Setting pump

[Idris]

I've got a pump with a foam filter. It has two "setting" dials - how much water it sucks through the filter (at the bottom) and how much air it sucks in (at the top).

Depemding on how I set it I can either end up with a huge current of tiny bubles right across the tank, a really noisy pump with large bubles that that don't travel far, or no bubles at all.

How much bubling / current do I need to keep the water airated properly without stressing fish?

 

[sylvia]

You should look to have a flow of medium-sized bubbles. You see the larger the bubble the more it moves the water's surface which is important for increasing surface area to increase the amount of oxygen getting into the water but the smaller the bubble the further it travels and the more it helps with water circulation by forcing the water to move around. What you need to do is set it so that you have a compromise. TBH though, if you have a filter in your tank anyway, you don't need to worry all that much about extra aeration or water circulation. It is more an aesthetic thing. Still though - the large bubbles make a lot of noise, the small bubbles look like particles in the water - again you'll be looking for a medium-sized compromise.

 

[Dubby]

As long as the surface of the water is moving you will get enough oxygen into the water. There is no need for bubbles. So I would aim to get more water circulation and less bubbles.

Less bubbles also helps if you have a planted tank.