recommend a good air pump

[wayneg]

hello can anyone recommend a good air pump i have had the tetra tec and eheim ones and they make so much noise and the tetra ones diaphragms last about 5 weeks. thanks.

[Jools]

Having just thrown out my two dual Whispers that I bought in 1993, I've started using Resun pumps. They're cheap and not too noisy. Time will tell if they last.

Jools

[apistomaster]

The Azoo 9500 vibrator air pump is a good value, quiet and puts out a lot of air at good pressures. They run between $16 and $18. It only draws about 6 watts. All vibrator pumps have the same drawbacks in that their diaphragms wear out and I have yet been able to replace a vibrator air pump's diaphragm(s) and restore the pump to like new output.

For my multiple tank set up I use a 100 watt linear compressor connected to one inch inside diameter PVC pipe with threaded valves screwed into it.

[MatsP]

Until about a week ago, I used to have a TetraTec in my bedroom. It's a tad more noise than the Eheim external filter. Not had any problem with the diaphragm breaking either.

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Mats

[apistomaster]

I went through several TetraTec air pumps with none lasting more than a year. All vibrator pumps are prone to erratic performance so it isn't brand specific so much as it is the nature of their common design elements. I have over 15 Azoo 9500. All worked for more than a year to 5 years but most frequently only one side of this dual outlet air pump would fail while the other continued working. I have had the same experiences with Rena vibrator air pumps and some off brand el cheapo types. Vibrator air pumps performance or lack thereof is comparable to the all to common problems we have with different brands of heaters.

My linear air compressor has functioned perfectly for almost three years. I do want to buy another one for a back up now that I am running a central air system.

[MatsP]

I have had many "vibrator" airpumps, and whilst I've had the odd failure of the odd diaphragm, in general they have lasted many years each of them (Interpet ones, in my experience, don't last as long as TetraTec ones). I guess there is a slight difference between US and European pumps, in that the US variant runs at 60Hz and Euro ones at 50Hz.

Sure, they are not as reliable as proper compressor designs (e.g. "linear compressor") - but for one or two small tanks, the linear compressor is far overkill (yes, it would be POSSIBLE to create one, but it's a lot of work for little benefit).

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Mats

[CUPfishhead]

I like RENA but have also used Tetratec and the tetra deep line also. I usually take the pumps apart after 8-12 months and rub some vaseline or some type of petroleum jelly and it seems to hel reduce them from dry rotting and def makes them last longer. I have some pumps I got at auctions and they are older them me and work great after a bit of jelly.

[viciouswolf11]

If put on a flat surface or left hanging in mid-air then the best "pocket sized" air pump would be the Rena air 200.http://www.rena.net/cms/Files/Products/ ... %20200.jpg