best air pump choice

J

jronnn

Well-Known Member
was wondering what option you guys would think would be best and most quiet? I plan on having 8 50gal totes and want to pump around 250-400 gph into each res with 4 stones in each res while keeping noise and electric consumption to a minimum

my question:

should i get 8 4-outlet pumps (254 gph, 8.5W) for each tote? it’d be 68W total. i have a couple 2-oulet ones and they’re kinda noisy i used a decibel app on my phone and it said my 2-outlet is 60db but I’m not too sure how accurate it is

or should i get 3 (40w, 753 gph) 12-outlet pond master pumps which would be 120W total with 251/gph per 4 hoses? it’d be twice the electric but they say their pumps are 40 decibels and I’ve read they’re the best out

I’ve read pond master are the best and most quiet commercial type air pumps, would you agree or disagree with that?

or if you guys have any other suggestions or know of a more quiet/ecofriendly pump let me know. thanks
 
OGMMJ

OGMMJ

Active Member
rkymtnman said:
build some waterfalls instead.
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Agreed. If possible of course. I believe they aerate the water better, also all those stones will give a breeding ground for bacteria.

I'm running the stink system(so no air pumps) so just the natural waterfall back into the Rez every 5 minutes for a minute. Although I'm currently fighting the rot my plants are not sufferin from lack of do, and other then the water falling back in the top after every cycle the Rez is practically stagnant. :roll:
 
J

jronnn

Well-Known Member
OGMMJ said:
The smaller pumps will always be quieter unless your spending big bucks on a nice big one, the high powered cheap ones are real loud
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rkymtnman said:
build some waterfalls instead.
Click to expand...
thanks for the response guys id be getting a pond master if i bought the big one its like $120 for the 780gph one, it'd be like 40bucks for the same gph if i got a hydrofarm one but id imagine much louder, only thing i don't like about waterfalls is they're only on one side of the res and I've heard waterfalls can be awfully loud. i was actually looking into fluming too but it doesn't seem like many people do it for whatever reason
 
OGMMJ

OGMMJ

Active Member
jronnn said:
thanks for the response guys id be getting a pond master if i bought the big one its like $120 for the 780gph one, it'd be like 40bucks for the same gph if i got a hydrofarm one but id imagine much louder, only thing i don't like about waterfalls is they're only on one side of the res and I've heard waterfalls can be awfully loud. i was actually looking into fluming too but it doesn't seem like many people do it for whatever reason
Click to expand...
I've heard good things about flooming if the Rez is large enough that the extra pump didn't cause the water to heat up to much, bigger Rez-bigger pump-more heat... As far as waterfalls I'm running sprayer systems and exhaust fans and an ac unit so the sound is more soothing then anything.

If you wanna go air pump route then it sounds like you found a nice one. Are you going to be running sterile or beneficials?
 
J

jronnn

Well-Known Member
OGMMJ said:
I've heard good things about flooming if the Rez is large enough that the extra pump didn't cause the water to heat up to much, bigger Rez-bigger pump-more heat... As far as waterfalls I'm running sprayer systems and exhaust fans and an ac unit so the sound is more soothing then anything.

If you wanna go air pump route then it sounds like you found a nice one. Are you going to be running sterile or beneficials?
Click to expand...
the reason i won't be flooming is because the pump heat plus water pumps would use like 3x the electricity and i can strategically place the air pump in places i know will be cold and if i really wanted to be safe i could keep ozone wherever the pumps are located but to answer your question, sterile
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
i've tried putting air pumps in a small dorm refrigerator. they still get hot. any time you compress air, you generate heat.

a waterfall not only creates more DO than airstones, it also aids in circulating your nutes in your res as well.
just my 2 cents
 
J

jronnn

Well-Known Member
rkymtnman said:
i've tried putting air pumps in a small dorm refrigerator. they still get hot. any time you compress air, you generate heat.

a waterfall not only creates more DO than airstones, it also aids in circulating your nutes in your res as well.
just my 2 cents
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i was just saying in a generally cool area like my basement underneath the room and just use long pieces of hose, i would think the refrigerator would run out of oxygen quick or run out of coolness if put in there.... but is there anyway you could send me a link or tell me what kind of waterfall you use or what kind you would use for 50 gal res? i feel like for some reason i have the wrong type of waterfall in my mind. do you keep the whole lid off the res or do you have a hole cut out just big enough for the waterfall?
 
tommy217xxx

tommy217xxx

Well-Known Member
They aren't cheap but I bought an Air Force pro pump. It's bad ass. It can easily supply air for 16 stones
 
Last edited:
Flagg420

Flagg420

Well-Known Member
jronnn said:
was wondering what option you guys would think would be best and most quiet? I plan on having 8 50gal totes and want to pump around 250-400 gph into each res with 4 stones in each res while keeping noise and electric consumption to a minimum

my question:

should i get 8 4-outlet pumps (254 gph, 8.5W) for each tote? it’d be 68W total. i have a couple 2-oulet ones and they’re kinda noisy i used a decibel app on my phone and it said my 2-outlet is 60db but I’m not too sure how accurate it is

or should i get 3 (40w, 753 gph) 12-outlet pond master pumps which would be 120W total with 251/gph per 4 hoses? it’d be twice the electric but they say their pumps are 40 decibels and I’ve read they’re the best out

I’ve read pond master are the best and most quiet commercial type air pumps, would you agree or disagree with that?

or if you guys have any other suggestions or know of a more quiet/ecofriendly pump let me know. thanks
Click to expand...

