Fresh water aquarium pumps

How to choose the right one

for your fresh water aquarium

A fresh water fish aquarium pump is, in simplest terms - designed to provide a healthy living environment for the fish living there. Most pumps are an integral part of the aquarium filtration system, they either to push the water through the filtration unit or pull the water back into tank after it is been filtered.

There are two basic types of pump that you can use for fresh water fish: submersible pumps (or power heads) and in-line external pumps. While the submersible pumps are easier to install and set up, the external pumps are generally more powerful and will not tend to heat the water in the same way that a submersible might.

Due to their extra power, in-line pumps should always be used for pressurized filter systems or you might find it difficult to pump the water through the filter canisters.

The open, non-pressure filtration systems operate with a lower pump rate, including such systems as wet and dry filtration units. The size of the pump is important, and it should be the right size for the tank, especially if it's submersible. A submersible pump that is oversized for the aquarium will generate too much heat that can harm your fish.

The flow rate is an important factor, and should be based on the capacity of your tank. It should be capable of completely circulating the water 4 times per hour to keep fresh. So if your tank is fifteen gallons, then you will need a flow rate of 60 gallons per hour. In fact, with this type of aquarium pump, you are advised to purchase slightly higher capacity than you need because there are factors that can reduce the actual flow rate below the maximum rate of the pump. These include plumbing restrictions, bends in the piping, etc.

In addition to flow rate you will need to observe what is called 'head height' when purchasing a pump. As with any type of water pump, the 'head' is an important factor in its specification. The 'head' is the greatest height to which the H2O will be pumped. If you measure the vertical distance from the pump to the highest point to which it must be pumped, then the head and the pump rate will give you the specifications for a pump that will fit your fresh water aquarium.

Alternative uses for a freshwater aquarium pump is to generate currents. This is can be important in larger tanks, where areas with no circulation can lead to algae growth. It is simple to set up your pump to create currents just where you need them. This is more common in saltwater aquariums that tend to be larger, and contain fish that depend upon circulation currents for their existence.

With the two main requirements in hand, flow rate and head pressure, you will be able to make your choice between the various fresh water fish aquarium pumps available.