Smallest solar water pump?

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I'm going to be setting up a small container garden, probably with just a lilly and guppies, probably only 5 gallons max. I know with the fish and how hot it gets here, I'll have to have some kind of aeration action going on, whether from a water pump or an air pump. I was thinking a solar powered air pump, since there's no electricity in the back yard, and I'll be gone for awhile in July-August, unless I get a job in town. The thing is, those, even the small ones are rather expensive, while the solar water pumps are a lot cheaper. I've heard lillies don't like their pads getting wet though, and with such a small volume of water, I'm worried that having too much splash would be annoying and overwhelm the pond. Anyone think it would work?
 
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O2 levels decline though the night and are at the lowest just before dawn. So solar aeration would need a battery, charger and timer to be of any use. That's pretty expensive.

I don't know the O2 requirements for guppies but know mosquitofish have low O2 needs. You could use them instead if guppies needed more O2. They look the same from above. Given your cool climate I wouldn't think O2 would an issue. Water movement is not need for aeration. Gas exchange takes place at the surface, still or otherwise.
 
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The one I'm looking at does have a battery and charges automatically, but not sure if a timer could be rigged up or not. And yeah, just a bit expensive.

Mosquito fish are actually a type of guppy, one of the larger species. If they weren't so delicate, I'd go with fancy guppies so I could have all the nice reds, blues and yellows, but my local pet store has some psychedelic endlers livebearer guppies they sell as feeders- much cheaper, hardier, and more colorful (why they sell them as feeders then, I don't know). It's not exactly cool here in the summers, triple digits in the sun. Then again, I guess that would be fairly cool for someone from a desert, lol. I do need to break the surface tension of the water though, which helps greatly with gas exchange, and works to keep the surface from getting slimy, which is a problem I have in my tanks that don't have something breaking the surface.
 
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Same order, Cyprinodontiformes, different species. Mosquitofish is Gambusia affinis and guppy is Poecilia reticulata. Mosquitofish is native to US and guppy further south.

You'll be surprised how cool water in a container will stay given some plant cover like lilies. A few days of record temps won't affect a good size container much. No plants, full sun, black uninsulated container, then sure, a problem.

To split hairs...
Surface tension is no barrier to O2, CO2, molecules. There are 3 main models for air-water gas exchange: stagnant-film, boundary-layer, surface-renewal. Surface tension is unrelated. Tons of papers written on the subject. It is true that stirring water will increase gas exchange because the exchange happens at the interface, but it isn't true that surface tension has to be broken. However, it is also true that surface tension can help create films on the surface, dust for example, which does lower gas exchange.

I know virtually all aquarium writing says that surface tension must be broken for gas exchange, but that has never been true in physics.

Since moving water will increase gas exchange the question still should be whether that increase is needed. Mosquitofish have done well in still water for a very long time so imo additional gas exchange wouldn't be needed. If you want moving water then you certainly should go for it since it is a hobby and you should have fun.

Another option I have used a few times....if you can't bring electric to the water, bring the water to the electric. I've used this for containers and small ponds when I didn't want to see a pump or an outlet. I connect 2 pipes to the container. 3/4" PVC is fine. Run the pipe to the nearest electric. It can be a 100' or more away. Put another container by the electric and connect the 2 pipes to it, add a pump and connect one pipe to the pump's output. The output in the remote container can be brought above the surface if you like, waterfall, fountain, whatever. Water flows back thru the other pipe to equalize the 2 containers.

The container with the pump has to be at the same or lower level as the remote container. If lower the incoming pipe's outlet has to be at the remote container's level, so might be above the pump's container.

You can connect many containers around the yard this way using a single pump. Playing with elevations you can even have fountains in each container.

Initially sounds a bit crazy but it's exactly how many large ponds are plumbed. It's easier and cheaper than running electric and I think it looks better. Plus you get better water conditions, can add filters if needed, etc.
 
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...not to contradict you, but that sounds like an awful lot of work for a 5 gallon container

It's just going to be one, sitting out in a flowerbed, in the middle of the sun. It might not be necessary, but hey, at least it'll look pretty, and at best, might help the fish, and keep film off the water. I found a pump that sounds decent for $30, and for a $50 total budget for this little project, I should still have enough for the container and one or two other plants. Lol, remember, broke college student here, cheap is good.
 
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...not to contradict you, but that sounds like an awful lot of work for a 5 gallon container
You're not contradicting me, just not implementing an idea. I'm cool with that. You should do your project any way you like. The last time I saw anyone take any advice in a forum was 1993 I think. Most posters may ask a question, but really they're going to do what's already in their head.
 
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I'd rather not use them since they're a restricted species in WA. Also, guppies are a lot more colorful than people think, and look great from above. lol why does nobody think they look nice? Sure, they aren't as big as koi, but the color's still there, you just need to look harder.
guppy%20male%20in%20net.jpg
 

sissy

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gosh thats a lot of colorful fish .looks like a rainbow in a net .Look harder gosh they are bright .I have never see fish like that here .WOW IS THAT YOUR HAND UNDER THE NET .Thats a lot of fish then geeze
 
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lol not my hand, but I wish it was. That's one of the reasons I like guppies, they like to kick you in the eyes if you get a good look at 'em. hahaha
Those are pond raised guppies though, and pond raised anything tends to have brighter colors than tank raised...The tank babies are nothing to sneeze at either.
fancyguppy-1.jpg

guppy.jpg

guppy1.jpg

metallacespaertail.jpg

sorry about so many pictures...I'm rather defensive of guppies, since one of my friends breeds them. lol
 

addy1

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I have always liked guppies, used to have a lot of them in a fish tank. Those are beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing.
 

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Very pretty and have had them in tanks throughout the years. They are such friendly little inquisitive fish, always busy!
 

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