What kind of air system do you use?

[brewmaster15]

HI ,
just curious how you supply air in your fish room.. I use a linear pump from Jehmco..

http://www.jehmco.com/html/lph60.html

and another one ( a medo compressor?) I got from Jason at Superiordiscus a few years back.....

Linear pumps are great as far as quite operation and reliability...though they can get a little pricey.. I have to say.. the two I have work awesome..

I also make use of some smaller auxillary pumps...I really like the 2 outlet hagen maxima pumps...

Hth,
al

[LizStreithorst]

I use these 2 Medo pumps. Each one will run approx 20 sponges. I picked these up on e-bay for something like $35. each. I have another in the breeding room and one for a back-up although I have not needed it.

[brewmaster15]

That looks similar Liz to the one I got from Jason...Great little pumps..it runs half my fish room.


hey question for you Liz, what do you use as an airfilter on it? I haven't found a good one I liked.

-al

[LizStreithorst]

Yikes, I don't use any air filter! Hasn't caused a problem yet.

[Squiggy]

I just got lucky and picked up a brand new Jehmco LPH26 for $80 off craigslist. Can't wait to get the plumbing up for it...:D

For small pumps, I swear by the PennPlax Silent Air X5...Best I've found.

http://www.aquariumguys.com/silentairpump5.html

Joe

[brewmaster15]

Yikes, I don't use any air filter! Hasn't caused a problem yet.lol...I'm not either, but I know I should.:) Just haven't found any yet..


hey jason.... what do you suggest?

-al

[Kenny's Discus]

I'm getting one of those LPH60 Al! I've seen those many times in Phil's shop and they were awesome but I always forgot to order it:o, thanks for refreshing my memory.:D You gonna have to pay for half of it since you brought it up!:D j/k

Thanks Al,

Kenny

[kaceyo]

I'm using small individual pumps that run 1 or two tanks each but I'm looking for something bigger. The Medo's look very close to what I need. Do you have a model # on those Liz, and the name of the seller?
Thanks,

Kacey

[phidelt85]

I plan on picking up a diaphragm pump from Jehmco but for now I'm using my 30gal Craftsman air compressor with a stone filter inline. I've got two regulators on the line to the air header. The first drops the pressure down to 20psi, and the second further reduces the pressure to 5psi. I've got it cranked up to 5psi to run the air disc in my storage tank.

[korbi_doc]

:D Jehmco's LPH 26....love it, but duh!! forgot to clean the filter & it got really dirty & then slowed up....had John work on it & it's back in action again doing ok.......clean those filters if you have'm guys......I'm so baadd at maintenance, lol....Dottie ;)

[Ken9117]

I use a 1/8 hp garst blower that has a 11 inch fan. Currently running 4 275 gal holding tanks 14 55's ,1 90 ,1 125,61 20 high's 15 10's and 38 30's. Pluse brine shrimp bootles. Still have to bleed off some air threw a outlet.

[KJoFan]

I also use a linear pump from Jehmco...

http://www.jehmco.com/html/lph120.html

Obviously I'm way over supplied but I got it barely used for half the price of a new one and needed an air pump. It just has lots of bleed off, provides a nice breeze in the fishroom. :D

I do use a dual outlet Whisper for two of my storage barrels because they are located in an area that I can't provide air from the main line.

[Moon]

I used to run an Alita linear piston pump. Lots of pressure but not enough cfm for the 40 outlets. Now I have a Gast 1/8 hp blower. Lots of volume and enough pressure for sponge filters. Kind of noisy and uses about 100W power. Now I am looking at Supreme Pondmaster. Very quiet and only consumes 60W.

[LizStreithorst]

Kacey, I wouldn't be surprised if all mine were different models. What you want is high volume, low pressure. This one should work: http://cgi.ebay.com/MEDO-Diaphragm-Compressor-oil-less-Pump-AC0602_W0QQitemZ220170331675QQihZ012QQcategoryZ465 47QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[kaceyo]

Liz,
I need one that runs about 20 outlets, mostly to sponge filters. I was expecting to have to pay much more than $20 for one tho.
Thanks,

Kacey

[LizStreithorst]

Kacey, At 20 outlets these pumps are at their max. You can buy them on e-bay for $50. or less. I suggest that you buy two. I've never needed a back up, but I have one. Also, If you decide that you need more than one, hook them together as I have. You can either plug in only one or use both and bleed off the excess air.

If you'd like, I'll climb up and get my head up-side-down and try to read the model numbers of the two that I have hooked up now. The two that I'm not using at the moment have different numbers. What you want is high volume and low PSI. Check the Jemco pump's numbers and get one similar.

[billeagan]

I use one of the Jehmco pumps... I think I have the LPH80 and it was running over 70 sponges and still had plenty to give..

