Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hey I found agreat little pump that moves water really well.
At your local recycling dump, look for a dish washer with an easily removable wash pump.
These usually need to be always primed....under water level, but are about 300w. Be careful to remove the run capacitor too and the wireing.
They have a 35mm-40mm input and a 30mm output but pump enough to aerate a spa jet (or 2 ) from a depth of about 300mm.
This means that you can add extra O2 to the water by cycling the fish tank water on a timer.
Spa jets can be made quite easy. I will post some ideas later.
Cheers. Dish washer should be $10.00-$20.00 at the 'dump'
That makes a really cheap pump. Also water level pressure switch, solenoid valves, .....rubber feet....whatever.

Cheers Ira

Some where in the forum is a post on washing machine pumps, basically the same thing I would think.
Still a good idea though as heaps of these get thrown out because the machine has problems elsewhere.
Only thing that worries me is people farting around with electricity when they know nothing about it, you just can't see that stuff

Yeah, I'm a techy so its not a problem but as I said.."those that know something about 240v"
I worry about some who dont know but I hope that they will get help.
I think most folk know about the dangers now.
For those that do know, its a good source of gear.
Ira

Hi Ira - welcome to the forum. I've just moved this thread to the hardware section where it belongs. Is not quite a members system (not by itself anyway ) :-).

I guess the question I have is how will it stand up to the continous use of an AP system? After all, in a washing machine - it comes on, pumps out a little bit of water and then stops.

There is no need to worry about how a pump works that has to work all day long, every day - and if it dies, it is a really bad thing.

Sounds a bit like a flood and drain system CRTD pump comes on for x min and then off for x min

The newer Kenmore/sears/roper type washing machines have a water pump attached to the motor and are really easy to pull out. They move a lot of water and already have hose attachments. They don't pull much power either.

those pumps usually pump high volume at very low head. not sure if they would be good except for aeration or general water movement between tanks.

every tried extending a wahingmachine outlet pipe to 1.75M? doesn't work very well

They are great for moving the Wort from mash tun to kettle tough.

yep, they must have designed them to pump solids like paperclips and screws

Lot's of iron in your beers then steve?

Hi,
The dish washers I mean have two pumps. They have a useless little thing for emptying the tub, but they also have a much bigger one with its own motor. It is a syncronous motor, so no brushes and it has a little fan on the end of the shaft for cooling.
These pumps run warm to the touch but I would use them in a fill and drain scenario. Good thing is that they are powerfull enough to aerate your fish tank through a spa jet. Most 'pond pumps' can't.
It was just a mention in case it helps someone who needs a good cheap pump.
Cheers....Ira