Air pump or filter?

[ladynaoko]

Since the arrival of my plecos the waste in my tank has increased significantly (which I expected anyway ). I thought my filter could get most of the muck but there's still quite a lot of it around and the filter needs to be cleaned a lot more.

Naturally, I'm looking into getting a new filter to go in the tank when my wages come in the next few weeks but I'm also thinking of air pumps. Would I be better off getting a pump instead? I've never used one myself so I'm just asking out of curiousity.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I am not sure why you would think an air pump is going to help against waste. They don't provide a home for the good bacteria like filters do.

All air pumps do (unless using a UGF) is to connect to an air stone. Air stones help oxygenate and people like how they look.

 

[kev]

Unless your meaning Internal filter

Or external filter with an airpump - then go for a bigger filter

an air pump will not do anything to help the waste

 

[cometcattle]

What filter are you currently using?

Not that I would say airstone, as stated, they won't help with the waste.

 

[Stryker]

I said filter, but by that I'd personally have the new filter as an addition rather than a replacement.

 

[ladynaoko]

I wasn't actually sure what an air pump does - hence why I was asking

what I was planning to do is just get another filter the size I have now and run the two together in the tank. I had 2 filters before but one of them went into my new tank to get it started up a few months back.

 

[Dwarfs]

Air pump powered sponge filter

 

[Kristi]

I was told that plecos are high amonia producers. I would assume that they are great poopers, too This means that you will have to clean your tank more often, regardless of how many filters you have on it. (I do mine about every fortnight)
I use a powerhead that has a big filter on the intake (Penguin 660R), though I modified it to accept the Hagen super filter which does a much better filtering job. This also allows me to aerate the tank by opening the venturi a tad, and provides a bit of current for the fishies. (In hindsight, I would recommend a Hagen powerhead with the Hagen superfilter. Hagen powerheads, I understand, have a flow adjustment so you don't overpower your tank, and yet you have the capability to quick clean the water after a water change.)
Do check your chem levels, though, and make sure nitrite stays at zero, and same with amonia (I got one of those doc fish amonia indicators) My nitrite and amonia stay at zero and nitrate runs about 30 or 40 (ppm, I think)
OTOH, having 2 filters would mean that you could change the substrate in one, and alternate with the other - this would help keep a good bacteria level.
I live in the colonies so I get stuff from Big Al's (Canada) - least expensive by far.
hth
Kristi