How to Connect an Aquarium Air Pump

Although water may be seen as the primary aspect of the tropical fish tank there is something that is just as close. Your air pump provides air that powers the filtration system as well as sandstones that deliver an interesting feature to aquariums. Without the air pump, the tank filter would not work and the tank soon fills with deadly ammonia.

Things You'll Need

  • Air line tubing
  • Pair of scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select the place the pump will be located. It should be hidden but with easy access. The surface that the pump will sit on also needs to be level.

    • 2

      Remove the tank cover and light. Locate the under-gravel filter riser tubes. Depending on the size of the tank there could be two to eight in total. Hook a length of tubing to each filter tube. Each tube will have an aeration stone at the bottom. This creates suction that allows the water to pass through the charcoal packets on the top of each riser tube.

    • 3

      Check the length of the tubes. Make sure there is not too much extra tubing on each line. It is best to have an extra foot but no more, as the excess will cut down on the effectiveness of the pump. Trim the hose with scissors.

    • 4

      Attach the tubing to the nozzles on the outside of the filters. There should be two to eight of these depending on the size of the pump. They simple push on. Do not use any lubricant because it will slip into the tank.

    • 5

      Plug in the pump. Check to see if all of the pumps are bubbling. If they are not, check your connections.