Making an aerator attach to threadless returns??

[Bart]

I need to aerate my pool to lower the TA but unfortunately my return lines are threadless pvc pipes. They point straight out of the wall about a foot below the surface and flush with the surface (nothing sticking out).

Does anyone have any idea how to attach a hose or pipe to them to get the return line water above the surface and aerate it?

Thanks!

 

[gboulton]

First thing that comes to mind is to shut the pump off, and then buy/make some sort of "adapter"...pressure fit on one end (maybe a tapered fitting?) and then threaded on the other. You might have to buy several different bits and cut ends off to come up with what you need.

Cement it in either with some underwater glue, or perhaps drain the pool below the return and cement...up to you which hassle you prefer.

There's probably better ideas out there, but that's the first that comes to mind.

 

[jblizzle]

I had an idea the other day and have to ask, do you have a water spigot just after your pump? Some builders put these in (and I just FORGOT to add one when I re-did my equipment pad ) If so, you could attach a hose and then run the other end back over the the pool and let some of the pumped water splash back down into the pool.

Alternatively, have you tried to just slide a pvc pipe into them? There may be enough friction to keep them there.

 

[Bart]

Gordon - thanks for the "turn the pump off first" idea! It's so brilliant and obvious, but the thought never occurred to me. I just pictured myself trying to shove a smaller pipe into the return line as water rushed out.

Jblizzle - I don't have a spigot to tap into unfortunately.


But........while at the hardware store trying to figure out (from memory) the size of my return lines, I had a (possible) brainstorm. What if I used one of those little pumps for backyard water features to pump the water up into the air? I know I won't get a huge spray dispersion and a ton of aeration from a tiny pump, but the one I bought has a 2.5 ft head so I know I can get the water out if the pool and into the air.

What does anyone think about this? I'm sure it will take a lot longer than some of the home made versions I've seen here, but who cares?? The ease factor is very appealing (if it works).

So did I make some brilliant discovery or has this been tried before and been found unsuccessful?

 

[bsimo57]

Don't know if this helps but I made a aerator and connected it to a sump pump I had. I used 1 1/4" pvc and made a shower head type aerator. I placed the pump in a drywall bucket and hung it over the edge low enough to have the head about 2' above the water. I used the bucket because I didn't want the pump sitting on the liner on the bottom of the pool.

 

[gboulton]

Gordon - thanks for the "turn the pump off first" idea! It's so brilliant and obvious, but the thought never occurred to me. I just pictured myself trying to shove a smaller pipe into the return line as water rushed out.

Yeah..I figured that one out after spending 10 minutes trying to get the eyeball back into MY return with the pump running.

What if I used one of those little pumps for backyard water features to pump the water up into the air? I know I won't get a huge spray dispersion and a ton of aeration from a tiny pump, but the one I bought has a 2.5 ft head so I know I can get the water out if the pool and into the air.

I think that's a fine idea!

The thing to keep in mind is WHY aeration works.

Aeration is all about surface area...the more water molecules you expose to the air, the more effect you'll get. (Oxygenation, pH increase, etc). So, at least to a point, the efficiency of your DIY rig will be dictated as much by how you disperse the water than by how MUCH water you move. Moving 1 gallon of water by pouring out of a bucket will be LESS effective than moving a half gallon through a fine mister.

So, design your system with the "sprinkler head" in mind. The more holes, and the smaller they are (while not putting undue strain on the pump itself) the better your system will perform.

As a side note, we often faced some of the same issues in aquariums as in pools, regarding wanting to aerate water, ESPECIALLY those of us that dosed with CO2 generators.

It's at least worth noting in any discussion about aeration that it doesn't HAVE to be performed by passing water through air. Passing air through water works too. So if anyone's ever up for it (or maybe I will be some time *heh*) and air compressor and some tubing hooked to, oh, maybe some soaker hose, would probably do the job very nicely.

One last note...Just a future reference (or for others who come along in the future)...harbor freight has RIDICULOUSLY inexpensive pumps that move significant water at quite usable head pressures. I've got 3 in my 300g pond out front, and all are going on their 4th season, having outlasted the much more expensive pumps from the local aquarium/pond shop.

 

[gboulton]

As a follow up:

Here's a pretty informative link about what aeration is and does, and how it accomplishes the things it does. While the "course" in the link is concerned with water purification, it discusses the various results of aeration that we, as pool owners, are interested in, including the rise in pH through the dissolution of H2CO3

 

[jblizzle]

It's at least worth noting in any discussion about aeration that it doesn't HAVE to be performed by passing water through air. Passing air through water works too. So if anyone's ever up for it (or maybe I will be some time *heh*) and air compressor and some tubing hooked to, oh, maybe some soaker hose, would probably do the job very nicely.

I remember seeing a post on this just a few days ago. They had an air compressor running and shooting the air into the water with a soaker hose ... or was that you?

Here is one (not the one I saw before):
aeration-to-raise-ph-t12343.html#p114298

Here is the one I saw:
new-to-the-board-first-test-results-t43178.html#p365869

 

[gboulton]

Nope, neither of those mine...I'd missed those! Neat!

Obviously, I need to pay better attention. :lol: Thanks, Jason.

 

[Bart]

I had an idea the other day and have to ask, do you have a water spigot just after your pump? .

It's amazing what you see if you just look for things! (possibly a Yogi Berra paraphrase). Turns out, I do have a water spigot just after my pump. D'oh!


What does anyone think would be a more efficient method of aeration, 1) attach the hose to a sprinkler and blast the water up into the air and back down into the pool or 2) crack the hose open just a touch to spray a fine mist over the water?

The first way will move a lot more water per hour, but the second way will give me much small droplets.

Thanks!

 

[YippeeSkippy]

That's our pool fountain aerating at one end of the pool, while our hot tub's sump pump sits on the pool steps sucking in and returning water into the pool with enough splash to help lower the TA. Worked a charm! My husband used a bit of velcro strapping to tie the hose onto the handrail and direct the water properly. Low budget solution to say the least!

 

[Bart]

Thanks Yippie!

Do you have any idea how long it took to lower your T/A and by how much? IE in 8 hours of run time we lowered the TA from 200 to 120.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Thanks Yippie!

Do you have any idea how long it took to lower your T/A and by how much? IE in 8 hours of run time we lowered the TA from 200 to 120.

No, I can't give a hard fast number because we played around with the various ideas for a couple of days before settling on this. We started with just the fountain, then added the sump pump for a couple of days during daylight hours along with MA to lower the pH. We closed the cover in the evening and I'd hook it up again the next day.

I was pretty impressed with Skippee's ingenuity here. He's a keeper!