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Are all check valves created equal, low air pressure problem

1K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Soothing Shrimp 
#1 ·
Are they all made the same? Or are some more constricting than others? I just got a brand new Fusion 700 Air Pump rated to run 12 things off of it. And all of the instructions show with a check valve figured in to that equation. I put the check valves on just to run one small sponge filter and one small air stone (all in close range to the pump itself) and the air pressure is ridiculously low. I've checked the check valves under water and they aren't leaking. These are just cheap ones I got at Walmart so are there other brands that don't restrict the air flow as much? Without the check valves attached, yes this is a very powerful air pump that could definitely run a lot more on it. I got it to run 3 small sponge filters but there's no way in hell it will be able to do that with these check valves on.
 
#3 ·
I have an alita pump that can run 24 airstones but if I put one of those cheap plastic check valves on it barely any air will flow through. The back pressure will be bad for a diaphragm pump too. I don't use a check valve because of this, have not found a good cheap one. The swagelock check valves would be great but would be expensive to buy 24 of them.
 
#5 ·
I mentioned it in my original post that without the check valve it has great pressure:) So hubby and I actually couldn't even blow air through the check valves on it. Found a different kind that is doing much better. However, I think I'll just have him put a little shelf on my wall above the tanks and run them without check valves. That's going to probably be my smartest bet.

Thanks for the others posts as well, I just wasn't sure if they were all the same but finding that other one tells me that no, and the ones I have on there were crap.
 
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