Splitting air pumps

[Rita]

Me watching last week’s live stream about not splitting air pumps knowing I have 2 aquatop 40’s each suppling air to 4 sponge filters with metal gang valves….. 😂 

[Schuyler]

What... Why aren't you supposed to split them?

[Rita]

On 2/26/2023 at 6:12 PM, Schuyler said:

What... Why aren't you supposed to split them?

Cory explains it better in the stream but the abridged version is that it can get too complicated to achieve the appropriate air output when it’s split 4 times.

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 2/26/2023 at 9:12 PM, Schuyler said:

What... Why aren't you supposed to split them?

Caveat: I haven't done it. That said, @Cory , talking about ACO's new pump, says that while you can split outputs, it's often more hassle than it's worth, because adjustments to one output automatically mean adjustments to another, and yes it can start to get unnecessarily complicated.

[gardenman]

Things can get fiddly. I grew up in an old house with an old shower that wasn't pressure balanced. You'd be taking a nice hot shower when someone somewhere else turned on hot water and you'd suddenly be taking a cold shower with no hot water. Not fun. With air pumps, any adjustment to one, affects everything else. It's not a problem if the air pump is way over-powered, but most people don't use way over-powered air pumps. Turning up the air on one, can have another one lose air completely. If you're watching and paying attention, you can go through and rebalance everything, but if you miss a tank now going airless, you can end up with a dead tank. 

[ccurtis]

I just got a couple of the co-op single outlet air pumps. I have a 75g where the air pump in the in the cabinet about 3 feet below the aquarium. I split the pump with a dual gang valve between an air stone on side of the tank and a large sponge filter on the other side. It works great on the high setting. There is a decent amount of air coming out of both, but I think splitting more than two ways would begin to diminish performance rapidly. 

I'd also like to say if you are on the fence about getting one of these pumps, do it. They are solid pumps that work very well. I am extremely impressed with mine and will be getting a dual outlet one when they come out in a couple months. Another great product by the co-op. 

[Jackson]

I have the Fluval A402 . It has double air ports . When hooking it up, I split one line three ways . On the third one no air was getting to an air stone . I pinched the line going to a filter letting the third line fill up . Then released the line and all of the equipment worked fine with adjusting air flow as I think or as how I wanted it . So with two lines I have four things supplied with air running fine . One line just goes to a sponge filter by it's self . I think I could run more as I want to get a 20L and run a stone and sponge filter off that one line  that is just feeding the one sponge filter. See if it works when the time comes . Just want to add that the flow control knobs on this air pump don't really adjust the air flow much at all , and found that individual flow valves in the line for each item work better .

Edited March 3, 2023 by GCH
add info

[Theplatymaster]

i have a single outlet Aquatop AP50,

 i split it using gang valves to 3 different tanks.