Hi, hopefully you can help me out. I want to use a HIBlow 60 pump. I'll use 75' of weighted line in the water. I also would need 75' of something a little cheaper to run from the pump to the water. Any suggestions? Also, I'm confused about hose diameter. What size ID would be right for my setup? I can locate the difusser anywhere from 3-6' of water. Thanks in advance.
HI Steve, Ideally you would want to be 5/8" ID on both weighted and bury tubing. If you have smaller weighted tubing I would still use 5/8 to 3/4 bury tubing. The bury tubing would be the black thin wall tuning you could get from the big box stores. Usually sold as water supply tubing. The diffuser at 6' deep would be good, no deeper. That means the tubing running out to the diffuser should be 6' or less. As a reminder. These linear compressors do not build pressure, High volume / Low pressure is their game. I've been thinking how to explain the difference from linear compressor to the piston type. Linear compressor: open your mouth real big and try to blow out a candle. Piston type: Blow thru a straw to blow the candle out. Hope this helps. Darrell
3:20 - Whoa! I thought you were falling in! Ha, ha! I'm glad you didn't. What is your opinion of using a ROTARY VANE compressor rather than a rocking piston compressor? The up-front cost is more, but I'm willing to absorb that if it is money well spent. THANKS!! 👍👍👍
Rotary Vane compressors do put out more air than the piston type. They are more for shallow ponds up to 12' deep. Generally are rebuild able with new vanes, Unless something major makes them crash you should be good to go. It looks like they start out with a 1/2 hp. www.whatpond.com/product/rotary-vane-aeration-system-quarter-horse/
I don't believe there is a quite mechanical compressor. The closest would be the linear diaphragm but the depth of your pond would harm the compressor. Or the linear compressor would need rebuilt every 6 months. The piston compressor is the way to go and Airmax is the quietest that I know of. A lot use the same compressor and the noise is tame with the cabinet. www.whatpond.com/product/ps10/
Doesn't anyone make a quiet compressor? I have a 10' deep 1/4 acre pond but I don't want to be sitting around my nice quiet pond, only to hear the constant noise of a compressor. We can hear our neighbors buzzing away already.
This quick article is more like a review of the different compressors I’ve used and or rebuilt over the years. I’ll cover the Linear diaphragm, piston and rotary vane compressors. I get questions like, “how long will they last” How much cost to run them and how noisy are they. The big go to is usually the linear diaphragm since they are quite and less cost to run. Some are noisier than others, at least between the different brands out there. Some are rather cheap for the initial costs and some cost double that the cheaper ones. I’ve seen them last 9 years and other a month. Ok let me try to explain the confusion and vagueness from the last paragraph. Linear diaphragms compressors are built to push a lot of air (CFM) but not much psi and best used on small shallow ponds 1/4 acre and less. Meaning the deeper you go with the diffuser and or tubing, the weight of the water adds back pressure to the compressor pushing the air. Another item adds to the back pressure which is the tubing that runs out the diffuser(s). using 3/8 tubing adds more back pressure to the compressor while the ½” 0r 5/8” allows more air to flow freely to the diffusers. I’ve found that the linear diaphragms are only good to about 6’ of water depth on the diffusers. I did try one out on a 9’ deep pond and it lasted about a month. Have had customers who used a 3/8” tubing to the 5/8 tubing and the 3/8 added too much back pressure and the compressor failed. I also have one that lasted, I think 9 years before it needed rebuilt as the diaphragms tear over time. The function of the compressor is a diaphragm on each end of the unit which moves back and forth between a generated field of magnetism as the pressure builds the stoke, or how far the diaphragms move back and forth are shortened pushing less air. Piston compressors are about the same where some have lasted10 years and some needed rebuilt within a year. By the way all the manufacturers recommend rebuilding all types of compressors 12 to 18 months. Heat is the first thing that comes into play with the piston compressors followed by pressure and maintenance of changing the air filter. Similar to a car engine there is a crank shaft that runs the piston up and down and small reed valves to pull air in and out to the diffusers. The seal or ring in the compressor is like a fiber cup which handles the heat from compressing air but over time will break down under heat and higher compression and of course normal wear. The only other issue I have run into is the capacitor had failed, but they are easily replaced and your back up and running. Over all I like these type compressors the most, yes they make more