battery pumps, transporting fish over several days

[santoury]

As some of you know, I'm planning a trip to FL for netting and such.

I would like to take home some Cichlids - mostly smalls and fry, but would love to get a big male Midas or something like that.


My question is... how long do the batteries in a battery powered air pump run for? Do I use one for each bucket/container? Is this enough to keep the fish in good health for several days (trip home)

I also have one of those things that plug into the cig. lighter that has a socket. Could I put a six-socket on there and run 6 electric air pumps at once?
If so, and if the car is turned off (but the key is "on" for the battery) how long will the car battery run before losing juice?

How do I fight high temperatures? This is something I have not seen discussed before - water heats up very fast - and is lethal. ICE?

What is the best way to do water changes "in the field" or in the car? How often?

Thanks!!

 

[Miguel]

As some of you know, I'm planning a trip to FL for netting and such.

I would like to take home some Cichlids - mostly smalls and fry, but would love to get a big male Midas or something like that.


My question is... how long do the batteries in a battery powered air pump run for? Do I use one for each bucket/container? Is this enough to keep the fish in good health for several days (trip home)

I also have one of those things that plug into the cig. lighter that has a socket. Could I put a six-socket on there and run 6 electric air pumps at once?
If so, and if the car is turned off (but the key is "on" for the battery) how long will the car battery run before losing juice?

How do I fight high temperatures? This is something I have not seen discussed before - water heats up very fast - and is lethal. ICE?

What is the best way to do water changes "in the field" or in the car? How often?

Thanks!!

1) Battery operated pumps are weak. I used them for when I had to stop during my journey. And I would use one per conatiner, period.

2) With my car the converter does not even work if the motor is not running..so the battery never looses juice. For breaks, see reply 1) above.

3)I would say that water kept in "shadow", while driving and during breaks would not opverheat...if it does ice could do the trick imo.

4) I took a couple of 40 litres jerry cans with me... during breaks, we siphoned water out of the fish conatiner to the street, and then, from a jerry can on the roof of the car we just had to fill the container again by gravity...no problem at all..


Enjoy. It actually is good fun!!!

do not feed the fish during the journey...

 

[santoury]

Thanks!!!
Have you tried running multiple pumps off of the converter? with a strip.
That's a good idea - use the battery ones while fishing, and the electric while driving - but depends on how much the converter can handle...
How often did you change the water?

A new question - how many fish is good in a bucket? I'm guessing that this is just where one uses best judgment ?

 

[Miguel]

Thanks!!!
Have you tried running multiple pumps off of the converter? with a strip.
That's a good idea - use the battery ones while fishing, and the electric while driving - but depends on how much the converter can handle...
How often did you change the water?

A new question - how many fish is good in a bucket? I'm guessing that this is just where one uses best judgment ?

My converter was good for 400 W . So it was a double air stone pump, a strog one and a heater...pumps do not use much juice so I guess you can ad more pumps to the converter ( since you're using no heater ) untill you're near their W capacity. Do not exceed it because something may get damaged or in fire, or whatever...


Take a lot of batteries for the battery operated pumps....


I did a substantial water change every 3 hours...I was carrying a BIG asian aro in a 130 litres container. ( 30 something gallons )

You have, as stated, to use good sense and do your maths...

 

[santoury]

COOL - thanks again!!

 

[ani-mal-lvr]

For my 8 hour plus fish haul. I used a 800 watt inverter. Running 4 separate air pumps, 2 per cooler. I had 2 heaters along just in case. But did not need them, I kept the car interior temp pretty warm. I was hauling 4 large pseudacanthicus plecs, 2 smal gars (4-5 inches), and a small Tigrinus (5-6 inch). I did one water change about midway.

Oxygen is generally the biggest factor in transporting fish. But if heat is a factor, freeze some water in bottles or tupperware. Then float these in the fish water.

 

[PMK]

1) Battery operated pumps are weak. I used them for when I had to stop during my journey. And I would use one per conatiner, period.

2) With my car the converter does not even work if the motor is not running..so the battery never looses juice. For breaks, see reply 1) above.

3)I would say that water kept in "shadow", while driving and during breaks would not opverheat...if it does ice could do the trick imo.

4) I took a couple of 40 litres jerry cans with me... during breaks, we siphoned water out of the fish conatiner to the street, and then, from a jerry can on the roof of the car we just had to fill the container again by gravity...no problem at all..


Enjoy. It actually is good fun!!!

do not feed the fish during the journey...

Carefull though because it does vary by car cause my phones car charger works when my car is off and doesnt even have the keys in it.

 

[santoury]

To be on the safe side, I'll just use it while driving - and use batteries while fishing.

How long do the batteries last on these pumps?

 

[midnight]

should ask me lol
batterys are fine
pumps take 2 d batts
they last about a day
i bring 2 batt pumps
2 air hose splitters so i can air 4 buckets with 2 pumps
i left 2 dozen fathead minnows in one bucket for 2 days in miami heat with windows up.lost 2,changed batts once