Some complications that can arise with the use of an Olszewski tube include disruption of the thermocline and excessive water loss. The thermocline separates the upper layer of water that is mixed temperatures with the deeper, cooler water. If the thermocline is disrupted, it could alter the ecology of the lake, potentially making it uninhabitable. Another complication is that the installation must be a long-term process. Short-term uses of Olszewski tubes have largely failed because it takes some time for the anoxic condition of the hypolimnetic layer to increase in dissolved oxygen. Also, it must be a slow process in order to avoid disrupting the thermocline in a lake. If the Olszewski tube is operated slowly enough, the rate of water going in and going out will be fairly constant causing the thermocline to stay intact.