Can Someone Recommend a Really Powerful Air Pump? (and a Filter Intake Question)

[ClinicaTerraLTD]

I am in need of a very powerful air pump that can feed a ton of power to two 18" bubble bars at the bottom of my new, somewhat deeper-than-usual Marineland 60 gallon; the pumps I'm using now -- a Rena Air 400 and a Tetra Whisper 60, both of which are running "bridged" with a T-connector, so that the power from both the pumps' dual outlets are combined to feed maximum pressure to each of the bars -- are simply not providing enough power, seemingly, to make these bars spray lots of thick bubbles. I did a test in which I disconnected the tubing that's feeding each of the pumps and blew with all my might into the tubes, and the bars EXPLODED with CASCADES of thick, beautiful bubbles, which is the effect I'm trying to get, so this leads me to believe the bars are not defective or are clogged; as soon as I hook the pumps back up, the bubbles get much weaker...

Can anyone suggest a really good, powerful pump (even if it's online) that could feed two bubble bars with a ton of pressure so they can bubble well? Is there one out there that can feed two seprate bars alone?

Also -- on the same topic, sort of -- right now, I have my bubble bars kind of against the back glass of the tank, so they make a "curtain" of bubbles in the rear...but in doing this, the filter intakes from my two HOBs are sucking in the bubbles, and the noise coming from the AquaClear in particular as it grinds up the bubbles into microbubbles is driving me absolutely bonkers...

If I move the bars IN FRONT OF the filter intakes, would this prevent them from being sucked up by the HOBs for the most part?

[Cermet]

I got a very powerful dual diaphragm pump (with two independent air outlets) from Walmart rather inexpensive for the size: it is a Whisper 30-60 made by Tetra (under $20) and feeds my large bubble wand (8" long) and an in tank algae scrubber. Whether they have a 'ton' of pressure is another issue but they do a good job with what I need for a low cost and easy to get locally.

It is very important not to allow bubbles to flow into filters - bubbles will rapidly erode impeller pump assemblies and the noise you are hearing are the bubbles collasping against and eroding the impeller blades. Move the bubble wands far enough away so the HOB intakes do not take in bubbles. Otherwise, you will be replacing impeller units often on the HOB's.

[Goes to 11!]

Applying just a bit of common sense with the placement of your bubble bars/filter intakes can be very very effective in managing to sort that issue out without requiring waiting for 14 replies [It's hard to imagine that you really need to ask that].. In other words try it and see.

Here is an air pump that absolutely has the power to do what you want: http://www.marinedepot.com/Coralife_...PIAFSO-vi.html

[ClinicaTerraLTD]

I got a very powerful dual diaphragm pump (with two independent air outlets) from Walmart rather inexpensive for the size: it is a Whisper 30-60 made by Tetra (under $20) and feeds my large bubble wand (8" long) and an in tank algae scrubber. Whether they have a 'ton' of pressure is another issue but they do a good job with what I need for a low cost and easy to get locally.

I'm running a Whisper 60 pump now which doesn't seem to push much power; are you referring to one of these Tetra pumps? I was trying to avoid this brand again if I could...

Additionally, my bubble bars are 18" each and are pretty deep down in this new tank...

It is very important not to allow bubbles to flow into filters - bubbles will rapidly erode impeller pump assemblies and the noise you are hearing are the bubbles collasping against and eroding the impeller blades. Move the bubble wands far enough away so the HOB intakes do not take in bubbles. Otherwise, you will be replacing impeller units often on the HOB's.

Okay, now THIS concerned me -- where exactly do I move the bars then? FORWARD in FRONT OF the intakes? Right now, they're pretty much up against the back glass, so there's no room to push them BACKWARDS...

[ClinicaTerraLTD]

Applying just a bit of common sense with the placement of your bubble bars/filter intakes can be very very effective in managing to sort that issue out without requiring waiting for 14 replies [It's hard to imagine that you really need to ask that].. In other words try it and see.

I wasn't waiting for 14 replies, and of course common sense would dictate that an experiment could lend the answer...I was just trying to get some feedback from others on this before I stick my hand down deep in that tank, scare the fish, make a mess on my carpet and have to stand on a chair to reach the bottom of this stupid aquarium by trying it myself...

Here is an air pump that absolutely has the power to do what you want: http://www.marinedepot.com/Coralife_...PIAFSO-vi.html

Thank you; yes, I am hearing, now, about these Coralifes and the EcoPlus models too -- I think this is the way to go, but how do these connect to "ordinary" tank setups just running an ornament or bubbler or two? In other words, I'm not running a fish room or breeding facility, so I don't need 200 outputs of air -- how would I get power from these pumps through ordinary airline tubing to two 18" bubble bars?

