Air for 2000l trout tank

[Tdsal2]

I contacted a store for advice on an air pump for a 2000 litre trout tank - the recommendation was Airtech 95 95lpm.


Airflow 95 litres pr minute
62w
60hz
Noise Level 47db
Max operating depth 5.0m

2 Year warranty
$ 495.00

Is this a good option? Pretty expensive for a single point of failure system - perhaps 2 pumps at half the size? Welcome any advice from you pack of guru's :)

[fishfood]

Yep check Guppy's aquarium supplies for electromagnetic air pumps
a lot of us use them about $80.00 each

[Daryl]

I have 2 of the Guppys Electromagnetic air pumps ( 1 x 150lm and 1 x 90lm) neither has missed a beat, can be a bit noisy you just have to think about where and how you house them. and best of all they are a lot cheaper than what you got quoted .

[Tdsal2]

I'll check them out - thanks allot guys!

[RupertofOZ]

$ 495.00

Is this a good option?
Tell them they're joking son.... :(

[Erich]

agree with Rupert and im with the others, "Guppy's Electromagnetic air pumps" are great :)

[chainsaw]

I have 2 of the electromagnic pumps, yep bit noisy especially at night and 2 others. My barra require plenty of air so yesterday bought a 200L/m blower ($94.00) and will plumb up a single air line (19mm poly) and just tap into that for each tank. Then keep the others as spares/backup system.

Moral of the story though is do your research and shop around, same item 1/2 the price.
Got it from the place mentioned above. Should be here tomorrow. (hopefully).

Here if anyone interested: http://www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.au/air-pumps/air-blowers-/-whirl-charging-aerator/hg-090-air-blower-200-litres-pr-minute/prod_580.html

[fishfood]

I think you are going to be disapointed in your blower if its the one i am thinking its flatout running an air stone 18 in deep

[bigdaddy]

Hi Chainsaw,

I have been watching another thread on another forum.

And the guy originally had a Sonic HP 125(125 litres per minute) Diaphragm pump,working quite well for his purposes but blew a diaphragm and they had trouble getting a spare straight away. He rejigged his system but while doing so he needed to keep the air going to his system, he hooked up a 200 litres per minute blower,that he already had, but found it was next to useless,his comments were, that the diaphragm pump produced less air flow but with a much higher pressure,and was sufficient but the blower produced more air flow with much less pressure and was insufficient.

I would be more than pleased to be proved wrong.Just something I learned from reading what someone else is doing.Let's know how you get on.

Hi Todd,

RupertofOz,just prompted my memory.....The Castle.....Aussie classic.

The Sonic is probably between $275.00- $300.00.Give or take a bit.

Cheers.

[RupertofOZ]

About sums it up Bigdaddy & F&F.... huff & puff lots... but not much below half a metre...

[fishfood]

Blowers are good for aquariam shops where the tanks [aquariams ] are 12 in high[deep]
you can get a blower to blow 1 metre they are $350.00 and use 350 wats power so every 3 hrs 20 cents $1.60 a day $570 a year makes it dear fish

[chainsaw]

OK fellas, I hope your wrong

HG-090 Air Blower * 200 litres pr minute *
Model: HG-090
(Power):90W
(Pressure):7.5kPa
Output:12m3/h

I find most air looses it punch when more than 500-600mm under the surface anyhow. So will keep you all informed. This pushes out just over 1psi (or is supposed to) You know my saying......

One test is worth 100 expert opinions

[fishfood]

What depth tanks do you have

[chainsaw]

Hi Milne,

My IBCs are only half full and my Barra tank is full but only 600mm water. Have a little experiment I will conduct and post up the pictures (good or bad)

Im running a 150L/min electro/mag during the day (in the shed) but being in a residential area switch it off at night.

[fishfood]

Yes by all means if it doesent work there is a way to use blowers

[chainsaw]

Well have the blower hooked up, it certainly is a lot quieter. (Understatement) At this stage cant see much difference in performance. At least I will be running the blower overnight. Have to get some of the larger hose (6mm I think) bit hard trying to get the other on and may be restricting some of the flow.

[chainsaw]

Have found a large difference in the quality of air stones used. Those 50mm blue ones (yuk) woftam. Have been using the 25mm x 50mm long carborundom and do work well. So purchased 50mm x 100mm carborundum and arrived today. These were only $5.95 each. I know there are a lot of good stones out there but what do people find works well. Value for Money.

[Mantis]

Yeah the 50mm blue stones are crap and fall to bits. The 50mm grey ones I have are very good in comparison.

[bigdaddy]

Where did you get them from Mantis?

Cheers.

