!*!*!*!*! AIR & SKIMMER & AIR !*!*!*!*!

[Diesel]

Oh Boy.... we have plenty of skimmer threads I must say and even I get lost in that.
We all know that Skimmers need air, just like us only different and yet the same air.
But what kind of air does you skimmer get?
Are you lost yet............ I'm
No really doe you let your skimmer suck in the air from under your stand or your fish room or HOB?
Ever noticed or do you know what your Co2 level is in your house or room/area where the tank sits at?
Most homes have a Co2 level close to 900 ppm............ no that ain't deadly yet
Some homes get as high as 1200 ppm.
Now that we go into the winter and seal our windows and doors we get less fresh air in your house, as results that your PH can drop from your tank water.
Yes did you know that.......... most common thing is a PH drop in the winter due to the fact your skimmer sucks all that air........ well a lot of air from your room into your water and mix that Co2 with that water not so good, right?
Your outside air might sit at 300ppm or in colder places even lower.
So why not getting the air from outside to feed your skimmer, many reasons, tank sits in the money safe, concrete walls and can't drill a hole, not close to a outside wall, I'm in Jail and the guard won't let me drill a hole, my wife will kill me if I drill a whole in the house............... I can go on and on.
But really a 0.25" hole will or can make that much difference on your tank.
A stable tank with as less swing in PH and you've won half the battle of a successful tank.
Uhmmmmm if you want to know the other half, well that has to wait for now

Yes so the question is "WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR AIR FROM INTO YOUR SKIMMER?"

 

[cryotek74]

interesting info. where did you get those CO2 numbers from?

 

[Diesel]

Co2 meter.

http://www.scienceagogo.com/store/A...gger-CO2-Gas-Detector-Meter_191952111503.html

 

[spartanman22]

I'm in the boat of "I live in an apartment and for some reason the managing company won't let me drill through the walls to the exterior".

I prefer the cold so I usually have a window cracked in the winter anyways.

 

[twilliard]

I have a hole drilled in the wall just for winter time
You are on the right track Ben!

 

[twilliard]

Well I just checked the PH in my system for the first time in a month. Yup sure enough it was low! It is now drawing outside air for the winter.

 

[skim]

Yes I agree, having air from outside would be great, but what do you do if you have to run a line 25-30 feet, I am sure the drop in the air intake would not make it worthwhile.

 

[jsker]

Here you go link

 

[Paul B]

I have the intake hose in my sock drawer.

 

[mcarroll]

Is that better for the tank or the socks?

 

[Broadfield]

I use to pull mine from the outside and even ran it through a BRS CO2 absorbing reactor. It never changed my pH one bit. However, if the windows are open in my house, it raises my pH by about .1 - .2

 

[Waterjockey]

How well this works, I think depends how high the co2 levels are indoors, and how good your air exchange is with that indoor air. With so-so surface agitation you might notice bigger gains than with really good surface agitation and high room co2.
My experience anyways

 

[Bunnee911]

Is that better for the tank or the socks?

Yes.

 

[Paul B]

It's how they make filter socks

 

[Want2BS8ed]

Yes I agree, having air from outside would be great, but what do you do if you have to run a line 25-30 feet, I am sure the drop in the air intake would not make it worthwhile.

Try running a 1/2" poly line instead of 1/4". I fed an Avast Pegleg for several years with a 30' line (the silencer's intake on the Pegleg took a 1/2" John Guest fitting perfectly).

Worked great... except for the one time I got this really weird looking metallic purple bug that clogged the line - at the skimmer! Kinda felt bad that he'd gone the full distance.

M

 

[Diesel]

Yes I agree, having air from outside would be great, but what do you do if you have to run a line 25-30 feet, I am sure the drop in the air intake would not make it worthwhile.

I talked to Russ from buckeye supplies and he told me if the run isn't over 100' you should be fine but to be sure run a 3/8 line vs a 1/4
Air has no friction on a 30' or 40' stretch.
And the air going in is still the same as when it is only 10'.

 

[smokin'reefer]

Would there be any potential gain by just running a short line through the floorboard under the house.? In my case I have about A2 to 5 foot crawl space. Or would I be better to go ahead and run a line out to one of the foundation vents?

 

[Diesel]

Would there be any potential gain by just running a short line through the floorboard under the house.? In my case I have about A2 to 5 foot crawl space. Or would I be better to go ahead and run a line out to one of the foundation vents?

IMO either way works as long you draw outside air into your skimmer.

Ppl ask me sometimes in how much effect it has in the ruining system?
Well I can't tell you to be honest, all I know Ina lot, and I mean a lot of systems it stabilized the ph swings in a less margin.

Does have clean outside air or not a effect?
NIO, that said I live in a area that my county during the summer and we have 9 months of summer a lot for mosquitos and with that stuff in the air I didn't se any effect on my tank.

You can fabricate your self a small carbon filter from a water bottle and have holes drilled in the bottom of it, insert some filter fabric on that leave a inch or three AC, again some filter fabric on that and drill a hole in the top that is smaller than your airline tubing.
Insert tubing on top and bingo your own clean air carbon filter.

 

[smokin'reefer]

Sounds like an easy upgrade to head off potential priblems down the road. I burn heating oil so U can only imagine where my CO2 levels are.

 

[joeyrm7]

I created a CO2 scrubber with a BRS reactor with Soda Lime. My PH went from an avg of appx 7.8 to 8.2/8.3 in a 70 gallon tank. I change the soda lime every 10 days or so in winter and even longer in the summer and don't worry about the ph anymore