Aquarium Air Lifter / Air Pump / Diaphragm Pump Guides: Today's guide is about air pumps and air lifter / diaphragm pumps for the aquarium. Often these will too air compressors called. In our articles on Construction of a pressure can we have already reported about it as related to a Czech air jack can be used. Today we want to explain the basic use and, above all, whether an air lifter makes sense or not. Here many aquarists differ. In some tanks you always see these devices and in others never. But let's start from the beginning.
What is an air pump or an air lifter / compressor / diaphragm pump anyway?
First you should throw some light into the darkness of the different terms. Basically, this always means a device which sucks in air from the environment and then releases it again at increased pressure. Usually naturally below the water surface, at the bottom of the aquarium. This air then rises in the aquarium. We also have a video from JBL, which also shows the structure:
[the_ad id = “1019 ″]
The terms air pump, compressor or diaphragm pump are basically the same. The air lifter is more about a device that in relation to the Hamburg mat filter (HMF) is used. These components, usually also called Czech air lifters, ensure that the water is drawn through a filter sponge with the help of the air and thus cleaning takes place. But more on that in a separate article.
The sizes of the devices are quite different and are usually differentiated in the flow rate per hour of the air. This indicates how many liters of air can be transported per hour. Be it manufacturers like Eheim or Tetra or Sera and many brands that are still quite unknown make their air compressors available for aquaristics. Depends on the Pump performance is of course also the power consumption of the devices. We will introduce you to the bestsellers in another article.
Depending on the design, air pumps also have different outlets. Usually there are two, so that you can also supply two aquariums without any distributors. In addition, the outlet pressure and flow can also be changed with the better models.
Another distinguishing feature is the noise level of the pumps. Certain models are quite loud, which can be annoying, especially in living areas.
How does the diaphragm pump or air pump actually work?
We do not want to explain the mechanical or electronic functional principle of a diaphragm pump any further here, as this would go beyond the scope of this article. You basically have to dive into the physics here. The main difference between the diaphragm pumps is their gear. This can be mechanical or electronic. Larger pumps are usually referred to as piston pumps. These can also be found in aquaristics. Usually in larger breeding facilities where the flow rates have to be very high.
Let's basically assume that the air pump, regardless of the principle, provides us with air. This air is then fed into the aquarium with the help of a hose, usually silicone hose is used here. There it can flow out again and thus supplies the pool with air. Various components can be used for the outflow. This is called diffusion or also vent. There are different designs and sizes to buy.
But what is the point of a membrane pump in the aquarium?
Once you have understood the functional principle described above, it should quickly become clear what these devices are used for in the aquarium. You supply the pelvis with additional oxygen by introducing it. This can vary depending on the flow rate and air vent. Now the only question is when do I need something like that.
When do I need additional oxygen O2 in the aquarium?
Of course, one must not confuse O2 with CO2, because carbon dioxide is primarily used to fertilize the plants and basically displaces the oxygen in the water. The supply of oxygen in the aquarium can have many reasons.
In a well-established and normally stocked aquarium, you should basically not need this additional supply if you use an aquarium filter, of course. Nevertheless, it can happen that the oxygen content is too low.
This can be the case, for example, when treating an illness. An additional supply with an air pump can also make sense in breeding systems or heavily populated aquariums. It can also make sense to add oxygen, especially in the hot summer months. Rising temperatures and the associated increase in water temperature reduce the dissolved oxygen in the aquarium water. Let's summarize the possible reasons for an additional oxygen supply:
- Treatment of a fish disease
- When the water temperature is too high
- In case of overstocking
- Problems with the Aquarium filterr
- In the field of breeding
- When more oxygen is needed
- At a Re-establishment in the transition container
- In emergency situations such as contagious diseases
- To Artemia breeding
- For certain ornamental fish with high oxygen requirements
As you can see, there can sometimes be problems with the aquarium filter, so it always makes sense to have a diaphragm pump as a replacement. Even if the tank is redesigned and redesigned, the fish in their tank can be supplied with oxygen in this way.
Of course, it can also happen that you have to stop your fish somewhere quickly. Be it in the event of a defect in the aquarium or if the water values are out of control. It can also make sense to separate fish if they have a contagious disease. In just a short time, operation with a diaphragm pump would then be sufficient.
Even those who want to breed Artemia crabs themselves need such a membrane pump. We have already reported about this.
Various ornamental fish also require an additional supply of oxygen. However, this will be the case with most guppy, platy or gourami not be the case.
It is always worth having an air pump in stock.
- Air pump with airflow regulation with hose (1m) and 1 diffuser
- Quiet
- Geringer Energieverbrauch
- Adjustable delivery
- Designed for continuous use
- Maintains continuous air delivery and pressure
What should I look out for when buying a diaphragm pump?
When buying, there are some criteria that you should consider. On the one hand, you have to know what delivery and pump capacity you need. You have to calculate this in advance. To do this, the inflow and outflow speed must also be known, which in turn depends very much on the vent or diffuser. Very often, recommendations are already given here by the manufacturers. For a 54 liter pool, pumps with a maximum of 200 liters per hour are usually sufficient. In addition, one must also pay attention to the outputs and possibilities of regulation. You should also know the exact purpose here. Of course, there is still the option of working with distributors and branches.
You should also pay attention to the place of installation, because that also determines whether the pump should be correspondingly quiet or not. Again and again one reads about loud devices. This can quickly become annoying. And finally there are factors such as guarantee, service, operating instructions and description, tests and of course the price.
- Flow rate and pump performance
- noise
- Price
- service and testing
- Warranty
- adjustability
In summary, we would like to say that you should basically always have such a pump in stock in order to be prepared accordingly in emergency situations.