# Understanding Air pumps/terminology & specs, recommendations?



## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

Hello everyone, 
Trying to find some good documents on understanding air pumps. For instance, How do you calculate which pump is good for what application? How do you know how many tanks this pump can run?
What are the differences between linear piston air pump/blowers/diaphram airpumps.
CFM/PSI ? 

Also looking for recommendations for good pumps for a small to large fishroom type setup and why you beleive they are good or your reference to the attributes of these pumps.....

If you have something decent and looking to sell in say 4-5 weeks. let me know..

Thanks for all your help.
SS


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

no one has nothing to teach a newbie about airpumps..  thanks in advance but i thought i would try... 
SS


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

First of all, step back to a problem that you are facing and trying to resolve with an air pump. What is it?


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

igor.kanshyn said:


> First of all, step back to a problem that you are facing and trying to resolve with an air pump. What is it?


Not sure i follow Igor.kanshyn,,,,, i'm asking these questions because i have purchased several tanks and i don't want to be buying several pumps and not know which ones to buy. Plus don't want to be wasting money on pumps that are not as powerful as i need and have to go buy more and more.....
Just looking for some good simple links to read, or knowledge people can share....
tks


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Smaller tank = smaller airpump. Big tank with big sponge filter- big airpump.

five big tanks with five big sponge filters, industrial airpump.


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## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

I think what he meant was that you were asking so many questions about every possible thing that... no one has a clue what you're trying to accomplish to begin with.

But it looks ideally like you're trying to get 1 good pump that can handle X amount of tanks rather than 1 pump per tank. 

You probably don't need to go into that much detail. Just like AquariAM said, small tank, small pump... big tank big pump... etc. 

If anything, just go to BA and buy a pump that you think might work. 
Ex. big pump for several small tanks.
If you don't like the output, return and get a bigger one.
Repeat as necessary.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

igor.kanshyn said:


> First of all, step back to a problem that you are facing and trying to resolve with an air pump. What is it?


It's funny 
I'm sorry. I will ask this more directly.

Why do you think that you need an air pump?

Air pump is a piece of aquarium equipment that can be used to bring some benefits into aquarium eco-system. Right?
What benefits are you looking for?


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## arc (Mar 11, 2010)

> looking for recommendations for good pumps for a small to large fish room type setup and why you believe they are good or your reference to the attributes of these pumps.....


That's a really broad range of information your asking.

Just to answer the first ones you can read the link below

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i6/impressions/air_pump_impressions.htm

summary:

diaphragm airpumps --newer, quieter, for 98 percent of the people here

linear piston air pump -- loud as hell but will out put a lot of air, mostly used for fish rooms and will last a long time.

blower -- like a vent fan? I imagine really loud.

PSI/CFM is dependent on which brand you buy, just like the GPH/head loss for water pumps.

Like AquariAM said, if you're doing more than a few large tanks, it maybe better to drive it all on something like this
http://www.jlaquatics.com/info/210/Hi-Blow+Air+Pumps.html

Check the link within the link for the CFM/PSI scale


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

*Clarification if possible*

Wow,,, guess i opened myself up for these type of responses and making myself look like i just started yesterday....

Let me see if i can clarify and i do appreciate all the feedbacks, really, some even produced a bit of a chuckle.. 

1. i'm looking to run various size sponge filters on various tanks.
2. I find a lot of airpumps, that specify that they are good for 30, 50, 60, 75 gallons, What does that really mean. Because it depends on how deep the tank is and the size of the sponge filter correct? What if your running 2 sponge filters in that tank.
3. I was looking for recommendations for decent pumps to say run maybe 1 or 2 sponge filters of different sizes in about 8 - 10 tanks for now and maybe more later. YES, i've GOT MTS already.... O-:
4. Also i was simply looking for some good documentation on air pumps and so forth like another person sent me on cichlid-forum. Just some basic stuff as a good read... 
http://www.jehmco.com/html/central_air_pumps.html

I hope this kind of clarifies what i'm asking... I was just looking for some easy information to understand all there should be about air pumps but i guess i made it more complicated then need be. Glad i made a few laughs, guess i didn't realize how huge this sounded....
I do understand what air pumps are for. I am running 3 now on sponge filters and 1 smaller one on an air stone. 
Thanks for all your comments and thanks for the links ARC.. appreciate that
Cheers!!!!!


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

I have about 30 odd tanks running off of a Coralife Super Luft Pump (SL-65). The output pressure is 3.9 PSI and it does 2.3 cf/min.

I find it a tad noisier than I would like, but it works great and I could easily add another 10 tanks to the system without seeing any noticeable lack of pressure. You heard it though, so you know how loud it is.

I forget what I paid for it, but it didn't break the bank.

Ideally you will want to install gang valves w/control prior to each sponge filter, allowing you to control the pressure.

Hope that helps some Sheldon!


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

I guess it did help to clarify what i was asking..... That's the kind of information i was looking. Thank-you Chris, always love your clear and concise answers... I'll definitely be stopping by hopefully this week. Well it can't be that loud because i did not hear it the last time i was there, but then again i could be tone deaf.. 
Awesome response chris.. thank-you.. i will check out this pump but will take a look at how you have yours done if you don't mind......

appreciate it
sheldon


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

No problem.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

You don't need an industrial air pump to run 5 large foam filters. A number 5 ATI sponge will be able to utilize the same maximum amount of air as a number 1. I have a very small linear piston pump ( Won Brothers 30) that uses 16 watts, running 10 sponges with capacity for more.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

If I am not mistaken, I think he is looking to run 20+ sponge filters, with the ability to add more later.

If not, then yes, Bill is right, you don't need anything huge.


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## killer007 (Feb 10, 2010)

I just want to know if i get the coralife super luft pump to have 5 outputs for now and add control valves to each output...because i don't want too much air to come out on each output...
obviously I am not using maximum output (air flow) of the super luft pump, isn't that i block the air pressure back to the air pump and make the air pump shorter life?
or is it okie to do that?

so i want to get one of these pump too but not sure if i should get it...
I am currently using a Rena 300 which i can adjust the air pressure right at the air pump's body (the adjust knob)
which won't limit the air at the out put because i can adjust the output for the Rena...

thanks



Chris S said:


> I have about 30 odd tanks running off of a Coralife Super Luft Pump (SL-65). The output pressure is 3.9 PSI and it does 2.3 cf/min.
> 
> I find it a tad noisier than I would like, but it works great and I could easily add another 10 tanks to the system without seeing any noticeable lack of pressure. You heard it though, so you know how loud it is.
> 
> ...


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## killer007 (Feb 10, 2010)

you guys using which coral life?
Coralife High Pressure Luft Pump - 7.0 P.S.I.
or
Coralife Super Luft Pump-SL-65?

the Coralife High Pressure Luft Pump - 7.0 P.S.I. have knob on the body to adjust the pressure too right?


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Chris S said:


> I have about 30 odd tanks running off of a Coralife Super Luft Pump (SL-65). The output pressure is 3.9 PSI and it does 2.3 cf/min.


This is what I am using. You can't control the output pressure. You don't need something like this for five tanks. Just buy those cheaper air pumps and split the outputs, or buy one that has four or five different outputs.


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## killer007 (Feb 10, 2010)

ah...thanks...
ya than i just get the other pumps...
maybe too powerful for only 5 outputs for now...


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## snaggle (Feb 19, 2010)

I am going to be building my new fish room soon I am going to using a blower system,

http://www.kensfish.com

if you get something like that you use PVC pipe as your air lines and you use these to branch off to the tanks.


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