Asking For More Advice

[maplethistle]

Asking for your advice again ...
Just got aquarium organised, with silk plants and a Maxima air pump which is sounding like a Sherman tank! Well that's maybe a wee bit of an exaggeration but we've done everything to cut down the vibration to no avail.
No fish yet (starting fishless cycle) which is just as well considering the racket this thing is making.
Thought an air pump would be simpler for us - we're total beginners - rather than plants, but not sure if we can put up with the noise.
Still reading up on things fishy - had wanted guppies, but going to wait until our tank is well established before we try those, so thought tetras and molly fish might be good to start with. Any thoughts?
Thanks so much.

 

[Rooster]

Have you a FILTER in there ?
Is it air driven ?


You dont "need" an air pump.... unless its driving the filter !!!! if it IS, then get another filter... without the noise

 

[maplethistle]

Yes we have a filter, but the pet shop said we'd need either plants or an air pump to get oxygen into the water.

 

[OldMan47]

The LFS is feeding you a misleading line of stuff. You do need good water to air contact to have enough oxygen for your fish. That means that you can't allow a dead water layer to form at the water's surface. It does not mean that you need an air pump or plants. Plants will provide almost no oxygen to the water but are often advised as a source of oxygen. We cannot stuff enough plants into a tank to take the place of good gas exchange at the water's surface. I have several well stocked tanks that have no air system connected and also have no plants. What those tanks do have is enough water flowing near the surface that I can see tiny ripples in the water surface. That is all it takes to get all the oxygen into the water needed suit all of the fish.

 

[maplethistle]

Thank you so much, so the water filter that we have (Fluval 2) which is making the water ripple at the top of the tank is all we need? What great news. Well, money wasted on the pump, but a quieter life.

 

[waterdrop]

I had the same situation. Air pump was too loud in my son's room. What I did was to run the pump during the daytime only during the months when I was fishless cycling, to give the water an extra stir during cycling. As soon as cycling was over and we got fish, we stopped using the air pump altogether.

This at least gave us the feeling that the money for the air pump wasn't completely wasted. My son was at school during the day so the noise didn't matter then. Plus, the bubbles were something fun to see in an empty tank when he came home for a bit before they were turned off. If you do this be sure to have the pump above the tank or have a one-way valve so that water won't come back into the pump when its turned off.

But, in the end, its correct that surface disturbance via the filter is all that's needed.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[maplethistle]

Thanks again Waterdrop for your good advice.
Really happy we don't have to listen to that awful noise and can use the filter instead. It's producing little bubbles on the surface, so all sounds well.
Maplethistle

 

[Rooster]

Thank you so much, so the water filter that we have (Fluval 2) which is making the water ripple at the top of the tank is all we need? What great news. Well, money wasted on the pump, but a quieter life.

Which is where my line was leading !!!! the fish shop are bulling you, the oxygen and waste gasses "exchange" at the water surface... they WILL do this even with still water, but too slowly for our needs.. so water movement is the key, either a powered filter (which you have) an air driven filter, or a spoon will do the job... you dont NEED more than that, and it really is that simple - far too many folk over-complicate this hobby... its simple chemistry when all said and done !

You can keep the air pump, for "aesthetic reasons" to drive an ornament maybe, or you just like the bubbles - but theres not a NEED.

Enjoy your fish in peace !

 

[Sausage]

Thank you so much, so the water filter that we have (Fluval 2) which is making the water ripple at the top of the tank is all we need? What great news. Well, money wasted on the pump, but a quieter life.

Which is where my line was leading !!!! the fish shop are bulling you, the oxygen and waste gasses "exchange" at the water surface... they WILL do this even with still water, but too slowly for our needs.. so water movement is the key, either a powered filter (which you have) an air driven filter, or a spoon will do the job... you dont NEED more than that, and it really is that simple - far too many folk over-complicate this hobby... its simple chemistry when all said and done !

You can keep the air pump, for "aesthetic reasons" to drive an ornament maybe, or you just like the bubbles - but theres not a NEED.

Enjoy your fish in peace !

I have an interpet pf1 interntal filter which has an option nozzle attachment to the front so that i can decide which way to direct the water flow. I have this so its directed upwards, it creates a great little current at the water surface giving plenty of oxygen for the fish. I only run my pump in the evening as an added feature (i love the bubble effect and so do the fish so it seems), altho the noise level isnt too intrusive to be honest.