Advice - Air Pump size for airlifter?

[Ted_C]

Has anyone ever set up an air lifter water pump?

I'm trying to determine the size air pump I'd need to perform two tasks: aerate my 90 gallon salt water mixing vat and provide a low flow airlifter setup in a two level rubbermaid bin (with a sprinkler fitting).

The purpose of the low flow airlifter w/ stacked rubbermaid bins and the sprinkler head will be to culture blackworms

I'm not afraid of creating a air manifold either - if that's what I need to do.

The air pump is going to need to be quiet as well - as it will be in my office where I work all day.

figure the total length of the airline tubing from pump to manifold will be 3 foot. From manifold to either application (saltwater vat / Blackworm culture) will be 10 foot.

 

[Ted_C]

The low flow airlifter set-up for my live blackworm culture:
I tried a standalone tetra whisper 100 as a pump to provide an airlifter. It doesn't seem to be pushing enough air to get any amount of flow. I get some water bubbling out of the sprinkler head - but it's not the amount of turnover I would like.

Looks like I'll be trying the coralife Luft pump next.

The plan is to be able to culture blackworms so I have a sustainable live food source that can be fed to my tanks 3 times a week. I have two rubbermaid totes - one 18 gallon, one 8 gallon - that stack on top of one another. I drilled a hole in the 8 gallon and installed a sprinkler head. I then plumbed up a 1/2" pcv with an air hose inlet near the bottom.

I cut out the sides of the 8 gallon and installed some gutter guard covered in chemi-bags (empty) to provide for overflows.

 

[Ted_C]

Pics: