Which air pump for oxygenation?

[martonic]

Hi - I just set up a 55 gallon planted tank with fish and I want to run air bubbles at night when the light goes off.

I installed a Whisper 100 air pump but it is awfully noisy!

I am considering a Rena 300 instead. I want to install this in the aquarium stand, directly below the aquarium (using two check valves).

Does that make sense?

 

[Dino]

Only one check valve is need per air line.

There is no advantage to only running the air pump at night.

Try placing a kitchen sponge under the air pump to lessen the noise.

 

[MadridKid]

yah, if it's too noisy put like a sock around it or something... mine is pretty quiet, there could be something wrong with yours...

 

[trailmule]

I have a Whisper air pump as well, and I think it is WAY to loud. We turned it off at night because of that. But we don't run it anymore so it isn't as issue.

-TM

 

[MadridKid]

yah I still turn mine off at night too, it's not that noisy though...but in summer I'll havt to have it on 24/7

 

[martonic]

Only one check valve is need per air line.

Right. Two airstones = two check valves.

There is no advantage to only running the air pump at night.

Well - I am using this to oxygenate a planted tank in which the plants consume CO2 (injected) during the day while the sun shines and the lights are on, but in which both the plants and the fish consume oxygen at night - hence the need for oxygenation at night. The air pump is supposed to be turned off during the day to avoid disrupting the CO2 before the plants get a shot at it.

Try placing a kitchen sponge under the air pump to lessen the noise.

Thank you for this suggestion.

I decided to get the Rena 300, which tested much quieter at my LFS. I only hope it holds up.