will Toms aqua lifter pump live plankton?

[dave willmore]

I'm trying to pump concentrated rotifers and pods from low zooplankton tanks up to my display tank. Would the Toms aqua lifter move live organisms without (much) damage? If so, would it handle something as large as baby brine shrimp? If not, is there any affordable pump out there that would move live zooplankton without much damage?

 

[Allmost]

yes it would

question is, how will you deal with the stuff left on the line ! they can rot there.

but I guess if you place the phyto lets say low, and aqualifter on same height of ure display, then once the pump turns off, the line would back siphon and empty the line back toy our phyto culture, just make sure the end/output is above water line.

HTH,

 

[dave willmore]

Placing an air gap between the output and the display tank would prevent a backsiphon when the pump turned off. I don't know if the aqua lifter disengages the squeeze tubes when turned off, it it does disengage then a back siphon would result. Another way would be to simply keep the aqua lifter working continuously, but an air gap to prevent siphons is a good idea in case the power goes out.

I don't see a problem with live phyto lifting because it is so small, but I was wondering if the squeezing action on the water tubes would dmage many rotifers or copepods in the water. It seems that it would be hard to pass large brine shrimp but perhaps not BBS.

What do you think? Has anyone transferred rotifers or brine shrimp with an aqualifter?

 

[Allmost]

I have used it for Brine as well.

there is no squeeze of the tube like the aquarium dosers on aqualifter.

here is a link:
http://blog.directaquarium.com/2010/12/65-gallon-planted-tank-build-auto-top-off-system/

works with 2 Diaphram ...

 

[dave willmore]

Thanks for the help. I was under the impression that I turned in a circle while squeezing water through flexible tubes. I was wrong. You got adult brine through it OK?

 

[Prairie Reef]

Any follow up on how this worked?

 

[scrombussquared]

The Aqualifter pump is a diaphragm pump, not a "squeeze tube"- properly called a peristaltic pump. The Aqualifter consists of a series of small rubber flapper check valves and two small diaphragms. It will not back drain when turned off.