Aquarium Aeration Basics

Aquarium Aeration Basics

As everyone knows waterways and lakes are the normal habits for fish as well as other aquatic life. Rivers and lakes have significant surface area that produces the optimum provision of o2 for fish survival. Alternatively, a fish tank will not be like river or body of water, as it possesses a lesser surface area plus there is restricted movement of habitats (a fish just can't swim out of your tank when conditions become undesirable).

This makes the provision of alternative means of oxygen for fish to breathe important. This artificial process of providing oxygen is called aeration. It's an easy process of re-oxygenating water in the fish tank.

The Aquarium Aeration System:

An fish tank aeration system is composed of a number of devices that raise the availability of air (thus raising oxygen content level) these are:

-the air pump

-t-pieces

-rubber tubing

-clamp or regulator

-diffusers or air stones

Air pumps are available in various sizes and shapes. Make sure you choose one that is appropriate for your individual application and tank size. Always position air pumps above the tank level positioned to some non-vibrating material.

For smaller fish tanks, you just need to add a simple aquarium air pump to air stone using a rubber air tube. The machine will force air in to the water which in turn causes surface movement and thereby supplying the required oxygen your fish need in order to breathe.

Sometimes folks make a complaint that the air pumps are extremely noisy. A tips to keep your air pump quiet would be to insulate it's vibrations by positioning the air pump on a thick sponge or section of carpet.

I have even heard about some individuals who have buried the pump in cat litter that has the air tube running towards surface from the inlet... but you don't have to go to that degree. A sizable cloth or sponge ought to have the desired effect.