fish tank pump

[Dave Payne]

I have a fish tank with a couple of fish in on board, in the summer months with solar its not a problem keeping the 240v pump running 24/7, Winter months though mean turning it off but then he tank gets stinky and needs cleaning a lot.

 

Anyone else have fish on board and have any recommendations for battery pumps, or maybe one that can be plugged into the 12v system?

 

It's cold water tank and the pump is one that flows water back onto the top of the water via a filter.

 

Thanks

[Davids]

Dave, Google Vortech..Not pumps as such but battery backup systems. A bit pricey though.

Or try these http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/12v-water-pump-submersible

I have a salt water tank on board and when I'm without power I generally use an inverter to keep the pumps and heaters running.

 

Hope that helps

 

edited to add link

Edited January 3, 2017 by Davids

[ditchcrawler]

How about this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium-Pump-Low-Voltage-ATU-Pump-Tropical-Marine-Aquarium-ATU-5-5v-12v-200LPH-/112176722102

[Dave Payne]

Apologies I didn't word the post correctly, I should have said water filter, not pump.

 

I have seen you can connect a 12v pump to a separate filter, but was just looking for a one stop solution.

 

Further googling makes me think it's not possible, guess I'll have to leave the 240v filter via the invertor running which seems a waste of power.

[Mike on the Wey]

Keep your fish under the weed hatch, and just lift it when you need to feed them.

[b0atman]

Why not remove filter do more water changes and use something like the eheim battery powered vacuum to remove waste .I have tropical and go bank power in winter months.

[Jess--]

a lot of the external filters will quite happily run from an extra 12v pump inline on their plumbing, this allows you to run the inbuilt mains pump or the 12v pump depending on what you have available.

 

I have a fairly large tank (1000 litres) using a fluval fx5 (a beast of a filter) and added a 12v pump to use as a backup (intended as a heating circulation pump).

having the pump inline costs around 10% of the flow from the original pump, when running from 12v the filters flow is around 75% of normal (which is still more than enough to keep the tank healthy).

 

if you are using an internal filter/pump unit I don't know what to suggest

[bizzard]

Would a 12v car windscreen washer pump do the job, available at all motor factors and car spares shops.

[chubby]

Just how viable is it to have a small (& i do mean small ) tropical tank running off 12v stuff on board . The one & just about only thing i miss from living ashore is my little fish tank !!!

Half a dozen little neon tetra s & some plants - how cool would that be !

Edited January 4, 2017 by chubby

[b0atman]

I have a 3ft tropical tank, not a problem in the summer if solar panels are working or engine charging batteries.

Winter then i am in Marina on bank power .

It is easier to look after a larger tank than a small as temperature is more stable.

The best place for fish is Pier aquatics at Wigan not far from canal.

[Jess--]

Would a 12v car windscreen washer pump do the job, available at all motor factors and car spares shops.

I would suspect that the pump would not survive long as a washer pump would be rated and designed for intermittent use where for an aquarium the pump needs to be running 24/7

 

I have a 3ft tropical tank, not a problem in the summer if solar panels are working or engine charging batteries.

Winter then i am in Marina on bank power .

It is easier to look after a larger tank than a small as temperature is more stable.

The best place for fish is Pier aquatics at Wigan not far from canal.

not on the boat but I have to agree... the larger the tank the easier it is to care for it, my big one (7 foot by 2 1/2 feet by 2 feet) seems almost bombproof, when built it was specified as needing 2 500w heaters fitted, one was never removed from it's box, the second was used when the tank was first filled, after a couple of weeks it was noted that the heater wasn't cutting in at all, it turns out that the heat from 4 T5 lights is just right to keep the tanks temperature at 25 degrees so the heater was removed completely.

 

5 years on and there is still no heaters and we get a 0.3 degree temperature shift from day (lights on) to night (lights off)

[Davids]

Agree with Jess. Different on the boat. My 3 ft salt water tank has a heater, T5,s and LED lights and the heater kicks in fairly regularly during the winter, even though it is only about 5 ft from the fire. I am mainly on shore power, when traveling a dedicated battery runs the heater and powerheads, through an inverter and lasts about 6 hours.

