# Turning off air pump at night?



## Harbinger (Dec 20, 2008)

We already have a community tank downstairs which is always on. Its pretty silent aswell. I got my own tank set up with currently nothing in. I spent a hell of a lot more that i should on a proper "silent" air pump, and it turns out the piece of crap is 10x louder than the near silent downstairs one, vibrates the whole room. Before i get an actually decent one will it be ok turning it off at night?


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## Moony14 (Aug 20, 2011)

Aslong as you still have the filter going it's fine, unless that's what you mean?


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## Harbinger (Dec 20, 2008)

No the filter is quiet enough to stay on. Im thinking of putting some guppies or something in there to ready it up, or straight to axolotl's if its ready (obviously the guppies will be moved).
The down stairs tank has a Penn Pax air tech pump, its pretty good and near silent, was thinking of getting this one, same make but meant for my sized tank.

Silent-Air Pump 20 Gallon Aquariums - Penn Plax

I dont think this is the right size, but the one i have is one of these.

Tetratec APS 100 Air Pump at zooplus

Cost me around £20, labeled as "silent" -_-


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## ian_lawton (Apr 19, 2007)

erm guessing nobody sleeps downstairs? how about you just swap them over


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## Paul112 (Apr 6, 2007)

I have the same problem with the airpump I use to power a whole bunch of sponge filters. I have mine on a timer so that it's off for 8 hours at night; all my filters still seem to work fine without the air flow for this short time.

Best,
Paul


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## Cheyneib Kohni (Feb 25, 2013)

Surprised me, I have had nothing but a silent experience from tetratec air pumps, although mine are the next model up from yours.

Just out of curiosity where do you keep your pump? mine is on a solid wood surface that is not enclosed, there the rubber boots on this pump thrive. If you keep enclosed in a cabinet you will get vibration noise as you are condensing a volume of air and the pump will create percussion. The same goes for putting on top of a hollow surface.


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## Cheyneib Kohni (Feb 25, 2013)

P.S. Them tetratec air pumps are cheapest in the aquatic section of the retail store called "The Range" in case anybody wishes an affordable air pump.


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## HogIdol (Feb 17, 2013)

look for a tunze silent pump. They're the best on the market.

Tetratec are cheap rubbish. Oh and please don't cycle a tank with fish. Take your time!


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## Blurboy (Feb 9, 2007)

If your air pump is just used with a stone to add some water movement to oxygenate the water then turning it off will be fine. As for using it with sponges to filter the water I would not recommend that as the useful bacteria in the sponges that need oxygen will die off and will actually do more harm than good. You should never turn filters off for periods of rest.


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## Cheyneib Kohni (Feb 25, 2013)

HogIdol said:


> look for a tunze silent pump. They're the best on the market.
> 
> Tetratec are cheap rubbish. Oh and please don't cycle a tank with fish. Take your time!


You pay a lot more for tunze though and I wouldn't say tetratec are rubbish, used them for two years sound as a whistle, I would actually say they are an underestimated brand. Their cannister filters in my opinion far exceed eheims of a similar size and I used them with turtles too which is great test to how efficient they are.


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## Ony (Oct 19, 2012)

Why are you running an air pump? Without knowing this how can anyone advise whether you can safely turn it off or not?


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## The T Lord (Mar 28, 2009)

HogIdol said:


> look for a tunze silent pump. They're the best on the market.
> 
> Tetratec are cheap rubbish. Oh and please don't cycle a tank with fish. Take your time!


Are you not aware of cycling with fish? its a common method and was used for years before fishless cycling was introduced, i've personally put fish in a tank after the water being filtered for a week, and monitored ph,ammonia, nitrite/trate. Its not difficult at all and the sudden increase in people scaring people off from fish cycling is pathetic IMO, people over complicate everything these days! :lol2:

Also, Is their any specific reason for the airpump? 'to give the fish air' is not an answer IMO, air pumps are rubbish, make sure you have generous water movement from the filter and you have nothing to worry about in respects to O2 in the water


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## Ony (Oct 19, 2012)

Fishless cycling isn't complicated it just takes a little bit of time and patience. There is no excuse for deliberately exposing fish to toxic levels of ammonia and nitrite.


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

air pumps aren't very useful...


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## The T Lord (Mar 28, 2009)

Ony said:


> Fishless cycling isn't complicated it just takes a little bit of time and patience. There is no excuse for deliberately exposing fish to toxic levels of ammonia and nitrite.


