Putting Skimmer Air Intake Outside Permanantly??

JMSKI333 · Dec 27, 2014

Hello Everyone,

I recently moved my sump to my basement to add more water volume, frag tanks etc. I currently don't really have a PH issue (8.00-8.15), but there is a small window near my sump in my basement and I was wondering if it would further stabilize my tank to have the air inlet be permanently piped outside?

It gets as cold as 0 here in the winter and as warm as 95 in the summer. Would that matter for temp control?

I also thought it would be a good idea to add consistency to my aquarium. The air in my basement doesn't get moved around a lot, especially in the winter when all the windows are closed. I guess I am just looking for some feedback. Is this a common thing?

Munch · Dec 27, 2014

I do the same with mine, outside year round, here in Colorado. No Issues

JMSKI333 · Dec 27, 2014

Munch said:
I do the same with mine, outside year round, here in Colorado. No Issues

Anything positive that you noticed? Did you just buy a long hose the same size as the skimmer hose?

Munch · Dec 27, 2014

Keeps my PH in line in the winter, otherwise it's low. No difference in the summer. Yup, just extended the airline, right outside.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 27, 2014

I think it is a fine plan, but you have to pay to heat that air. Likely not a big expense, however.

Just make sure no one sprays pesticides near the inlet.

rhino56 · Dec 27, 2014

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I think it is a fine plan, but you have to pay to heat that air. Likely not a big expense, however.

Just make sure no one sprays pesticides near the inlet.

this< and if you have mosquito trucks it may not be a good idea. people spray all kinds of bug killers, if you have neighbors close plan on them spraying raid yard guard.

reefwiser · Dec 27, 2014

I had a friend have his tank wiped out do to spraying outside his house. Make sure to use a good carbon filter on the air line.

JMSKI333 · Dec 27, 2014

reefwiser said:
I had a friend have his tank wiped out do to spraying outside his house. Make sure to use a good carbon filter on the air line.

A lot of concerns about spraying. Ill have to ask my neighbors if they spray their lawns. I know we don't and I have a pretty big yard. My upwind neighbor is probably 50-60 feet away from where the inlet would be. No one sprays for insects up here.

Cory · Dec 27, 2014

Just curious if the ph "normalization" works on an open top aquarium even in the winter? Or does the Co2 gas in the house neutralize attempts to normalize ph?

UK_Pete · Dec 27, 2014

I recently did it and its seemed to raise my ph from 7.9 to 8.4 but most seem to see a rise of only 0.2. Maybe my probe is wrong or maybe I had a really high CO2 house before (its 0 C outside so doors and windows are tight). Best to use larger pipe for the long run of pipe though, depends on your skimmer air draw, 10mm inside diameter is probably good for 10 meters, but even thats maybe pushing it (IE maybe larger still for that distance). The longer the hose the larger diameter it has to be. I was lucky the outside wall with hole already in it was next to my tank. Skimmers dont produce much vacuum though so your tube had to be really low resistance or it will reduce your air flow. Real result for me with the pH rise though, right where I want it now.

UK_Pete · Dec 27, 2014

Cory, Ive had the lid off the tank for the last 2 days and pH is still high, so my experience so far is with the skimmer fed from outside, open top tank dosent seem to add that much CO2. House has not been full of kids for these last 2 days though so maybe if the indoor CO2 goes really high when the kids return, pH will drop.