noise than the linear as there is now question about the depth of water as most of them are rated to 30’ deep. Can be started and stopped with no worry about the depth like the linear. When installing a system we usually have the compressor running and lower the diffuser in to be sure we can see where we are in the pond. On the Linear compressors it seems to work out well but you should turn off the compressor. It seems that once the system is off the linear has a hard time pushing air down the tubing and overcoming the water pressure. The piston compressor pushes thru easily. Rotary vane compressors provide more air (CFM) than either of the above options. I’ve not had a lot of experience with the other than one rebuild and one that the vanes had broke and jammed up. They are more expensive the other two and recommended to only depth of 12’ as they do not build a lot of pressure. /Best used in large shallow ponds. As I said this is just a quick article to help explain the different compressors. Possible to add more to this down the road. at WhatPond.com under the same title
WhatPond thanks for your reply. i have 60lph linear piston air pump, and from what i see in the performance curve, in just 1 meter depth / ±0.011 MPa the air output only at 20lph. so i think i will go with the diaphragm air pump for my new (larger) pond. fyi, the price of diaphragm air pump is expensive for low capacity air pump, but at high capacity air pump they cost the same (not exactly the same but, the diaphragm airpump has the advantage of higher pressure, so it has more air flow)
WhatPond and one more thing that im afraid of linear pump, it get extremely hot, you can barely touch it. i know that it has heatsink design, but it doesnt work if u got no fan, so i put fan for my airpump, and im sure the temperature drops alot, it only felt warm when you touch it. but actually i wanna ask u, is it actually safe to let the linear piston air pump to get very hot? bcs right now im blowing off fan 24/7 to my pump
Generally not a good idea since those compressors use oil and you would get an oil film on the water. They are not designed to run 24/7 and may fail, that is why they have the reserve tank. If you have painted a car you may have noticed the compressor running a lot. Same would happen running a diffuser in the pond as it is always using air.
Hi, hopefully you can help me out. I want to use a HIBlow 60 pump. I'll use 75' of weighted line in the water. I also would need 75' of something a little cheaper to run from the pump to the water. Any suggestions?
Also, I'm confused about hose diameter. What size ID would be right for my setup? I can locate the difusser anywhere from 3-6' of water.
Thanks in advance.
HI Steve, Ideally you would want to be 5/8" ID on both weighted and bury tubing. If you have smaller weighted tubing I would still use 5/8 to 3/4 bury tubing. The bury tubing would be the black thin wall tuning you could get from the big box stores. Usually sold as water supply tubing.
The diffuser at 6' deep would be good, no deeper. That means the tubing running out to the diffuser should be 6' or less.
As a reminder. These linear compressors do not build pressure, High volume / Low pressure is their game.
I've been thinking how to explain the difference from linear compressor to the piston type.
Linear compressor: open your mouth real big and try to blow out a candle.
Piston type: Blow thru a straw to blow the candle out.
Hope this helps.
Darrell
what is the turtle guard? I have snappers in my pond too.
3:20 - Whoa! I thought you were falling in! Ha, ha! I'm glad you didn't.
What is your opinion of using a ROTARY VANE compressor rather than a rocking piston compressor? The up-front cost is more, but I'm willing to absorb that if it is money well spent. THANKS!! 👍👍👍
Rotary Vane compressors do put out more air than the piston type. They are more for shallow ponds up to 12' deep. Generally are rebuild able with new vanes, Unless something major makes them crash you should be good to go. It looks like they start out with a 1/2 hp. www.whatpond.com/product/rotary-vane-aeration-system-quarter-horse/
how many hours in a day?
24/7
Do you have dye in your ponds?
Yes he definitely does.
I don't believe there is a quite mechanical compressor. The closest would be the linear diaphragm but the depth of your pond would harm the compressor. Or the linear compressor would need rebuilt every 6 months.
The piston compressor is the way to go and Airmax is the quietest that I know of. A lot use the same compressor and the noise is tame with the cabinet. www.whatpond.com/product/ps10/
Thank You for sharing.
Great project,
very expensive
If I'm only using one diffuser in my pond, would a linear pump do fine, such as a hiblow 80, about 8 ft deep
Doesn't anyone make a quiet compressor? I have a 10' deep 1/4 acre pond but I don't want to be sitting around my nice quiet pond, only to hear the constant noise of a compressor. We can hear our neighbors buzzing away already.
