Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Ok, so I am at the stage where I am ready to fill my system with water for the first time, and I want to have a good air pump in there to help oxygenate the water.

I went to my local pet store, but a lot of their air pumps look like crap. Therefore, I am leaning towards finding an online solution. Could you recommend a good air pump that will be good for my system? Right now, it's a 110 gallon FT, but I would take a pump that would be recommended for something much larger in case of future expansion. Plus, it never hurts to have as much O2 as I can get!

So any recommendations would be great!

PS The local pet store guy even said, "Stay away from these brands we carry!" I tried to check home depot but they only had water pumps (for ponds) and filters.....not air pumps.

Not the 02 Series from Pond One. Will probably last you about 6 months and fail.

I have purchased two of these air pumps, after I read a lot about all of them.

http://www.amazon.com/Active-Air-Commer ... B002JPPFJ0

LOL Thanks Arbe. This is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. It's important for us new guys to know what to get, and what NOT to get!

Zubin - Wow, that looks hardcore. So does it come with everything needed except for the tubing?

The reviews look good. Most say it's loud (which I don't think it a big deal, since it will be outside), with only one negative review saying it blew HOT air into the tank because the unit got so hot. Any issues at all in your experience?

I bolted it down on a piece of 2 X 6 X 12 white pin, with a sheet of blue insulation foam under it, that reduced the sound very well.
I only run it for about couple of hours, because I do not have any fish in my fish tank yet. I was airing my pond for a bit. I got clouds of minows in my pond.

Maybe if the intake hole get sprayed a bit with slide or silicon oil, it cools off. If in my case that happen, I got some good Slide spry oil mthat will do the trick.

I have the 45LPM Active Air from Amazon, and it is VERY LOUD but works well. (It could be heard all the way at the other side of the yard if it was outside). It's running four airstones in a 400 gallon FT so a 110 gallon FT will be too small for it I think. I've used pet store air pumps until now so unless you're growing trout then pet store air pumps might be OK for getting started.

Note that depending on the water flow (splashing etc.) you may not need an air pump at all, especially if the system is lightly stocked and has good turnover and is setup for flood and drain.

Dave,
Have you secured the air pump on a solid piece of wood?
Do you have any heating issues?

Mine is sitting on a concrete floor, a lot of the noise is coming from the intake end. I think putting it in a heavy padded box of some kind (like plywood and blue board maybe) would be the way I would cut the noise from it. I haven't noticed heat but the garage floor is very cool/cold.

I have one the same, I got mine from HERE but looks like you got a better deal Zublin.

It is a bit noisy but doesnt bother me or the neighbours. In regards to it blowing hot air, unless it was in a small volume of water I think the heat transfer would be minimal. Besides, does it really matter.

And I agree with Arbe, stay away from the PondOne o2 series.

I'm using a Hailea V-20 and it's super quiet. Haven't had it for too long so don't know what its durability is like.

Good point Charlie, a little heat in my case is even better. I use less electricity to heat the fish tank. I will try to keep the water temp about 75F.

My Electro Magnet pump hangs on the end of a piece of 4mm airline tubing and have found it the best way to quieten down a pump. Until one day it slipped and was touching the side of the shed, what a racket. Lol.
Tried all other methods but this is best, it appears that all the vibration is absorbed by the tubing.

Junkie, how is the V20 going. I noticed it only has one outlet. Does it come with a manifold?