Do air pumps really provide oxygen into the water?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
daveman12345;2082362; said:
Hey, I really don't understand what some of the posts above meant if you're trying to discredit me as a newbie or something. Like I said, if you read the link I provided, here is what it clearly states:

One of the most common misconceptions in the aquarium hobby, possibly second only to "fish will not outgrow their aquarium", is that you need an air pump and air stones to provide sufficient oxygenation to that tank to keep the fish healthy, and that the air pump provides oxygen to the water. In fact, the air pump is not necessary to keeping fish, except as noted above. An air pump will not directly put oxygen into the water, what it will do is two things:

  1. Increase surface area
  2. Improve circulation
Now, I may be a newb but I have a pretty valid point, and I'm more concerned about my fish than anything else. So, I'd appreciate any help at this point.

So, you Rallysman and Dr Joe... you're saying that contrary to what that web site says, that by having an air pump in the tank then oxygen is being created in the tank?

Also, lastly let me clarify that what I have is an air pump and an air stone. What I have is 1. the air pump that pushes air through a tube that leads to 2. a long stick that's about 2 feet long with a bunch of holes that pushes bubbles into the tank.

Now, please let me know if my tank is being oxygenated sufficiently based on the two options I listed on post #4. My Arowana's will thank you!
Click to expand...

Relax! lol

I'm trying to help, not discredit.
If you read carefully, the site states that the pumps can increase O2 levels. They're saying it's not necessary if your current filter is already breaking the surface tension which will increase surface area. If your canister doesn't create ripples then it's not going to increase the surface area which (depending on the tanks footprint) could lead to reduced O2 levels.

the link is poorly worded and IMO confusing.
 
daveman12345;2082373; said:
Right. So, by having the canister flow of water go inside of the water and not above it, causing the waterfall, then it wouldn't provide enough oxygen into the tank even with an "air pump"? I'm basically trying to confirm that an "air pump provides oxygen into a tank" is a myth, and that you pro's here at MFK confirm that it's a myth.

Let me make it clear: my original goal was to have it set up this way to provide minimal surface agitation so that my Arowana's could freely roam the surface of the tank without the agitation.
Click to expand...

It's not a myth. You need gas exchange to oxygenate the water. If you do it by having the canister splash in, then that's fine. If not, then you need something to break the surface tension which is why a lot of people use a wet/dry filter. In a wet/dry the gas exchange occurs in the filter rather than in the tank.
 
rallysman;2082389; said:
It's not a myth. You need gas exchange to oxygenate the water. If you do it by having the canister splash in, then that's fine. If not, then you need something to break the surface tension which is why a lot of people use a wet/dry filter. In a wet/dry the gas exchange occurs in the filter rather than in the tank.
Click to expand...

OK, great thanks Rallysman. I didn't mean to come off agitated, but I was a bit frustrated! I have the Rena XP3 so I don't have a wet/dry filter. So, in theory having an air pump will indeed provide oxygen into the tank due to it causing bubbles at the surface which somehow enhances the oxygen level? I'm realizing that the technical way to think about it is: an air pump basically pushes air into the water that does not create oxygen on the spot. What happens is, when it hits the surface of the water, the oxygen is brought in due to the agitation and the bubbles popping. So indeed, it does bring in oxygen?

To note: Before when I had just the air pump on full, while the canister filter was bringing in water underneath the water, the fish seemed to be gasping for air. Now, when I put the canister filter input above the water level causing the waterfall, they seem to be just fine.
 
Sniped again!

Yes if your putting in enough bubbles (I can't see it clearly from here ;))

Problem with this article is the gut is in Montana where the air is thin already :ROFL:.

We've had this same thread several times before, I wish this guy would rewrite that article.

"Gas exchange - where the water dissolves oxygen and other gases from the air and releases excess carbon dioxide and other gases to the air - occurs over any and all surface area where the water has contact with. ReadBubbles. By increasing the surface area of the water, each bubble gives the water further opportunity to release carbon dioxide and take up oxygen."

The author goes on the say (with a poor selection of words) that "However, this improvement from an air pump is shadowed by the improvement in circulation that the air pump can effect. It doesn't shadow it they work in unison, if you could make bubbles float up slowwer they would work even better. The improved circulation will move highly oxygenated water from the surface lower in the tank allowing water with more carbon dioxide and less oxygen to the surface of the tank where id can release its carbon dioxide and take up oxygen."

Air bubbles replenish oxygen, exchange gasses and create more surface area, especially compared to straight circulation.

Now it's been published here and I hope someone uses this to argue the point like they're using his.

None of this has to be done in the tank if you used a W/D, it can all be done in there leaving the tank clean and bubble free.

Dr Joe

.
 
Dr. Joe: AH HA! I got it. Thanks. Yes, that link is very misleading because it seems to be from a pro "de-mything" the common idea that air pumps provide oxygen into aquariums. That's why I wanted to double check with the pro's here who I'd much rather trust than a random site online. To my defense, I did do the Googling and research, though MFK did not come up nor did any of the old threads you referred to come up.

Now, one last question. Before I look up wet/dry filters, can you point a finger for towards which one you're using, or you'd recommend? I thought my troubles were done once I got a canister, but it looks like I'll be looking for a wet/dry for my Arowanas so that I don't disturb their swimming space at the top!
 
OK, this thread is torture to read but let me throw my two cents in.

I have heard that air pumps don't do anything and I've also heard that their the best thing since sliced bread. The thing that I believe and that makes the most since to me is this. The bubbles aren't that important, it is agitating the surface that makes a difference. Not much gas exchange actually happens when the bubbles go up but they do a good jub of breaking the surface tension. Therfore, air pumps are useful for airating the water but become obsolete when a powerhead or a filter output disturbs the water's surface.

Now, this is what I believe to be true, but then again I never have trouble with airation either way so don't take this as absolute fact.
 
P.S.

Dr. Joe, to the best of my knowledge, may well be the most knowledgeable person on the site, so listen to what he has to say. I won't because some of it's in yellow and it's really wordy but you should.

Good Luck
 
Using a limewood airstone and the proper air source, in 1 second's air release, the resulting aggregate surface area of those bubbles are equal to or greater than the average aquarium's surface area. Now multiple this by 60x60x24x7x
52 to get the bubbles surface area vs the static surface area of an un-aerated aquarium.
 
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