What is the cost of it
which one is more durable, linear piston air pump or diaphragm air pump? thankyou
This quick article is more like a review of the different compressors I’ve used and or rebuilt over the years. I’ll cover the Linear diaphragm, piston and rotary vane compressors.
I get questions like, “how long will they last” How much cost to run them and how noisy are they.
The big go to is usually the linear diaphragm since they are quite and less cost to run. Some are noisier than others, at least between the different brands out there. Some are rather cheap for the initial costs and some cost double that the cheaper ones. I’ve seen them last 9 years and other a month.
Ok let me try to explain the confusion and vagueness from the last paragraph. Linear diaphragms compressors are built to push a lot of air (CFM) but not much psi and best used on small shallow ponds 1/4 acre and less. Meaning the deeper you go with the diffuser and or tubing, the weight of the water adds back pressure to the compressor pushing the air. Another item adds to the back pressure which is the tubing that runs out the diffuser(s). using 3/8 tubing adds more back pressure to the compressor while the ½” 0r 5/8” allows more air to flow freely to the diffusers.
I’ve found that the linear diaphragms are only good to about 6’ of water depth on the diffusers. I did try one out on a 9’ deep pond and it lasted about a month. Have had customers who used a 3/8” tubing to the 5/8 tubing and the 3/8 added too much back pressure and the compressor failed. I also have one that lasted, I think 9 years before it needed rebuilt as the diaphragms tear over time.
The function of the compressor is a diaphragm on each end of the unit which moves back and forth between a generated field of magnetism as the pressure builds the stoke, or how far the diaphragms move back and forth are shortened pushing less air.
Piston compressors are about the same where some have lasted10 years and some needed rebuilt within a year. By the way all the manufacturers recommend rebuilding all types of compressors 12 to 18 months.
Heat is the first thing that comes into play with the piston compressors followed by pressure and maintenance of changing the air filter. Similar to a car engine there is a crank shaft that runs the piston up and down and small reed valves to pull air in and out to the diffusers. The seal or ring in the compressor is like a fiber cup which handles the heat from compressing air but over time will break down under heat and higher compression and of course normal wear. The only other issue I have run into is the capacitor had failed, but they are easily replaced and your back up and running.
Over all I like these type compressors the most, yes they make more noise than the linear as there is now question about the depth of water as most of them are rated to 30’ deep. Can be started and stopped with no worry about the depth like the linear.
When installing a system we usually have the compressor running and lower the diffuser in to be sure we can see where we are in the pond. On the Linear compressors it seems to work out well but you should turn off the compressor. It seems that once the system is off the linear has a hard time pushing air down the tubing and overcoming the water pressure. The piston compressor pushes thru easily.
Rotary vane compressors provide more air (CFM) than either of the above options. I’ve not had a lot of experience with the other than one rebuild and one that the vanes had broke and jammed up. They are more expensive the other two and recommended to only depth of 12’ as they do not build a lot of pressure. /Best used in large shallow ponds.
As I said this is just a quick article to help explain the different compressors. Possible to add more to this down the road. at WhatPond.com under the same title
WhatPond thanks for your reply. i have 60lph linear piston air pump, and from what i see in the performance curve, in just 1 meter depth / ±0.011 MPa the air output only at 20lph.
so i think i will go with the diaphragm air pump for my new (larger) pond.
fyi, the price of diaphragm air pump is expensive for low capacity air pump, but at high capacity air pump they cost the same (not exactly the same but, the diaphragm airpump has the advantage of higher pressure, so it has more air flow)
WhatPond and one more thing that im afraid of linear pump, it get extremely hot, you can barely touch it. i know that it has heatsink design, but it doesnt work if u got no fan, so i put fan for my airpump, and im sure the temperature drops alot, it only felt warm when you touch it.
but actually i wanna ask u, is it actually safe to let the linear piston air pump to get very hot? bcs right now im blowing off fan 24/7 to my pump
might a small galvanized wire CAGE protect the diffuser?
Waterfalls do more at less cost.
Can an air compressor, the type you use to fill you tyre, or painting ,be used.we have a very large pond.
Generally not a good idea since those compressors use oil and you would get an oil film on the water. They are not designed to run 24/7 and may fail, that is why they have the reserve tank. If you have painted a car you may have noticed the compressor running a lot. Same would happen running a diffuser in the pond as it is always using air.