Build your own air lift - Czech air jack simply explained: We recently met with the Diaphragm and air pumps busy and today it's about the Czech air lifter, which is mainly used in the Hamburg mat filter must not be missing. Information on filtering in the aquarium can be found here. We also have one for you Information article on choosing the right air pump compiled here. Today is about that Operating principle of the Czech air lifter compared to a normal air lifter. We also explain how you can build them yourself. The advantages and disadvantages of an air lifter should also be crystallized out.
Why is one type of air jack called Czech air jack?
We asked ourselves this question and there is not really much to be found on the internet. Even Wikipedia has no information on this. We assume that this was developed in the Czech Republic by aquarists and that is why this principle has spread under the name. If you know more about the naming and origin, please let us know and we will add the article accordingly.
Update: And a reader has already contacted us. Thanks for that Werner!! The Czech air jack originally comes from Germany and was already sold in 1970 by the Dohse company under the name Gully.
So how does an air lifter work?
Basically, this is a tube that comes in different diameters and lengths. This pipe usually has a bend at the top end, which releases the air and the water that is transported back into the aquarium. The air lifter is placed in front of a filter mat. See also the principle of the Hamburg mat filter. The filter mat is usually made of plastic.
On the lower side of the tube there is a hole where a thin hose, usually a silicone hose, is inserted. This is connected to a membrane pump or air pump / compressor on the other side.
So the air flows sideways into the raw, which is also open in the lower area. There, the actual principle of the air lifter is activated by the suction and the negative pressure. The air “lifts” the water from below. Thus, this is pulled through the filter medium, so it also filters. At the upper end, the water is released back into the aquarium. This is the basic, simple but also quite ingenious behavior of an air filter.
The more air I put into the tube, the more water I can suck in. This of course affects the filter performance. In addition, the filter performance can also be influenced by the diameter of the pipe.
Disadvantage of a normal air lifter
Unfortunately, there is also a downside why the Czechs came up with a further development. The air flows up quite quickly due to very large bubbles. This not only causes more noise, but also a rather poor filter performance. The smaller the air bubbles, the more the water “lifts” and the filter becomes more effective.
We have illustrated the whole thing for you with a graphic.
Principle of operation of the Czech air jack
Now let's move on to the function of the Czech air jack. We have also explained this accordingly in a graphic.
Basically, the function is the same, even if the efficiency is quite different.
The decisive difference to a normal air lifter is the connection of the silicone hose to the riser pipe. There, several holes are drilled around the entire circumference of the pipe. These are usually only between one and 2 millimeters in size. (1-2mm). A pressure chamber is placed around these holes with the help of a cuff. This must be sealed well all around so that there are no pressure losses. Two rubber seals are usually used for this. If air is now transported via the membrane pump to the riser pipe, it must penetrate the pressure chamber through the small holes in the pipe. This allows you to generate very small bubbles on the one hand and to build up a fairly constant pressure on the other. Furthermore, the air lifter is much quieter.
Here is the figure, which should clearly illustrate the functional principle.
Buy a Czech air jack or build it yourself
Once you have understood the principle of an air lifter, you can theoretically build it yourself quite quickly. Of course, you need the appropriate components for this, which usually makes it quite complicated again. It is advisable to buy these ready-made. There are different models and sizes. Be it for the nano aquarium or for larger aquariums.