[Mantis]

I reckon I got the grey ones from Guppies and the blue from creativepumps but it may be the other way, so not much help eh. If you look at guppies or creative pumps the air balls both look like the blue ones. Will do more research

[Mantis]

Got 4 of these a few weeks ago Bigdaddy and they are fantastic

http://www.rockaroundtheblock.com.au/product.asp?pID=522&cID=142

You need to heat up the 4mm airline to get it onto the connectors but once on will take a bit of removing, which is good.

[chainsaw]

OK, Have been meaning to give an update as promised but couldn't find this thread.

Using the same stones as Mantis last post, I am running 5 of these at a depth of 200mm (go to 300 and they stop) and another 2 smaller stones, in 5 separate tanks.

Oxygen/CO2 exchange takes place on the water surface, so why does the stones have to be on the bottom, apart from creating circulation. I can create circulation by putting the stone inside a piece of 50mm pvc with a 45deg angle cut on the bottom, which will then circulate water to the surface. Only trouble with this, it keeps solids in suspension until flushed out.

In short, I am happy with the blower, it is quiet and delivers ample air for my system.

Milne you were saying a way to overcome, I am all ears

[Mantis]

Got 3 of those stones in the bottom of my 2000L tank and the thing boils. Using a Koi Air 65L/min pump which is quiet enough in a box sitting on a folded towel :)
Might chuck the other stone in the sump

[Jens UK]

Oxygen/CO2 exchange takes place on the water surface,

is that right??? i think i could get twice the air out of my air stones if they were closer to the surface ...they are currently 1 metre under water in the ibc tank...

jens

[fishfood]

OK, Have been meaning to give an update as promised but couldn't find this thread.

Using the same stones as Mantis last post, I am running 5 of these at a depth of 200mm (go to 300 and they stop) and another 2 smaller stones, in 5 separate tanks.

Oxygen/CO2 exchange takes place on the water surface, so why does the stones have to be on the bottom, apart from creating circulation. I can create circulation by putting the stone inside a piece of 50mm pvc with a 45deg angle cut on the bottom, which will then circulate water to the surface. Only trouble with this, it keeps solids in suspension until flushed out.

In short, I am happy with the blower, it is quiet and delivers ample air for my system.

Milne you were saying a way to overcome, I am all ears
Hi i was shore it wouldent go to deep Oxygen /co2 exchange only takes place on the top in still water the deeper you have your airstones the more oxegen up take [i had a lend of a oxygen meter for a while ] and when the bubbles reach the surface then the co2 dissapates
solids You need to keep the solids in suppension [till they reach the growbeds]
as you say the 50 mm pipe will do that

[fishfood]

On blowers the cheaper ones are sold for pet shops and people with aquariam rooms with 300 deep tanks , if you want to use a blower you need to pay around $300.00 and get one that will do pressure on the down side these pull about 300 watts or more
its hard to beat the electro magnetic ones

[fishfood]

I stand corrected a good blower is $1000.00

[chainsaw]

True Milne I have 2 electro types the ACO-003 and the 012. Have the 003 now hooked into the backup system and the 012 is going to be used later in the moving bio bed I'm building. Disagree with keeping solids in suspension (ended up with a dead Barra) found it better to allow them to accumulate in centre bottom of tank and get rid of them with the SLO.

[chainsaw]

Have a read of this excellent site on aeration http://www.hakkoairpumps.com/cat13.html

This supports what I say about aeration taking place on the surface, air stones placed on the bottom of the pond/tank is for water circulation. Well as I said this can be achieved by using an airlift pump (airstone in a tube).

[Erich]

so, is it better to have the airstones at a set depth? What would be a good depth then? :)

[Mantis]

I got one of those ACO pumps and I couldnt run them in my backyard without getting complaints from the neighbours. They are very noisy

[fishfood]

so, is it better to have the airstones at a set depth? What would be a good depth then? :)
HAKKO air pumps can be used to create a huge column of bubbles or “air lift” rising from the bottom of a pond or lake. This brings oxygen depleted water to the surface where the bubbles burst and create tremendous surface turbulence, circulation and aeration. HAKKO air pumps used in this manner will literally breathe life into your pond or lake.

[chainsaw]

Erich, It depends on the capability of the air pump you have, if will produce plenty of air with the stone on the bottom is good. However, what we are discussing is that some pumps run out of puff when over 300mm (1 Ft) deep. If this is the case lower the stone until volume of air drops off and then raise it a bit. You then can use a piece of PVC (so stone just fits in it) long enough to go to bottom of the tank to water level. This will then bring the bottom layer of water to the surface and discharge the co2.

Mantis, Agree electromagnetic are good but noisy. Try sitting it on a piece of sponge rubber. Happy with noise level of blower.

[Erich]

ty. I have an electromagnet and get bubbles at 1 m fine :)