Help with air pump selection please.

[Andrew Mc]

I plan to set up a small fish room consisting of two racks of three 4ft aquariums and one rack of two 3ft aquariums. The idea is to allow me extend my hobby to keep a wider range of fish as well as attempting to breed some easy to breed egg layers.
I have considered a variety of air powered filtration systems including sponge filters and am confident about my choice of filtration for the different tanks but would appreciate some help with the best choice of an air pump to power 12 to 14 air stones.
I have done a little research on the subject and have been impressed by an article I read some time ago by a US fish keeper who recommended a liner piston type pump as opposed to the more familiar diaphragm pump but the liner piston type pump doesn't seem readily available in the UK.

Any advice on the best make and type of air pump to choose and minimum capacity required for this application would be most welcome. I want something reliable and efficient and I am happy to use a diaphragm pump if a liner piston type is not available, or is too expensive.
Thank you in anticipation of your help.

Andrew Mc

[Carylnz]

The linear piston style pumps can easily handle multiple outlets but I understand they are hard to come by these days and expensive. Sorry I can't recommend where to look as I am in a different country.
This link is 8 years old but interesting comments in it...
https://forum.practicalfishkeeping.co.u ... hp?t=50966

Or here...
http://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishfor ... agm.99996/

Import perhaps...
http://pentairaes.com/linear-piston-air-pumps.html

[Andrew Mc]

Hi Carylnz , Thank you for your response concerning my enquiry especially for providing the links which I found most helpful in reaching a conclusion. Though these pumps appear to be no longer being manufactured, there are a number of them still available either as old stock, or second hand but most are only suitable for running filtration in one or two aquariums and with the power consumption of each pump at around 30 to 40 Watts per hour, to use them to produce 40 to 60 lts of air per minute would render the running costs prohibited.

I have since discovered a range of pumps manufactured by a company named Techno Takatsuki Hiblow, usually referred to as Hiblow, which are readily available in the UK and Ireland. They are not a linear piston pump but a linear diaphragm pump which the manufacturer claims to be a perfect solution for applications such as domestic sewage treatment and fish-keeping where air flow is required 24/7, 365 days per year.

The Hiblow HP 60 XP series seems to be well rated as a reliable air pump and consumes only 39 Watts per hour which make it a very attractive choice against other competitors. I also not that it gets a mention in one of the web links you provided. So except someone can persuade me of something better this will most likely be the choice. Any further comments welcome.

Thanks again for you help.
Andrew Mc.

[Carylnz]

Glad I could be of some help. As said, since I am not in the UK I have no idea what may be available to you. Looks like you are onto a good alternative.