Do air pumps really provide oxygen into the water?
- Thread starter daveman12345
- Start date
Dr Joe;2082569; said:
This would be true if the bubbles produced stayed in the aquarium for a year (I assume you mean *60 for minutes, *60 for hours, *24 for days, *7 for weeks, *52 for years.) However, they get to the surface and escape in a second or two, so this is not the case. Assuming your anecdote about the aggregrate surface area of the bubbles being approximately equal to the aquarium's surface area holds water, you might have as much as double the surface area in the bubbles.
Anyway, as far as keepin' fish goes: as long as you have surface agitation, you're good. If you only have a canister filter, this means pointing the spray bar up at the surface (which is more effective and quieter than pointing it down from the air.) You don't need to break the surface and make it splash, but you should be making it ripple. What you're accomplishing is twofold: you're taking water from the bottom of the aquarium and putting it at the surface for gas exchange, and you're clearing any accumulated oils or other things that may be on the surface, allowing the gas exchange to occur.
Airstones accomplish the same thing. So do HOBs.
I am surprised nobody has mentioned sponge filters yet. Do the sponge filters that are air pump driven actually serve a dual purpose and help oxygenate as well as provide a large surface for the growth of Benneficial Bacteria?
I may be over oxygenating all of my tanks. I run top HOB filters (Mainly AC70's and AC110's) to disturb the surface in parallel with an air pump driven sponge filter and at least one airstone in every tank that I have!
I may be over oxygenating all of my tanks. I run top HOB filters (Mainly AC70's and AC110's) to disturb the surface in parallel with an air pump driven sponge filter and at least one airstone in every tank that I have!
