Air Distribution System

Disclaimer: This is the blogger own interpretation of his air system. Take note that this is not a guide but merely to share the project that he has made. Blogger will not be held responsible for any wet floor and lecture from the wife. Thank you.

 

After much googling, youtubing, research, asking, asking again and annoying the hell out of people (LOL) I finally came up with a plan. Went to my drawing board and was figuring how I should get this done

 

So I came up with this diagram. Drawing is not to scale.
 

Note that I did not include a bleeder valve here. It is essential that one have an outlet as a bleeder valve. I'm thinking of changing the bottom end cap and add a valve to release the excess pressure. But, an unused valve will serve just as well.

If a bleeder valve is install then diagram will be as below.

 

There was another design on my drawing board which is a circular one. Like a frame. PVC running on the left and right but I've been told that it provide little advantage. So heeding that advice, I went with the 1st diagram.

Now, after getting the whole thing, I realise that only 13mm pvc pipe can fit the adaptor that's provided with the HiBlow. So a bit of changes needed. Connection from Hiblow -> Adaptor -> 13mm PVC Pipe -> Reducer (13mm to 16mm) -> 16mm PVC Pipe.
 

Well, here are the list of items I needed.

 

The Materials as follows

 

1) HiBlow 40 Air Pump

This is what you get.

The HiBlow pump

A rubber L-shape adaptor

A short manual

A warranty card

 

2) PVC Pipe 16mm 

 

 3) Elbow
 

 4) Tee Joints
 

 5) End Cap


 6) 13mm PVC Pipe


7) Reducer (13mm/16mm)
 

8) One Way Air Valve
 

 9) Teflon Tape
 

 10) PVC Glue
 

 11) Black Air Tubing
 

 12) PVC Cutter
 

 13) Silicon

 

As adding the joints and the pvc using glue is pretty simple, (you can search it on youtube for the videos. Here are a couple of links:-

1) Gluing PVC YouTube Link 1
2) Gluing PVC YouTube Link 2

I will show two parts of the setup.

1) Inserting the One Way Air Valve to PVC
Measure acordingly and mark it on the PVC pipe where you will be drilling.
I wrap the thread with Teflon Tape so it will be a tight fit.
As I am concern that the valve might easily be disconnected, I use silicon on the outside.
Keep repeating the above.

Mark each point to drill.



Teflon tape placed on the threaded one way valve.

Silicon is use to prevent leakage.

So far so good.

I found a youtube video done by user name tedrjudy
Check his video on air system here.
Fantastic video on the air system. Great advice and all. Credit to him!

2) Installing the Adapter to the Hiblow & PVC
So after receiving the pump, I started working on how to attached it to 16mm PVC pipe. The pump comes with a rubber L -shaped adaptor. It fits a 13mm PVC pipe.

I insert that in. Then glue the other end of the pvc to the reducer. And then the other end glued to the 16mm.

Hope you can see it.

Took the following pictures below a few days ago after setting it up.

Future enhancement, include a ball valve at each level to release excess pressure. The outflow right now for the 7 HMF tanks is too strong. I had to place the tank plastic cover so water won't splash onto the floor.

 

I'm uncertain if I can do a top shelf with PVC. I can place probably 6-9 outlets

 The L Shaped rubber tube. (Adaptor)

 A 13mm PVC tube is inserted into the L Shaped rubber tube
The other end of the 13mm PVC pipe is inserted into a reducer. (13mm to 16mm)
The reducer is then attached to a 16mm PVC pipe.

You could just do 13mm all round but I had loads of 16mm PVC pipe so it was logical to just get the reducer.

 

I didn't install the ball valve yet, so to release the excess pressure, I insert an airline tube and an airstone at the end. This is done to stop the "whistling".

The end cap. A mistake here. To be honest, all PVC joints have been glued. If I were to add the ball valve, I'll just cut that portion off and insert it.

Well, this is my 2nd level. 5 Gex M tanks.

The 3ft light is temporary solution.

Current setup. Have to do it slowly as I'm on a budget.

More tanks will be added in future as follows:

 

Bottom tank on the left is my planted tank.

