Aquarium pumps: purpose and types, selection and installation

In natural conditions, the fish itself finds conditions optimal for itself with adequate purity, temperature, water velocity and oxygen concentration. In the conditions of a stationary home aquarium, the required environment for its survival is artificially formed by means of electrical and mechanical equipment. The main device, without which all the fish in the aquarium will float up belly, is an aquarium pump for pumping water, which performs several options in parallel.

A liquid pump is also called a pump, compressor, and also an aerator. The main purpose of this unit is to create a stream (current), pumping water, ensuring its circulation in the aquarium and stable oxygen saturation. As such, the aquarium is a closed space, so the vegetation and living organisms inside it without oxygen aeration will be sorely lacking.

Aquarium vegetation is able to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, however, the efforts of vegetation alone may not be enough for a comfortable existence of the inhabitants of a mini-reservoir. It is precisely for the purpose of oxygenation of water that aquarium pumps are practiced.

In an ordinary body of water, the saturation procedure occurs naturally, as a result of water movement, wind blowing. In a home reservoir, this is not carried out, and without a pump, the water will take the form of some kind of mash or swamp.The pump is designed in such a way that air enters the aquarium through specialized tubes, as a result of which the liquid is saturated with oxygen. The supply pressure is regulated by special clamps located on the tubes. Porous tips (sprays) are mounted on the end of the tube.

Water after passing through the porous tips in the form of air bubbles rises up, where the bubbles burst and destroy the protein film on the water surface, thereby improving the natural saturation of the liquid with oxygen. When the bubbles move around the aquarium, the water layers are mixed, which leads to uniform water distribution and water temperature.

Pumps contribute to enhancing the flow of soil, forming the conditions necessary for a comfortable life of soil microorganisms. What also counteracts decay of the remains of fish and plant substances, the formation of methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. With insufficient oxygen saturation of water in the aquarium, all inhabitants and vegetation develop all kinds of diseases, and as a result, the probable death of all living things.

Aquarium pumps for pumping liquids vary in a number of ways. According to the internal work items, they can be divided into:

• piston (vibration);
• membrane.

Piston pumps drive air through them through an installed piston. Piston assemblies are durable and much more powerful than membrane ones, but are noisier and vibrate. Such an apparatus is preferably used for tanks with a capacity of more than 200 liters. Most often, such devices are installed in large aquariums or column aquariums. The advantages of piston aerators are a long operating time and high throughput.

The air supply of the membrane type compressor is carried out by means of membranes. The main advantages of membrane installations are noiselessness and low consumption of electric energy. However, such compressors are characterized by low throughput and are used for tanks up to 150 liters.

According to the installation method, the pumps are divided into:

• submersible (internal);
• external.

From the name it is already clear that submersible devices are installed under water by means of specialized clamps or suction cups. External pumps are installed outside the aquarium. To perform aeration, air tubes are drawn from the compressor into the aquarium. In an aquarium, water can be of different structure (fresh or sea), which affects the internal structure of the units. With these parameters, different materials are used in the manufacture of the impeller (impeller):

• non-corrosive steel (stainless steel) is practiced for fresh water;
• ceramics are used for salt water.

External type water pumps have one significant flaw. During the installation process, it is necessary to take into account that the device itself and hoses will need to be hidden so as not to spoil the look of the interior space of the room.

Also, pumps are circulating, currents, lifting. Lifting devices are used to pump water from one tank to another, circulation devices to form a strong flow, flow pumps to organize fluid flows.

On sale there is an extensive assortment of pumps for aquariums of Russian and foreign production. When making a choice, it is necessary to pay attention to the following aspects.

All aquarium pumps, as previously mentioned, are divided into 2 types: external and internal (submersible).The first are located outside the aquarium and, as a rule, are fixed to its walls from the outside. The most common form is the internal pump, located in the inside of the aquarium. In fact, any aquarium compressor practiced for pumping liquids is equipped with suction cups or specialized clamps at the bottom of the body, it can be installed on the walls of the aquarium both externally and internally without much effort.

