It is very difficult to say unequivocally whether to turn off the compressor in the aquarium at night, as this depends on several factors that influence the decision. For some aquariums, shutting down will not bring any unpleasant consequences in the morning, and for others, turning off aeration even for several hours is not recommended.
We will figure out when it is permissible to stop forced aeration at night, and when it is better to refrain from such a decision.
We take into account the details
The following factors must be taken into account:
- dimensions and shape of your aquarium;
- populations of fish and snails;
- the presence of algae in the aquarium;
- decorating elements.
The numerical characteristics of the water surface depend on the size of your aquarium. The larger the space, the better the exchange of gases between living organisms and the environment. In this case, the fish created excellent conditions for life, and the compressor also additionally regulates the supply of oxygen.
Thus, it is always recommended to have, if not a huge, then a significantly larger volume aquarium than is required for the number of free-floating fish. The larger the aquarium’s displacement, the less likely your pets will experience oxygen starvation at night, if you plan to turn off the oxygen compressor. Try to avoid crowding in the aquarium by any means - reset the growing plants, get a larger aquarium.
And if the fish are overpopulated, then filter them out of the existing composition, leaving only the normalized number of individuals.
Risk factors
Very important avoid overpopulation, and it depends on how big your aquarium is. If you turn off the air compressor at night in an aquarium teeming with fish, then there is a great chance in the morning to find several individuals who died from a lack of oxygen. This is because one individual has less oxygen in the aquarium with an inoperative compressor, and if it is overpopulated, the chances of oxygen starvation increase several times.
During the day, the algae in the aquarium release oxygen during photosynthesis, but at night the situation changes dramatically - plants at this time of day, on the contrary, begin to consume oxygen from the water. Therefore, it is logical to assume that even in a not very densely populated aquarium, the nightlife of fish is complicated.
Why disconnect?
Shutting down the compressor at night can have various reasons - the owner wants to save electricity or does not consider it necessary to work at night, believing that the fish are sleeping.
However, you must understand that the maintenance of any pets is fraught with different expenses, so even before acquiring livestock you need to think about whether you are ready for additional cost items for the maintenance of living things. Fish need their aquarium additional lighting and aeration, feed and plants that facilitate their daily existence.
If you have a lot of fish and the aquarium looks overpopulated, you should be prepared to purchase a second one and plant the animals to avoid crowding and the risk of choking the fish.
In other cases, when you have a spacious aquarium with a minimum of vegetation, you can sometimes turn off the compressor at night, but be sure to monitor the reaction of fish in the morning. It is easy to understand whether they have enough oxygen, paying attention to where the fish swim. If they hovered close to the surface of the water, it means that at night they actively swam up to swallow air.
Conclusion
Based on everything described above, we can conclude that additional aeration can only be turned off in a spacious aquarium with a small population of algae and living creatures.
The next morning you can always determine exactly whether you made a mistake by turning off the compressor. If it is obvious that the fish lack oxygen, do not let the aeration shut off anymore.
Remember about plants that consume oxygen at night - if there are a lot of them, they will “take” oxygen from the fish at night, making it difficult for them to breathe.
If you take into account all the above factors and do not miss the important points leading to the death of the fish, then the additional air supply at night can be turned off. In other cases, the compressor must be constantly running.
About whether it is possible to turn off the compressor in the aquarium at night, you will learn from the next video.
