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Thread: How do you aerate your water?

  1. #1
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    Question How do you aerate your water?

    Hey all,

    I have a pH drop from 8.2 to 7.4 when tap water is aerated. My tank is at 7.4. However, it is taking too long to aerate to do wc every day (luckily I dont have the fish yet). In general, it is taking about 45hrs to aerate the tap water to 7.4. Here is the setup:

    55g tall water barrel
    Imagitarium Air Pump, 4W (rated for 60-100 gallons)
    2 lines, one with a 6" airstone stick the other with a standard small airstone
    Both stones are sitting at the bottom of the barrel
    Tap water is at about 60 degree F when filled

    Thoughts? What pump size are you all using?


    tankwithairstone.jpg

  2. #2
    Registered Member + MVP danotaylor's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    G'day mate. When you fill do aggressively agitate the water as it enters your storage barrel? 1 of the contestants (i think Adam or Jeep, but not sure atm) on the grow out challenge showed images using a spray nozzle of some sort to rapidly accelerate the gasing off process. I use my finger and spray aggressively as I fill my 55 gal barrel with warm tap water and then aerate with a single stone for 3 hours and then do my wc. My gosh are happy healthy and spawning every 4 days or so...
    HTH

  3. #3
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    I do not. I have a python hook, and just hang it side of the barrel. It splashes until the last couple gallons tho (if that helps :-))

  4. #4
    Administrator jeep's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    I keep the pump turned on and circulate the water back into the barrel (top of photo)...

    water storage.jpg

  5. #5
    Homesteader Paul Sabucchi's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    Wavemakers shift a lot of water for the wattage too
    My discus are not fat...just big fish-boned

  6. #6
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    45 hours is a long time, it seems like you should have enough aeration to age in 24 hours. If the pH gets down around 7.8 in 24 hours I would go ahead with WCs and not worry about the pH, since its higher than in the tank. Increasing the aeration or adding a circulation pump would speed it up, especially if the pump is arranged to make a spray.

    When the pH goes down with ageing you aren't really "gassing off" you are "gassing in", bringing CO2 in from the atmosphere where it can react with the hydroxide the water company added, which temporarily raised the pH up to 8.2.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    I do have a wave maker that I had it in for a while. it was at the bottom tho. I assume I would want up pointing at the top to turn over the water.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    Any ideas on how to attach the wavemaker to the plastic barrel? Silicone? Superglue?

  9. #9
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    A powerhead would do the same, but much faster, if you stuck it right below the surface of the water.

    Willie
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    Haha so tip for the fellow novices....

    When you are tying you cords in place because you have to have everything neat and tidy, try not to pinch the airline tubes..

    Aerated to 7.4 in 24hrs after unpinching my lines 12 hrs ago. Duh.

  11. #11
    Registered Member + MVP danotaylor's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    Lol, good find. Willie's e-signature will help you thru, haha
    "Whenever you feel stupid, remember that there are people out there looking for Pokemon."

  12. #12
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie View Post
    A powerhead would do the same, but much faster, if you stuck it right below the surface of the water.

    Willie
    Agree
    Surface agitation is a must. It doesn't need to be air bubbles. A powerhead or water pump on the bottom of the barrel blowing towards to top to continually break surface tension will do the same.

  13. #13
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    Well, I thought I had this figured out, but I guess not. I added this sunsun wave maker to the barrel and it did not help too much. Here is a summary of the situation now that I have a better read on it.

    55 gallon tall water barrel
    Cut a 9" x 10" hole in top
    Imagitarium Air Pump, 4W (rated for 60-100 gallons)
    2 lines, one with a 6" airstone stick the other with a standard small airstone
    Both stones are sitting at the bottom of the barrel
    Sun Sun Wave Maker (528 gph) a couple inches from surface pointed at the surface

    Tap water is 8.4
    After 24 hrs, water is at 8.0
    After about 26-28 hrs water finally reached stable pH of 7.4-7.6 (API liquid measuring kit)
    And to make this stanger, when I do a 50% wc with aged water of 8.0 to my tank of 7.4, the pH reading afterwards is 7.4.

    I mean, I have 2 ways of aerating the water, but it does not seem to do it fast enough. I have read others here only needing to aerate for a few hours. Does this have something to do with my pH falling rather than rising? If I need to "gas in", is there a better way to do that then air pumps and wave makers? Does anyone else have a pH fall when they aerate(it seems uncommon)?

  14. #14
    Registered Member 14Discus's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    Just out of curiosity, what is your KH of aquarium, Tap and aged water?

  15. #15
    Registered Member Cove Beach's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you aerate your water?

    Hello, from a fellow Ohioan. I think you may have better results by cutting the entire top out of the barrel and exposing more surface area for gas exchange. I had a similar situation. Also you may want to look into a linear piston air pump like an Alita ,it’s a little bit more money but well worth it. Mine makes three 55gal drums look like boiling water on the stove and still drives 3 big stones in my sump and 4 airlfters in a pair of 40breeders.

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