RE: Fish rack Air pump

["Tranquility Base" <TranquilityBase at netzero_net>]

Hi Alex,

For 6 - 10 gal tanks you only need one reasonably large vibrator pump. I run
some dozen tanks or so tanks off one Silent Giant and four tanks off one
whisper 800 I use a pretty tired whisper 800 to run a 45 and 29 gal tank and
those are pretty deep. If you do not use airstones or backflow valves one
pump goes a long way. I would say that pretty much any large duel diaphragm
pump would do the trick and for about only 4 watts. I do have backup pumps
if any should fail. A Supreme duel piston pump puts out lots more air but
takes about 55 watts (about $15-20 per month as I recall) to run and is
pretty loud. They would also be overkill for your small setup.

A friend ran a tetra DW 96-2 (about $85.00) for his 55 gal salt water tank
for about 2 years through 4 airstones and there was air to spare. The
backpressure from the clogged airstones finally toasted it and rather than
rebuild it he bought a large Hagen which also pumps adequate air almost as
quietly. He bought the pump for about $20.00, about the same as the cost of
the tetra rebuild kit. He is satisfied with it and it has been on line for
over a year now. The Hagens have a very elegant rebuild kit just drop in a
single unit containing a new set of bellows valves etc. No tweaking.  I
personally do not recommend Hagen having had certain issues with some of
their equipment but I admit that it is hard to go too far wrong for
$20-25.00 for a new duel large diaphragm pump.

I usually pick up toasted pumps at our club auction and rebuild them. I like
most whispers except the 900 and 1000 (a real bear to rebuild correctly)
some have rheostats to control the output and are very quiet. Depending on
where you are going to put the pump noise does matter! I ran a few Penn Plax
440 twins for almost 20 years, with rebuilds as necessary, I might still
have a couple rebuilt pumps in inventory. They were pulled because of noise
not mechanical failure.

As far as the sponge filters, consider box filters with lava rock and floss.
They are easier to clean, take up less space in the tank and south American
annuals won't commit suicide under them.  I even use them with fry and doubt
that I have lost a single healthy fry to the filter. They also seem to do a
better job with nitrates than do sponge filters. Sponge filters are very
hard to sterilize in the event of a disease. Just dump the contents and drop
your box filter into your bucket-o-bleach and your done. Bleach will
dissolve a sponge filter.

By the way, there is no such thing as enough fish tanks!


Peace,

~RJ~
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-killietalk at AKA_Org [mailto:owner-killietalk at AKA_Org]On
Behalf Of Alexander Johnson
Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2003 11:41 AM
To: KillieTalk at AKA_Org
Subject: Fishrack Airpump


Hey all,

My dad and I have started building a tank rack, a bit small, only 6 10
gallon tanks but that's all I need anyway.  I want to power the 12(5gallon
glass dividers) sponge filters  with one airpump.  Any ideas of a good
economical airpump?

Thanks,
Alex


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