 

Dave, where are you mate? I have an external filter you are welcome to. The pump is shot but could easily be replaced and hooked up to a 12 volt one.

[rustydiver]

Oh boys come on lets see photos off your tanks on the boats.

Ive just done a planted tank at home. I've always had a fishtanks on the go from a young age. Ive had marines, tropical, Malawis, South Americian Chiclids, but never thought about having one on a boat.

[Dave Payne]

Err did I mention mine isn't warm water...

 

The filter/pump doesn't really pull a lot or power,its more the fact that the invertor is running 24/7 for such a small thing that bugs me.

 

If I don't have the filter running then the water becomes cloudy and smelly after a week, its a PITA to keep cleaning it weekly.

 

I am going to try cutting the food down as I think I might be over feeding a little, have noticed some sinking pellets lately still on the bottom not being eaten, will stick with flakes and feed less for a couple of weeks to see how the water is.

[chubby]

Yes ,

good call - lets have photos please . Lots of them .

I d LOVE to get a little tank going . Im very jealous of you folk with your tanks and your shorelines . Im off grid so likely to be a no goer for me tho .... bugger !

Edited January 4, 2017 by chubby

[rustydiver]

Yes ,

good call - lets have photos please . Lots of them .

I d LOVE to get a little tank going . Im very jealous of you folk with your tanks and your shorelines . Im off grid so likely to be a no goer for me tho .... bugger !

 

Or is it. Upstairs i have a small shrimp tank, 17lts wish and its ran off a 12v plug lights and filter. The heater its a normal plug type one though.

Edited January 4, 2017 by rustydiver

[Starcoaster]

I used to keep marine fish and corals when I was on land, but I'm not sure I'd dare to on a boat. What if you're underway and hit something, or moored and something hits you!? And the engine vibration etc.

[Davids]

[bizzard]

Whats wrong with a traditional Goldfish bowl, didn't have fancy aeration equipment. The Goldfish used to live to a ripe old age. To prevent dizzyness and sea sickness the bowl could be suspended from the ceiling in a cradle of elastic shock cords to damp out jolts and vibration.

Rag and bone men used to give the kids Goldfish imprisoned in a little jam jar if you gave them a bit of junk.

Edited January 5, 2017 by bizzard

[8 Hairy Feet]

Nemo? Is that you ?

[blackrose]

Whats wrong with a traditional Goldfish bowl, didn't have fancy aeration equipment. The Goldfish used to live to a ripe old age. To prevent dizzyness and sea sickness the bowl could be suspended from the ceiling in a cradle of elastic shock cords to damp out jolts and vibration.

Rag and bone men used to give the kids Goldfish imprisoned in a little jam jar if you gave them a bit of junk.

I remember as a kid winning a goldfish at a fair and carrying it home in a little plastic bag before putting it into a goldfish bowl. Not sure how it survived.

 

Keeping a fishtank on a boat seems like a lot of hassle to me, but I suppose no more than keeping a dog.

[bizzard]

I remember as a kid winning a goldfish at a fair and carrying it home in a little plastic bag before putting it into a goldfish bowl. Not sure how it survived.

 

Keeping a fishtank on a boat seems like a lot of hassle to me, but I suppose no more than keeping a dog.

Yes, the later rag and bone men issued them in little plastic bags too.

[Caprifool]

12v solar panel pump on eBay.

[ditchcrawler]

I remember as a kid winning a goldfish at a fair and carrying it home in a little plastic bag before putting it into a goldfish bowl. Not sure how it survived.

 

Keeping a fishtank on a boat seems like a lot of hassle to me, but I suppose no more than keeping a dog.

We put some in a bowl and some in the garden pond, The pond ones grew to big fish the ones in the bowl just stayed the same size.

[Dave Payne]

They grow to the environment they are in..