[kaceyo]

Liz,
I don't want to put you to all that trouble. Sounds like you'd have to be a contortionist(sp?) to get at the #'s ;).
Why low psi? I'd think higher would push the air farther down into the water with less trouble.
Al, Didn't mean to hi-jack your thread. I was thinking about getting the DAPMH15 at Jehmco but Liz's might be better for a guy on a budget. Anybody used one?

Kacey

[phidelt85]

Kacey, That's the one I'm wanting to get as well. I believe it's the same one Andrew and Angela run all their tanks from this pump.

[LizStreithorst]

Kacey, What you're not taking into conideration is that this is a high volume pump. You don't wan't high PSI at every outlet. You want enough volume to provide every outlet with sufficient air. I may be talking out of my hat, but this is the way I understand it.

[alpine]

I run about 18 outlets , sponge filters and use the Jehmco LPH26 . great , pretty quiet and efficient.

roberto.

[Discus-Hans]

I've an LPH60 that blows are in my dry filter at 6 points x 5 = 30 outlets.

And a LPH120 that is on a 1" pipe ring that's blows my Discus out off the 100 tanks, I've an airstone in each tank, take the airstones from Jehmco, they are a little heavier as others, the lighter ones blew of my tanks lol

Hans

[billeagan]

I've an LPH60 that blows are in my dry filter at 6 points x 5 = 30 outlets.

And a LPH120 that is on a 1" pipe ring that's blows my Discus out off the 100 tanks, I've an airstone in each tank, take the airstones from Jehmco, they are a little heavier as others, the lighter ones blew of my tanks lol

Hans

I agree wtih Hans - use the bigger heavier airstones from Jehmco. I have the size/type somehwere at home I'll try to post.

[Cosmo]

Joe... that's an awesome deal you got on craigslist. I've looked at those numerous times but just couldn't bite the bullet for the price of a new one.

I use the Jehmco 15 watt diaphram air pumps (DAPMH15) and they work great too. They're supposed to be good for 10 to 12 sponges (I think) but the most I've ever run on one pump so far is 8 w/ no problems. I mounted the manifold they sell for the linear pumps on the ceiling and run air line from there to the tanks - 3/8ths tubing from the pump to the manifold.

Two of them give you about the same output as the LPH26 for less $ and similar electrical usage. Were I to start over I'd get the linear for sure, but at first I only needed one diaphram pump, then after that it just wan't cost effecient to go any other way than add another diaphram pump :p

They are quiet and very efficient pumps :)

Jim

[Jason]

lol...I'm not either, but I know I should.:) Just haven't found any yet..


hey jason.... what do you suggest?

-al


Hi Al sorry for the late,

The ones I used to sell have a washable filter behind the white plastic casing, just unscrew the wing nut and its right there.

...but what you want to be carefull of is humidity, it can cause corosion and pre- mature wear. What you want to do is fit a hose over the air intake nipple(on the white filter cover) and run that hose outside of the fishroom, even better right outside the house through a window or something. Fresh air good for the fish and the compressor.

[brewmaster15]

Thanks Jason,
I didn't know about that filter in the housing...guess I better clean mine. Liz,... From the photo, Yours may have one too.

I can easily vent it outside so I'll do that as well.

-al

[Jason]

Kacey,

Linear pistons and diaphrams are limited in the amount of air volume they can push and they don't have a airtank. But they use less power, run quieter and it doesn't take alot of psi to drive an airstone even in a deep tank.

I prefer the linear piston type(what most are running here) over the diaphram type. UNLESS! you cant find a medo/nitto kohki compressor(what Al and Liz run and the jehmco's) because the knock-off piston compressors are garbage made in China that are noisy, cheap, run hot and, use alot of power.

search on e-bay under "nitto kohki" "medo" or "piston/linear compressor" they are used for all kinds of industries so they are easy to come by.

you can compare the models you find with the spec's on their website http://www.nitto-europe.com/pump_prods.html
this is a good read too http://www.nitto-europe.com/technology.html

When you look for one, figure you will need around 1.25 LPM @ 1.5psi(roughly) to drive 1 airstone really well, so the one I use(AC 0901) gives me about 60 airstones at full blast and draws 90watts(80LPM @ 1.42psi)

HTH

Liz,
don't bleed-off too much, they need a bit of backpressure to work properly. If they suddenly get louder, your bleeding off too much.

Al,
Your filter might be messed-up, it will kinda rot after a few years of running in a high humidity area without regular cleaning:( easy to fix though ;)

[kaceyo]

Thanks Jason. That info will be a big help.

Kacey

[Sam Chicklets]

I use a Hiblow hp40 in my fish room. I have had up to 40 sponge filters running without issue. I also find it a lot more efficient than a whole pile of small air pumps.