The data sheet of any pump indicates the cubic capacity of the pumped liquid - liters / time (productivity). Choosing a pump for a specific aquarium, you should multiply its cubic capacity by 3-5 times, the resulting number should coincide with the passport data of the pump productivity, measured in l \ per hour.

The aerator works non-stop, therefore, to save electric energy, it is necessary to choose samples with the lowest value, which varies from 4 W to 35 W and more. Under other identical conditions, it is recommended to choose the pump with the lowest power, since this indicates that the pump has a higher efficiency. Greater energy consumption means greater power dissipation, and an excess heat source in the circuit is not required.

When choosing a compressor, not only the aquarium cubic capacity is provided, but also its local climate: the number of living inhabitants, vegetation, the presence of decorative objects.

One of the characteristics of electric pumps noted in the data sheet is the height of the water, which is directly related to the power and productivity of the pump. This value can be important in the case of the use of a compressor for gradual filling with rising liquid or pumping it out of the tank. The larger the tank, the more powerful the pump will be. Productive will be the one that pumps from 3 to 5 volumes per hour.

If the basic technical parameters are actually similar for all manufacturers, then the leading companies are superior in noise level to their own competitors. You must choose a low-noise pump from a reputable manufacturer. In the case of the location of the aquarium in the bedroom, the quiet operation of the pump will be most welcome.

Typically, either 220 volts AC, or 12 volts DC. The devices under consideration are powered from a 220 volt network. In proprietary systems, 12 volt pumps are more used. Despite the fact that they are less productive, they can be connected directly to the computer PSU.

The housings of all pumps are made of plastic, the only difference between all of them is the motor shaft. In aquariums for fresh water, a pump with a metal shaft is practiced; for salt water, it is made from ceramics.

Installation of the pump is best done in places covered for viewing, so that it does not disfigure the appearance of the aquarium. In addition, you should not forget about the noise generated by the device. Positioning the unit as far as possible from the resting place will make it possible to significantly reduce the load on your ears.

A good solution would be to install the device itself in a room not used for living (for example, in the corridor), then you need to lay the connecting hose through the hole in the wall to the aquarium. It is impractical to install the device through the window, since significant temperature differences adversely affect the state of the membrane and thereby shorten the life of the device.

It is also necessary to mention that almost all pump manufacturers in the documentation for their devices prohibit their installation below water level.This is due to the fact that when the pump stops on the air tube, water can run by gravity overflowing over the side of the aquarium, which will lead to flooding. If the device cannot be installed above the aquarium level, it is necessary to install a check valve in the gap of the air supply line. This small device will protect you from many complications. The principle of its action is that the air flow can freely flow in the direction of the aquarium, but the back valve is constantly closed.

Normal aquarium maintenance schedule - weekly cleaning, pump maintenance is also included in this process.

• Water is pumped out, then the pump is disconnected from the mains.
• The external filtering sponge is removed and washed. For such tasks only aquarium water is used, otherwise the beneficial bacteria that inhabit the sponge and are responsible for cleaning the water will be washed.
• Plastic elements are cleaned of plaque by means of a hard sponge or brush.
• The internal part of any pump has its own internal foam rubber filter, which must be cleaned as needed. To do this, the pump shell is disassembled (it is quite simple to do this with your hands), the inner sponge is removed from the pump casing and washed.
• After completing the washing of the jaws, you will also need to pump the system from the air, for which they practice a hand pump, with which unnecessary air is expelled from the hoses.

A pump is an essential element in supporting suitable microflora in an aquarium. Choosing the device that is most suitable for the capacity of the aquarium is required - all sorts of inconsistencies can adversely affect its functionality.

In the next video, you will find a comparison of aquarium pumps from Polish and Chinese manufacturers.