Suggest me a pump

[Pabz0r545]

I am in the process of getting back into the hobby and will be setting up multiple tanks all using hamburg mattenfilters and/or breeder sponge filters and I am hoping I can get suggestion of pumps. I have never used anything other then dinky pump when I was a kid on a single tank.

Specifically I will have 2 small fish racks. 1x20 long and 3x10 gallons underneath as well as 1x40 breeder with 3x15 gallons underneath.

A few things I am looking for are the ability to service myself and easily find parts, somewhat quiet but does not have to be silent, enough to power all of those tanks with some headroom for more if I decide so. Also don't want one that is completely overkill.

Thanks a bunch.

[Cliff]

What type of GPH are you looking for ?

[Pabz0r545]

What type of GPH are you looking for ?

I'm not too sure tbh. I never took that into account with the sponge filters. I have been out of touch for a couple of years and I am not even sure what is generally required for fw setup.

Fish being kept will be:

20 Long - celestial pearl danios and dwarf cory cats
10 gallons - red cherry shrimp and crystal red shrimp maybe another variety

40 breeder - apistogramms or GBR's and dithers
15 gallons(might use 20 gallons, same footprint) - cherry barbs, and hopefully fry rearing tanks or to separate a pair.

What kind of GPH would you recommend for these setups?

Also something easily available in canada would be awesome :)

[dbosman]

The Coralife Luft and Super Luft pumps are better than excellent, but the price in Canada seems a lot high.
http://www.bigalspets.ca/fish.html?cat=198&p=2

You'd not have to purchase again for a long time and you could add more tanks, easily.

Here is a bit better price.
http://www.amazon.ca/Super-Luft-High...105168&sr=8-18

What would the duty or import implications be if you purchased a "dead" air pump and a repair kit a week later?

[Cliff]

Are you looking for a air pump to drive indivdual matten filters in each tank,.. or... are you looking at setting up a centralized filter and moving water to all the tanks ?

When you meantioned head hight I assumed you were moving water

[Pabz0r545]

Are you looking for a air pump to drive indivdual matten filters in each tank,.. or... are you looking at setting up a centralized filter and moving water to all the tanks ?

When you meantioned head hight I assumed you were moving water

Sorry I should have specified. Each tank will have individual HMF's or breeder sponge filters.

The Coralife Luft and Super Luft pumps are better than excellent, but the price in Canada seems a lot high.
http://www.bigalspets.ca/fish.html?cat=198&p=2

You'd not have to purchase again for a long time and you could add more tanks, easily.

Here is a bit better price.
http://www.amazon.ca/Super-Luft-High...105168&sr=8-18

What would the duty or import implications be if you purchased a "dead" air pump and a repair kit a week later?

Thanks dbosman. I think you replied in my fish rack setup thread as well. I believe you suggested the coralife luft pump there as well. I can source it elsewhere in Canada for less then Big Al's sells it but from what I read in reviews it is near impossible to find replacement parts for this pump so that kind of worries me.

Are there any other decent options at a similar price point? Also anything tips or anything I should know when setting up something like this?

[4Mike]

Hi I'm not sure if you requesting info about a water pump or air? If it is a air pump I have had a twin piston pump with a large electric motor. The drive system kind of looked like the drive system of a steam engines wheels. It drives one piston in one direction while withdrawing the other piston. I have never seen a air pump that even comes close to the volume. No problem with back pressure . The bad part; you need to keep the pistons lubed and shafts aligned. Also very noisy, but what a pump!