quick question

[rhyminmusick]

i know this may sound stupid but what does an air pump do to your water? is it necessary?

[Scuba_Steve]

It airates it. No you dont need it or really want it. There are some that operate on batteries for when the power goes out. I would recommend getting one of those. But for everyday use, no.

[vegesrus]

hence the AIR. PUMP.

just kidding. i was seriously joking. seriously.

[Jocool]

Whoa, have you any fresh water experience? I say this because your question is the very basic of understanding water and the ability for the fish to breath oxygen. You see the transfer of oxygen to water happens at the surface not through bubbles in the water. The more distrubance at the surface of a body of water creates more oxygen to that body of water.

So no your question isnt stupid. As well, a air pump is never necessary, although if it is your only form of surface agitation then yes it is necessary to create oxygen in the volume of water you have I.E your tank.

Scuba steve made a great point a battery operated one is good to have during a power outage, but then again you could just stir the top of the water to get an oxygen exchange every 5 mins.

[rhyminmusick]

thanks everyone

[Young Frankenstein]

Well not only at the surface but everywhere water is mixed with air. ex.in a dry wet filter.

[awestruck]

Questions aren't stupid--please remember that! EVERYONE started somewhere! :)

[Scuba_Steve]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9537279#post9537279 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jocool
Whoa, have you any fresh water experience? I say this because your question is the very basic of understanding water and the ability for the fish to breath oxygen. As just said in the post above, we all start somewhere. This type of comment will make people not ask these questions because people might think they are "stupid questions". Sorry had to rant.

[Fermat]

Air pumps can also be used to drive sponge filters, useful to keep in DT or sump in case you need to move to a QT or hospital tank. The rising bubbles pull the water through the sponge, and create an aerobic environment for the nitrifying bacteria to live.