I've never done a fishless cycle, my method is basically as follows:

Get water in tank, run filters heaters etc... for around 2 weeks, then introduce first fish whilst testing water daily for first week, if any ammonia peaks occur a 50% water change, if not, theirs no need, i've NEVER lost a fish using this method either :whistling2:


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## Reed Meredith (Jul 5, 2011)

I am doing a fish cycle on my first tropical tank, going from expert advice, and so far my fish are showing no signs of ill health, a lot of people that complain about fish cycles are just regurgitating stuff they have read and have never actually looked into it and researched it.


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## Ony (Oct 19, 2012)

Personally I did a lot of research into both methods and most fish in cycle sources did not exactly fill me with confidence. I'm curious as to where you got your information and what benefits you think a fish in cycle has over fishless?


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## snakekeeperteznemz (Dec 20, 2009)

The T Lord said:


> I've never done a fishless cycle, my method is basically as follows:
> 
> Get water in tank, run filters heaters etc... for around 2 weeks, then introduce first fish whilst testing water daily for first week, if any ammonia peaks occur a 50% water change, if not, theirs no need, i've NEVER lost a fish using this method either :whistling2:


this is exactly how iv always started tanks, have been doing it for over 20 years including one shop set up with 140 tanks. Still waiting for bad results


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## Reed Meredith (Jul 5, 2011)

Fish in cycle is the most proven and used method in the hobby, it seems that anyone above the level of 'hobbyist' finds fish cycles easier and more effective.


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## Ony (Oct 19, 2012)

What level of stock do you start with? I'm just imagining some poor newbie reading this thread and introducing far too many fish to their uncycled tank with predictably disastrous consequences. 

PS. Next time one of you start a new tank this way would anyone be willing to log their fish introductions, water changes and test results for a month or so? There is lots of fishless cycle info out there, including the above. It would be really useful to see your method in action and make a fair comparison.


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## The T Lord (Mar 28, 2009)

Ony said:


> What level of stock do you start with? I'm just imagining some poor newbie reading this thread and introducing far too many fish to their uncycled tank with predictably disastrous consequences.
> 
> PS. Next time one of you start a new tank this way would anyone be willing to log their fish introductions, water changes and test results for a month or so? There is lots of fishless cycle info out there, including the above. It would be really useful to see your method in action and make a fair comparison.


 No more then 6" of fish is the rule i usually abide by


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## jaykickboxer (Feb 11, 2008)

I've always cycled my tanks with fish aswell never had any problems


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## Reed Meredith (Jul 5, 2011)

i also added some tetra safestart the other day to my tank, i've heard a lot of good things about it.


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## snakekeeperteznemz (Dec 20, 2009)

I would never say "get as many as you want", would always recommend a few at a time, dependant on sizes, obviously smaller fish (maybe a few extra) and larger would mean less of them.

Have used lots of the treatments over the years but swear by API stress zyme for new tanks, used together with a dechlorinator


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## Chip101 (Jun 30, 2011)

Get a inline check valve (one way valve) if the air pump is lower than the tank, i used to turn mine of in my bedroom and 1 night it siphoned back theough the air line and i had a puddle on my floor


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## Frosty2532 (Nov 30, 2010)

*noisy Air Pump*

Hi, how about standing the pump on something like a ceramic wall or floor tile? This may make the pump quieter as it is sounds like the pump is causing resonance from standing on a hollow surface.

Also, do you have air stones on the end of your airline? how new are they? Air stones get blocked over a period of time and cause back pressure and noise from the air pump; worth spending 50p on a new airstone to see if that helps.


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## tropicaljoey (Feb 27, 2013)

an air pump or filter does not have to be on at night at all, as long as you have it on all day long then it is fine, iv had loads of fish tanks and always turn everything off at night (apart from the heater obviously) theres no point in stressing about it at all coz it really doesnt need to be on and wouldnt make a difference if its on or not :2thumb:


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## RobbHughes (Mar 11, 2012)

tropicaljoey said:


> an air pump or filter does not have to be on at night at all, as long as you have it on all day long then it is fine, iv had loads of fish tanks and always turn everything off at night (apart from the heater obviously) theres no point in stressing about it at all coz it really doesnt need to be on and wouldnt make a difference if its on or not :2thumb:


You should never turn the filter off... Also if you have lots of live plants in your aquarium, then at night they no longer produce O2 but instead use some of it up. Personally I'd leave it on, maybe take it out of the cupboard and put a folded up tea towel under it? Worked a treat for my cheap pump.


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)




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