Air Pump Question

Z

ZINO420

Member
I'm looking for recommendations on a good air pump. I've heard you need 1 watt per gallon and others stuff - really unsure.

Do y'all suggest a regular 4 outlet like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACTIVE-AQUA-AIR-PUMP-4-OUTLET-hydroponic-fish-aquarium-/180939198131?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a20d10eb3


Or a commercial pump like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150838732527?var=450084829330&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649


I'm doing DWC SOG method - two 10 gallon tubs for veg and two 10 gallon tubs for flower - in seperate grow tents. I wanted to use ONE pump for both or do y'all suggest TWO seperate air pumps?
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
ZINO420 said:
I'm looking for recommendations on a good air pump. I've heard you need 1 watt per gallon and others stuff - really unsure.

Do y'all suggest a regular 4 outlet like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACTIVE-AQUA-AIR-PUMP-4-OUTLET-hydroponic-fish-aquarium-/180939198131?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a20d10eb3


Or a commercial pump like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150838732527?var=450084829330&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649


I'm doing DWC SOG method - two 10 gallon tubs for veg and two 10 gallon tubs for flower - in seperate grow tents. I wanted to use ONE pump for both or do y'all suggest TWO seperate air pumps?
Click to expand...
Dude. Post your question in one forum area. But two pumps at that price. Have one and do what when it breaks? Watch multiple units go down the tubes?
 
SOMEBEECH

SOMEBEECH

Well-Known Member
Those cheapos wont last go commercial and as hotrod says better have a backup for sure if you go with the Cheap ones they dont last long or work as well.
 
GreenThumbSucker

GreenThumbSucker

Well-Known Member
Use the commercial kind and get the 110 liter per minute size. The one in your first link is a waste of money, those kind dont push much air.
Use flat round airstones, like this:

$(KGrHqF,!iME2MMY(PfgBNnTp5,Lhw~~_1.JPG

These types of airstones are ceramic and have nice tiny microbubbles, distribute your bubbles to a wide area, and they push a lot of air. More air bubbles = less problems down the road. You will need to get 3/8" tubing and a few 3/8 T fittings with these stones because the 1/4 inch mantle that comes with the pump is too small for the nipple on these stones.
 
chrishydro

chrishydro

Well-Known Member
It is also a good idea to get a circulation pump for your res. When I was growing hydro I let it run 24/7 and it keeps the nutes mixed up and you avoid a lot of settiment in the bottom when you clean it. I got mine at a pet shop that had fish stuff.

Just like mixing up your water all day and night
 
hotrodharley

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
GreenThumbSucker said:
Use the commercial kind and get the 110 liter per minute size. The one in your first link is a waste of money, those kind dont push much air.
Use flat round airstones, like this:

View attachment 2295807

These types of airstones are ceramic and have nice tiny microbubbles, distribute your bubbles to a wide area, and they push a lot of air. More air bubbles = less problems down the road. You will need to get 3/8" tubing and a few 3/8 T fittings with these stones because the 1/4 inch mantle that comes with the pump is too small for the nipple on these stones.
Click to expand...
Better to reduce the line fitting as close as possible to the stone and use smaller lumen tubing for the run. The pressure drop from the entire run being 3/8" robs your pump and produces much less bubbling. Agree on this shape.

Also, even before looking for reducing nipples, soak that little tubing in HOT water to soften and see if it will slip over that nipple by stretching. Use a little dish soap _ a LITTLE - over the nipple.

It will be HOT and SLIPPERY - duh. Needle nose pliers can slip her over. We do it on fuel lines all the time. Lines fitted in this manner are NOT going to come off and have to be cut away. The dish soap acts as a lubricant at first then dries to act as glue.
 
GreenThumbSucker

GreenThumbSucker

Well-Known Member
hotrodharley said:
Better to reduce the line fitting as close as possible to the stone and use smaller lumen tubing for the run. The pressure drop from the entire run being 3/8" robs your pump and produces much less bubbling. Agree on this shape.

Also, even before looking for reducing nipples, soak that little tubing in HOT water to soften and see if it will slip over that nipple by stretching. Use a little dish soap _ a LITTLE - over the nipple.

It will be HOT and SLIPPERY - duh. Needle nose pliers can slip her over. We do it on fuel lines all the time. Lines fitted in this manner are NOT going to come off and have to be cut away. The dish soap acts as a lubricant at first then dries to act as glue.
Click to expand...
That's why I use the larger pump, to get full pressure. The nipple on the pump is 3/8 and the nipples on the stones are 3/8 so I use 3/8 for everything. The trick is to use a big air pump. I have one 100 liter per minute air pump per four totes. My aeration is very intense.

I tried using the 1/4 inch that comes with the pump, but it is just too restrictive and didn't crank out enough bubbles.
 
mike91sr

mike91sr

Well-Known Member
I agree with the 110lpm commercial pump, those little pumps will work but the few bucks in savings up front will catch up to you on your first harvest, let alone the first time you have to replace the pump. They do get hot though, so get a fan or something to blow across it. Mine is on a timer to turn off for 10 minutes every 2 hours too. Hotter air=warmer res temps.

And dont waste your time or money on those micropore stones. I like the disc shape for its distribution too, but micropores do more harm then good. Smaller bubbles with more surface area increase rate of dissolution, but not solubility which means no effect on DO. Theres a thread here with a test showing lower DO with micropores. The rest of that thread is a whole other story.... Anyway, since surface area also has no relevance when bubbles are passing directly over roots, there's no benefit to them. All they do is add resistance to the pump which then reduces total airflow, which means less oxygen passing directly over roots, so less direct aeration as well as lower DO.
 
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