Lets compare and review air pumps

[Fresh Starts]

Hands down the best air pump I have ever owned (and nothing comes close) is a whitewater air pump. The only place I have been able to find these are @ aquaticecosystems.com. My pump has been on for 3 years everyday and continues to give great air diffusion in my 50 gallon rez's. Oh Yeah, it's also quite as a mouse! I must also say that if you want the absolute best air stone/diffuser then look into the sweet water air diffusers on the website. They are made from one solid block of glass bonded silica. Everything else is a joke compared to it- no kidding.

What kind of pumps are other people using? I am in the market to pick up either another one of these or some thing comparable. I have been looking into Alita air pumps but they are 90-100$. This pump is only 70-80$ (not including shipping)

My main use for a new one of these is to brew compost tea's in 16 gallon batches.

 

[Seamaiden]

I got a cheap Eco Plus that's so loud the neighbors have asked what we have running when I've got my teas going. Gonna go scope that pump.

 

[Fresh Starts]

I have and eco plus pump next to my whitewater and it bubbles my compost tea's with obnoxiously loud shame.

 

[sealed138]

I love all of my Alita air pumps. Reliable, quiet, and move a ton of air. I've never had any problems with them and I own 3. I use al-80's on my 55 gallon cone bottom tanks, but it is a little overkill.

 

[Seamaiden]

I have and eco plus pump next to my whitewater and it bubbles my compost tea's with obnoxiously loud shame.

That's about the best way to describe it I can think of. One time last year I had it running and walked the quarter mile down to the cluster mailboxes. I could hear the fucking Eco Plus. <facepalm!>

I love all of my Alita air pumps. Reliable, quiet, and move a ton of air. I've never had any problems with them and I own 3. I use al-80's on my 55 gallon cone bottom tanks, but it is a little overkill.

Where'd you get them? Good price & shipping?

 

[sealed138]

I robbed mine from my old undercurrent system. So I wouldn't really know. I think I saw the AL-80's for around 250 online.

 

[Ttystikk2]

I got a cheap Eco Plus that's so loud the neighbors have asked what we have running when I've got my teas going. Gonna go scope that pump.

It's old and needs a rebuild kit. The Eco Air 7 is the only good one in the whole line. It's big, expensive- and bulletproof. The only time it's been off in three years was when I kicked the plug out. Quiet, too.

 

[Seamaiden]

It's new, I just bought it last year!

 

[Ttystikk2]

The BEST airpump is NO airpump. Waterfalls all the way, using the same waterpump and the same water as I'm just circulating the same water- from above the waterline.

I've been testing this for months now, and it's the equal of any airstone and pump system out there. Big-time mini contractor style air compressors running huge diffuser disks may churn the water better, but cold water is the real key to oxygenation.

Pics;

 

[Jalisco Kid]

Hands down the best air pump I have ever owned (and nothing comes close) is a whitewater air pump. The only place I have been able to find these are @ aquaticecosystems.com. My pump has been on for 3 years everyday and continues to give great air diffusion in my 50 gallon rez's. Oh Yeah, it's also quite as a mouse! I must also say that if you want the absolute best air stone/diffuser then look into the sweet water air diffusers on the website. They are made from one solid block of glass bonded silica. Everything else is a joke compared to it- no kidding.

What kind of pumps are other people using? I am in the market to pick up either another one of these or some thing comparable. I have been looking into Alita air pumps but they are 90-100$. This pump is only 70-80$ (not including shipping)

My main use for a new one of these is to brew compost tea's in 16 gallon batches.

That pump is only 17 lpm so it should be quite. I never had need for something that small I normally would just bleed off another airline for that. The pumps I had ordered for my tanks the smallest was an
80 lpm that ran 7.6 psi at 39 db
120 lpm 6,6 43
250 lpm 7.1 54
That should give a rough idea to expect from a small pump.
I have used the Sweetwater regens many times. Not so quiet. JK

 

[frebo]

If I am using a 30 gallon container, how big a air pump do I need?

 

[Fresh Starts]

That pump is only 17 lpm so it should be quite. I never had need for something that small I normally would just bleed off another airline for that. The pumps I had ordered for my tanks the smallest was an
80 lpm that ran 7.6 psi at 39 db
120 lpm 6,6 43
250 lpm 7.1 54
That should give a rough idea to expect from a small pump.
I have used the Sweetwater regens many times. Not so quiet. JK

Just a few questions.
So which pumps are you using again? What does Lpm mean? Where did you find the ratings for the whitewater pump- I went back to the website I mentioned above and I could only find a PSI rating.

I don't know what Lpm refers to, but the whitewater pump in the picture is model "v201" with a 4 Psi rating.
I currently use the "V301" model rated @ 6 Psi for 50 gallon rez's and 16 gallon batches of compost tea. In the my 16 gallon brewer it really gets the water jiving and helps to move my tea bag around enough to fully extract the beneficials.

 

[sixstring]

If I am using a 30 gallon container, how big a air pump do I need?

I run this one with 2 cheap airstones in my 35 gal res and it does an awesome job,plenty of water movement to mix nutes as well.i use this same pump in any of my dwc setups,5,6 and 12 gal buckets/coolers. they are real quiet to

 

[Seamaiden]

I'm pretty sure JK is discussing liters per minute, Fresh Starts.

 

[Chronic Monster]

i have a pondmaster40 and alita40, i like the pondmaster better as its a bit quieter, but the alita seems to have more pressure.
i could be wrong on the pressure, but the ap is way more quiet

 

[surfguitar]

Kinda regretting getting the eco plus, thing is so loud. It can be sound proofed a bit but still pretty crazy.

 

[Jalisco Kid]

Yours is rated at o.6 cfm at 4 psi I believe. I have different manufactures specs on my computer.Might have come from pentair.com. Look for the performance curve. JK

Just a few questions.
So which pumps are you using again? What does Lpm mean? Where did you find the ratings for the whitewater pump- I went back to the website I mentioned above and I could only find a PSI rating.

I don't know what Lpm refers to, but the whitewater pump in the picture is model "v201" with a 4 Psi rating.
I currently use the "V301" model rated @ 6 Psi for 50 gallon rez's and 16 gallon batches of compost tea. In the my 16 gallon brewer it really gets the water jiving and helps to move my tea bag around enough to fully extract the beneficials.[/quote

 

[Seamaiden]

Kinda regretting getting the eco plus, thing is so loud. It can be sound proofed a bit but still pretty crazy.

Not much though, because it heats up so fast. As long as it's not running near a bedroom it's fine. :o

 

[Fresh Starts]

Not much though, because it heats up so fast. As long as it's not running near a bedroom it's fine. :eek:

I once had a room next to my garage where I bubbled my compost tea with an Eco Plus pump. It drove me into madness trying to sleep :drowning:

Eco Plus pumps I rate 2 stars out of 10 for quietness.
5 out of 10 stars on aeration.

 

[seaslug]

I was planning a DWC system so I've got 40 lpm and 15 lpm Alita (same as Secoh, IIRC). Got them off ebay. Sewage treatment suppliers are a good source. I forget how many Alita airstones I tested them with but they were a good power to sound ratio.

Reading TTY's post reminds me why I gave up the DWC plans: I was going to need chiller units during the summer.