On the right, seperated some males AMRL and Females AFR.

Have java and riccia I'm trying to grow.

Well, here's the setup. Not enough tanks yet but you get the idea.

 

Special Thanks Goes Out To Aquatic Quotient Members and Friends.
felix_fx2
wongce
Ronwill
Navanod
Stormhawk

And also to those who have given me feedbacks and comments on the system. Apologies, if I didn't mention you here.

My Breeding Rack

I needed a rack quick if I was to get my breeding project up and running. Plus, the tanks I have now is pretty messy; its all over the place.

 

My first thought was to get my principal company to fabricate the rack I envision from scratch. But due to projects that the technical department was already swamped with, I dropped the idea.

 

I finally decided on light duty boltless shelving; the IND Series. Its supposed to be able to take a weight of 400kg per level. Whether that is true, I'm not sure. But it was my best option so far.

 

It came with various sizes but I chose 1200 x 480 x 1800mm

 

I found their website here. Howell United Singapore

 

I brought it home and had mom to help me to hold them up as I knock them into place. It's pretty easy to set up. No manual; just common sense.

 

So here's some pictures. I loaded

How it came in

After setting it up. Looking fab!

Well, this is not complete yet but you get the idea.

I'm thinking of...

1st Level: 5 Gex M Tanks

2nd Level: 5 Gex M Tanks

3rd Level: 5 Gex M Tanks

4th Level: 4 Gex L Tanks

 

The decking board is wood. Temporarily I painted them with this.

But later on, I would be putting this clear plastic sheet.

Otherwise the wood will not last.

 

 Anyway, future projects (addons) to the rack includes the following.
1) HiBlow Air Pump - Using PVC to supply the air for the HMF system
2) Water Top Up

Just an Update

Hey there readers!

I'm sorry as I've been busy with work recently. Some new installation and an insane assignment with and insane deadline to complete by none other the boss. Anyway, just to update on my next posts, I'll be talking about...

1) My new 1800mm tall rack!
2) My multi tanks and the filtration system (Posted about filtration but I'll be editing it further)
3) My recordings, water top ups and water changing when the tanks were being cycled
4) My Albino Metal Red Lace and Albino Full Red

So folks, stay tuned.

Cheers!!

**Coughs...Fine I've been busy with other stuffs too.

Who can resist taking a picture with Puss? LOL

RREA Metal Red Lace

Finally!! It's here. It's been a long wait but finally. These babies come from a Taiwanese breeder. They arrived here in Singapore on Sunday 30th of September at 2027hrs and slowly made their journey home (to me) on the 2nd of October.

They're still young about 2-3 months old. Here's what I got from a our good friend in Taiwan.

3 pairs of RREA Albino Metal Red Lace

2 pairs of RREA Albino Full Red

Finally!! It's here!!

Wrapped with newspaper.

Individual gups in its breather bag.

Alive!!! First light the gups is expose to.

They came in a styrofoam box and each gups were individually packed in Kordon Breathing Bags. Refer to this link for more information Kordon - Breathing Bags What you do is just put the fish in with some water and tie it up. No need to add oxygen like they do at LFS. The bag let's CO2 out and O2 in. How this works and I can only think of Osmosis but exactly how, I have no clue.

I slept late that night as I had to acclimatize them slowly. The breeder didn't use anything special ie salt, so it should be easier to get them use to our tap water (with decholorinator of course). First 48 hours to me is crtical. Any signs of stress and I'll be worried sick. Crossing fingers, so far so good.

All of them have been placed in a containment tank for the time being. Seperated by gender. I'll be placing them into my other tanks once I find them more stable.

I know, badly taken pictures. Was using my iphone. =( My bad. More pictures will be up once my friend comes in today to help me take pictures with his "professional" camera.

Laters folks!

Hamburg Matten Filter

I was planning what sort of filters I will be using for the 14 breeding tanks I'll be having. The thought of a central sump came to mind. But then disease outbreak will be a disaster. At first I was thinking of using one of those cheap internal filters powered by an air pump; I used them before on my 45cm and it works wonders. The media they give, I'll switch to Substrat Pro or perhaps Biohome. It has worked for me in my other two tanks before.

