Air Pumps

[mattyb75]

Can you use too larger air pump?
I am currently using the tetratec APS300 designed for 120-300litre tanks, my tank is 120 litres and I have both air outlets in use in my tank, is this too much?
Any help is gratefully appreciated.



Matt
UK

 

[Fish_Newb]

I can't help myself, but pretty sure anyone who can will want to know what sort of fish/how many are in your tank at the moment...
Also, you can change the airflow via the valve on the airpump to slow it down if your fish seem to be unhappy or like a weak current!

 

[mattyb75]

I have a 120 litre tank with 5 golden cloud mountain minnows and 4 mollies.

 

[famous]

no you cannot have too much. in air there is about 21% oxygen however in water the maximum amoutn of oxygen you can get is about 8% so good airation is important.

it could only be too much if it is harming the fish. if you have live plants you might not want it on full power as you will be loosing some co2 which the plants need. you can get a simple clamp valve to regulate the flow

 

[waterdrop]

Airstones are basically a decoration for people. Fish vary in whether they care for them or not. Some don't care for the disturbance while others will seem to enjoy going through the bubble streams. There can be some minor benefit from surface disturbance and from the upwelling helping circulation but basically its surface water movement that dominates gaseous exchange between water and air and filter outlets and directed powerheads will accomplish this with more efficiency than airstones. Oxygen and CO2 go up and down as separate balances between air and water and there is a trade-off with surface disturbance because more of it, while increasing O2 for the fish will also decrease CO2 for the plants. Like oxygen, CO2 is also much, much less abundant underwater than in the air (this is why so many plants benefit from being emergent (breaking the surface): they can get more CO2.)

~~waterdrop~~