Pump, Line, Airstone Sizing

[Jeremiah Robinson]

Hi there,

I have this pump Hailea ACO-208 with a 5/16" tube to a 6-outlet manifold (came with the pump), with six 3/16" aeration lines (average length 8') leading to six Sweetwater 3" CD-21395 Silica Airstones.  

I can only lower the stones about 10" into the water before the air stops.  The tanks are 32" deep.  Any ideas what is the easiest way to get more air?

I'm hoping you'll say larger tubing :)

[David - WI]

I would unhook the airstones and put the airline in the water... and see how far down you can go before the bubbles stop.

According to the specs, your pump should be able to pump air down to the bottom of your tank and still have enough pressure to power your airstones.  If it can't blow bubbles at the bottom of the tank without the airstones, I would say the pump is defective or at least not meeting it's own specs.

If the pump makes vigorous bubbles with the bare line at the bottom of your tank, then I would say your airstones are plugged or contaminated... they are supposed to only cost less then 0.25 psi drop themselves.

[Jeremiah Robinson]

The line isn't blowing any bubbles at depth even when I take off the air stone.  Guessing it's defective.  Thanks a lot.  This was really helpful.

[David - WI]

I wonder if there's any "break-in" time for those pumps?

The description says "new type wearable material for the cylinder and piston" so maybe just letting it run for an hour would cause it to "loosen up" and make more pressure?

Kind of a long shot, but maybe it's just a little bit tight and needs to wear in.  

[Jim Fisk]

Hey Jeremiah, what was the outcome? This could be a learning moment for many. That type should easily blow at even a 330 gal ibc. depth.(@45") They are known to be very noisy so we would love to hear your views on that as well.

[Jeremiah Robinson]

Hi Jim,

My pump has turned out to be a dud.  I took it apart and put it back together and didn't find anything wrong.  

I've tried to contact the seller on AliExpress, and haven't gotten a response.  I guess the lesson for me it to buy American, or at least from a company with an office here for customer service.  Saving the $10 turned out not to be worth it. 

I think I'm going to buy an EcoPlus or Coralife pump instead, but I'll contact the manufacturer first to make sure they think it can handle my load.

[Jim Fisk]

Does it hum at all and if not have you done a an ohms test to ck for continuity? I have found I have to rebuild brand new equipment all the time these days to get them to work right. Started doing that way back in the 70's. About the time Chinese crap started taking over. Paid 3000.00 for a carving machine back then (probably 10k today) and I had to redesign the spindles after the bearings failed during the first week of operation.

I use a motor driven diaphragm pump made in the late 60's that runs perfectly day in and day out. I got 2 of them out of the metal pile at the dump a few yrs. back. They were used for (and were still installed in) exhaust gas analyzers and I see them on ebay all the time. It is about the size of a small airbrush compressor and built like a brick shit house unlike the hobby air pumps of today.

Jeremiah Robinson said:

Hi Jim,

My pump has turned out to be a dud.  I took it apart and put it back together and didn't find anything wrong.  

I've tried to contact the seller on AliExpress, and haven't gotten a response.  I guess the lesson for me it to buy American, or at least from a company with an office here for customer service.  Saving the $10 turned out not to be worth it. 

I think I'm going to buy an EcoPlus or Coralife pump instead, but I'll contact the manufacturer first to make sure they think it can handle my load.