About Salt Water Fish Tank Pumps

Function

• A good pump is necessary for any healthy fish tank. This is especially important in a salt water tank. The natural habitat for most saltwater fish would be the ocean, where the water will naturally swell and move with the tides and currants. To simulate this environment, a good pump can help keep the water in your tank moving. This keeps the aquarium from becoming stagnant. The flow of the water will also keep air circulating within the tank. The other important function of a fish tank pump is to clean the water. It is important in this small contained environment that contaminants are constantly filtered out.

Types

• The first factor to consider in selecting a pump for your tank, is the type of pump you are interested in. One type is the air pump. This is best used in an aquarium with an under-gravel plate. Simply attach an air stone to the end of the tube extending from the air pump. This will keep air circulating throughout the tank from beneath the gravel. This type of pump is ideal for a tank of around 30 to 40 gallons. If you have a hood on your tank, you may also want to consider an air pump with an air stone at the surface of the water, increasing air circulation here as well. The second type of pump is a water pump, also called a powerhead. This type of pump is much stronger than an air pump and can circulate the water more forcefully. If you do not have an under-gravel filtration system, you will need to investigate a third type of pump. This pump will need to work with the filtration system you have selected. The most common filtration systems are canister and power filters. Both options tend to come with their own pumps designed for that particular system.

Size

• Once you have selected the type of pump for your system, you should consider the size. If you have a small aquarium, you may want to get an external pump, as this will take up less space inside the tank. The larger the pump, the more heat it will generate. Keep this in mind when evaluating the size of your aquarium. A large pump in a small aquarium may raise the temperature to unsafe levels. On the other end of the spectrum, a small pump in a very large tank will not adequately clean and circulate the water. You should be armed with the exact size of your aquarium when shopping for the pump so you can select the correct pump. Air pumps are rated according to the size of the aquarium, making the selection fairly straight forward. Water pumps are rated by gallons per hour (GPM). This measurement will tell you how many gallons of water will be filtered through the system each hour. Each gallon of water in your tank should be filtered about five or six times an hour. This means that a 20 gallon aquarium would need a powerhead with a rating of about 120 GPM.

Considerations

• If you select an internal pump, be sure to have a working thermometer in your tank. Monitor the water temperature carefully to ensure that the pump isn't heating the water too much. If you are concerned about noise, internal water pumps are an excellent choice. These tend to be much quieter than external pumps. If your aquarium is in a bedroom, an external pump may keep light sleepers awake. Reef aquariums generally need greater water circulation than those with just tropical fish. Your reef may even benefit from an additional wave generator, simulating the true ocean environment.

Benefits

• The proper water pump is essential to a healthy aquarium. Depending on the specific needs of your aquarium, you may even want to select a combination of pumps. You may use a powerhead to keep the water moving, while also featuring an air pump for underwater decorations that release bubbles. If your system is working properly, your fish should have plenty of air in the water, and the aquarium should be clean and free of excessive dirt.