elite hush 20 power filter question

[stingingdragon]

I just got a new aquarium and it came with an elite hush 20 power filter. The guy at the store told me that i dont need an air pump with this filter, but in the set up directions it says nothing about not needing one. The only thing the instructions say is that you can buy the pump seperatly. Does anyone know if i need one or not? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JeffreyL]

aa

Welcome To AA!!! This is the one that doen't tell you not to drink before talking to us. But it probably helps.

Back to your question, your filter does not need an air pump to operate. It is a power filter. This means it hangs on the tank, sucks water up the long tube, forces it through the filter media and it flows back into the tank. The water impellor and the motor that drives it are in the filter. If that was more info than you needed, sorry. I tend to lecture. Anyway. power filters work very well on smaller tanks. I'm guessing this is a 10 gallon kit?

If you wish to, you can get a small air pump to power an airstone for a bit more water circulation, or to run one of those cute decorations with the bubbles and moving parts. Many are a bit tacky, but some are kinda neat.

Good luck with the new setup, any questions or problems, give someone a holler.

P.S. If you go to the articles section on the home page here you will find a number of good articles to help you get atarted. In particular the one on a fishless cycle will be of great help!!!!!!

 

[stingingdragon]

I know it doesnt need the air pump to operate but i was wondering if it puts enough air into the water for the fish or if i still need an air pump to put the oxygen in the water?

 

[theotheragentm]

This seems to be a HOB filter. What the guy at the store was problably talking about is that if you have enough water agitation, a separate air pump to put oxygen into the water is not necessary. Assuming it breaks the water surface well enough the splashing should allow oxygen to dissolve into the water.

 

[stingingdragon]

How do you know if it breaks the water surface enough?

 

[theotheragentm]

It's kind of something you just guess. I'm assuming you have a 20 gallon tank based on the filter. If you have an inch of clearance between the water level and the filter return, that would probably do the job.