Are Aquarium Air Pumps Oxygen Tanks? Fish Tank Bubbles, Do You Need Them?

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Check out our brand new website and shop for all of your aquarium supplies and fun merch!

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[KGTropicals]

Check out our brand new website and shop for all of your aquarium supplies and fun merch!

[annetnedelec]

You have become my official reliable source of fish info

[juliefuglistahler]

Loved the garage analogy! "Oooh lord help me, it's getting stuffy in here!"

[grumblebuggyspergamatron]

I put a bubbler that was made to look like a water fountain in mine. One of my snails climbed on top of it and was promptly launched into the air by the bubbles, bouncing off the fixture's rocks on the way down like a plinko ball.
Best 50 bucks I ever spent.

[brfinger]

Hey there! Long time fan though very rarely post. An absolute great thing about air pumps (or anything that causes atmospheric exchange) is that in low-tech planted tanks it can help to add CO2 when the plants deplete it from the water via the atmospheric exchange. By increasing also C02 with 02 in tanks that are C02 depleted, it helps to empower the plants that we have to fight off so many various forms of algae. Using air stones, when ran accordingly, can actually bring your C02 levels near the level of passive C02 setups with out all the extra added costs. And as you mentioned, they are absolutely fantastic for helping to spread nutrients throughout the water column.

[briankepner]

Back in college I had an Oscar that like to wander into the bubbles and let himself rise to the surface and I think it was actually entertainment for him

[deborahcheney]

Thank you John and Lisa for your videos!! I have been keeping fish for almost 40 years, professionally for 35, and I love your passion for the hobby, and the fun way you guys explain things!! Keep up the good work, love watching you both!!

[IgorCassel]

FInally found the answer for my doubt. I don't need an air pump for my tank since the filter drops the water from the top, moving the water and there's also a small waterfall to the second part of the tank. Great video!

[WhuchakaV]

Walmart. Fishing section. 10 different kinds of bubblers, rechargeable, battery operated, usb operated. I have many and the best is the 4 dollar mr bubbles that takes AA or AAA one or two batteries at a time.

[JAANDLU]

Really? "Lets clear all of that up?" How did you miss, "Let's clear the air." when it is so obvious? You are usually so good at those.

[axelleaa]

Ugh I’m so new to this fish life and it’s so stressful! I wish there was a place I could just vent and ask all my questions to😂 your videos have been so helpful amongst all this stress! I love my new fish children but I never know what’s normal and what’s abnormal when it comes to these fellows!

[randomtube]

The most amazing thing that I've seen with an airater system in a tank was. The fish were actually playing in the bubbles. So if the fish like them. Definitely worth having. Air stones come in many shapes and sizes. So be creative and have fun.

[ChokonenNde]

That was excellently done. Also just an FYI, the “tanks” that people walk around with are compressed oxygen at approximately 99.9% oxygen (compared to what is in the air we breathe is 21% oxygen), also the “compressors” that people see hooked up to a nasal cannula is actually a molecular sieve that compressed the oxygen from the air to the patient. Both require a Physician prescription.

[amberblyledge]

Freaking yes. And you don’t need a big one. My parent’s 65 is kept happy by a little ten gal air pump. Now I think it also depends on your fish load, tank size, and how far the water from your filter drops to get into the aquarium.

[AfricanCichlids]

Great vid John, you nearly killed me with that thumbnail.

[NEnigma]

You’re awesome! Thank you for bringing up bettas! So many people say that they need absolutely still water and to not add bubblers. I tested that out and I took the bubbler out for 5 days. My bettas kept swimming to the bubbler waiting for it to turn on. They lingered by it like crazy. I finally turned it on, and they were swimming around like their old selves again! I’ve tested this out by even turning it off at night and the first thing I do when I wake up is turn it on and they go right to the air bubblers, waiting for the bubbles. Bettas are so smart. Anyways, great video, and you’re the first YouTuber that explained this clearly

[dusk]

Great commentary.
Surface agitation is the real key though and I'm glad you said it repeatedly. The bubbles emitted from the stone do very little until they breach the water surface and interfere with waters surface cohesion; that bubble breaking the surface is where most of the exchange takes place, not the bubble passing through the tank's solution.
Any surface agitation breaks the water-atmosphere interface and encourages gasses to diffuse both into the solution and into the atmosphere according to the gradient's present in either material

[emmathomson]

I wasn’t going to add an air stone to my 10gal tank until you mentioned all the benefits in this video! I’ve got a big filter but it’s turned down so the flow is manageable for my betta. I definitely think the tanks more stagnant than it should be & I loved when you mentioned that an air stone will help keep a ‘hard to reach area’ of your tank cleaner! Great ideas!!! Found a new air pump for $2 at my local thrift store so going to get an air stone now!!

[DeepikaAditya]

There is one more use, when I go for vacation I insert a air filter with dual power that goes to battery when power goes and remains in power supply usually. So if there is power outage when I am not home it takes care.

[alaingauthier]

I added a UPS (battery backup) like those used for computers to power my Tidal filters and air sponge filters on my two tanks. Can sustain power both for about 90 minutes. If needed, I can disconnect the Tidal filters and just keep the air pumps going.