An air pump is an essential piece of equipment for an aquarium. It will oxygenate the water and remove harmful gases from the water. There are also other components that you will need in addition to an air pump such as tubing and air stones.
Air stones can oxygenate the water in the tank and can also create an appealing sight. It will create streams of bubbles that travel through the water to the top of the tank. It is these bubbles that break the surface of the water and agitate the water causing oxygen to enter it.
There are different sizes of air stones so you have to choose an air pump that is powerful enough to run it. If the size of the air stone is too small, it can float. So you will need to use airline clips to keep them pinned down. You will also need to replace these air stones now and then as they can degrade over time. Regular replacements will help with continuous bubble production and oxygenation of the water. You should have a non-return valve with an air pump.
You can place a large aquarium air pump in a cabinet below the aquarium so that it is hidden from view. There should be a solution for a power outage as well. Otherwise, the water will go backwards and go into the air pump body and causing a lot of damage. A check valve should also be used. You can control the amount of air going into the tubing by using an airline clamp. You can split one airline or tubing into two by using Y or T connectors. To run two airlines, you will need a twin outline pump.
This will also allow you to run an air stone for two different tanks. There are pumps that come with in-built controllers that negate the use of clamps to control air flow. In addition to the size of the air stone, you also have to consider the depth of the fish tank when choosing the power for the air pump. If the tank is very deep, there is more pressure for the air to pump through. For a deeper tank that needs a lot of bubbles, you will have to go with a pond air pump.
The size and power of the air pump should also increase if you have a lot of aquarium plants and ornaments as these provide a lot of resistance. While there are different sizes of air pumps, their function is more or less the same. They have a vibrating rubber diaphragm inside. You can look for models that come equipped with features to dampen the noise and vibration caused by this vibration.
Manufacturers use thicker casing and rubber pads or feet for this purpose. Generally, when the air pump size increases, the noise they make also increases. You can place the air pump on a smooth surface without touching any other objects so there is nothing to vibrate up against. You can also hang the air pump off the ground.
