Choosing the right air pump... Suggestions Please!!

Rudy Rudiger

Rudy Rudiger

Well-Known Member
Im searching for a new air Pump and would like some feedback, any feedback would be appreciated.

Right now I have a Sunleaves Quad 142GPH for a 10 gallon resevoir. Each outlet is hooked up to it owns bubble disk. So I have four bubble disks in a 10 gal resevoir. Nothing is wrong with the pump I have now but it just doesnt seem to be enough. Also I plan on moving the Quad to the bubble cloner.

In regards to the new pump, Im interested in a commercial air pump but dont have a clue as to which one. Im also considering a Dual Diaphragm pump. The Dual Diaphragm has roughly 350GPH while the commercial pump is 950GPH.


Does anyone have any experience with a Dual Diaphragm Pump? What the noise level? How loud can I expect a commercial pump to be? Somebody please point me in the right direction, only a 10 gal res. Thanks in advance!


Here are some links to what Ive been looking at:

Dual Diaphragm Pump - http://www.amazon.com/General-Hydro...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1279652593&sr=1-1

Commercial Pump - http://www.stealthhydroponics.com/product.php?xProd=452&xSec=70
 
I could really use some help... any help.

Ive narrowed down the search even further. Now I am torn between the Dual Diaphragm Pump and an Alita AL40. From what Ive heard, Alita's are where its at. The Alita uses 46W for 48LPM, which is kind of a jump compared to the 12W one I use now. The Dual Diaphragm is .2 amps for 320GPH, which is like 21LPM, right? Not sure how may watts .02 amps equates to, but its less than the Alita. Anyway, I'm really leaning towards the Alita AL40 but am worried that a pump pushing too much air runs the risk of increasing temps in the res. Hot air through the res is bad news. Anybody have any suggestions? Im only aerating a 10 gallon res via bubble disks. Is the AL40 overkill?

Heres a link to the AL40:

http://www.aquacave.com/alita-al40-linear-air-pump-183.html
 
i dont know much about this, but i was reading just to learn.

watts=amps x volts
so if its 120volts at .2 amps that would be 24 watts
 
http://www.marinedepot.com/air_pumps_coralife_luft_pump-ap.html are what I am familiar with, and are great pumps. Air compressors can provide enough air to a collection of setups.

I'm not a hydro person, but if the primary purpose of your bubbler is to get gas exchange, then a more efficient method would be to use a powerhead to get the surface well agitated. Bubbles themselves are low surface area, and provide very little gas exchange. They mostly work because when the bubbles break the surface they cause ripples (increasing exposed surface area), as well as form a small current which keeps deeper oxygen low water coming to the surface to exchange. Powerheads do the same thing, but when placed properly can produce a lot more surface agitation (hence a lot more area for gas exchange), as well as give you more control over the mixing of water in your reservoir. The 'circulation' powerheads are good for this, they are the ones with propellers instead of impellers.

Edit: Also dissolved oxygen is limited by temperature, so whatever range is best to keep it at, try to shoot for the lower end of that range.
 
Good info gobbly, Ive never heard of using a powerhead. Very interesting.

Yes, the primary purpose of the pump is to maintain a high level of gas exchange between the nutrient solution and the roots. My Res stays in the mid 70's during summer and low 70's during winter. Im not really concerned with res temps, as long as theyre in the low to mid 70's, Im good.

Thanks again for the replies.
 
So I called up some friends. They mainly agree that the powerhead is not a good idea. In theory it works, but in reality a powerhead puts out more heat than a standard air pump will. During summer my res is in the mid 70's, which is about as high as I ever want them to get. Thumbs down on the powerhead.

I really like your thinking though.
 
np :) I come from a fish and coral keeping background, so stuff like dissolved oxygen has been studied a lot and the info is disseminated regularly :)

From 70-80 degrees, and with good surface area and gas exchange, you should have no problem keeping plenty of oxygen in there, especially if you aren't flooding your root contact (you are basically creating what is called a wet/dry, and provides very good gas exchange).

The one thing I forgot to mention, if you have a sealed reservoir then you might stick with air pumps. You need a supply of fresh air near the surface of the water, and if you put a lid on it, you limit that dramatically.
 
Anybody have a general estimate on how many litres per minute of air that can be pushed through different bubbling pieces? For example, Im thinking that a 5inch bubble disk could handle 10LPM, and as such warrant a 40LPM pump for 4. I really dont have a clue though.
 
Well I hate answering my own questions, but I did a little bit of research. So from what Ive read a standard bubble disc can handle 5 - 15LPM. Of course quality plays a factor in determining what the disk can handle.
 
not sure if you're checking this post still, but that airstone won't produce any heat.

Again, not a hydro guy, so better for experimentation, but you can get wooden airstones (they are mostly used for marine protein skimmers), and they release incredibly fine bubbles, so if you are trying to get them more fine, that might be worth looking at. Two downsides, they have to be replaced every few months (cost a dollar or so each), and you need to soak them for a day before using so they distribute air evenly.
 
Rudy Rudiger said:
Anybody have a general estimate on how many litres per minute of air that can be pushed through different bubbling pieces? For example, Im thinking that a 5inch bubble disk could handle 10LPM, and as such warrant a 40LPM pump for 4. I really dont have a clue though.
Click to expand...

I'm using a 65LPM commercial pump powering 6, 5 inch disks. Works beautiful.....
 
Its not the airstone that produces heat, but rather the pump. I dont know the exact physics, but I'll give it a go. The pump is forced to squeeze air through a smaller space than it is designed. With that in mind, the pump has to work harder. The pump heats up and the air that flows through it is then hotter. As a result you end up pumping warmer air into the res, water temps increase, and bad things happen.

Thanks Jedi. Thats provides more assurance to my previous estimate. Is there a specific disk you recommend? I basically use the cheapest ones I can find, but they have a tendency to flip.

Not to get too personal, but have to ask. You own that shelby? Sick, very sick ride... Would guess its a '67 cobra, but what do I know? The whole series in the late 60's look the same to me.
 
The stones I'm using now are made by Penn Plax....something like that anyways...only ones the store had in that size. I use a 1" stainless nut to keep em down....

Yes that's my car...not a real Shelby though...Factory Five MKIII (kit car)....if I had the cash for a real one I would pay someone to grow for me....lol

I wouldn't worry about heat from the air pump....I don't know the exact physics either but I've messed around with enough pump and stone combinations to say it would take a HUGE pump trying to exhaust through a TINY stone to raise your water temps.
 
got a couple pennies I can throw in,,,,,,,,,

Air. More the better.

The big tubs get 1, 110 ltr per minute pump each with 12 stones.

I use the dual diaphragm 4 outlet air pumps by GH. Easy to rebuild
if it takes a dump. At least 2 pumps per cooler, min.

Hope it helps.
 

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