 

Felix of AQ then reminded me of a filter that I happened to read about on Aquatic Quotient sometime in mid of the year. I totally forgotten about it.

 

I went on to research further, how it works and what sort of benefits it'll provide. Felix told me that Green Chapter (GC) uses this sort of system too.

 

The construction is easy peasy. Here's what I used.

 

1) Fine Filter Pad

In Singapore, they don't sell those really fine pads. I had to settle with Ocean Free. Do take note if you are going to get the pad, try to find those fine ones and not those porous type. It should be 5cm minimum in thickness. If you can get you hand on Poret. Import it. If you buy a lot, like for breeding tanks, then you can tell them to cut for you in size.

 

Poret Pads - Check them out!

 

 Pictures from Swiss Tropicals that sells Poret Pad.

 

2)  PVC Pipe & Elbow

I gotten the grey 16mm pvc pipe. Meant for plumbing. I was thinking of the black pvc pipe meant for electrical. But I was concern as I wasn't sure if they have added anything to it. I'm no chemist but sometimes I find the internal part of the black pvc having a powdery substance. It could just be coincidental but since the pvc will be hidden from view, colour was not important.

 

BuyandFix (For Singapore) - You get your DIY stuffs from here! 

 

Buy or borrow from a friend a pipe cutter like this.

3) Air Tubing

I already have like what 10 meters of this tubing that I keep. I prefer using the black ones.

 

4) Air Pump

Now, base on advice on the web, you can either use an internal water pump (small one) or an air pump. The guideline, it must be x2 of your tank. Meaning, if it's 20 liters, then you need a pump that's x2. (40L/Hr) I'm not too certain for air pump. Water pump sure. Air pump, get something big. I was recommended the HiBlow. But man! The price of this pump can get you a chiller!! But it's definitely a good pump. One pump and it can supply to a number of your tanks without losing any "strength" So on a low budget, I settled on the existing air pump that I have. Output unsure. It's a Dymax AP700. Dual outlet.

 

The mother of all air pumps! LOL

 

Right, so first, cut the pad to width and height of your tank. Cut a square on the top. This is where your PVC Elbow will sit. Keep the pad you cut off. This portion, you may cut it a little and put it back after placing the elbow. It'll look "neater"

 

 

Cut the pvc pipe to size. Not too short; not too long. The height from bottom of tank to the bottom of pvc pipe; just make it 2cm.

 

 

Now, this depends on you. I have yet to research whether using an air stone or just the tubing is better. The obvious difference, smaller bubbles comes out using an air stone while just using the air tubing alone; the bubbles is bigger. In terms of "power" I don't see any difference.

 

Drill a hole, slightly smaller in diameter of your airtube. Without air stone, just drill roughly 2cm of the pipe. Insert the tube. Do not pull it out of the pvc pipe. It must remain inside the tube.

 

If you are using an air stone, it must be small to be inside the pipe. Drill a hole somewhere in the middle of the pvc. Insert tube till it comes out at the end of the pvc pipe. Pull it out. Insert the air stone and pull the tube so that the air stone goes into the pipe. Do not pull it all the way. The air stone should be all in but just sitting about 1cm from the opening.

 

Attached the end of tube to the pump. Place the elbow. Rest the elbow on the pad where you cut the "square". Place the square cut pad on the elbow to cover it. Adjust and make it flush.

 

I placed the water level at half the pipe or just 3/4 of the pipe.

 

Done.

 

Now, make sure the length of the airline tubing from pipe to pump is not too long. Try to make it as short as possible if you are using a cheap pump like me.

 

Like any other tanks, cycle it. By the 3rd-4th week, test the water parameters. Once it's at the desired level, add fauna.

FYI, there are other "design" to this, some use it as a corner filter. Some even use it as a bottom filter.

I did not go into why this filter is good or how it work; no one explains it better then this website. The author is unknown; some German guy but Jan Rigter has kindly translated it into English. Please check it out and research further on how other hobbyist did theirs.

Matten Filter Explained

Good luck!