Re: need air-pump advice...which to get for my fish room

[Alberto Restrepo Ubach <restrepo at sandiego_edu>]

At 9:19 PM -0700 6/4/03, DWS wrote:
> DynaMaster2 Piston Air Pump is the only way to go.



R. Van et al,

I disagree.  I guess all these things are relative, but in my 
opinion, the Dynamaster is way too loud for its output ... not to 
mention its power consumption.  First, the issue of power 
consumption: Dynamasters are rated at around 70 (or 75) watts ... and 
their output is rated at around 400 cu/in/min.  Just for comparison 
purposes, I recently replaced one of those Dynamasters with a small 
Medo compressor made by the Nitto Kohki company of Japan.  This small 
compressor --which I believe is used in hospitals-- consumes 40 
watts, puts out around 900 cu/in/min, and it does it at a much higher 
pressure.

As for the noise: I also own a very powerful Whitewater LT28 pump 
(about 5 cu/ft/min, which I guess would be over 8600 cu/in/min or 20+ 
times the output of a Dynamaster) and it is quieter than the 
Dynamaster!!!!  I am not using this Whitewater pump right now because 
of its power consumption --a whopping 130 watts.

BTW, the Medo compressors that I am using is very similar in both 
appearance and rating to another one of the Whitewater pumps --the 
Whitewater LT15.  These pumps are easily available, and relatively 
affordable.  I'm sure that they are not as quiet as the Jehmco linear 
piston pumps that many killi-keepers own and love, but they are 
significantly less expensive.  I've seen the LT15 on eBay for well 
under $90 new.  That is a lot closer to the price of a Dynamaster 
than to the price of one of Jehmco's pumps.

So IMHO, if you can afford it and are so inclined, follow the advice 
of a lot of very experienced killie folks and give Jehmco pumps a 
try.  If you are budget-minded but still want a lot of 'bang for your 
buck', consider Whitewater or other similar pumps.  This, of course, 
as I stated at the beginning, is all relative and depends on your 
specific needs.  But if you plan to run more than a dozen or so 
airlines, and they feed five- or ten-gallon tanks, the Dynamaster 
will quickly run out of gas.

My $0.02.

Alberto
AKA 08000
SDKG/SCKC
San Diego
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