Spend the money.

Buy an Alita 40.... I got one, and I run anything from 6-18 stones off it, with GREAT bubbles/flow, low noise, and only moderate heat...

Any of the multi-port ones are junk, don't bother, you aren't raising fish, you are growing plants. The standard issue active aqua (by hydrofarm) commercial pumps are OKAY..... but loud, and hot.... and the "45" lpm model puts out maybe (maybe!) half the pressure my Alita does....
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
jronnn said:
i was just saying in a generally cool area like my basement underneath the room and just use long pieces of hose, i would think the refrigerator would run out of oxygen quick or run out of coolness if put in there.... but is there anyway you could send me a link or tell me what kind of waterfall you use or what kind you would use for 50 gal res? i feel like for some reason i have the wrong type of waterfall in my mind. do you keep the whole lid off the res or do you have a hole cut out just big enough for the waterfall?
Click to expand...
here's what i built:

cheap o water pump 160 GPH with 1/2" outlet( i think around $12), 1/2" black vinyl tubing (maybe 5 ft total), a 1/2" 90deg plastic elbow

my res is a 30 gal trashcan. pump sits on the bottom, tubing runs up the side of the res, elbow is above waterline and points back down to create waterfall. i just drilled 2 small holes at the very top of the trashcan and hold it in place with a ziptie. so lid stays on all the time of the trashcan. just runs 24/7.

that's it.
 
J

jronnn

Well-Known Member
rkymtnman said:
here's what i built:

cheap o water pump 160 GPH with 1/2" outlet( i think around $12), 1/2" black vinyl tubing (maybe 5 ft total), a 1/2" 90deg plastic elbow

my res is a 30 gal trashcan. pump sits on the bottom, tubing runs up the side of the res, elbow is above waterline and points back down to create waterfall. i just drilled 2 small holes at the very top of the trashcan and hold it in place with a ziptie. so lid stays on all the time of the trashcan. just runs 24/7.

that's it.
Click to expand...
damn thats smart as hell i would've never thought of that lol, the pump doesn't bring up the temp? id imagine it'd be pretty hot thats a damn good idea though
 
J

jronnn

Well-Known Member
Flagg420 said:
Spend the money.

Buy an Alita 40.... I got one, and I run anything from 6-18 stones off it, with GREAT bubbles/flow, low noise, and only moderate heat...

Any of the multi-port ones are junk, don't bother, you aren't raising fish, you are growing plants. The standard issue active aqua (by hydrofarm) commercial pumps are OKAY..... but loud, and hot.... and the "45" lpm model puts out maybe (maybe!) half the pressure my Alita does....
Click to expand...
yeah i believe alita and pond master are the same brand, thats the same one i was looking at, you could run atleast 16 stones off it? obv id have to find a splitter like that somewhere because I'm pretty sure it only comes with a 12 outlet splitter
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
jronnn said:
damn thats smart as hell i would've never thought of that lol, the pump doesn't bring up the temp? id imagine it'd be pretty hot thats a damn good idea though
Click to expand...
it's only 25 watts i think. so it does raise the temps but no more than an air pump will. i keep my res outside the grow room so it stays cooler that way too.

but if your totes are going to be under the lights in your room, the water is eventually going to be the same as your grow room temps. something else to consider.
 
J

jronnn

Well-Known Member
rkymtnman said:
it's only 25 watts i think. so it does raise the temps but no more than an air pump will. i keep my res outside the grow room so it stays cooler that way too.

but if your totes are going to be under the lights in your room, the water is eventually going to be the same as your grow room temps. something else to consider.
Click to expand...
Yeah thats true well thanks for all the feedback/help and advice man i appreciate it
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
jronnn said:
Yeah thats true well thanks for all the feedback/help and advice man i appreciate it
Click to expand...
no problem. just been down the road you are going down now.

are you doing rdwc? do you have the money for an aquarium chiller in your budget? it's a bit of an expense but will save you alot of headaches later on.

keep us posted if you need any other help!
 
J

jronnn

Well-Known Member
rkymtnman said:
no problem. just been down the road you are going down now.

are you doing rdwc? do you have the money for an aquarium chiller in your budget? it's a bit of an expense but will save you alot of headaches later on.

keep us posted if you need any other help!
Click to expand...
nope flood and drain but i think I'm going to have to put it in my budget, i was expecting to have to buy one though but i plan on trying to use wort chillers in each res connected the the main chiller, i was hoping with the wort chillers i can have 3 or 4 res/worts to each chiller. so hopefully id only need 2 chillers
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
jronnn said:
nope flood and drain but i think I'm going to have to put it in my budget, i was expecting to have to buy one though but i plan on trying to use wort chillers in each res connected the the main chiller, i was hoping with the wort chillers i can have 3 or 4 res/worts to each chiller. so hopefully id only need 2 chillers
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that's how i did it. one wort chiller per 27 gallon tote for mine. 2 totes. 2 worts off one chiller. worked perfectly.
 
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