high in nutrients and highly depleted of oxygen. We recommended and supplied a Vertex large lake aerator with 5 quad-disc air stations. To test the effectiveness of the aerator, we had water samples taken at the time of installation and 3-months later.

99%

Ammonia reduction

95%

Phosphorus reduction

83%

Nitrogen reduction

Answers to

Frequently Asked Questions

Sizing a Vertex compressor depends on several conditions, including sun exposure, water temperature, dam shape and depth, nutrient levels, surrounding land use etc. For each installation, Vertex provides a bespoke recommendation based on running the project through their proprietary calculation formula. That said, here is a rough sizing guide: 

  • ⅓ hp = ⅓ to 1 acre lake
  • ½ hp = ½ to 2 acre lake
  • ¾ hp = Up to 4 acre lake 

No, this is up to you. Vertex compressors without a 'sound reduction kit produce 50-54dB of sound which is about the same level as two people having a conversation. This isn't a problem if the compressor is a decent distance from buildings, but you probably want to consider a sound kit if this isn't the case.

The deeper an air station is placed, the more effective it is. This is because as the air bubbles rise, they get bigger, and therefore they drag more water to the surface and agitate the surface water more. This agitation of water at the surface is where aeration takes place, i.e. oxygen enters the water. You can learn more about how sub-surface aerators work here.

Placement of your air stations is important because of the zone of influence for each diffuser. You can think of this zone of influence as an inverted cone. The air station is the small point of the cone, and the water surface above is the large area of the cone. This is why placing air stations at the deepest points of your dam is important because the deeper the water is, the larger the span of the cone at the surface. This zone of influence is also impacted by anything that gets in the way of the cone. For instance, islands or shorelines will restrict the zone of influence by stopping the agitated surface water from spreading. As part of our free water treatment plans, we’ll provide advice on the exact locations to place your air stations to ensure your entire water body is adequately aerated.

The air stations are essentially self-cleaning except for in the case where you don't run them for an extended length of time. That said, it's good practice to blast the air stations every few months by shutting off all but one air station, pushing all the air through it, and then doing the same for remaining air stations, before resetting them to their previous valve settings.

Vertex air stations are self-weighted, so they naturally sit on the floor of your dam, i.e. they don’t float to the surface.

Yes, with our kits we send you everything you need to start the job in the morning and have it finished in the afternoon. No last-minute Bunnings runs.

Yes, you can. Here is a DIY installation video showing you how to do it. The kit can be put together with common tools like a spanner, screw drivers etc. We also offer an installation service for customers in the Melbourne area. Or we can put you in touch with a local installer.

We recommend and supply weighted hose for in the water, so it sits on the floor of your dam, and you don’t have spaghetti-like strands floating on the surface of your water. If you use unweighted hose, the likelihood is it will cost you more purchasing materials to weigh the hose down, plus it always moves and floats again over time. This will drive you crazy.

Although it’s outdoor rated, we recommend you bury the non-weighted onshore hose in a shallow trench to protect it from UV rays as well as the lawn mower and to prevent the dog chewing it. That said, you don’t have to. For instance, if you’re running it across a garden bed, that’s okay—it's low pressure and not like electricity that must be buried.

Yes, you can. We can provide a converter to switch the power from AC to DC, but it is an expensive way of doing it. A remote setup is a cheaper way to do it. This is available when the AC power is within 200m of the shore. It involves placing the compressor next to the power source and running a non-weighted hose down to the water's edge where a valve box splits the air into the respective runs of weighted hose and air stations. If your power is further than 200m and cost is a concern, we recommend looking into surface aerators, as the solar options are typically lower in cost.

Yes, you can because there is no power in the water. The powered compressor is placed on the shore and only air is being pumped through the hoses to the air stations.

"Since WQS installed the aerator, we've not had a single algae problem. In our smaller ponds that are too small for aerators we used Biostim pellets on their own and have noticed a huge reduction in algae.”

Andy Hart

Horticultural Curator—Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Adelaide

“We had a nutrient-rich stormwater lake that was having continuous problems with algae. We were previously treating the nutrients with a liquid solution that would just end up getting flushed away with the outgoing water. Scott recommended we switch to Biostim pellets which were exactly what we needed.”

Giles Pickard

Environment Project Officer, City of Subiaco

“Visiting ducks and our pet geese were continuously fouling the dam. WQS recommended a number of systems to improve the water quality. We are very happy with our final choice, the windmill aeration system. This combined with the Biostim pellets and liquid are cleaning up the dirty dam. Everything WQS said would happen has happened!”

Greg Lewis

Canterbury, Victoria

“We had an urgent problem—our old irrigation system had blockages from weeds. Our dam was also riddled with black sludge. Scott recommended both aeration and biologicals and within six weeks the dam became so clear I could see to the bottom of it for the first time in years! I was chuffed that we could fix the issue without the use of chemicals.”

Michael Grant

Owner, Grant’s Citrus Farm
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