Air pump wattage please

[Jennet28 86]

I have had a sponge filter delivered that has two sides to hold both filter media and sponges on top. This is for my 80 litre aquarium. Can you tell me what wattage air pump I would require to run both the filter and an airstone in this please, as I am going to put it in alongside my current internal filter whilst good bacteria build up, in the hope that I can use it without Oase filter eventually so I can also keep shrimp in there as well as fish. Link to filter below for info. I purchased the large, supposedly to work up to 200 litres (53 gallons) Thanks

Amazon.co.uk

 

[Magnum Man49 163]

I hate calculating off wattage ( I don’t like things I can’t figure out ) but adding to that challenge is “air stone” they range from tiny, to huge, and require different amounts of air… also tank depth effects the size of pump needed… sounds like the sponge filter would not need much air, so if the tank depth, and air stone was “normal”, a “normal” sized air pump should run both fine…

I did find this chart, if it helps at all…

Google Search

 

[Tomsfish7 6]

More important than watts is volume [ liters per minute] and pressure [ psi ].
Most good pumps list this.
General rule is 1-2 times tank volume per hour for volume.
ie for your 80 lite tank you want around 1.5-3 liters per minute.
PSI has to do with how deep the air can be pushed in the tank and dealing with tubing restrictions and friction.
For most tanks under 18 inches tall higher pressure is not needed.
Most people add a check valve for safety but they can fail or cause more pressure on the pump.
I always liked running my airline a couple feet above the tank and then to the pump if the pump can not be kept above the tank.
This is so water is not syphoned to the pump and your floor during any power outage or if the tubing becomes disconnected.

 

[bgarthe49 66]

Or……if the “loop higher than tank” option is somehow not feasible, one can put an inline one-way valve in the airline between pump and air stone which will prevent water from getting to your pump. This does lower the air output power some as there is resistance created. I installed a small thin shelf above my tanks for the air pumps.

 

[Back in the fold5 2]

Bigger , bigger is always better when it comes to diaphragm air pumps . Really big ones are maybe 5 watts so not much power draw but splice in a bleed valve so you can let the extra air out and not put pressure on the diaphragm .

 

[Jennet28 86]

OK, the last bit with a bleed valve went right over my head. I may need to ask you further about that. But in the meantime, I calculated that I will want to run 2 of the double sponge filters, one either end of the aquarium once I take out the internal filter, so allowing for filter, air stone and tubing I will require 247 GP hour so I've just returned from my lfs with a Super Fish Air-Flow 2 which gives 240 L/h. It is produced in China for a company in NL, so hopefully it is a reasonable make. It gives a two year guarantee anyway, similar to Ouse equipment. And came with two spare diaphragm's also.

If anyone wants to simplify how you use a bleed valve once it has been spliced in for me, that would be great, cos right now the half a brain cell I have left has turned to mush.... 🫩

 

[Tomsfish7 6]

The extra bleed valve is just one that attaches to nothing and relieves extra pressure.
Get a splitter with 1 more line than you need. The empty valve can be your bleed off and you adjust it to not lose air but reduce noise from back pressure.
You can attach a hose to it so you don't hear it hissing if needed.
They often help quiet loud pumps along with extending the life of the pump/diaphragms.
If you didn't get a check valve to install in-line then make sure you raise the airline a couple feet above the tank before using.
Even testing and shutting off can start a syphon.

 

[Jennet28 86]

Thanks for your response. Thought it may be something like this, but did not have energy or will to go look it up at the time. Will get a valve off amazon and fit it and the sponge filter into my aquarium once I have it.
Yes, have got a check valve. Don't trust myself not to knock things off higher shelf and straight into aquarium when working in there, 🫪 so will not put up higher, and unfortunately air pumps don't seem to come with very long leads.

 

[Tomsfish7 6]

Possibly placing the splitter with functioning bleed valve above top of tank and check valve between it and pump would act as an extra safety measure against syphoning also.

 

[Essjay48 163]

When I had a betta I used an air powered sponge filter in the tank. But the air flow was too strong so I used one of these inserted between the pump and the one way valve


One outlet was connected to a tube going to the filter and the other outlet connected to nothing. I had the one connected to the tube fully open and use the other to bleed air out of the first tube to reduce the air going to the filter which reduced the flow through the filter. They make these with 2, 3 4 and so on taps. You've mentioned 2 filters and an air stone so you'd need one with 4 taps so there would be one free to bleed air if it should be necessary.
For example -

Amazon.co.uk