Breeding aquarium fish only at first glance seems to be a simple task. In fact, this event is quite troublesome, since silent pets require special care and the creation of special conditions that are as close to natural as possible. Before releasing the fish into the aquarium, you need to purchase the necessary equipment: a water filtration and lighting system, a device for thermoregulation and, of course, a compressor for aeration and mixing of water. It is about him that will be discussed further.
Quiet aquarium compressor
An air compressor is a device designed to provide aeration of water, enriching it with dissolved oxygen. This device is a must for home aquariums, as a glass pond is a closed space in which fish can lack oxygen.
The principle of the aquarium compressor
The operation of the device is as follows:
- Submerged compressor tubes intensively release air bubbles, which enrich the water with oxygen molecules. The air pressure is regulated by special valves and clamps.
- During the operation of the device, ripples appear on the surface of the water, which increases the area of interaction between water and air, which contributes to additional saturation of water with oxygen.
The compressor mixes the layers of water in the aquarium, preventing it from blooming and spoiling. The operation of this apparatus is called aeration. Its main purpose is to provide the most favorable habitat for fish and maintain their he alth.
To aerate the aquarium, atomizers are attached to the air tubes, most often made from a white grindstone or an abrasive substance. Placed at the bottom of the aquarium, they emit a lot of air bubbles, creating a very beautiful decorative effect.
The smaller the size of these bubbles, the larger their total area, which is more favorable for aeration of the reservoir.
The compressor should not be used all the time. It is quite enough to turn it on twice a day for 20 minutes. In the summer, when the air temperature rises, the water also heats up and wastes oxygen much faster, so you should turn on the device more often and for a longer time.
Varieties of compressors
Aquarium compressors come in several varieties. The most common and long-known are:
- piston;
- membrane.
Quite recently aPUMP silent aquarium compressors have appeared on the market. In addition, you can saturate the water with oxygen using ordinary aquarium pumps or airlift filters.
With all the variety of models of devices, their main drawback is the noise they emit. If the aquarium is in the bedroom, the noiselessness of the device is one of its most important qualities. Unfortunately, a completely silent aquarium compressor does not exist, since the principle of any type of apparatus is based on vibration.
Diaphragm Compressor
Air is supplied in such a device by means of the movement of special membranes that work only in one direction. The device consumes little electricity. In addition, it is a relatively silent aquarium compressor.
Its main disadvantage is low power. Such an aerator is not suitable for large containers. However, a small membrane device can be installed in a home aquarium up to 150 liters.
Reciprocating compressor
It is also a silent aquarium compressor. The air in this model is supplied by a piston. Such devices have a long service life and a fairly high performance. Due to their high power they can be used in large aquariums.
Both types of home aerators come with household power or batteries. Each device is supplied with a flexible hose for the outlet of the pumped air.
Recently competition pistondevices made up a piezo device. This is the quietest compressor for the aquarium. However, it also has a drawback - it is low-power and is not placed in containers over 200 liters.
Aquarium pump
An aquarium pump is often used to saturate the water with oxygen. This small device has 2 functions - saturation of water with oxygen and its purification. The pump is purchased for large aquariums. This device does not make much noise because it is submerged in water. The only thing is that a light specific whistle is emitted by a tube for sucking air from the surface. But this problem can be solved. In modern pump models, the tubes are equipped with a plug. If you change its position, the intrusive noise can be significantly reduced and even eliminated.
How to choose a compressor
The most important indicators of the aquarium compressor:
- power;
- silence;
- durability
- device price.
For aquariums in the bedroom, choose a quiet aquarium air compressor. Larger capacities will require a high capacity unit.
For medium-sized aquariums, any model will do. The most popular and widespread brands are JBL, Aguael, Hagen, Tetra.
The smallest and quietest aquarium compressor is aPUMP, manufactured by COLLAR and designed to supply water with the most vital and essential element - oxygen. Is used forcontainers from 10 to 100 liters and a water column height of up to 80 cm.
This silent compressor for aquarium received only the best reviews. Many say that this is one of the best devices, it is not heard or seen.
How to reduce compressor noise
Let's look at ways to make an aquarium compressor silent.
We will need:
- foam;
- dish sponge;
- foam;
- tools.
Open the compressor housing, study its structure and the location of all parts. The cause of crackling may be a membrane that is in contact with some convex part. Carefully file a protruding body part or cut out a section that prevents the membrane from moving freely.
You can reduce the noise of the appliance by placing a dish sponge under it to absorb sound.
The compressor can also be installed in a soundproof box or wrapped in foam rubber and secured with rubber bands.
The appliance may be noisy due to clogging or loose internal parts. Cleaning it and fixing loose parts will help fix the situation.
Make a silent compressor for an aquarium with your own hands
If you know the basic principle of the device, you can assemble it yourself. First, the compressor takes in air, and then gradually supplies it to the aquarium.
In order to assemble such a device, you need to prepare:
- rubbercamera;
- hand or foot pump;
- tee (three-way faucet);
- plastic tube from a medical dropper, always with a clamp.
To make a compressor, we remove three tubes from the tee: the first - to the hand (or pedal) pump, the second - to the rubber chamber, the third, made of a tube with a clamp, we will use as a hose from which air will flow into aquarium. We firmly plug the end of this tube with a cork, and in front of it in the tube itself we pierce several small holes with a needle. It is from them that air will come out. It is important to ensure that all connections are tight and secure.
The principle of operation of such a homemade compressor is as follows: first, a tube leading from the pump to the chamber will be used to collect air. Then, when the air is collected and the chamber is filled to capacity, this tube will stop working, and another one will begin to function, leading from the chamber to the outlet tube. With the help of a special clamp, you can adjust the speed of the air that will go out. It is best to make the airflow as slow as possible.
In principle, the compressor is made by hand. The disadvantages of such a device include the fact that the battery chamber must be periodically pumped up. For normal aeration of an aquarium up to 100 liters, such pumping is done approximately twice a day. Therefore, a homemade compressor cannot be left unattended for a long time.