[korith]

Just trying to understand, you connected 2 air pumps with a T to the same air wands? I'm thinking it probably isn't a good idea to connect 2 air pumps this way. I'm thinking the pressure from one pump probably causes back pressure on the other, probably making them work harder and perhaps shortening their lifespan?

You could try to raise the level of the air pumps instead of sitting on the floor raise them up a few feet if you can, that would help a bit.

Oh with some really large air pumps that are meant to power a fishroom, you may need to bleed off some air. Also some of these air pumps tend to be noisy. I have a single air pump running around 20 sponge filters, was too noisy indoors, so I have it sitting in an outdoor closet and ran the air line inside.

[Cermet]

Cost is an issue for most; if it is, then the dual tetra's can very powerful for the price. There are aquarium piston pumps that can handle high volume for a single tank - just search under that item in google. As for placement, since your HOB's are close to the back glass, then you either move the wands forward or to the sides. My wand can easily be bent into complex shapes so I could do s-turns to shorten it or have it form two right angle turns to avoid the intakes. So, maybe consider a bendable wand rather than a fixed length one.

Here is one for just under $70.00

http://www.aquacave.com/Whitewater-L...mps-C1044.aspx

This wil lhandle a large set of bubble wands - if too powerful, just use a maniflod and use one valve to bleed off some air.

[Goes to 11!]

I wasn't waiting for 14 replies, and of course common sense would dictate that an experiment could lend the answer...I was just trying to get some feedback from others on this before I stick my hand down deep in that tank, scare the fish, make a mess on my carpet and have to stand on a chair to reach the bottom of this stupid aquarium by trying it myself...
Ah yes - The joys of a tall tank, Many of us deal with that. Comes with the territory .

What feedback are you expecting that will be more effective than you simply moving it? You are the guy that decides if it fixes the issue so it really is on you to scoot it around until it fixes the issue. Lowering the water level just a touch prevents the mess [More common sense Or even possibly moving the filters over ]


Thank you; yes, I am hearing, now, about these Coralifes and the EcoPlus models too -- I think this is the way to go, but how do these connect to "ordinary" tank setups just running an ornament or bubbler or two? In other words, I'm not running a fish room or breeding facility, so I don't need 200 outputs of air -- how would I get power from these pumps through ordinary airline tubing to two 18" bubble bars?

Gang valve

[ClinicaTerraLTD]

Just trying to understand, you connected 2 air pumps with a T to the same air wands? I'm thinking it probably isn't a good idea to connect 2 air pumps this way. I'm thinking the pressure from one pump probably causes back pressure on the other, probably making them work harder and perhaps shortening their lifespan?

No, what I actually did was took two separate pumps -- the Tetra Whisper 60 and a Rena Air 400 -- and had them set up so that EACH of them was feeding a bubble bar a piece...in other words, I connected the two outputs of the Tetra with short tubing to a T-connector, which then fed one line into one bubble bar...then I did the same with the Rena, taking its two outputs and connecting them with short tubing pieces to another T-connector, and then ran THAT to the OTHER bubble bar...

From what I was told, this was supposed to maximize output from these dual output pumps, so that one pump was running one bar and the other was running the second...

You could try to raise the level of the air pumps instead of sitting on the floor raise them up a few feet if you can, that would help a bit.

I wish I could; placement limits options.

Oh with some really large air pumps that are meant to power a fishroom, you may need to bleed off some air. Also some of these air pumps tend to be noisy. I have a single air pump running around 20 sponge filters, was too noisy indoors, so I have it sitting in an outdoor closet and ran the air line inside.

Again, due to placement, this is going to have to go right behind the tank on the floor....:(

[ClinicaTerraLTD]

Cost is an issue for most; if it is, then the dual tetra's can very powerful for the price. There are aquarium piston pumps that can handle high volume for a single tank - just search under that item in google. As for placement, since your HOB's are close to the back glass, then you either move the wands forward or to the sides. My wand can easily be bent into complex shapes so I could do s-turns to shorten it or have it form two right angle turns to avoid the intakes. So, maybe consider a bendable wand rather than a fixed length one.

I already went through several "bendable" bubble wands from the likes of Marineland and others that didn't last either, and I seem to be happy with these Petco bars. They are not bendable or shapable, however, and must be either placed on top of the substrate or buried beneath it...

As for placement, since these bars aren't moveable, I suppose I am going to have to move them forward since the HOB intakes are against the back glass...

Thanks.

Here is one for just under $70.00

http://www.aquacave.com/Whitewater-L...mps-C1044.aspx

This wil lhandle a large set of bubble wands - if too powerful, just use a maniflod and use one valve to bleed off some air.

I'll put the Whitewater on my list of pumps to consider along with the EcoPlus and Coralife models; thank you.