I have been keeping fish for a while. I was always under the impression that an air pump was needed I always used one but now I am reading if u have good agitation from the filter its not really required. I have a 55 with 2 filters and an airpump. I also just put my 20 back up and have a hob aqua clear 50. My airpump died for this tank and it has been running without the airpump for a week and fish seem fine. The filter provides good circulation so should I be ok without an airpump?
silly question
- Thread starter amber1003
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+1. Air pumps nowadays are more for the fish keepers pleasure than fish health, unless you are running the tank hotter than average, at which point the water can't hold as much oxygen as at normal tank temps. As long as the filter is creating enough surface movement then oxygen will be getting in to the water. Surprisingly bubbles don't actually add oxygen, it's the surface movement created by the bubbles bursting at the surface causing agitation which put it in. If you find that your fish are constantly at the surface or by the filter outlet then it may be due to a lack of oxygen, at which point it may be advantageous to put an air pump in if you can't alter the amount of movement created by the outlet.
I agree with what everyone else says except for one thing! If you have an airpump and one filter dies then the airstone can save your fish!
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