Is it possible for a saltwater aquarium to have fish survive without air pumps?
my marine science teacher has saltwater aquariums and no air pumps only power-heads. How is it possible that with only power heads (water pumps) that the fish in the aquarium survive?
All air pumps do is lower surface tension to make a gas exchange between co2 and oxygen some marine water and freshwater filters can make that gas exchange in the filter hence the power head and that’s why he does’nt need bubblers
February 27th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Air pumps don’t add oxygen to the water, they agitate the surface to oxygenate the water. Powerheads do this for you in a marine tank
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February 27th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
He/she has either a filter or a skimmer that is breaking the water enough to oxygenate the water. I have no pumps, but adequate filtration that is doing the same job as a pump. As long as the surface of the water is being broken, it will be fine.
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February 27th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
Yes, it is possible. The air pumps are just for decoration, mostly, and oxygen.
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February 27th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
All air pumps do is lower surface tension to make a gas exchange between co2 and oxygen some marine water and freshwater filters can make that gas exchange in the filter hence the power head and that’s why he does’nt need bubblers
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12 years o fish
February 27th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Totally possible.
Normal filters and power heads circulate the water well enough for oxygen exchange with the air.
Air pumps are an optional extra, they do no harm, but generally they are just a decoration.
Ian
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February 27th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
As mentioned an air pump isn’t needed in a saltwater set up and actually they can make the tank harder to keep clean. When the bubbles pop at the surface they spray salt water all over the place and the tank starts to get something called "salt creep" over it (basically dried salt). Salt water is very corrosive and can do a lot of damage to electrical equipment such as lights over the tank.
The key is surface agitation. Most people who run saltwater tanks will use a protein skimmer as part of their filtration system. A skimmer will not only help with oxygenating the water, but will also help pull out dissolved organics from the water.
References :
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_educationcenter.html