ROBUST-AIRE MANUAL
10
REMOTE MANIFOLD INSTALLATION (CONT.)
CAUTION:
In northern climates where the ground freezes during winter, be sure there are no high or low
spots in the PVC air line. Condensation in the air line may pool, freeze, and block the flow of air to your
diffuser. This can also damage your compressor.
RA1 – RA3 systems require a single trench.
RA4 – RA6 systems require either a single trench or two separate trenches, depending on pond size and
diffuser locations.
Connect the brass barb fitting to the PVC adapter, applying thread sealant to male threads on PVC adapter.
Connect the barb fitting to the rubber compressor hose lead and secure with a clamp.
Connect the PVC adapter and PVC pipe with primer and glue. Add pipe sections as needed to reach the
remote manifold.
Prime and glue the manifold assembly to the PVC pipe supplying the compressor. Install 3/8” or 5/8” barb
fittings depending on the size of SureSink™ Tubing to each diffuser. Apply thread sealant to the male
threads of the barb fittings. Attach the tubing to each barb fitting and secure with a hose clamp.
When applicable, place a valve box over the manifold assembly and fill around the box and the entire length
of the trench with the excavated dirt. The lid of the valve box should be flush with the ground.
Following installation of systems with multiple diffusers, use the valves to balance flow to each diffuser.
STARTUP PROCEDURE
IMPORTANT INSTALLATION WARNING
Thermal stratification refers to layering that occurs in some lakes and ponds when warmer water sits on top
of colder, denser water toward the lake bottom.
If you install your unit into a body of water that is extremely stratified, use caution when starting the system.
In some cases, colder water sitting on the bottom could hold gases that can be harmful to fish. Often, the
colder bottom water also contains little or no dissolved oxygen.
A simple test for thermal stratification is to use a thermometer to gradually check for water temperature
changes between the top and bottom of the lake or pond. Measure temperature every two feet of depth.
Keep the thermometer at each depth long enough to take an accurate temperature reading. Then quickly
bring the thermometer to the surface and record the temperature at each depth.
If the colder water (anything 4 °F colder than surface) represents more than 30% of the overall volume, start
aeration at a slower pace by running the system for short intervals only. For a stratified lake, a suggested
start-up interval might include running the system one hour per day for one week and gradually increasing
the duration until the system is running continuously. Lakes and ponds react differently to diffused aeration,
so exact time frames can be difficult to predict. Sunny days are preferable to cloudy days for system start-
up, since photosynthesis will supplement oxygen levels as the water is mixed.
If you have questions about this procedure, please contact your distributor or e-mail Kasco Customer
Service at [email protected]
.
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