# Do I need an air pump?



## khillen (Jun 28, 2011)

I've seen a lot of posts debating air pumps but I am scared to take mine out without a specific answer to my tank setup. I have a 55 gallon with two aqueon hang on back filters with a flow rate of approx. 525gph. My dual air pump with air wands on both sides of my tank is just too much....the water is nothing but bubbles and sand (that all the air bubbles stir up). I have a much smaller air pump for a 20 gal tank....if I have to have one can I use this one instead? Do I even need one in my tank?


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## dinuma (Jul 21, 2011)

Hi,
Im new here but have a few good years behind me in fish keeping. IMO if you have a HOB filter with almost 10x the tank volume you ought to have an adequate air-water interface and the oxygen levels should be fine without the air pump. If you must have an air pump try a smaller one with a lower output. 
As a study (do this when you have a few hours at hand to watch the tank) you could actually disconnect the air pump completely and just let the sand settle. Watch for several hours during the day intermittently to check if the fish looked distressed. I think they should be fine. You could always turn the pump back on but you will have an idea at the end of the day if you can remove it once and for all.
All the best


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Air pumps aren't needed and neither are bubbles in the tank as long as you have good circulation. For the most part, that's all the air pumps are doing, aidinig in circulation. You could use a small powerhead to accomplish the same without all the bubbles. Many filters will accomplish that without the need for additional equipment. I'd guess that your filters alone will be fine, but as said in the previous post, remove and monitor.


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## khillen (Jun 28, 2011)

I took one air wand out and left just one in plugged into a less powerful air pump. So far no signs of distress. If all the fish still look good in a couple hours I am just going to take it out completly. Thanks for the advice my water looks much more clear already.


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## dinuma (Jul 21, 2011)

I had a similar problem with my planted tank - too powerful an air pump for the tank. i made a hole on the side of half a coconut shell and placed it over the airstone. that took the edge off the force of bubbles going up to a large extent. the shell trapped air and released it more slowly than the stone and i still had my desired surface agitation


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## Jesmoose (Jul 25, 2011)

I only use powerheads, I have 2 in my tank and all my fish are fine. Hope you were able to get your tank settled!


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## Elijah (Mar 30, 2011)

In my 2 20 gallon tanks, I have no air pumps. I have penguin bio-wheel HOB filters that aggitate the water good enough. However, in my smaller tank, I only have a cheap walmart HOB filter, that does a poor job agitating the water and there are many dead spots, so I have a bubble wand in that tank.

So I guess it really depends on the amount of "dead spots" you have, but since you have 2 HOB filters, I'd say you're fine.


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## Luckie06106 (5 mo ago)

Do convict cichlids need a air bubbles?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Luckie06106 said:


> Do convict cichlids need a air bubbles?


Convict cichlids do not need air bubbles but do need to have some movement of the water surface to help break up organics from fish food, dust and other things.

Do you already have a convict cichlid and if so, what type of filter do you have on the tank?


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

As per @Deeda , 
Nope.
But, air bubbles popping on the surface water of an aquarium will clear out surface film faster than almost anything else. Which in turn, aids in aeration of the water.
Besides I personally like the look of a stream or curtain wall of bubbles in an aquarium. Personal taste, right?
They certainly don't hurt anything, can be a bit beneficial, and a lot of people think they look cool.
So, do you like the look of air bubbles produced by a wand or stone in your aquarium? If so, then why not have air bubbles in your tank?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have a battery powered air pump, but I use it only for transporting fish in buckets and it could be helpful in a power failure, but I have a generator so it would have to fail first.


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