How To Choose Aquarium Pump?

Aquarium is an imitated ecosystem. Water circulation is important for any aquarium to assure proper filtration, prevention of anoxic formations, and formation of low temperature regions.

It is necessary to maintain the environment in the tank to keep fishes healthy and alive. Supply of oxygen is one of the important parts of creating an artificial ecosystem. The second important thing is continuous flow of water. To imitate the effect of flowing water, aquarium pump is used in such ecosystem.

A good pump works to keep water moving. This is important, as the water in the tank needs to be circulated, which allows the water to flow through filter and remove contaminants and debris present in the water. It also helps in balancing pH of water, which is necessary to keep fishes healthy. The bubbles produced by aquarium pump liven up the environment in the tank. The pump helps in providing continuous supply of oxygen. It comes with filters attached which remove contaminants and germs.

Aquarium pump is available in several types and sizes. Some of the factors to consider while choosing the right aquarium pump are:

1) Flow Rate: The pump is measured by its capacity i.e. gallons per hour in free flow condition. For example, a pump with 100 GPH will circulate entire water two times in an hour. However, its capacity decreases if a filter is attached with aquarium pump. Also, a pump with higher flow rate can create a chaos in small fish tank. So, the size of the tank has to be considered while choosing the pump.

2) Durability: Aquarium pump has some parts that are subject to normal wear and tear. Some pumps have internal seals that corrode with passage of time.

3) Heat generation: The pump generates heat, which gets transmitted to the water. Excessive heat generation by pump can lead to increase in temperature of water, which can be harmful for fishes.

4) Power consumption: Aquarium pump runs on electricity. It has to be kept switched on continuously for maintaining healthy environment in the tank. This can add to energy cost. Hence, a pump with lower power consumption should be preferred.

5) Noise level: Aquarium pump does generate noise while working. Though the noise level is low, it can disturb the silent environment of the place where the aquarium is positioned.

All the above factors are important while choosing the right aquarium pump. A good working pump will result in better health and long life of fishes in the tank.