DIY Tank - Airlift system

[FChin]

Hi, i just want to share my Tank.

No more bulky overhead filters on top, less electrical consumption with airlift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GukMSTHJDkg

http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y300/Pxb_Xboy/?action=view&current=Discus-1.flv&newest=1

[mugzy213]

Hi, i just want to share my Tank.

No more bulky overhead filters on top, less electrical consumption with airlift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GukMSTHJDkg

http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y300/Pxb_Xboy/?action=view&current=Discus-1.flv&newest=1

What kind of waterflow do you get with that?

[Eddie]

Cool DIY filter, similar to top of tank filters used in Asia. ;)

Eddie

[dbfzurowski]

Hehe thats creative

[bmrin1]

Nice!
I tried something similar, worked but that looks better.

[mugzy213]

Nice!
I tried something similar, worked but that looks better.



Did you get enough waterflow with this airlify system?

Is there a place where you can make custom plastic containers like the one he got?

[bmrin1]

I got plenty of waterflow. I used pvc rain gutter.

I would think if you are mechanically inclined that making one out of plexi would be relatively easy. But pvc gutter is already made. Put two end caps on it and go from there.

[wanderingfish]

I cann't see the video,could you upload photoes about the diy in photobucket?thanks

[ockyra215]

That is a good idea I wonder if you used a hydro sponge filter on it as a prefilet would you get similar results? HMM maybe Ill take a ride to home depot....HMmmmm
:D

[var_abraham]

Wow... The water is super clear... are you also using chemical filtration or just bio/mech filtration.

[Foxfire]

How does an air lift system work? Like the old UGF? Also, what is the green filter material?

[Skip]

pretty cool!

[jeff@zina.com]

How does an air lift system work? Like the old UGF? Also, what is the green filter material?

All an air lift system does is substitute an air lift, basically the same thing you see in a UG filer, for a powered pump. Cheap to run, very common outside the US, particularly Asia. There are quite a few commercial air lift systems on the market, especially as related to marine tank skimmers, but they're easy to DIY. The only drawback is you don't get decent head distances compared to a power pump.

Jeff

[tcyiu]

...Cheap to run, very common outside the US, particularly Asia. ... Jeff

Why is it cheaper to run than a mechanical pump (or powerhead)?

Tim

[AirCapital]

Why is it cheaper to run than a mechanical pump (or powerhead)?

Tim

say for intance you use a small electric power head that takes 10watts to pump the water up into the filter and you have 10 tanks thats 100watts.

you can get a large air pump that operates on 100watts that is rated for 150 air outlets and I would cut that rating in half to get enough flow to pump the water real nice into the above filter so now with the same 100watts you can run 75 filters as compared to 10 with an electric power head pump.

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

The one major drawback to airlifts that I dont like is you cant always tell how much water it is really moving. This is especially true with sponge filters. Sure, air goes in and it moved water within the lift tube and makes the gurgling sound. But lets say that the airlift is on a sponge filter and the sponge get clogged (which happens all the time). You still see plenty of air moving in the lift tube, but wouldnt know how much water is actually moving through the filter. Plus, when you consider an actual water pump you typically can hear it running (knowing its moving water). With an airlift system, it always sounds the same....moving water or not.

Dont get me wrong, airlifts are great in certain applications. But for our expensive pets I wouldnt rely on it as a sole source of moving water.

-Ryan

[tcyiu]

say for intance you use a small electric power head that takes 10watts to pump the water up into the filter and you have 10 tanks thats 100watts.

you can get a large air pump that operates on 100watts that is rated for 150 air outlets and I would cut that rating in half to get enough flow to pump the water real nice into the above filter so now with the same 100watts you can run 75 filters as compared to 10 with an electric power head pump.

Thanks. I just wonder if the same amount of water is being moved for the same energy consumption. At the end of the day, lifting water is work. So if airlifts are more efficient, they should move more water than the a water pump using the same energy.

I've used airlift tubes my whole life (back when I was a kid there was no other choice). But they just seem dang inefficient to me.

When working properly, the uplift tube is half empty. LOL!

Tim

[PC1]

That is a killer Idea, I would think that it would be an application for a smaller tank though. 10-20 gal unless you had several uplift tubes. I've seen how much water comes out the top of some of my sponge filters durring water changes and although it is alot for what it is. its no comparrison to a powerhead. On a simple 10-20 I think it would be great!