Battery Operated Air Pumps

[Terrybo]

After Rita barely missed Houston, I realized that I need to be better prepared and purchase some battery powered air pumps to keep my fish alive during power outages! I was surprised at the assortment of brands and prices on the internet. Anyone have experience with these, and if so, what would you recommend, and where would you buy it?

Terry

[Cosmo]

In case you're not home when the power goes out, I'd say go with one that automatically turns itself onto battery power when the power dies. Otherwise it might be too late when you get home :(

On the low end, drsfostersmith.com offer one for somewhere in the neighborhood of $65. On the high end, Jehmco.com sells an APS (automatic power supply) that you hook to one or more marine deep cycle batteries (trolling motor battery) but that'll set you back somewhere around $400 - $600 depending on what batteries you buy for it.

If you're always home, there have been threads here where people use the $20 jobbers and just keep replacing the batteries and have good success.

Then again, there's auto starting generators, but then you have to keep a good supply of gasoline around the house, unless you get into the big bucks and go with natural gas..

Depends on what your power needs are, the value of your livestock, and how long you want to survive without power really. Like you said though, lots of choices, so .. good luck :)

Jim

[korbi_doc]

:D Hi Terry, I have the Jehmco APS set up with marine batteries, it has been challenged a few times successfully thank goodness, & I love it. Kicks in automatically when the power goes out, & reverses when it's back on...Pvc pipe runs thru the house in the basement up thru the floor into each tank area & to airstones & sponge filters. At least no worry for outages up to 24 hrs... any longer would add battery or hook up to my diesel truck to run it & recharge the battery. For heat in the winter, have a natural gas fireplace... Now when I move to Tn, the plan for my fishroom is to have a "whole house" generator, probably on propane, so I can keep everything going...as Jim says, these are more expensive methods, but in light of very expensive fish collections, its a big help, especially if you are not at home to monitor everything... Dottie

[Spices]

I'd be more concerned about keeping the tank heated than having aeration. I am set up with a semi planted tank and have no air pump and am using two heaters to keep tank warm (84-86) since it is getting cold here in my state. But I do keep those $20.00 BOAP just in case...The Hagen. Works good in buckets of 5-gals. I just keep a supply of double-D batterys and some tubing and airstones (all in case).

It's nice to have a generator for the entire house, but in extreme cases like those disasters in MS, LA, TX...Generators would not have helped. A lot of homes got destroyed, completely wiped out.

Angie

[gators111]

I've got two of the battery operated pumps from Penn Plax that plug into the wall and automatically come on if the electric goes off. Being in Florida with daily thunderstorms, hour-long blackouts aren't uncommon. They work like a charm. Here's a link to them at Big Al's:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=28865&category_id=3956&pcid1=1623

[ppv1951]

i'd be more concerned about heating too. your fish can live without filtration for a while. in fact, asian breeders don't filter water at all. they do 300% w/c's a day.

[kaceyo]

Will the $10 jobbers pump air down 10 or 12 inches to run a sponge filter? They wouldn't be much use otherwise.

[gators111]

One of mine pumps a large airstone in a 30 Tall (24") without any problems.

[fishfan]

Why not get a motor car tyre or a balloon. Connect up to a control valve and airline tubing and that should give air for quite a while.
For heat, just fill hot water from a geyser into an empty colddrink bottle and float in the tank. Geysers stay hot for hours, so there should be plenty of hot water.

[Cosmo]

heaters pull too many watts unless you've got a good sized generator... they'd kill any battery backup system rather quickly. Water itself is a good insulator and the temp will drop rather slowly, depending of course on the surrounding air temp. Acrylic tanks hold heat better than glass, so go acrylic :D Then again, there's always blankets etc to keep the heat in.
Jim

[raglanroad]

Thanks You covered the bases. Heating is not the main issue, or filtration. It is air, while you are possibly not at home.Sponge filter will be good for both air and filtration, though. The heat loss or replacement issues can be handled separately , even old style. . Fishfan got some old fashioned and real ideas too !

[Spices]

The only problem is that where I live we have no geysers! ;) That is a superb idea, however as it is, it is illegal to attain water from geysers as it is property of the state/government. Also they deem it dangerously high in gases.

I'd stick with wrapping the tank with insulation (blankets, aluminum, etc.). The periodic heating of water from a gas stove (not electric, presuming we're still talking about blackouts...no power; gas stoves still operates as long as one has a book of matches, you can heat the water from tap to remove pollutants and then use the water).

[Anonapersona]

The Penn Plax type runs better if you remove the airstone, less resistance, just ned to tie the tubing to something for it floats. If you have a sponge filter already, it is easy to just run the new line alongside the one that is in the sponge, just attach and skip trying to attach to an airstone.

OTOH, in a planted tank, you are probably Ok if the tank gets sunlight -- open the blinds and let it get as much sun as you can manage. If it is a dark place, like the dim corner of my den, then you may need to add the airpump for oxygenation and maybe even for filtration after the 2nd or 3rd day.

During Rita, we lost power for only 8 or 9 hours. I had stopped all feeding for the two days before the storm, also changed 80% water and cleaned all filters well the day before landfall. In the morning after power was out for 5 hours I removed media from all canisters, HOB, and HOT filters. All tanks got a full dose of Prime.

One discus tank had a sponge filter running with the back up unit running alongside, so it kicked on as always. Those fish were not happy, mostly as they could not understand not being fed at all. Being cichlids in a crowded tank, they blamed each other and little fish fights broke out.

The other discus tank, lightly planted and lightly stocked, dual canisters, no sponge normally but I added a sponge filter that evening to kick on when the power went off. Saw no fish stress in that tank.

[Terrybo]

Ann - Was the tank with the grumpy fish planted or BB?

Terry

[Anonapersona]

The unhappy tank was BB. Though the happier tank is BB also, it has driftwood in a spider shape and anubias on top. They like to hide under and behind the wood.

13 good sized fish, 4", 5", 6", in 110 gallons. They pick on each other a lot any ways, too many fish. They need some attractive driftwood and anubias like the other tank has. I may want to go shopping today for that.

[kjmillerfw]

I have two of the AZOO battery backup air pumps that I use as my fulltime air pumps on three tanks. They each have two outlets and are very quiet.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=8120&N=2004+113402

[Terrybo]

I have two of the AZOO battery backup air pumps that I use as my fulltime air pumps on three tanks. They each have two outlets and are very quiet.

Do you know what the difference is between the AZOO and the Penn-Plax? (Besides the price). Does the AZOO put out more air?

Terry

[Terrybo]

They need some attractive driftwood and anubias like the other tank has. I may want to go shopping today for that.

Ann - I need to thin my anubias a little if you want some.

Terry

[shyvtguy]

I have two of the AZOO battery backup air pumps that I use as my fulltime air pumps on three tanks. They each have two outlets and are very quiet.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=8120&N=2004+113402

I brought this one last year when i lived in florida during the hurricane marathon. It served me well then, and it worked well for rita too. Thank God rita missed houston!!!! I think the death toll would hae been higher than katrina. Back to the orginal topic i highly reccomend the azoo air pump

[Anonapersona]

Ann - I need to thin my anubias a little if you want some.

Terry

I do like the small leaved sort you have. I need to find driftwood first, though. I wonder if Fish Ranch is still operating?

Anyone got suggestions??

[wolfbane]

I visited Fish Ranch this Summer, Wowsers! Lots of fun. Who carries the battery op air pumps?