Water pump with air intake

[John LOQUE]

Hey growers,
i'm building a new hydro system, and bought a water pump. This one has got, on the side of the water output, a way to connect a hose from an air pump to inject air in the water. I did not buy it because of that, but it seems a good concept.

Do some one already use it ? I'm afraid it injects water in the air pump...

 

[Switcher56]

You need to be a little more specific. Where is the air inlet installed? On the discharge side of the pump, as air on the suction side will cause cavitation = not a good thing ?

 

[Substitute]

i've seen small aquarium pumps include an intake air tube before. It just shoots bubbles with the water.

 

[art.spliff]

Oxyclone has an air line on the water pump outlet.

 

[John LOQUE]

You need to be a little more specific. Where is the air inlet installed? On the discharge side of the pump, as air on the suction side will cause cavitation = not a good thing ?

At the output, where water exits...

 

[Switcher56]

At the output, where water exits...

Good

 

[John LOQUE]

I show you my system. It's not a new concept, but it's adapted to my square tent. So you guess how it works, a net pot in each hole, and a little hose to inject water under the net pot area. I have questions though:
I bought some little static sprinklers to go at the end of the water hose inside the pvc to spray the roots, is it a good idea? Thinking about clogging...
How would you do the insertion of the hose in the PVC? I was thinking a slanted (angle) insert to avoid leaks... But it's hard to drill not perpendiculary...Maybe no leaks at this level... I'm not sure

 

[Substitute]

I can say that I'm so glad I got rid of my tent. Traps too much heat, etc.

Neat concept. I have no experience with this type of system. I hope it works good!
I'd probably put the sprayers just below the net pots.

 

[troutman]

Protein skimmers use by some aquarium owners do just that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_skimmer

You can also get valves that are placed after the air pump that only air to go one way.
This avoids water coming back into the air pump. Keeping the air pump above the water
level also help avoid that from happening in the 1st place.

 

[John LOQUE]

Protein skimmers use by some aquarium owners do just that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_skimmer

You can also get valves that are placed after the air pump that only air to go one way.
This avoids water coming back into the air pump. Keeping the air pump above the water
level also help avoid that from happening in the 1st place.

I think that if the water has no effort to exit the tube, it won't go into the air hose, but if i put sprayers at the end of the lines, there will be maybe more pression than in the air hose...
I just have to test, but i'm having hose diameter compatibility issues...