light unit & air pump needed...which ones?

[Bahney]

carrying on from my other thread in this section "new 36X12 37gal project...stage one (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113031)"

i want another light tube, one that is good for plants mainly i am tempted to buy a dual lamp unit and run 2 tubes but i am trying to keep the cost down so for the time being i am just going to buy a new tube and proabibly upgrade to dual unit in a few months.

I need a 30" 25-30W 1inch tube light unit

which one is the best to get? anyone got any personal experiences with them? and anyone got any pics of there tank with this lighting, i dont want it to be REALLY bright, not good for the fish.

i will be doing a DIY moonlight cathode kit at some point as well


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NEXT! i need a air pump, i am using a pump that is about 10years old at the moment and it is noisy! it has been a LONG time since i have even considered useing an air pump, always considered them noisy and annoying but i am told time and time again that the technology has changed in them and they are quiter then ever now, some so quiet you would not know it was on unless you look into the tank and see the bubbles....

is this about right? anyone know any brands that are like this? i need a really basic one, i am only powering 1 small trickle of bubbles so i dont need anything powerful and just 1 outlet will be fine, and i dont even need a flow ajuster or anything like that.

just something totally budget but really quiet...anyone got any recomendations?




ohh and i should mention i am in the UK so USA only brands may be an issue for me to get hold of ;) but i know someone going to the usa in a few weeks so if it is worth it i can ask them to bring me one back assumeing it is sold in a main store like walmart etc...dont want to ask them to trek all over the place lol


Thanks

[Bahney]

i have tried ot google for a good silent airpump but i can't seem to find any brands or makes which list the DB level..looks like i may have to reply on peoples opinion and views rather then figures

[cdfishie123]

try Tetra Whisper Air Pump. its pretty quite unless its touching another object (not the ground):grinyes:

[tks4d2]

try Tetra Whisper Air Pump. its pretty quite unless its touching another object (not the ground):grinyes:

i agree cant go wrong

[rwilliams254]

You can put a pad underneath it too... to make it quieter.

[mellowvision]

I have 4 filters of various kinds, 2 computers, a window fan and an ac running in my apartment... and I can hear my brand new tetra whisper over all of them.

is there any reason you need an airpump? are you running a sponge filter?

[Bahney]

as you can see in this picture, i have 2 streams of bubbles in the tank that come up from under the sand, i am going for a cave like effect and thought a small trickle of bubbles from under the sand gives the affect of an air pocket under the cave :)

and obvioustly they will help with some water flow, but it is mainly for asthetic reasons...hence i want it super quiet



http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26215&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1185960986

[webdesigner]

I am in the market for an external pump too. I don't like the Rena Airs and I'm not really too impressed with the Tetra Whisper or Aqua Culture pump.

Anybody own a 'Quiet One'?

[Bahney]

i have been recomended to try and get one of these

Hy Flo (HyFlo,Hy-Flo) vintage reciprocating aquarium air pumps by Medcalf Bros. Ltd of Potters Bar

aparantly they are hydraulic powered do they are near silent, less then 5db...which sounds very impressive. i have no idea how much they are though or where to get one from!

[red devil]

I once solved the noise problem of air pumps by suspending it from the bottom of the stand with a couple of strong rubber band.

[pixl8r]

You can silence any air filter by suspending it inside a sealed container. I've used large mason jars. Just make two holes in the lid for an intake and outlet. In my old house we had a problem with large amounts of dust (lots of construction around us) so I added another cotton filter to the intake to catch the small particles and keep the air pump filter clean.

I've used the same principle to silence my airbrush air pump. But I used a plywood box lined with foam and heavy duty rubber straps to suspend the pump. It also has baffles to trap sound waves.

[Rbishop]

I have never seen (heard) a silent air pump. They just do not exist.

I too have had acceptable luck with suspending the airpump from the stand or top of the cabinet. Next thing that works is a system where the air is piped in from an outside system.

[jfsebatian]

Hello there everyone,
I would have to agree with Bahney's information - the quietest pumps around are the Hy -Flo's, formerly made by Medcalf Bros. I have one next to my bed - I can only hear it when there is nothing else on (ie no fans, aircon, pcs, the quietest music etc) in the room at all!
There is a place selling a few as well - the link is here: - http://sonik-systems.com/pumps