I bought a smart plug for air pump.

[Magzire]

I bought a Belkin WeMo Switch Smart Plug for my 3600l air pump.
I don't like the idea of it being on 24hrs, like to give the fish some peace (they seem to be more active when off and plus i get to see them better).
Just wondering what would be best time schedule to put it on?
I was thinking 2 hours on, 2 hour off cycles. Then 4 hours off during the night.

 

[Mmathis]

My air pump runs 24/7. I have 3 airstones positioned throughout the pond, so the bubbles are spread around and are never so powerful that they would disturb the fish. If you have submerged plants (oxygenators), you want to leave the air on at night -- that's when the plants convert from producing O2 to producing CO2.

I would like to know how the smart plugs performs, so be sure to report back on that.

 

[Magzire]

Will be arriving in the morning, will report back. Just take out my phone and press off in the app when i want to see and feed my fish. Pretty cool and convenient.

 

[Tula]

I run my air pump 24 / 7.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I run my air pump 24 / 7.

Me too

 

[Meyer Jordan]

As relates to critical time of day for aeration. Mmathis is correct in advising running any aeration at night when it is really needed. During daytime hours submerged plants and algae are both producing oxygen, reducing the need for daytime aeration except in the most heavily stocked ponds.

 

[CometKeith]

I leave an air stone running 24/7. I think sometimes it helps the plants more than anything else but I'm kind of a nut for making sure there is enough O2 in my pond at all times. I agree with Mmathis. For larger fish oxygen deprivation occurs mostly at night when O2 levels dip and that's when fish can die.

 

[Magzire]

I would like to know how the smart plugs performs, so be sure to report back on that.

After 3 days running its working as accepted. Easy to install, just plug it in, the home router will pick it up. Install the app WeMo on the mobile device and that's it. No dropped signals as of yet.
I did away with the time schedule and only use it at feeding times. Super convenient with just click of a button on the home page of a smart phone. Don't even need to open the app (android widget)
If you want to get technical with a time schedule there is an App called IFTTT that connects with WeMo (both free). With this you can set rules, can have a many as you want. Which include, turn on/off at dawn and dust. Or have it turn on/off any time of the day, even add it to a calendar. The possibles are endless, would recommend.

 

[pecan]

I leave mine on 24/7, but as said above, night time is the most critical time to have it on. Dusk till dawn.

 

[Mmathis]

After 3 days running its working as accepted. Easy to install, just plug it in, the home router will pick it up. Install the app WeMo on the mobile device and that's it. No dropped signals as of yet.
I did away with the time schedule and only use it at feeding times. Super convenient with just click of a button on the home page of a smart phone. Don't even need to open the app (android widget)
If you want to get technical with a time schedule there is an App called IFTTT that connects with WeMo (both free). With this you can set rules, can have a many as you want. Which include, turn on/off at dawn and dust. Or have it turn on/off any time of the day, even add it to a calendar. The possibles are endless, would recommend.

I'm not as interested in something like this for pond use as I am for general use around the house. Hubby likes techy stuff and I think it's kinda neat and helpful for us, for things like turning lights on and off when we travel [instead of using a plug-in timer which is not random enough]. We have wi-if access for our HVAC system.

 

[Lisak1]

We have our airstones on a timer with a light sensor - on at dusk, off at dawn. Although when it gets really hot we run aeration 24/7. I'm not sure why we think that's a good idea, but we do. haha! Maybe I read it somewhere once... who knows! The fish love the bubbles though. They are like kids on a playground when they come on.