# anyone know how to make an air pump pump water?



## wejlick1

just wondering i would like to know if an air pump can be used to pump water to make like a waterfall.


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## usmc121581

I really dont think so. As the pump will bust or break and electrocute water that water is touching.


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## herefishy

No. Most air pumps are operated with a diaphram moving back and forth to move air past a one way valve. Water pump, most generally are operated using an impeller to move the water.


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## wejlick1

*oh*

oh ok thanks for the info..... ima do some more research because i know there is a way in plumbing to use an air pump to use air to push water through a jointed tube.... i dont know ill look it up.


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## fish_4_all

It can be done but I don't know if you will be able to do it with the standard air pump we use for the hobby. An aircompressor or an indistrial pnuematic air pump should have enough pressure to push water up to a water fall. It is actually rather inexpensive to get a small water fountain pump to do the job without air. My dad carries them for his ceramic shop and I think they are like $30. Smal fountain pumps only run $35-60 and would push more than enough water.

Is there any specific reason you are wanting to use air for the pump?


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## jones57742

It could be done by employing Bernouli's principle but the process would be very, very inefficient.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli's_principle

TR


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## Daz

jones57742 said:


> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli's_principle
> 
> TR


Yup, understood every bit of that. :roll:


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## Mrmofo

just get a water pump, less likly to fail unless u want to try n understand that law again :S http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernoulli's_principle


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## Andre

your air pump even if you use there principle will fail over time. just get a good quality water pump. it will be so much more reliable.


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## margojnab

Check out Saeid on Utube.
He's posted a video showing how to move water with an air pump.
I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to!:-D



fish_4_all said:


> It can be done but I don't know if you will be able to do it with the standard air pump we use for the hobby. An aircompressor or an indistrial pnuematic air pump should have enough pressure to push water up to a water fall. It is actually rather inexpensive to get a small water fountain pump to do the job without air. My dad carries them for his ceramic shop and I think they are like $30. Smal fountain pumps only run $35-60 and would push more than enough water.
> 
> Is there any specific reason you are wanting to use air for the pump?


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## AbbeysDad

You need a submersible water pump. I bought one from amazon awhile ago...

http://www.amazon.com/EcoPlus-Submersible-Pump-66-gph/dp/B0018WVNX2/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1366207338&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=EcoPlus+66+Submersible+Pump%2C+66+GPH

66GPH for $12.75.


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## MoneyMitch

interested to see the need to use a air pump and not a water pump..


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## fish monger

Before power filters came on the market, all filters were air driven and moved water...albeit, not very well. A sponge filter would be a good example of how air moves water for an aquarium. As has been mentioned, a table top fountain pump would be inexpensive and provide a waterfall effect.


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## MoneyMitch

cant imagine a waterpump would give the same effect if not better for around the same price. its not the 70's anymore lol small waterpumps can be cheaper then some air pumps depending where you get them.


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## fish monger

Sadly, I was talking about the 60s. Water pumps definitely are the way to go. I was referring to those very small ones that are used to run table top fountains.


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## MoneyMitch

fish monger said:


> Sadly, I was talking about the 60s. *Water pumps definitely are the way to go*. I was referring to those very small ones that are used to run table top fountains.


^^


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## flight50

I have been researching this and there are quite a bit of youtube videos with water falls ( sand falls). Uaru Joey did a nice tutorial on youtube show the construction (as all his diy's are informative) I will try to incorporate a design for them in my next builds coming up.

Funny thing about this thread is when it was posted no one had a clue and now today, its very possible.


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## Jorunder

Lol
People are saying it can't be done
IM gonna prove you guys wrong with science
Things you will need:
An air pump
A few feet of pvc
A check valve
1 90 degree pvc fitting
1 45 degree pvc fitting
Some airline tubing
2 or more suction cups to hold the airline tubing

step one
Assemble the pipe
It should be shaped like this

...
.
.
.
.
\
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The slash is the 45 degree pvc fitting
The three periods are the 90 degree pvc fitting 
The wavy dashed lines are the water
And the single periods are the pipe itself.

Step two
Attach one of the suction cups to the airline tubing
stick it on the inner wall of the 45 degree fitting, making sure the end of the tubing goes past the bend, but not more than an inch past it.

Step three
Cut the airline tubing, and attach the check valve to it. This is a precaution so the water doesn't go up into the pump.

Step four
attach the other suction cup to the wall of the aquarium. This is optional, but it keeps it neat and organized

Step five
Attach the end of the airline tubing that is behind the check valve to the air pump.

Step six
Place the apparatus so the end of the the top pvc fitting comes out of the mouth of the waterfall. The 90 degree fitting can be removed if you wish, because it may look ugly and not natural for a pipe to be coming out of the top of your waterfall.

If you want you can decorate the discharge side with moss, and putting bio rings in the pipe will also provide a place for beneficial bacteria to colonize, and munch on the nitrates. The air rises, creating a vacuum, thus putting water displacement to use.
I use this method on my 10 and 20 gallon shrimp tanks to cycle the water between the two so I don't need to tend to them as often.

do u guise even diy???


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## fishexpert92

Jorunder said:


> Lol
> People are saying it can't be done
> IM gonna prove you guys wrong with science
> Things you will need:
> An air pump
> A few feet of pvc
> A check valve
> 1 90 degree pvc fitting
> 1 45 degree pvc fitting
> Some airline tubing
> 2 or more suction cups to hold the airline tubing
> 
> step one
> Assemble the pipe
> It should be shaped like this
> 
> ...
> .
> .
> .
> .
> \
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> The slash is the 45 degree pvc fitting
> The three periods are the 90 degree pvc fitting
> The wavy dashed lines are the water
> And the single periods are the pipe itself.
> 
> Step two
> Attach one of the suction cups to the airline tubing
> stick it on the inner wall of the 45 degree fitting, making sure the end of the tubing goes past the bend, but not more than an inch past it.
> 
> Step three
> Cut the airline tubing, and attach the check valve to it. This is a precaution so the water doesn't go up into the pump.
> 
> Step four
> attach the other suction cup to the wall of the aquarium. This is optional, but it keeps it neat and organized
> 
> Step five
> Attach the end of the airline tubing that is behind the check valve to the air pump.
> 
> Step six
> Place the apparatus so the end of the the top pvc fitting comes out of the mouth of the waterfall. The 90 degree fitting can be removed if you wish, because it may look ugly and not natural for a pipe to be coming out of the top of your waterfall.
> 
> If you want you can decorate the discharge side with moss, and putting bio rings in the pipe will also provide a place for beneficial bacteria to colonize, and munch on the nitrates. The air rises, creating a vacuum, thus putting water displacement to use.
> I use this method on my 10 and 20 gallon shrimp tanks to cycle the water between the two so I don't need to tend to them as often.
> 
> do u guise even diy???


Hi Jorunder, if you could clarify your explanation with pictures and diagram that would be great and really helpful, I'm not really understanding what's going on at and after step 2..

On a side note, i dont understand how the air movement is converted to water movement. I think you would need some kind of device so convert the air movement to a pressure which can be then applied to the tank water..sounds impossible right now


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## jaysee

They posted a year ago, so don't hold your breath for a response


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## fishexpert92

jaysee said:


> They posted a year ago, so don't hold your breath for a response


Nice fish in your picture, what kind of goldfish are they?


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## jaysee

Thank you - they're red severums.


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## keepsmiling

Well..they either figured out how to do this on their own and didn't see the need to "prove anyone wrong" any longer, or gave up the idea and bought a water pump....:lol:


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