Non-Weighted Airline

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1/2" Direct Burial Poly Tubing for Pond Aeration Systems

1/2" Direct Burial Poly Tubing is non-weighted airline designed for the underground portion of a pond or lake aeration installation. It provides a practical way to extend the airline from a remotely located compressor or compressor cabinet to the pond's edge without using weighted underwater tubing for the entire distance.

This tubing is intended specifically for in-ground installation rather than underwater use. At the shoreline, the direct burial tubing is connected to self-weighted airline, which continues from the pond's edge to the aeration diffuser in the water.

• Tubing size: 1/2"
• Construction: Poly tubing
• Type: Non-weighted tubing
• Installation: Underground/direct burial applications
• Available lengths: 100' roll or 200' roll
• Connection at shoreline: Use an appropriate 1/2" connector kit to transition to self-weighted tubing

How Direct Burial Airline Works in a Pond Aeration System

A pond aeration compressor supplies air that must travel from the compressor to the diffuser located underwater. When the compressor cabinet is positioned away from the shoreline, running self-weighted tubing across the entire land-and-water route is unnecessary.

Direct burial poly tubing handles the land-based portion of that airline run. The tubing is buried between the compressor location and the pond's edge, providing an underground route for the compressed air.

At the shoreline, use a compatible 1/2" connector kit to transition from the direct burial poly tubing to self-weighted tubing. The self-weighted airline then continues underwater to the diffuser location.

A typical installation follows this sequence:

• Compressor or compressor cabinet
• 1/2" direct burial poly tubing across the land portion of the installation
• 1/2" connector at or near the pond's edge
• Self-weighted airline for the underwater portion
• Pond or lake aeration diffuser

Separating the land and underwater portions of the airline allows each type of tubing to be used where it is intended.

Choose a 100' or 200' Roll

This 1/2" direct burial tubing is available in two roll lengths so the underground airline can be matched more closely to the distance between the compressor and shoreline.

• 100' Roll: 1/2" direct burial poly tubing supplied in a 100-foot roll.
• 200' Roll: 1/2" direct burial poly tubing supplied in a 200-foot roll.

Before selecting a roll length, measure the planned tubing route rather than relying only on the straight-line distance from the compressor to the pond. Account for the actual path the tubing must follow and the connection location at the shoreline.

Best Uses for 1/2" Direct Burial Tubing

This tubing is best suited to pond and lake aeration installations where the compressor cannot or should not be positioned immediately beside the water.

• Extending aeration airline from a remotely located compressor cabinet to the shoreline
• Routing the land-based portion of an aeration airline underground
• Installations where the compressor and pond's edge are separated by a substantial section of land
• Creating a transition point at the shoreline between underground poly tubing and self-weighted underwater airline

The tubing should be selected as one component of the complete aeration airline system. It does not replace the self-weighted tubing used from the shoreline to the underwater diffuser.

How to Install Direct Burial Poly Tubing

Use this tubing only for the land-based, underground portion of the aeration airline run. Do not plan to extend the non-weighted poly tubing into the pond as a substitute for self-weighted airline.

1. Determine the compressor and shoreline connection locations

Identify the compressor or compressor cabinet location and determine where the underground airline will reach the pond's edge. The shoreline location will become the transition point between the direct burial tubing and the self-weighted tubing used underwater.

2. Measure the complete underground route

Measure the route the tubing will actually follow from the compressor to the shoreline. Select the 100' or 200' roll based on the required land-based tubing length.

Avoid planning a route that requires the tubing to be stretched tightly between connection points. The tubing should follow the intended underground path without unnecessary tension at either end.

3. Prepare the underground route

Prepare a suitable path from the compressor location to the pond's edge for burial of the poly tubing. Route the tubing so it is protected underground and so the installation does not create unnecessary sharp bends, kinks, or restrictions in the airline.

4. Run the poly tubing from the compressor toward the pond

Lay the 1/2" poly tubing along the prepared route. Inspect the tubing as it is installed and avoid crushing, kinking, or sharply bending it. A restricted airline can interfere with the path between the compressor and diffuser.

5. Bring the direct burial tubing to the pond's edge

Terminate the underground tubing at an appropriate location near the shoreline. The direct burial tubing is not intended to become the underwater airline.

6. Transition to self-weighted tubing

Use an appropriate 1/2" connector kit to connect the direct burial poly tubing to the self-weighted tubing at the pond's edge.

Make sure the connection is secure before completing the installation. The self-weighted tubing should then continue from this transition point into the pond and to the aeration diffuser.

7. Complete the underwater airline run

Use self-weighted airline for the portion of the system extending from the shoreline connection to the underwater diffuser. Self-weighted tubing is the appropriate tubing type for the submerged portion of the installation.

8. Check the completed airline before finalizing the installation

Inspect the complete route from the compressor to the diffuser. Confirm that the direct burial tubing has not been kinked, crushed, or sharply bent during installation and that the shoreline transition connection is secure.

Verify proper aeration system operation before permanently closing or covering any connection points that may need adjustment.

Important Limitations & Installation Restrictions

Do not use this tubing as the underwater portion of the aeration airline. This is non-weighted poly tubing intended for direct burial and in-ground applications.

Once the airline reaches the pond's edge, transition to self-weighted tubing for the portion that extends through the water to the diffuser.

• Not recommended for underwater installation: Use self-weighted airline in the pond.
• Not self-weighted: This tubing is specifically described as non-weighted tubing.
• Requires a shoreline transition: A compatible 1/2" connector kit is needed to transition from the buried poly tubing to self-weighted airline.
• Avoid kinks and restrictions: Do not install the tubing with sharp bends, crushing, or other restrictions along the airline route.
• Choose length based on the actual route: Measure the underground path before choosing between the 100' and 200' rolls.

This tubing addresses the underground routing portion of an aeration installation. It does not determine whether a particular compressor, diffuser, airline diameter, or overall aeration system is correctly sized for a specific pond or lake.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 1/2" direct burial tubing used for?

It is used to carry air underground between a pond aeration compressor or compressor cabinet and the pond's edge. It is especially useful when the compressor is installed away from the shoreline.

Can I put this poly tubing in the pond?

It is not recommended for in-water use. This is non-weighted tubing intended for underground installation. At the pond's edge, connect it to self-weighted airline for the underwater portion of the system.

Why not use direct burial tubing all the way to the diffuser?

The direct burial tubing is non-weighted and is intended for the land-based portion of the installation. Self-weighted tubing is used for the section extending from the shoreline into the pond and to the diffuser.

How do I connect the buried tubing to the underwater airline?

Use an appropriate 1/2" connector kit at or near the pond's edge to transition from the 1/2" direct burial poly tubing to compatible self-weighted tubing.

Should I choose the 100' or 200' roll?

Measure the actual route from the compressor location to the planned shoreline transition point. Choose PT051 for applications requiring up to the available 100' roll length or PT052 when the underground route requires the longer 200' roll. Account for the real installation path rather than measuring only the straight-line distance between the compressor and shoreline.

Does this tubing replace self-weighted aeration tubing?

No. The two tubing types serve different portions of the installation. Direct burial poly tubing is used underground between the compressor and shoreline, while self-weighted tubing is used from the shoreline into the water and to the diffuser.

Do I need a connector kit?

Yes. A compatible 1/2" connector kit is used to make the transition between the direct burial tubing and the self-weighted tubing at the pond's edge.