Setting up air lines what to do?

[wild bill]

We want to use more sponge filters in our setup and I am wondering should I run a large main line or small? We have some three quarter inch plastic conduit should I use that for a main line and run small air line to sponges. Or run a smaller air line with multiple gang valves. What will give the best air pressure to the filters? Also what would be a good air pump to run say 90 30 gallon tanks?

 

[Pharaoh]

You want to run a larger line in a loop to spread the air around evenly. Then, branch off that main line with airline to feed individual sponges.

 

[deeda]

Is that ninety 30 gallon tanks?

I contacted John at Jehmco for an air pump recommendation and header pipe size for my small fish room and am pleased with his recommendation. They also have a website for the contact information.

The depth of the tanks and whether you will be using airstones is important to know before you call him. He can work out the air pump you will need and the size of the pipe to use so I would wait before installing anything at this point.

I used 1" PVC pipe for the header which is a continuous loop around the room and additional pipes in a ladder configuration to service each level of the racks. Individual air valve taps were drilled into the PVC "ladder rungs" to supply at least 4 outlets for each tank or as necessary.

Every setup is a little bit different so there isn't one size fits all solution.

 

[Charney]

Is that ninety 30 gallon tanks?

I contacted John at Jehmco for an air pump recommendation and header pipe size for my small fish room and am pleased with his recommendation. They also have a website for the contact information.

The depth of the tanks and whether you will be using airstones is important to know before you call him. He can work out the air pump you will need and the size of the pipe to use so I would wait before installing anything at this point.

I used 1" PVC pipe for the header which is a continuous loop around the room and additional pipes in a ladder configuration to service each level of the racks. Individual air valve taps were drilled into the PVC "ladder rungs" to supply at least 4 outlets for each tank or as necessary.

Every setup is a little bit different so there isn't one size fits all solution.

any chance you can post some pictures of this setup?

 

[wild bill]

+1 for some pictures of your setup and how many tanks did you set up. The continuous loop never even dawned on me but makes sense.
Anybody here know much about The Pump pumps as we have a The Pump 80.

 

[deeda]

Here are some pics of my fishroom air supply setup.

Jehmco LPH60 air pump in closet. I used 3/4" PVC around the perimeter of the room to form a continuous loop.



Left side of double 4 foot rack for six 33L breeder tanks. I installed six air valves per tank in case I decided to add additional filters or other air operated devices but I'm only using 2 air valves for the HMF filter uplift tubes.



Close up of the center of the above rack. It shows the drain setup for the drilled overflows for the tanks on the shelf above. I still haven't installed the automatic drip system.



I currently have six 33L tanks, six 30 breeder tanks (36"L), one 30B tank (30"L) and one 20L. My last rack isn't done yet because I can't find any more 30"L 30B's to finish it. I'll probably just use four more 20L's if I can't find what I want.

Sorry for the delay in posting pics, it seems I forgot to take pictures of the room after I added tanks.

 

[wild bill]

Looks good professional even. Did you go with a linear piston pump or diaphragm?
I am thinking we should go with one of their regenerating pumps if the noise will not be to much. That way we would be able to run some of our deeper tanks as well. Thanks for the info on Jehmco.

 

[deeda]

It is a linear piston pump, I forgot to add that part in.

Thanks for the compliment. The boyfriend is a stickler for details.

The blower may be a better choice since you have so many tanks but they are noisy. My local fish store uses one and while you don't hear it on the main floor, it is deafening in his basement grow out room. Maybe you can install a pump house out back to cut down on the interior noise.

 

[Pharaoh]

It is a linear piston pump, I forgot to add that part in.

Thanks for the compliment. The boyfriend is a stickler for details.

The blower may be a better choice since you have so many tanks but they are noisy. My local fish store uses one and while you don't hear it on the main floor, it is deafening in his basement grow out room. Maybe you can install a pump house out back to cut down on the interior noise.

I have what could be the exact same pump and I don't find it loud at all. All I hear is water bubbling. Where did you buy yours? Mine came from Jehmco and appears to be a rebranded Medo pump.

Regenerative blowers on the other hand, are fairly noisy.

 

[deeda]

Bobby, my pump is completely silent and it is the same rebranded Medo pump, bought new from Jehmco. I'm extremely pleased with the silence of the pump. All I hear is the noise of the bubbles.

I was referrring to the noise generated by the regenerative blowers.

I wanted to add that I did tee off the main header and ran it into the next room over and it is supplying 6 additional 24"L x 18"W x 15"H tanks so there is currently 20 tanks running off the LPH60 pump with more air to spare.