OfFish Room Air Pump

[aquachris]

So I have an "offish room" I call it.  Its part office, part fish room.  I currently have 1 40g, 1 75g, 3 10g, 4 20g long, 37g, 29g and 2 small 5g tanks.  I am mostly based on air.  I plan on actually going to to 4 20g tall, 1 75g, 4 10g, 4 20g long, 37g, 29g and possibly still the 2 5g.  

I am to the point these little air pumps are getting out of control, but the one on the Co-Op is a bit more powerful than I need.  I've been eyeing the Alita 15 or 25 version, but am looking for recommendations out there, and what you think would drive all my stuff.  I will have about 20-25 air outlets going (1 for each tank, 3 in the 75, Brine shrimp hatcheries, and other odds).  

I'm about maxed out here, I can't really add much more, so extra head room isn't that important.  

[Fish Folk]

14 hours ago, aquachris said:

So I have an "offish room" I call it.  Its part office, part fish room.  I currently have 1 40g, 1 75g, 3 10g, 4 20g long, 37g, 29g and 2 small 5g tanks.  I am mostly based on air.  I plan on actually going to to 4 20g tall, 1 75g, 4 10g, 4 20g long, 37g, 29g and possibly still the 2 5g.  

I am to the point these little air pumps are getting out of control, but the one on the Co-Op is a bit more powerful than I need.  I've been eyeing the Alita 15 or 25 version, but am looking for recommendations out there, and what you think would drive all my stuff.  I will have about 20-25 air outlets going (1 for each tank, 3 in the 75, Brine shrimp hatcheries, and other odds).  

I'm about maxed out here, I can't really add much more, so extra head room isn't that important.  

If you go with the linear piston air pump, through PVC, drilled with metal valves, you can easily regulate the power of air for each need, and build a release tube into your system if you fear a pressure buildup. 

[StevesFishTanks]

I have a similar setup. 1* 125g, 1* 38g, 3* 40b, 3* 20h, 3* 10g, 2* bbs hatchers.

I use mattenfilters and sponge in all tanks.

I use the same linear pump as the one sold by the coop. I think it will work great for your application.

[aquachris]

3 hours ago, s1_ said:

I have a similar setup. 1* 125g, 1* 38g, 3* 40b, 3* 20h, 3* 10g, 2* bbs hatchers.

I use mattenfilters and sponge in all tanks.

I use the same linear pump as the one sold by the coop. I think it will work great for your application.

Do you bleed off excess?  I would like to try doing matten again in my 20 longs (grow out tanks) but I didnt feel like I had the oomph I needed, which is another reason I want to move up.

[ScottieB]

8 hours ago, Fish Folk said:

If you go with the linear piston air pump, through PVC, drilled with metal valves, you can easily regulate the power of air for each need, and build a release tube into your system if you fear a pressure buildup. 

Don’t want to hijack the thread. Sounds like a terrific office. And I don’t think you can wrong with this Linear Piston pumps 

I’m doing this set up currently. @Fish FolkWhat size PVC did you use? And what fitting did you use to connect PVC to the Pump? 

[aquachris]

1 minute ago, ScottieB said:

Don’t want to hijack the thread. Sounds like a terrific office. And I don’t think you can wrong with this Linear Piston pumps 

I’m doing this set up currently. @Fish FolkWhat size PVC did you use? And what fitting did you use to connect PVC to the Pump? 

I do love the my office 🙂 Since Covid I spend a lot of time wfh in it.  I find myself on conference calls sometimes tinkering around with the tanks or staring off and just enjoying them (while listening.. ya ya).

But the biggest thing is noise... I gotta get some of it reduced, there's some noise from the sponge filters, but right now, the most obnoxious is the air pumps.

[StevesFishTanks]

I was amazed at how silent the air pump is. To me its the best feature.

There is a smaller linear pump but its nearly the same price and not available by the coop.  Since the idea is to replace all pumps with 1 central pump I would rather have too much than not enough.

I used 3/4" pvc in a small loop. It is connected to the pump with 3/4" reinforced vinyl tubing and a pvc/barb adapter. 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/LASCO-3-4-in-x-3-4-in-x-3-4-in-dia-Adapter-PVC-Fitting/3380750

I would prob use 1" if I had to do it again, not so much for the volume increase but flatter walls for tapping the air valves.

I have some bleed off in the form of unused air lines tubing running behind my rack. In my opinion it was not needed but its a convenient dual purpose feature when they are not running a ziss fry box or an egg tumbler. The mattenfilters pretty much run wide open and definitely use some air. 

 

Edited May 7, 2021 by s1_

[aquachris]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.  I think my hardest thing I'm trying to figure out how to make that in my budget.  Might have to deal with what I have and after some fish sales get some money back lol.

[aquachris]

Update - I got my hands on a used Alita AL-40!!  It was a good price as it needs a diaphragm rebuild kit.  Even with cost of the kit, I saved a decent amount.  

Anyhow, as I start planning this, what is the advantage of a loop system if I never will put aquariums on the other sides of the walls (I have my aquariums in a large "L")?  Another question - Where in the world do I find the bleeder valves I see people have on youtube?