Air Pumps & Accessories

Whether you’re keeping marine or freshwater fish, we’ve got a wide variety of fish tank aeration products to keep the water oxygenated to the right level – from oxygenating tablets to air pumps.

Is an Air Pump For a Fish Tank Necessary?

Depending on what type of equipment you intend to use in your aquarium, an air pump might not be necessary at all.

That said, there are a few reasons you may want to use an air pump in your tank.

• Using a filter that requires an air pump like a sponge filter.
• Using decorations that require an air stone or air.
• Using air stones to create bubbles, some people just like the look of bubbles.

What Does an Air Pump Do in Your Aquarium?

The pump is used to provide oxygen from the atmosphere into the water by disturbing the surface of the water as well as keeping the water circulating.

This water movement helps with the oxygenation of the water and gas exchange at the surface.

Good oxygen circulation is not only beneficial to the fish; it also helps the aquarium bacteria necessary for water filtration to survive.

An air pump will cause the water to circulate so it won’t become stagnant, as well as provide air bubbles and oxygen that your fish and beneficial bacteria need to breathe in to survive.

It does this in two ways;

1. Increase surface area
2. Improve circulation

M o r e

How Does a Fish Tank Air Pump Work?

Increased surface area:

Air pumps work by agitating the surface water, which increases the surface area of the water allowing oxygen to enter the water by way of gas exchange.

Gas exchange occurs at the surface of your tank when your aquarium releases excess carbon dioxide and other gasses into the air and takes in oxygen.

When the air pump creates bubbles, it increases the surface area of the water, allowing your tank to release more carbon dioxide and take in more oxygen.

Water circulation:

An air pump also improves circulation by moving oxygenated water from the surface to the bottom of the tank.

This allows carbon dioxide containing water at the bottom of the tank to move up to the surface where it can release the carbon dioxide and take in oxygen.